Title
Designating The Historical Society of Pennsylvania as the official historical society of Philadelphia.
Body
WHEREAS, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) was founded in 1824 in anticipation of the fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution. It has sought to preserve and explore the origins, diversity, and development of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the nation for over 175 years. HSP's collections were substantially augmented through the addition of the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies in 2002; and
WHEREAS, HSP is the largest library of Pennsylvania history in existence, with nearly 20 million items in its collections; and
WHEREAS, Since its creation, HSP has documented Philadelphia's many important roles - as the place of our nation's founding and its cultural and economic center through the nineteenth century, as a primary port of immigration, and as a key center of African American experiences; and
WHEREAS, HSP holds records relating to the experiences of immigrants to our area dating from the seventeenth century to the present, reflecting the true ethnic diversity of the Philadelphia region and history's full story, told by many voices; and
WHEREAS, HSP holds more documentation of the built environment in the Philadelphia region prior to the Civil War than any other institution, and its comprehensive collection of insurance records makes it a crucial resource for anyone interested in researching a historic home or building; and
WHEREAS, HSP continues to preserve our growing history by expanding our collections and documenting the experiences of Philadelphia's ethnic communities; and
WHEREAS, HSP's programming involves collaboration with numerous area groups and institutions, including leadership in the Civil War History Consortium, the development of neighborhood history tours in the Philadelphia region, collaboration with the Mural Arts Program to create historical murals around the city, and sponsorship of a re...
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