5 Fun Facts about Philadelphia:
• Philly has a long and interesting past. Founded in 1682, the city brims with its own history, culture, and atmosphere distinct to Philadelphia. As the birthplace of American democracy, Philly boasts Independence Hall, where patriots signed both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
• With nearly 50 major universities and colleges in and around Philly, you never get tired of seeing the same old people, and the rivalries are for more than school pride.
• Philadelphia’s silver screen hero, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), trained and filmed in South Philly’s Italian neighborhood and hit the bags in North Philly’s Blue Horizon Boxing Club. Other movies filmed here are The Sixth Sense, Fallen, Twelve Monkeys, Trading Spaces, and Blow Out to name a few.
• Every New Year’s Day, native Philadelphians celebrate Mummermania, something resembling Mardi Gras without the excuse of Lent. Having survived medieval folklore, court orders, and strict Puritan regulations, it still is celebrated in its entire historic splendor without much change from decades ago. A must see if you are in the city.
• The modern Uilleann, a traditional Irish instrument that is in the same family as the bagpipe, was ironically not developed in Ireland, but rather Philadelphia.
Famous People from Philadelphia:
Edmund Bacon
Kevin Bacon
Bill Cosby
Brian de Palma
Tinay Fey (Upper Darby, Pa.)
W.C. Fields
Benjamin Franklin
Grace Kelly
Jack Kelly
M. Night Shyamalan
Will Smith
Local Slang:
Blue Route – I-476
The Mainline – Lancaster Ave., which can take you directly in and out of the city
Whiz-wit – requesting Cheese-Whiz with onions on your Philly cheesesteak
Whiz-witout – requesting Cheese-Whiz without onions on your Philly cheesesteak
Yo – a greeting like hello, rumored to have been popularized after the filming of Rocky