The surprising story of how an ordinary building became—finally—a chief symbol of the American Founding and its political ideals.

Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed 250 years ago, is today a beloved American shrine and an international symbol of political liberty. Yet it was not always so. In Independence Hall: The History of an American Icon, one of our most accomplished and provocative historians unspools the surprising story of Independence Hall’s origins, varied uses, and ultimate rise to national-landmark status.

D. G. Hart, a Philadelphia native, has an eye for the fascinating and incongruous. He tells not only the stories surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the framing of the Constitution. He also reveals Benjamin Franklin’s connection with Independence Hall’s origins, how the building later became America’s first natural history museum (led by quirky portraitist Charles Wilson Peale), why Abraham Lincoln lay in state there following his assassination, the role of Kevin Bacon’s father, Edmund, in creating Independence National Park, and why it took so long for the nation to recognize Independence Hall’s significance and meaning.

Written for the general reader, everyone interested in our national story will find this quintessentially American history eye-opening and entertaining.