A National Historic Landmark, this colonial-era building has changed little since the day it opened for worship September 4, 1761.

Philadelphia was prospering in the early 18th century. By the 1750s the city was expanding into the area that had been named for William Penn’s Society of Free Traders. Some 80 members of Christ Church, recently settled here and finding it difficult to traverse the muddy streets to their overcrowded church at 2nd and Market, decided to build a new church here.

Land was donated in 1757 by Proprietors (Governors) Thomas and Richard Penn, whose family crest can be seen above the pulpit. St. Peter’s was designed by Robert Smith, the Scottish-born builder who designed other noted buildings of the day, among them Carpenters’ Hall and Nassau Hall. Much of the £5,000 expense was raised by lottery. St. Peter’s and Christ Church were run jointly until 1832.

Other Historical Points of Interest

Our spire, which serves as a beacon to our surrounding neighborhood, was designed by William Strickland in 1842 to house the gift of eight bells from Benjamin Chew Wilcocks. The bells came from the Whitechapel Foundry in London where the Liberty Bell was made.

Our churchyard is open every day. Among some of the more notable figures interred here are:

• John Nixon, a Lieutenant Colonel and a founder of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. He gave the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, July 8, 1776.

• Nicholas Biddle, President of the Second Bank of the United States.

• George Mifflin Dallas, Vice President of the U.S. for whom Dallas, Texas is named.

• Charles Willson Peale, famous portrait painter.

• Commodore Stephen Decatur, hero of the Battle of Tripoli in 1814.

• The Chiefs of Eight Indian Tribes who were stricken with small pox while visiting Philadelphia in 1793 to meet with President Washington.

For additional information on St. Peter’s history, please contact Historic St. Peter’s Preservation Corporation (HSPCPC) at 313 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106; phone (215) 925-5968.

If you'd like to investigate other points of interest in and around Philadelphia, you may click this link to be taken to the gophila.com website.

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