This was my final week and, as always, it was bittersweet. These past 14 weeks have been full of new learnings, new friendships, and a new city. What a joy it is to be able to visit and work in our national parks. I could not feel more grateful or more blessed to have had this opportunity.

Thank you for all the new friendships and some key learnings about our American heritage. The whole team (Rangers, Volunteers and Security,) were all kind and generous to me. I thank each one of you for your kindnesses. They did not go unnoticed. Getting to know you was terrific and I hope you will stay in touch when you can.

I also added a new city to my repertoire . . . Philadelphia. While I had no preconceived ideas about your personality, I now know that you have a very solid persona. You are loud and proud, and not a fan of change. You can disagree with someone, argue it out, and still be friends. No grudges here. And oh by the way, Philadelphians love their sports, each and every one of them. Go Birds!

PNBR on August 22, 2026

Last Saturday I was walking home after work. I had gotten off a little early so I walked home (refusing to take the bus), taking my time while enjoying a beautiful day. It was not as humid, the temperature was mild and the breeze was just lovely. As I walked toward home I was thinking about ice cream (a common thought these days) and walked up to 16th and JFK Boulevard. I noticed that on Arch Street, just 1 block from me it appears to be a huge bike race. It looked like lots of bikers so I walked down to Arch Street thinking it would be fun to watch. It took me a few minutes to process what I was seeing. The lady next to me said, “You aren’t from here are you!” I said “No. Why do you ask?” “It’s the look on your face”, she commented. Apparently the PNBR stands for the Philadelphia Naked Bike Race where you ‘bare as you dare’. It is done to promote biking and body positivity. There were somewhere between 2,500 – 3,500 bikers. And I had to wait a bit to cross the street while they rode by which meant there were many to watch. The lady then said, “Philadelphians are comfortable in their skin and love biking, roller blading, etc. Isn’t it fun to see how they have decorated themselves and their bikes, etc.” Still, I had no words. I took a picture but then deleted it because I wasn’t comfortable posting it. I’ll leave it to your imagination!

Germantown White House

Last Sunday Ranger Lilly took 3 of us to see a site that is currently closed. A place she is very passionate about as she manned this location for several years. It’s about a 20-minute drive from the core of Independence National Historical Park. It’s been unopen to the public for multiple years.

The Germantown White House (also known as the Deshler–Morris House) is a historic mansion in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the oldest surviving presidential residence, having twice housed Founding Father George Washington during his presidency. Later, the house was sold to Elliston and John Perot, and in 1834 to Elliston’s son-in-law, Samuel B. Morris. The Morris family lived in the house for over a hundred years, before its 1948 donation to the National Park Service.

Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germantown_White_House

It still looks brand new. A real surprise!

Dinner with the Landlord

Right before Melissa left for home last week our landlord, Antoinne, and his children took us to dinner at a very good Vietnamese restaurant in South Philly. It was so so good. Everything was new to me and very tasty. How nice to have a landlord that has been so kind and inclusive with us. I highly recommend Antoine Tran and Tran Brothers Realty.

A Walk to South Philly

Ranger Lori took me on a walk to South Philly. We walked from Love Park to Broad and Snyder, walking around City Hall to take a good look at the Calder sculptures, then checking out the great lobbies along South Broad at the old Girard Bank (now the Ritz Carlton), the Bellevue and its glorious oval staircase, and of course the Kimmel Center. We touched on Pine St architecture, then over to South Street, a stop at Sarcone’s for a slab of tomato pie, then through “the” market, we capped off with Happy Hour of pasta and cerasuola wine at Le Virtù. We then headed home via SEPTA, and she experienced the Broad St line from Snyder to City Hall. What a fantastic day. It was a fabulous day with someone I enjoyed very much. Thank you Ranger Lori and thanks too for posting it on Facebook. I would not have remembered the names of where we went without you!

The Bellevue Staircase. It was beautiful.

Tomato Pie

This is the best of all. Philadelphia tomato pie is usually rectangular, served at room temperature and topped with little or no melted mozzarella. Depending on who you ask or which neighborhood you’re standing in, it might also go by church pie, square pizza, red pizza, granny pie or simply red pie. The foundation is a thick, airy crust similar to focaccia. 

Baked in a sheet pan, it’s sturdy enough to carry a generous layer of tomato sauce while staying soft and chewy underneath. The sauce is the real main event, usually made from garlic, olive oil, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, with some versions leaning slightly sweet.  This was the best of the best and I highly recommend you try some if you are ever Philly-way.

The Magic Gardens

We also stopped at The Magic Gardens. It was fun to explore this together as Lori had not been visited here before. We were both “newbies.”

Cleo & Colby at the outdoor cafe in the park

I met Ranger Jessica at the outdoor restaurant across from the Visitor Center to share some time together talking about places where our paths have crossed previously. Although we had not met before, we had missed each other by just a few months. It was fun catching up with her and sharing stories about our commonalities. And we visited Cleo and Colby while sharing some lemonade!

