This Friday — October 6, 2023 — marks the 300th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin arriving in Philadelphia as a 17-year old from Boston. There are at least three commemorations planned.
The American Philosophical Society is marking the event, starting at 9:00am on the Delaware River waterfront at the Independence Seaport Museum.
One highlight, for me, is the display of the document that confirmed the date, a wonderful, 20th-century story starring Claude-Anne Lopez and overlapping with our correspondence. This article by Valerie-Anne Lutz shows us those jottings online, on the back of a letter Franklin received from Rodolphe-Ferdinand Grand, dated November 29, 1783.
Alex Greenberg is leading a walk across New Jersey as a celebration and a fundraiser for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
The University of Pennsylvania is hosting a celebration and lunch starting from 12:00-2:00 at Perry World House, 3803 Locust Walk.
Wherever you are, you can fully recognize this day by walking around eating a piece of bread (or anything you like). You will find, as Benjamin seemed to discover, that one of the best ways to get comfortable in a new place is to walk around eating something. It certainly worked out for him!
See Also
- Alex Greenberg Walk:
https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/BFranklin - APS Celebration:
https://www.amphilsoc.org/events/300-years-franklin-philadelphia - University of Pennsylvania Celebration:
https://penntoday.upenn.edu/events/benjamin-franklin-300th-anniversary - Posting here: Yale Visit, 2018 – honoring Claude-Anne Lopez.
- Valerie-Anne Lutz article:
https://www.amphilsoc.org/blog/notes-revealed-ben-franklins-date-arrival-philadelphia