When William Penn arrived to establish his colony in 1682, the land to the east of the Lenapewihittuk, now known as the Delaware River, the home of the Lenni Lenape had been considered sacred to them for many centuries.

When the Dutch and the Swedes began to colonize the area in the 1620s and 30s, they began to claim spaces for themselves by marking the landscape with their own settlements and places of worship. William Penn’s arrival in 1682 ushered in an era of accelerated immigration and migration that continues to this day.

The modern historic district of Philadelphia contains many sites that indicate the wildly diverse people who have called the area home. Some sites are grand and highly visible, such as Historic Christ Church towering over 2nd and Market Streets while other sites are more subtle such as Mikveh Israel cemetery, situated on a quiet residential street. In many cases, there are no visible signs at all to indicate the presence of past sacred activity.

Our tours aim to foster an appreciation of diverse, democratic societies while encouraging dialogue about how the past can speak to American civic life today.