Another Face Plant

On the eve of my last day I managed to embarrass myself once again. I was walking with Ranger Hugh across the front of Independence Hall to my last assignment of the day when all of a sudden I was flat on my face. It was a jolt I’ll admit, and a surprise to Ranger Hugh, but I didn’t break anything. A small cut on my finger bled like there was no end which made it a little dramatic combined with bloody knees on my pants but a quick run to the East Wing for some band-aids from Ranger Benson and I was back at work.

On the following day, my actual last day, I ran into a visitor that saw me fall the previous day. He wanted to know if I was feeling okay. He said, “You really fell hard. Did you hit your head?” I replied, “No, I was holding my head up so it didn’t hit the ground. Everything else did though!” “No Kidding,” he said. “I really could not believe you got up.” He wasn’t aware of how good I am at these falls and how fast I can rise back up!

Saying Goodbye

Boy did I get surprised the morning of my last day when everyone brought in food for a breakfast good-bye. It didn’t occur that this was for me and I didn’t figure it out quickly. I was surprised and honored. The best food from the best people in Philly. It was so nice.

Work Schedules

Thought you might enjoy seeing my standard work schedules. They change daily but these three schedules rotated for me.

Money in Motion

The Federal Reserve Bank has had a display open all summer that I just saw on my last day. It’s purpose is to educate the public about currency, the economy, and the Federal Reserve’s mission. Well-done!

Christ Church, The first American Episcopal Church

Christ Church, the birthplace of the American Episcopal Church, was founded in 1695 as a condition of William Penn’s Charter. Christ Church hosted members of the Continental Congress during the American Revolution and Presidents George Washington and John Adams in the first decade of the newly established Republic. Among early members were Benjamin and Deborah Franklin, Betsy Ross, John Penn (William Penn’s grandson), and signers of the Constitution and of the Declaration of Independence, including Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, and Francis Hopkinson.

Dating to 1744, the current building has been cited as “our finest Early American church” and one of the finest Georgian structures in America. Its steeple (1754), financed by a lottery organized by Benjamin Franklin, is the work of Robert Smith, one of America’s earliest architects. For 56 years, the steeple made Christ Church the tallest structure in North America.

This Church further serves as a site of significance in Philadelphia’s history of slavery and abolition. It’s location alone places the church within walking distance of the waterfront where thousands of Africans first arrived upon American soil after surviving the transatlantic slave trade. 2nd & Market (then known as High St.) also shared its position with the frightening scenes of an active whipping post and nearby auction block. One man named Absalom Jones (1746-1818) began his life enslaved to a vestryman of the church. He later freed himself and his wife and went on to be ordained in the parish as the first African American Episcopal priest.

I attended mass on my final Sunday here and sat in Benjamin Franklin’s pew.

Ranger Maggie – A special shout out to Ranger Maggie. She has the best, most positive, attitude of all. That smile and laugh of hers makes her so very special. Thank you Maggie for helping me secure a spot at your park. And thanks for sharing your friends with me. You are the best!

For those of you who are on Facebook and have followed me or plan to follow me, I’m not one to post a lot but you can always message me on Facebook.  I love catching up with you periodically.  I’m also a snail mail writer so you can always send me your address and I will write and keep in touch.

For all you at Independence National Historical Park . . . THANK YOU for a wonderful summer.  I’m honored to be part of your family!  My best to all.

Louloubelle

Look how relaxed my dog is. Now that Melissa is home working away in her office, Lou moves to her place with her during the day. She is a bit of a lazy girl as she has a resting place in every room and she has a tendency to sleep where the humans are. I will admit she is spoiled but she is a hap-hap-happy girl! I can’t wait to get home to see her and my family and friends.

Be Well, Stay Safe, and happy travels.  Blessings to all!

(Please forgive any unintentional mistakes.)

Hugs,

Mara

Not a lot of new things to report this week but the few I have are great ones.  A ranger I met at Statue of Liberty in 2022 made the NBC News.  What a sincere and humble man.  Listen to his story.  He is an immigrant who has served our country in many capacities.  His message, as you will feel when you listen to him, comes straight from the heart.   

Here at Independence National Park I met another of the NPS greats.  Lawrence McClenney is a 38 year veteran of the park service. What a great teacher he is with all the visitors who have an opportunity to listen to him.

These are just two of many eloquent and humble historians we have within our park service.  Passionate folks with a strong desire to share their love of history.  I’m honored to share time with them.  

Was walking to work the other morning and watched a crane pulling up a platform to allow for window washing (my guess) of these tall buildings.  On the building on your right you will see a platform.  The following picture is a closer zoomed in shot.  I don’t think that is a window washing platform but not sure what else it would be. 

The walk to work each morning is very entertaining.   

