I remember when I was in elementary school and we took a field trip to Philadelphia. I believe I traveled to the historic center before when I was younger, but the timeline is hard to recall, and most trips I do remember consisted of heading to the airport or South Philly. It was essentially a new experience for me, and of the several places we went, the trip to the Liberty Bell site was quite memorable for the fact I got to sneak a touch of the bell. What I didn’t remember however was the exhibit on the President’s House.

It wasn’t something I paid much attention to, I just remember seeing some ruins and thinking “huh, neat…” and then moving on. I only found out it was the site of the first presidential house years later, and the full story behind the new information center and historical preservation of the site just in the last few months.

It certainly changed how I viewed the site and overall area, with it showing a famous symbol of the aspirations of our republic and the rather symbolically buried dark side to it all. It’s fascinating, and a bit sad, to see such a flawed side of a historic figure so revered and essential to our nation’s existence through the eyes of someone Mr. Washington owned.

The history wasn’t the only thing that was interesting about the site; the way the site managed to be constructed and present history in a more honest and less pro patria manner was a story in of itself. I enjoyed the grassroots movements that led to a site that glorifies our nation’s ideals and casts light on the shadows we might otherwise ignore, for the perception of our nation’s story varies greatly between peoples, and taking steps to include their perspectives gives us a better rounded view of ourselves.

Now when I look at historic Philadelphia, it still fills me with pride to see these symbols of our nation’s founding, but these feelings are tempered by the bitter reality of those years past, and the words ‘there is more work to be done’ ring loud like a bell.