The before picture is one of the fire service here in Philadelphia laying main lines. Before this picture Philly consisted of multiple volunteer fire companies all competing with each other to detrimental results. The city finally disbanded the volunteer companies in 1871 and founded a municipal department.

City Hall has stood the test of time. Standing at the end of Broad Street straight dab in the center. Buildings have come and gone and this city has advanced as we as a people have, but this landmark has stayed resilient.

No other building was supposed to grace the heavens as this one did. Today we have skyscrapers towering over it from every angle and yet our eyes are still drawn towards the smallest building, the least imposing. And as city hall has been immortalized so has William Penn, the founder of my city, standing on the very top of its tower still watching over the home he built centuries ago.