"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvanian

During this year's Fourth of July holiday festivities, I want to say that I am a patriot and proud of it. I live in Philadelphia, PA, the City of Brotherly Love, US Birthplace ground zero, where America began.

Every Fourth of July, no matter how many complaints I've got about what's wrong with our country, I have to admit I'd rather be in Philadelphia.

It's hard not to feel pride in Freedom Capitol USA, home of Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Those are no small achievements. 

As a native not only of Philadelphia but of Pennsylvania, it's time to give my home state its due. Many more of our country's important "Firsts" happened right here in Philly and throughout the Commonwealth of PA.

I bet you didn't know the first World Series was held in Pittsburgh, PA. Or that the first Big Mac was introduced at a Uniontown, PA McDonalds.

And, well, it's hard to top this ... a Pennsylvanian invented the first pull tab on beer cans.

Yo, are we cool or what?

You want really cool? We were the first state to enact anti-discrimation laws, provide college and even medical school education for women. We opened the first free medical clinic, public library, bank, stock exchange, airport, daily newspaper, radio and TV stations, symphany orchestra, movie theater.

We printed the first bibles, created pro football, the roller coaster, Hershey bars, the first volunteer fire company and the first computer. Let's not forget the first gas station, the first city zoo, the first televised political convention and the country's very first African-American church.

There's so much more, you have to see it to believe it. We were and still are a melting pot of immigrants from virtually every country in the world. And we're all Americans.

I'm proud of my state and my city. I've worked for both. I was born here. As were my parents. And my grandparents. My husband and son were born here too. I went to Penn. I voted here first. I live here now and wouldn't live anywhere else.

When the first fireworks flare over the Philadelphia Museum of Art (yes, the famous steps from Rocky) this 4th of July, I'll be watching with a lump in my throat ... and, in honor of Ben Franklin, a beer in my hand.

PA Facts
Home of the Amish
Home of Little League Baseball - Do you know where?
Home of the Slinky
Home of Crayola Crayons
Birthplace of the Coal Industry
Christmas Tree Capital of the World
Most famous battle of the Civil War - Can you name it?
Worst nuclear power plant disaster - Can you name it too?
Home of the first roller coaster
World's largest chocolate factory
Mail order capital of the US
Mushroom capital of the world

PA Famous Firsts ... by Categories

Anti-Discrimination
First American society for the abolition of slavery
First anti-slavery resolution
First abolition law
First African-American church - Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church
First treaty between America and Indian tribes
First non-reservation school for Indians
First successful women's magazine - Godey's Lady's Book
First college for women doctors - Female Medical College of Pennsylvania
First woman to serve as Speaker of a State House of Representatives - Alice M. Bentley
First bridge to be named for a woman - The Betsy Ross Bridge
First baseball stadium built for a Black team - Greenlee Stadium, Pittsburgh, 1933
First African-American woman to be elected a State Legislator - Crystal Bird Fauset,1938
First African-American reporter hired by a major network - Malvin (Mal) Goode, hired by ABC, 1962
First African-American to serve as Speaker of a State House of Representatives - K. Leroy Irvis, 1977 (RIP)

Government and Commerce
First United States Capital - York, PA
First paper mill in North America
First public school in the American Colonies
First public library
First volunteer fire company
First fire insurance company
First department store
First public bank in the U S
First United States Mint
First Stock Exchange in America
First Building and Loan Association
First labor strike - Philadelphia carpenters, 1791
First municipal airport
First coast-to-coast highway - U.S. Route 30
First driver's education class (Duh, that was a no-brainer.)
First US air raid shelter
First Jeep manufactured
First oil well
First pretzel factory

Media and Sports
First magazine
First daily newspaper
First American newspaper cartoon
First movie theater
First orchestra
First radio station
World's first radio address - Herbert Hoover, in Pittsburgh, 1921
First demonstration of electronic television broadcasting
First televised political convention - Republican National Convention, Philadelphia, 1948
First cable television system - Can you name it?
First HBO pay TV broadcast
First public television station
First pro football team
First World Series - Pittsburgh Pirates (Against the Boston Pilgrims), 1903
First World Series night game - Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, 1971
First retractable roof on an auditorium - Mellon Arena
First golf course in America
First pro athlete to own a major league franchise - Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey, 1999
First use of anabolic steroids in sports (Jeez, you'd think that would've been New Jersey.)

Medicine and Science
First institution devoted to science
First school of anatomy in North America
First medical school
First free medical clinic
First federal hospital
First crematory (Yuck, who'd be proud of that?)
First community illuminated by electricity
First polio vaccine
First designated university - University of Pennsylvania,1791
First Atomic submarine engine
First successful Siamese twin separation
American Medical Association founded

Technology and The Arts
First totally air conditioned building
First typewriter
First computer
First store to use escalators
First locomotive
First known distilling process for petroleum
First nuclear power plant
First supertanker
First drive-in gas station
First suspension bridge
First Robotics Institute
First modern art museum
First art institution in America
First Internet "emoticon" - the smiley - created by computer scientist Scott Fahlman, 1980 (Okay, now we're getting somewhere. :-)

Last and Best Firsts
First Bible printed in America
First beauty salon
First zoo
First World's Fair
First taxi service
First Ferris wheel
First "Christmas Club"
First Thanksgiving Day Parade
First accordion
First bubble gum
First banana split
First game of bingo
First major brewery to use aluminum cans

And Finally
First Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security - January 24, 2003, Tom Ridge (We're not necessarily proud of this.)

First battle --and victory-- against terrorism: September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 over Shanksville, PA (We're definitely proud of --and deeply saddened by-- that.)

But we're the original Freedom Fighters and we'll keep pushing to honor the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

Happy Birthday, America!