Washington Square, Philadelphia

Still traveling on foot while it was getting hotter that Sunday afternoon, I skipped seeing the Liberty Bell as the queue was a bit slow. I headed straight instead towards the Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed.

There was a garden behind it where I saw a statue of John Barry, Father of the American Navy, who served during the war for independence.

Crossing the Walnut Street behind Independence Call and turning to right is the Washington Square. I thought at first that this place was a tribute to George Washington, but I found later as I was reading through the walls around the square that this is where the unmarked graves of thousands of soldiers of Washington’s army who died from sickness during the Revolutionary War lie. As I walked to the fountain towards to the middle of the square I could see the monument and a court of flags. Except for the squirrels running about from one tree to another, there is an air of somberness – in honor of the fallen soldiers who dedicated their lives for the fight of freedom. As I neared the monument I read from its wall “Freedom is a light for which many men have died in darkness.” There is also an excerpt from Washington’s farewell address on September 17, 1796 that reads: “The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint efforts – of common dangers, sufferings and success.”

You can find Washington Square at 210 W Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA.