Philadelphia County

Philadelphia County and the City of Philadelphia are one and the same and is unique among Pennsylvania's Counties. Philadelphia County is one of the three original counties (Bucks County and Chester County are the other two). Both the city and the county of Philadelphia are one and the same. All former municipalities within the county were consolidated into the city on February 2, 1854 and county offices merged with the city in 1952. Philadelphia was created by William Penn in November of 1682. The origins of the name actually date back to the ancient Asia Minor city of Philadelphus. To William Penn, the name signified "the city of brotherly love." In the Greek and Egyptian language, the name could actually be translated to "sister love." Laid out in 1682 as the county seat and the capital of the province, it was chartered as a city on October 25, 1701 and then rechartered on March 11, 1789. Philadelphia was the capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800.

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History of Philadelphia County

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Township Map of Philadelphia County, Pa.

Map of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries is taken from US Census website and modified by Ruhrfisch in April 2006.

Pennsylvania Counties

Philadelphia County

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