Why Philadelphia Lost The Nations Capital (Lancaster, York: 2015, city hall, homes)

[rainrock]

Informative article how and why Philadelphia lost the nations capital to Washington DC.


http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2...to-washington/

"It’s a sad day for some historically minded Philadelphians: It’s the 225th anniversary of the congressional act that moved the nation’s capital from their city to Washington, D.C."

[MikeNigh]

The Residence Act of July 16, 1790 put the nation’s capital in current-day Washington as part of plan to appease pro-slavery states who feared a northern capital as being too sympathetic to abolitionists.

Seems it would be racist to not move it back.

[cpomp]

I wonder what Philadelphia would be like today if it remained the nations capital and Washington DC basically didn't exist??

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I wonder what Philadelphia would be like today if it remained the nations capital and Washington DC basically didn't exist??

I think it would rival Chicago in size at the least.

[Burger Fan]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

I think it would rival Chicago in size at the least.

I would probably disagree. I think Philadelphia is already pretty dense as cities go. a good chunk of it is tightly packed rowhomes and there's not a lot of places to expand that aren't "up" within the city limits. Can't really expand east either, because then you're in new jersey.

If we had remained the nation's capital, we would probably be a lot LESS dense. Washington DC has a very large part of it dedicated to government buildings and national monuments, museums, etc that we simply don't have here. Incorporate them into the city and you'd have to push something out.

It's said that a big part of what kept philadelphia from competing with chicago and NYC was that ridiculous "gentleman's agreement" that prevented anyone from building anything higher than city hall until the late 1980s. Having the nation's capital buildings in the middle of the city would likely have the same effect on downtown, but be a lot harder to reverse.

All of that industry we currently have sprouting up since liberty 1 and 2 were built would end up relocating to suburbs like KOP, or worse across the river again into new jersey.

Maybe the surrounding suburbs would be less resistant to being absorbed by the city of philadelphia if it were the nation's capital to allow it to maintain it's population and industry by expanding city limits, but I don't really see it.

[Gerania]

OMG, New Jersey? Washington doesn't seem to have a problem with the Potomac.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by Burger Fan

I would probably disagree. I think Philadelphia is already pretty dense as cities go. a good chunk of it is tightly packed rowhomes and there's not a lot of places to expand that aren't "up" within the city limits. Can't really expand east either, because then you're in new jersey.

If we had remained the nation's capital, we would probably be a lot LESS dense. Washington DC has a very large part of it dedicated to government buildings and national monuments, museums, etc that we simply don't have here. Incorporate them into the city and you'd have to push something out.

It's said that a big part of what kept philadelphia from competing with chicago and NYC was that ridiculous "gentleman's agreement" that prevented anyone from building anything higher than city hall until the late 1980s. Having the nation's capital buildings in the middle of the city would likely have the same effect on downtown, but be a lot harder to reverse.

All of that industry we currently have sprouting up since liberty 1 and 2 were built would end up relocating to suburbs like KOP, or worse across the river again into new jersey.

Maybe the surrounding suburbs would be less resistant to being absorbed by the city of philadelphia if it were the nation's capital to allow it to maintain it's population and industry by expanding city limits, but I don't really see it.

Or what if the capital were out toward Lancaster? If that were the case I would think the Philly area would have a massive footprint...basically half of Pa, De, South Jersey, and Northern Maryland.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by MikeNigh

Seems it would be racist to not move it back.

Strange how that worked out isnt it. Virgina had the loathsome instutution of slavery , Philadelphia had the capital. Virginia ends up with the capital and Philadelphia gets a slave memorial. Wow.

Leadership of Phialdelphia and Pennsylvania at the time needless to say had to be severely lacking.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Or what if the capital were out toward Lancaster? If that were the case I would think the Philly area would have a massive footprint...basically half of Pa, De, South Jersey, and Northern Maryland.

Washington and Lancaster would have basically flip flopped roles. Washington maybe a metro of 1 M today. Lancaster's 6 M population would have joined Philadelphia's 6 M population around Coatesville. Lancaster becomes the most important spot on the globe.

[rotodome]

When they say " location near Lancaster", aren't they talking about York, PA? Why not just say York? It's a similar size, and historical rival of Lancaster (white rose/red rose cities).