What is America's most historic city? (crime rate, metropolitan, living, state)

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

Yeah you have no idea what you are talking about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philad...ican_Civil_War

Philadelphia's civil rights history dates back before 1776.

The real answer to this question is NYC and Philly. There aren't any two other cities that have been in the top 5 in terms of population since the inception of this country and the "history" that has taken place in these cities easily out weighs the other places mentioned. Richmond was a town compared to the NE cities during the civil war era.

You can literally name a million things that were innovative and changed the world that took place in ny or philly, richmond or charleston not so much.

Both Baltimore and Boston were larger than Philly in 1850, and New Orleans was right on Philly's heels. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larges...by_decade#1850 You're right that Richmond was still much smaller in 1850 but was actually close to the top 10 in 1790/1800, just nudged out by Norfolk VA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larges...by_decade#1790. Whatever its size in whatever era, Richmond is a very historic city with a great amount of historic preservation.

I'm thinking the most historic cities would be those with the largest percentage of historic preservation. I mean, are we talking about history in context of things that happened there or regarding history that is still visible today? Several cities are in the running no matter which one we're discussing here...it's not just the largest/oldest that are the clear winners.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

I'm thinking the most historic cities would be those with the largest percentage of historic preservation

"Society Hill is a neighborhood in the Center City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The neighborhood, loosely defined as bounded by Walnut, Lombard, Front and 8th Streets, contains the largest concentration of original 18th- and early 19th-century residential architecture of any place in the United States." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soci...,_Philadelphia












(my pix)

[FJB327]

Well seeing that as of Nov 6, 2015, Philly just became America's First World Heritage City...... I'd consider this case closed!

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

"Society Hill is a neighborhood in the Center City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The neighborhood, loosely defined as bounded by Walnut, Lombard, Front and 8th Streets, contains the largest concentration of original 18th- and early 19th-century residential architecture of any place in the United States." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soci...,_Philadelphia

Yes, Philly has a massive amount of historic preservation...but so do several other cities. I think Philly gets the nod here due to Revolutionary and Colonial history that happened there. It was THE American city during that time and has long been recognized as such. But there are other cities that compete well with historic preservation and/or as much history from other eras. "America's Most Historic City" is a hard choice with all of the great ones we have to choose from.

[BMI]

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Founded in 1610

For Canada....

Quebec City, also founded in 1610

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by BMI

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Founded in 1610

For Canada....

Quebec City, also founded in 1610

If the contest was "Oldest American City" then Santa Fe would be a contender. Since it's most historic, I don't really see it. It is a nice city and has some great historic preservation.

[pwduvall]

Originally Posted by JoeTarheel

Baltimore was important enough to host the Second Continental Congress in 1776, and "Baltimore played a key part in events leading to and including the American Revolution." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltim...19th_centuries I realize that Baltimore was a collection of towns prior to incorporation in 1796, but that collection of towns was still pretty important. If I'm not mistaken Philadelphia was much the same way, with Southwark and Northern Liberties being separate towns until the early 1800s.

I'm not saying that Baltimore was the most important city in the U.S. during the Colonial period, but that it was important and is often overlooked in these discussions. Putting that aside, I don't think you can honestly argue that Baltimore ISN'T one of the nations most historic cities. The historic sites/buildings there seem endless.

Fair enough, but you won't see much from the colonial period if you visit. On the other hand, if you want to see lots of 19th century neighborhoods, Baltimore is a great place to look... one of the best. I also think Fort McHenry is a great historical site, especially if you combine it with a visit to the Patterson Park Pagoda. The pagoda was the site of the American fortifications for the land battle for Baltimore that thankfully never happened. It would have been ugly.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

When I read the thread title, I was thinking that this would be about the cities with the highest % of residents that could trace their lineage back to colonial times. That would have been more fun imo.

