About Us
 

The Friends of Independence National Historical Park is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization which was created in 1972 with the intent to not only help Independence National Historical Park gear up for the Bicentennial of the United States in 1976 but to become a partner with the park to help in the growth and development.

 

In 1972, John Milley, the Park’s Chief of Museum Operations with the encouragement of the then Superintendent, Hobie Cawood recruited Anne Rowland (First Board Chair), Addie-Lou Mauck and a few other volunteers to start the first Friends groups of a National Park and on June 15, 1972, the Friends of Independence became the official support group of Independence National Historical Park.

 

From the beginning, the Friends played a supportive role with the park, working along side the Superintendent and Chiefs of the different divisions to make Independence Park the place to be, leading up to and during the Bicentennial. They hosted openings of restored buildings like the Second Bank, Old City Hall, Franklin Court and the original Visitor Center; now known as the Living History Center. The Friends were also given the task of furnishing the VIP room located on the second floor of the West Wing of Independence Hall. Over the years, this room welcomed hundreds of World Leaders as well as local and renowned celebrities.

 

Many of the first members to the Friends were volunteers who worked for six months of the year as docents inside park buildings. They organized Behind-the-Scenes tours, lecture series and provided guides to work in Park buildings. Mary Carroll (third volunteer to serve as Board Chair) wrote A Walking Guide to INHP in 1976 (revised in 1983 and 1988) as well as the Treasures of Independence. In 1979, the Friends started two momentous educational programs that continue well into the future.

 

Philadelphia Open House originally began as a three day open house tour of Society Hill homes whose purpose was to bring people into the city. Over the years it had evolved into a tour program that consisted of walking tours, bus tours as well as open house tours through out many diverse neighborhoods and lasted approximately two and a half months during the spring. Friends also in 1979 began the Twilight Tours; volunteer led tours that occur after hours in Independence National Historical Park. Twilight Tours filled a void in the park schedule for visitors who arrived after the park closed for the night during the summer months. As a free tour, volunteer guides lead visitors around the park sharing history, stories and laughter every summer night. 

 

Starting off small with lectures, tours and classes, the Friends soon began their role as the fundraising arm of the park when they purchased portraits of James and Dolly Madison by James Sharples in 1973, following that up with a Chares Wilson Peale self portrait. Through the years the Friends have purchased, fundraised or donated well over 600 artifacts to the permanent collections of Independence National Historical Park. In 1982, the Friends raised $1.2 million to create Welcome Park, the site of William Penn’s Slate Roof House.

Recently in 2008, the Friends helped to finalize renovations to Independence Mall when they raised $269,000 for People’s Plaza; an area dedicated to the First Amendment, Freedom of Speech. Currently we are working hard to raise $100,000 for a Decorative Scrim that will wrap around Independence Hall when it begins its fourteen month restoration period. 

 

With so many accomplishments in our past, we look forward to the challenges of tomorrow and supporting the birthplace of America.