I’m sure you have heard of the hunt for the person showing up to follow joggers in Center City Philadelphia.  The area is on our walk to work.  However, Melissa and I feel very safe as we never jog, we stroll.  Tap the link below for more information.

A reason to stroll, not jog!

Going to be a great week with lots of last minute things to do.   

Be Well, Stay Safe, and safe travels.  Blessings to all!

Hugs, Mara

(Please forgive the unintentional mistakes.)

I don’t have much to report this week.  Our Germantown White House visit is set for August 23.  I’m trying to arrange some dinners with a few individuals that I want to stay in touch with.  

I attended a funeral today for a dear dear friend.  We met in Indiana when he and his wife moved to Fishers, IN.  We’ve stayed in touch and they came to see me in New York when I was at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  Unfortunately they discovered he had Parkinson’s and he passed away just last week.  I was fortunate to be able to attend his funeral today and visit with his wife, Ginny.  I’ll always remember his wonderful hugs and joyous laughter.  God bless you Skip and thanks for the wonderful memories.  And,  God bless Ginny for the 42 years she shared with him.

Everyone, have a great week and we’ll catch up next week!

Be Well, Stay Safe, and safe travels.  Blessings to all!

Hugs, Mara

(Please forgive the unintentional mistakes.)

I have had such a good time here at Independence National Historical Park that leaving will be so very bittersweet.  Without a doubt, this has been the best of Park Families.  Rangers, Guides, and all the wonderful Volunteers serve as a quality team.  I have felt a part of that team from day one here.  What a wonderful experience to serve where you know each and every one of them have your back if you need them.  They have made me feel very appreciated and you all know how much I love that!

This week has been busy with planning my actual leave and making certain I get in all the things I wanted to do.  My final work day will be August 28th.  

Three of us ‘newbies’ are going this Sunday to Germantown to see the Germantown White House (also known as the Deshler–Morris House) which is a historic mansion in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the oldest surviving presidential residence, having twice housed Founding Father George Washington during his presidency. 

On a different note, as Melissa and I walk to work each morning we walk by the Philadelphia Convention Center.  It’s a very busy location and we see the signs of what’s happening at the center each morning as we walk the blocks to and from work.  Last week was the Mathematicians Conference.  

The International Congress of Mathematicians was held July 23-30, 2026.  According to their website, the congress coincided with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 40th anniversary of when the last ICM was held in the U.S.  The ICM offers a rare opportunity to meet some of the world’s leading mathematicians and be inspired by the vast diversity of today’s mathematics.  ICM will bring together mathematicians throughout the world to collaborate, listen to scientific talks and celebrate the field’s progress and achievements.  The mathematicians were easy to identify.  

The Academy of Management held their annual meeting here this week  (July 30 – August 4).  According to their website, the AOM Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of management and organization scholars in the world – the premier event for connecting, sharing research, and advancing the field.  

Wonder what next week will bring? I had no idea Philadelphia was such an important city, one that hosts a multitude of opportunities.  It truly is a city of brotherly love and I see bits of this in all I have seen and done while here.  My expectations were so much lower than what it is.  Shame on me for judging this city before living here.  I have loved being here.

I had a visitor at work this week.  This is my landlord, Antoine Tran, who was working close by the National Park and stopped to say hello. Nice to have a visitor see what I do here!  Reminded me of when my friends Cathy & Joan came to see me at Yosemite.  What a nice gesture this is from anyone who comes to visit!  That includes my family as well who always make an effort to catch up with me (or as in Melissa’s case, just stay the whole summer with me!). I’ll not forget them ever.  

I had an assignment earlier this week at the First Bank of the US.  One of the exhibits there is a Louis XVI Style Mantel Clock, manufactured by the Fortin family, a renowned 18th Century dynasty of Parisian clock makers.   One of our visitors was an 8 year old boy who noticed an interesting oddity on the clock face and asked about it.  This boy has a keen eye as I had noticed this in all the times I had worked there.  The face of the clock is Roman Numerals but you’ll notice the “4” is not “IV” but rather “IIII”.  We learned it was nothing exceptional but more of just the style of the times.  This boy has a very keen eye!

My days off, Tuesday and Wednesday, are here this week.  Yesterday was apartment cleaning, reading, and relaxing all day!  Today is a bit of shopping, a trip to the movies, and catching up with phone calls to friends and family.  Next week I am taking the train to see my friends in New Jersey.  SEPTA, the transit system here, gives their elders free bus, subway and train access to anywhere within the state.  Isn’t that awesome!  Another great display of caring about its people. 

 

I trust my readers are all doing well.  For those of you that I write to each week who are on hold while I’m here, I look forward to getting back into the swing of our letters.  I think of each of you and have some special gifts for my kiddos upon my return from the Benjamin Franklin printing press.  Be Well, Stay Safe, and safe travels.  Blessings to all!

Hugs, Mara

(Please forgive the unintentional mistakes.)