During a trip to Charleston, our tour guide said that Charleston had the largest collection of 18th Century homes in America. I've never done the research to confirm or refute that claim. Looking at Wiki, it does have a lot of old homes (even if the Wiki lists are incomplete).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...South_Carolina

St. Andrews Epsicopal Church (1706)
William Rhett House (1712)
Powder Magazine (1713)
John Lining House (1715)
Bullock Buildings (1718)
William Bull House (1720)
Robert Brewton House (1721)
23 King Street (1721)
Thomas Fleming House (1725)
Lambolli's Tenements (1726)
John Cowan House (1729)
Edgar Wells House (1730)
George Chicken House (1731)
William Cleland House (1732)
Peter Fassyoux House (1732)
Thomas Rose House (1733)
Thomas Dale House (1733)
Henry Frost Surgery (1735)
Hext Tenements (1736)
William Elliott House (1737)
Thomas Lamboll House (1739)
William Vanderhorst House (1740)
Clark Mills Studio (1740)
Benjamin Smith House (1740)
George Ducat House (1740)
Alexander Gillon House (1740)
Alexander Peronneau Tenements (1740)
George Sommers House (1740)
Isaac Holmes Tenement (1740)
Anne Boone House (1740)
Othniel Beale House (1740)
Stiles-Henson House (1742)
Brunch-Hall House (1743)
George Eveleigh House (1743)
George Matthews House (1743)
Justinus Stoll House (1745)
John McCall House (1745)
Brewton's Corner (1747)
John Prue House (1746)
Jonathan Badger Tenements (1746)
John Drayton House (1746)
Francis Baker House (1747)
Drayton Hall (1747)
Cabbage Row (1749)
David Ramsay House (1750)
Capers-Motte House (1750)
Daniel Cannon Tenement (1750)
Grimke-Fraser House (circa 1750)
St. Michael's Episcopal Church (1751)
James Veree Houses (1754)
Ralph Izard House (1757)
Mansion House Hotel (1758)
Ann Bocquet House (1758)
Charles Elliott House (1759)
Peter Leger House (1759)
Edward Rutledge House (1760)
Cleland-Wells House (1760)
James Simmons House (1760)
Samuel Wainwright House (1760)
Daniel Elliott Huger House (1760)
Daniel Legare House (1760)
25 Meeting Street (1760)
Cooper-Bee House (1760)
Thomas Elfe House (1760)
Edward Blake House (1760)
Blake Tenements (1760)
Grimke-Fraser Tenements (1760)
Dewar-Lee Pringle House (1762)
John Rutledge House (1763)
Charles Elliott House (1764)
James Veree Houses (1764)
Fotheringham-Mcneil Tenements (1765)
Humphrey Summers House (1765)
Branford-Horry House (1767)
Old St. Michael's Rectory (1767)
McCrady's Tavern (1767)
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church (1767)
Exchange and Provost (1767)
William Washington House (1768)
Miles Brewton House (1769)
Charles Pinckney House (1769)
Young-Keenan House (1769)
John Rose House (1769)
Robert Smith House (1770)
Peter Bocquet, Jr. House (1770)
Simons Tenements (1770)
Young-Motte House (1770)
Albert Detmar House (1770)
Withers-Kaminski House (1770)
John Edwards House (1770)
Young-Johnson House (1770)
James Vanderhorst House (1770)
Heyward-Washington House (1771)
John Scott House (1771)
Geiger House (1771)
John Stuart House (1772)
John Fullerton House (1772)
Unitarian Church (1772)
William Gibbs House (1772)
Philip Porcher House (1773)
Robert Pringle House (1774)
Robert Hayne House (1775)

See above.

[nei]

Here's the oldest house I've seen in my area. 1718:

[LivingHumanBeing]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

"Society Hill is a neighborhood in the Center City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The neighborhood, loosely defined as bounded by Walnut, Lombard, Front and 8th Streets, contains the largest concentration of original 18th- and early 19th-century residential architecture of any place in the United States." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soci...,_Philadelphia












(my pix)

Incredible stuff! Love it!