A city of firsts

By Lisa Angelucci
Collegian Staff
March 1, 2006

There are some things about Philadelphia that pretty much everyone knows. The Declaration of Independence was signed in Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell has a crack in it. The Eagles constantly lose. But Philadelphia is about more than American history and bad sports teams. Our fair city was home to at least 10 different firsts that are now integral parts of American culture. According to about.com, Philadelphia is known as the “City of Firsts” (and here we always thought it was the City of Brotherly Love), claiming more firsts than any other city in the nation. Here are just 10 of Philly’s claims to fame.

1. Philadelphia was the home of the first daily newspaper published in America when the Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser were founded in 1784. The Packet was the first in a long line of great daily papers, such as the Philadelphia Daily News.

2. In keeping with our media-pioneering tradition, Philly was also home to the first magazine. Andrew Bradford’s American Magazine began printing in 1741, narrowly preceding Benjamin Franklin’s magazine.

3. The first roll of toilet paper was marketed by Scott Paper Company of Philadelphia in 1879. It’s something we all take for granted, but toilet paper was once considered an unmentionable, and the product took a while to catch on. Fortunately for everyone, the product eventually became popular, and people were able to stop using newspaper. Good for Scott Paper, bad for the Pennsylvania Packet.

4. The first bananas were introduced to American soil at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876. Back then, bananas were considered an exotic fruit and sold for about 10 cents apiece (that was a lot), which is B-A-N-A-N-A-S, considering they are now one of the most inexpensive fruits in America.

5. Philadelphia can also claim the first computer. The ENIAC, a massive structure made up of 40 individual panels, was built at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946. U of P also owns another first—the first university in the country. But don’t worry—St. Joe’s has nothing.

6. With a desire to support the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress opened the first “real” bank in 1780. Philadelphia was home to the Bank of North America, which provided extra revenue for the war effort. Apparently, the frequently counterfeited Continental currency backed only by a promise of money to come, wasn’t cutting it anymore.

7. The first (and only) time that a professional basketball player scored 100 points in one game was in 1962. When Philadelphia Warrior Wilt Chamberlain hit the first 100 for the win over the New York Knicks. As it turns out, Philadelphia actually used to have really good sports teams.

8. Peanuts might come from Georgia, but Philadelphia is the home to the first Peanut Chews in America. Made by the Goldenberg Candy Company, Peanut Chews are a former WWI ration that recently went national.

9. Johann Behrent created the first American piano in Philadelphia in 1775. Behrent’s piano was a square piano, and began the tradition of piano building in the United States.

10.The Philadelphia Zoo became the first zoo in America when it opened in 1859. Now one of over 200 zoos in the country, the Philadelphia Zoo is best known for being the first zoo in the country. You hear that, San Diego? It was our idea.

angeluccil1@lasalle.edu