Penn Landing
Chester, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Oct. 29, 1682, soon after finishing a two-months' voyage, William Penn first set foot on his colony of Pennsylvania, granted by Charles II the year before. The site is a block south.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
On an October day in 1682, after two months at sea, William Penn stepped ashore near Chester to take possession of the vast colony King Charles II had granted him the year before as repayment of a royal debt. Penn came with a radical vision for his "holy experiment" — a colony founded on religious toleration, fair dealing with Native peoples, and Quaker principles of peace. From this landing he would go on to lay out Philadelphia and frame a government whose liberties echoed through the later founding of the nation.
Why it matters
Penn's arrival launched one of the most influential colonial experiments in American history, whose ideals of religious freedom and representative government helped shape the founding principles of the United States.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Museums & culture
- Bridgette Mayer13.2 mi away · 709 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Hill-Physick House13.2 mi away · 321 South 4th Street
- Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial13.3 mi away
- Congress Hall13.3 mi away · Philadelphia, PA
- Independence Hall13.3 mi away · 520 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Philosophical Hall13.4 mi away · PA
Attractions
- Commandant's Quarters10.4 mi away
- American Bandstand11.2 mi away
- Philadelphia Zoo12.5 mi away
- Italian market12.6 mi away · Christian Street
- One Liberty Observation Deck12.7 mi away
- Pennsylvania Railroad, Connecting Railway Bridge12.7 mi away
Food & drink
- Talula's Garden13.1 mi away · 210 West Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA
- Talula's Daily13.1 mi away · 208 West Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA
- Fat Salmon13.2 mi away · 719 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Cafe Walnut13.2 mi away · 703 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Maya's Pizza & Grill13.2 mi away · 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Munchie’s Cafe13.2 mi away · 728 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Places to stay
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Center City12.7 mi away · 237 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Cambria Hotel Philadelphia Downtown - Center City12.7 mi away · 219 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Fairfield Inn & Suites12.7 mi away · 261 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Alexander Inn12.8 mi away · 301 301 South 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, Philadelphia, PA
- Holiday Inn Express12.8 mi away · 1305-11 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Residence Inn Philadelphia Center City12.9 mi away · 1 East Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA
Places data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hours and details change — call ahead.
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Related people
- · William Penn
- · Charles II
Related events
- · Founding of Pennsylvania
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Old Swedish Burial Ground
Chester, PA · est. 1954
This ground in Chester marks the site of the first St. Paul's Episcopal Church, built in 1702 in one of Pennsylvania's oldest settlements with roots in New Sweden. Just south lies the grave of John Morton, the Pennsylvania delegate whose vote helped tip the colony toward independence and who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Colonial Courthouse
Chester, PA · est. 1954
Raised in 1724 in a restrained Georgian Colonial style and restored in 1920, this Chester landmark served as a courthouse for Chester County until 1786 and then for Delaware County from 1789 to 1851, later doing duty as City Hall. It is celebrated as the oldest public building in continuous use in the United States.
Finland
Chester, PA · est. 1955
In 1653 Queen Christina of Sweden granted a tract along the Delaware River, from Marcus Hook to the Chester River, to Captain Hans Ammundson Besk, a native of Finland. Called "Finland," it marked the site of the first Finnish settlement in America, part of the short-lived New Sweden colony along the Delaware. Finnish and Swedish colonists here helped introduce the log cabin to the New World.
Caleb Pusey
Upland, PA · est. 1967
Caleb Pusey (1651–1727), an English-born Quaker lastmaker, purchased 250 acres from William Penn in 1681, the very year Penn received his charter for Pennsylvania. Serving as Penn's business agent, grist mill manager, and a colonial officeholder, Pusey was a trusted figure in the young colony—and his home is remembered as a place Penn himself visited. His house survives as a rare tangible link to Pennsylvania's founding generation.