"It's Hot as Hell, in Philadelphia"

The construction of the Pennsylvania State House later known as Independence Hall was the most ambitious and biggest building project of the thirteen colonies. It took almost 21 years for it to be completed because the Provincial government paid for it in dribs and drabs. Andrew Hamilton oversaw the planning and worked to see it completed. The Declaration was written here as well as the Constitution. Interesting factoids: the basement once served as the city's dog pound and the second floor was once the home to Charles Wilson's museum of natural history. Some historians note that Ben Franklin would occasionally trip other delegates from his aisle seat. Ev The days were very hot in the summer of 1776 and whether to open up the windows or close them was a source of contention with the delegates. On the one hand were the flies that invaded Congress from the nearby stables and the need for the proceeding to be kept secret that prevented their being open. On the other hand, it was oppressively hot that summer and the delegates in their heavy brocaded waistcoats and jackets were melting under the heat. Compromise was called for but not often achieved in this matter.