Capital Day

 

On September 27^th, 1777 Lancaster City Pennsylvania was capital of the United States for one day. The Continental Congress had originally begun meeting in Philadelphia. In 1775 the continental congress was specifically meeting in the Pennsylvania state house. Philadelphia was a relatively major city for the day, Pennsylvania a large and central colony which allowed delegates to travel to and from the location without making too much of an unnecessary lengthy trip. Like most major eastern cities Philadelphia was founded on a water way.  With the potential of British Troops attacking Philadelphia, the Congress met in Baltimore in late 1776. After Washington’s famous victory at Trenton the congress reconvened in the city of Philadelphia in early 1777. When the British once again advanced towards Philadelphia the congress abandoned meeting at the state house and for one day on September 27^th, 1777 they convened in the Courthouse in Lancaster city. They discussed the circumstances of their retreat before moving to neighboring York county for the next year.

The delegates had chosen Lancaster county as their stop because it was a city of some size, 4,200 citizens, making it one of the largest inland towns in America. Lancaster had a 800 person courthouse which was large enough to hold the congressional assembly. The delegates arrived the day before the session, evening shipping  the liberty bell from Philadelphia to Lancaster. Their session day on September 27^th was solely about military issues. The Continental journal shows a simple meeting, seven letters from various military leaders were read, one item was referred to their treasury committee, one motion was made for the assistance in acquiring supplies for General Washington and finally a direction that the congress should be adjourned to neighboring York county. York and Lancaster were separated by a large river with a few controllable points to cross.

The day of September 27^th is still celebrated in Lancaster as Capital Day. The Meeting of the Continental Congress does not exactly make the city a former capital it does provide a historical day to mark and remember Lancaster’s role in the revolutionary war. Even though the old courthouse is no longer standing Lancaster’s contributions to the war can be remembered in the honor it received in being home to the continental congress for one day, as well as a number of other important contributions including the giving of troops to the cause, leaders of both political and military strength, financial contributions and logistics from the manufacturing and market town.

 

 

Sources

Grossman, Mark. The Encyclopedia of the Continental Congresses. Amenia, New York: Grey House Publishing, 2015.

Journals of the Continental Congress. US: Government Printing Office, n.d.

“Lancaster Capital Day Celebrates History with Music, Comedy, Beer." FlipSide, Sep 16, 2015.

http://visithistoriclancaster.com/history_art/revolutionary_ideas