Franklin Square

Franklin Square, a 7.6-acre tract, is one of the original five squares laid out by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme in the Plan for the City of Philadelphia in 1682. First designated as Northeast Square, it was renamed Franklin Square in 1825 in honor of Benjamin Franklin, a foremost American public servant, inventor and patron of the arts. During the American Revolution, it served as a burial ground, a horse and cattle market, and an ammunition storage site. It has remained open public parkland since 1815, as have three of the other original squares—Logan, Rittenhouse, and Washington. Center Square at Broad and Market Streets is now the site of Philadelphia's City Hall.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · United States