Editing Penns Original Plan (section)

== Early Development ==

Philadelphia's actual development departed significantly from Penn's idealized plan during the city's first century. Rather than spreading evenly between the two rivers, settlement concentrated along the Delaware, where the port provided economic activity and connection to the wider world. The area between approximately Fourth Street and the Schuylkill remained largely agricultural well into the nineteenth century, with Centre Square used for various temporary purposes rather than the public buildings Penn envisioned. This concentration reflected economic reality—proximity to the port mattered more than geometric balance.<ref name="weigley"/>

The plan's influence nevertheless shaped development as growth eventually filled the grid. Streets maintained the positions Holme had surveyed, even when buildings filled lots that Penn had intended for gardens. The squares survived despite development pressure, their protected status reflecting the value that subsequent generations placed on Penn's provisions for public space. The plan thus functioned as a framework that guided growth even when specific intentions were modified, demonstrating how good urban design can accommodate changes that planners cannot anticipate.<ref name="gallery"/>