Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia

We can’t know all the thoughts that coursed through William Penn’s mind when he chose Philadelphia as the name for his new city, tucked onto the peninsula between the Delaware River and the Schuylkill. What we do know is that he chose boldly, aiming for the vault of heaven, daring irony to strike.

What does it mean if a place loves you back? That was the question posed by the 1997 tourism slogan, “The Place That Loves You Back.” This was of course not the Philadelphia's first attempt to sell itself as a tourist destination, but it marked a departure from previous attempts focused on historically significant artifacts in Center City.