Pennsylvania Hospital
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
This is the first hospital in the U.S. Chartered by Colonial Assembly in 1751 for "relief of the sick poor." Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond were its chief founders. First building, erected in 1755, is still used.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Chartered by the Colonial Assembly in 1751 for the "relief of the sick poor," Pennsylvania Hospital was the first hospital in what would become the United States. Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond led its founding, and the original building of 1755 remains in use to this day. It set a model of organized, charitable medical care that had never before existed in the colonies.
Why it matters
As America's first hospital, it pioneered the idea that a community should provide humane, institutional care for the sick and poor — a cornerstone of the nation's medical and civic tradition.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Museums & culture
- Bridgette Mayer0.3 mi away · 709 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Hill-Physick House0.4 mi away · 321 South 4th Street
- Congress Hall0.4 mi away · Philadelphia, PA
- Independence Hall0.4 mi away · 520 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Philosophical Hall0.4 mi away · PA
- Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial0.5 mi away
Attractions
- Italian market0.4 mi away · Christian Street
- Liberty Bell0.5 mi away · 526 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Second Bank of the United States0.5 mi away · 420 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- President's House0.5 mi away
- Carpenters' Hall0.5 mi away · 320 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- First Bank of the United States0.6 mi away · 120 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
Food & drink
- Talula's Garden0.2 mi away · 210 West Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA
- Talula's Daily0.2 mi away · 208 West Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA
- Fat Salmon0.3 mi away · 719 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Cafe Walnut0.3 mi away · 703 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Maya's Pizza & Grill0.3 mi away · 716 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Thank You Thank You Coffee Roasters0.3 mi away · 700 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA
Places to stay
- Morris House Hotel0.2 mi away · 225 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Alexander Inn0.3 mi away · 301 301 South 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, Philadelphia, PA
- AKA Washington Square0.3 mi away · 834 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Fairfield Inn & Suites0.4 mi away · 261 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Holiday Inn Express0.5 mi away · 1305-11 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Center City0.5 mi away · 237 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Places data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hours and details change — call ahead.
Own a business near here? Add it to the map.
Related people
- · Benjamin Franklin
- · Thomas Bond
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Joe Venuti (1903-1978)
Philadelphia, PA · est. 1997
Joe Venuti, remembered as the "Father of Jazz Violin," grew up in Philadelphia and attended grade school in this neighborhood before bringing classical training to the freewheeling new world of jazz. He pioneered string techniques that gave the violin a swinging voice, most famously in his celebrated partnership with guitarist Eddie Lang in the 1920s and early 1930s. He led his own band, appeared on screen and radio, and enjoyed a major comeback in 1968.
Eddie Lang
Philadelphia, PA · est. 1995
Born Salvatore Massaro in 1902, Eddie Lang grew up in this part of Philadelphia and grew into the musician often called the "Father of Jazz Guitar." A gifted soloist, he brought the guitar forward as a serious jazz voice, working alongside violinist Joe Venuti, bandleader Paul Whiteman, the Dorsey brothers, and others in the freewheeling music scene of the 1920s and early '30s. He was serving as Bing Crosby's accompanist when his sudden death in 1933 cut short a brilliant career.
John Nepomuk Maelzel (1772-1838)
Philadelphia, PA · est. 2004
In the 1820s Johann Nepomuk Maelzel brought his traveling wonders to a Philadelphia exhibition hall, chief among them the Automaton Chess Player known as "The Turk," a mechanical marvel that appeared to play chess against all comers. A German-born inventor and showman, Maelzel is also credited with popularizing the metronome and crafting ear trumpets for the deaf Beethoven. His hall drew crowds eager to puzzle over the boundary between machine and illusion.
Baruch S. Blumberg (1925-2001)
Philadelphia, PA · est. 2016
Baruch Blumberg, who lived here, was a physician-scientist whose curiosity ranged from human blood to the possibility of life beyond Earth. His identification of the hepatitis B virus led to a diagnostic test and a vaccine—work that earned a Nobel Prize and has since prevented untold cases of liver disease worldwide. He chose to share the vaccine widely to speed its use, and later helped lead scientific institutions from Fox Chase Cancer Center to NASA's Astrobiology Institute.