Editing Colonial Commerce (section)

== Waterfront and Infrastructure ==

Philadelphia's commercial activity centered on its Delaware River waterfront, where wharves, warehouses, and counting houses lined the shore from Southwark to Northern Liberties. The waterfront was the city's economic heart, constantly busy with ships loading and unloading, merchants negotiating deals, and workers handling cargo. Market Street (originally High Street) connected the waterfront to the city's interior, and its central location made it the commercial spine of colonial Philadelphia. The London Coffee House at Front and Market Streets served as an informal exchange where merchants gathered to conduct business, share news, and arrange voyages.<ref name="doerflinger"/>

The colonial government invested in infrastructure to support commerce. Streets were paved, first with cobblestones and later with brick, to facilitate the movement of goods. A public market operated in the middle of Market Street, providing a venue for farmers to sell directly to city residents. The Delaware River was improved through dredging and the construction of wharves that extended the usable waterfront. These investments reflected the understanding that commercial prosperity required adequate public facilities—an insight that [[Benjamin Franklin]] would articulate and expand through his many civic improvement projects, including the paving and lighting of streets, the establishment of a fire company, and the founding of institutions that served the city's growing population.<ref name="weigley"/>