To celebrate the completion of Maximus: The Way of Truth, I took my family to historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Our first stop was the Free Library of Philadelphia. It was built in 1927 and definitely feels historic. If you’re ever in the area, I recommend going. We throughly enjoyed it. 

This four-story building is awe-inspiring. Vaulted ceilings, stone everywhere you look, antique elevators, and lots of books. I’ve been in quite a few libaries, but this one is quite an experience. For my readers who live in PA or work in Philiadelphia, you can get a free library card here. And if you have the Libby app, you can borrow thousands of audiobooks for free!   

On the third floor we found a fairly large collection of rare books and even some Egyptian papyrus. You could even make an appointment to don gloves and examine these old books. While we were there, a lady was doing just that. Perhaps she was researching for a novel! None of the titles displayed stood out to me, but it was still interesting. I had fun imagioning a heist situation of someone trying to steal a rare book. Obviously, nothing like that happened while we were there. But…you know… it was fun to let my mind wander!  

We left the library to enjoy an authentic Philly Cheesesteak. There are so many restaurants in the city, it could be pretty overwhelming to find something. Thankfully, we did our research ahead of time, and took a chance with a hole-in-the-wall place called Angelo’s Pizzeria. It took quite a while to find somewhere to park, but the food did not disappoint! Despite the long line outside the micro-sized restaurant, our food was ready in short order. They sure had an efficient system to move a lot of food to a lot of people. The food was excellent! FIVE STARS!

Visiting the Liberty Bell began a series of disappointing experiences. We were met by heavy security and unfriendly security guards. We had to remove our half-asleep children from our carrier and stroller, and my wife had to be wanded.  All to see a bronze bell. It was still neat to see, but it definitely removed the luster from the experience. 

Next, we walked straight to Independence Hall and into more security. These security guards were much more friendly. Only once we were through the checkpoint were we approached by a park ranger and informed that Independence Hall was closed for remodeling. This was very disappointing for my wife and I. It was what we most wanted to see, where our Founding Fathers actually met to debate and sign the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The place the Continental Congress convened. Where George Washington stood to become the commanding General of the Continental Army. So many famous quotes had their origins inside these doors, But we made the most of it, and tried to enjoy the outside.

We saw the cemetery where Benjamin Franklin is buried and walked around the outside of Liberty Hall.     

Our final stop was to the US Mint. Surprisingly, it had the most lax security out of all the historic sites. I guess if anything gets stolen, they can always make more. The Mint was actually the highlight of our trip. It was exactly what we imagined. The top floor was an observation deck of the factory. From what we could tell they were making quarters while we were there. The only downside was they didn’t have any chocolate mints!   

 Traffic was terrible, and our 6-month-old did not enjoy it one little bit.  To make matters worse, I made a wrong turn and we ended up in about an hour of rush hour traffic going the wrong way!  Not fun. I do my best to enjoy the journey, but this trip it was sure difficult. I’m thankful for the memories, and for the heritage our Founding Fathers have laid down for us, and the freedoms we still enjoy. In a day when the foundations are crumbling, and God’s Word is being abandoned, I pray God has mercy on our country, and that righteousness would be exalted in our land. 

Till the future is History,

Shane Eash