Editing Bicentennial 1976 (section)

== Legacy ==

The Bicentennial's legacy in Philadelphia is mixed. It focused national attention on the city and its historic sites, reinforcing Philadelphia's identity as the birthplace of American independence. Independence National Historical Park became more professionally managed and more accessible to visitors. Tourism increased, at least temporarily. The concentration of investment around Independence Hall contributed to the eventual revitalization of Old City as a residential and commercial neighborhood. These were real achievements that benefited the city.<ref name="gallery"/>

Yet the Bicentennial did not transform Philadelphia as organizers had hoped. The city's fundamental problems—deindustrialization, population loss, fiscal crisis, racial division—continued through subsequent decades. Penn's Landing remained an underperforming asset. The waterfront that was supposed to connect Philadelphia to its river remained cut off by highway infrastructure. The Bicentennial provided a moment of celebration and some lasting improvements, but it could not reverse the larger trends affecting American cities in the late 20th century. Philadelphia entered its third century of American nationhood still struggling with challenges the Bicentennial had hoped but failed to solve.<ref name="nash"/>