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Franklin Field has come a long way from its humble beginnings as an ancient potter’s field or a burial place for unknown or unclaimed people.
This long-standing facility on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania will be recognized this weekend at Philadelphia’s Firstival as the nation’s first sports stadium. It was ahead of its time when it was created in 1895.
“In the 1890s, an old pottery field on the corner of Penn’s campus was approved to house three of UPenn’s growing athletic needs,” said Jackson Pavlik, a storyteller with the local group Once Upon a Nation.
“And in 1895, construction work began and construction began.”
The stadium started as a football field. Then a track and baseball field were added. Eventually, stands were built that could accommodate over 20,000 fans.
As the expansion continued, the stadium continued to be a “first” in many respects, said Scott Ward, associate athletic director and executive director of Penn Relays.
“It was the first stadium, the first two-story stadium, the first horseshoe-shaped stadium, the first stadium with the first scoreboard, the first television broadcast and the first time a baton was used in an athletics competition,” he said.
(It should be noted that Fordham University in New York also lays claim to broadcasting the first football game. Fordham claims their 1939 game against Waynesburg College. was the first to be shown on television .)
This year is making a mark 130 years of hosting the Penn Relays at Franklin Field. This iconic athletics event is a testament to the stadium’s continued ability to unite fans, Ward said.
“When there are 40,000 spectators and participants at the Penn Relays, the stadium comes alive again and you can hear the roar of the crowd,” he said. “The crowd is the culture that unites all nations.”
In addition to the Penn Relays, the field has served as a venue for many other sporting events. Army-Navy football game The stadium was played 18 times, the Eagles played at the stadium from 1958-1970 and in the hosting space first rugby league match between the United States and Australia.
Penn’s baseball team also played on the site from 1895 to 1939, and the field hosted events such as the 1936 Democratic National Convention and the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Championships.
We celebrate the history and evolution of Franklin Field
The first statue commemorating Franklin Field was created by Roselyn Dooley and is intended to showcase some of the popular events held at the stadium.
“I just wanted to show some action and show that athletes are becoming innovators in their fields,” she said.
Ward explained that space has the ability to connect others.
“I think it’s kind of a testament to the times to say that Franklin Field was the first stadium and it’s still in use today,” he said. “There’s a historical element to it, but also the evolution of the sport of bringing people together and promoting a spirit of competition and leadership. I think it’s a great example for the city of Philadelphia and what has inspired this fan base.”
This location is still home to the Penn Relays – which will happen at the end of this month. But beyond that, Ward said the space hosts unique programs beyond athletic events.
“It’s a multi-functional facility and we try to treat it as such,” he said. “I think it’s mostly for the benefit of the fans in Philadelphia and the people on campus because sports are also entertainment.”
Philadelphia’s Historic District’s 52 Weeks of What’s New highlights Philadelphia’s “firsts” events every weekend through the end of 2026. Each “first” is accompanied by a corresponding “first party,” featuring matching storytellers, live music, family-friendly activities and games, and a local “#1” sculpture by a local artist.
A festival commemorating this milestone in Philadelphia will be held at Franklin Field at 235 S. 33rd Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday.
The first circus performance, botanical garden and postmaster are coming
Here’s a complete guide to all of this year’s firstborns – including where to find the dates and location of Saturday’s upcoming firstborns.
Completed
Week 1: Successful Balloon Flight in America (1793)
Week 2: Mummers Parade, the country’s first folk parade (1901)
Week 3: Volunteer Fire Department (1736)
Week 4: Professional Basketball League (1898)
Week 5: Public sale of Girl Scout cookies (1932)
Week 6: African Methodist Episcopal Congregation (1794)
Week 7: Abolitionist Society in America (1775)
Week 8: Authentic Chinese Gate Built in America (1984)
Week 9: Public Protest Against Slavery in America (1688)
Week 10: Flower Show (1829)
Week 11: Women’s Medical College (1850)
Week 12: Matches (1892)
Week 13: Medical School (1765)
Upcoming
• Stadium in America (1895)
April 4, Franklin Field, 235 S. 33rd St.
• Circus Performances in America (1793)
April 11, Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, 6452 Greene St.
• Botanical Garden (1728)
April 18, Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd.
• Postmaster (1737)
April 25, Franklin Court, 322 Market St.
• American-made piano and sousaphone (1775 and 1893)
May 2, Ensemble Arts Philly, 300 S. Broad St.
• Mother’s Day (1908)
May 9, Historical Museum and Archives of St. George, 326 New St.
• Hospital in America (1751)
May 16, Pennsylvania Hospital, 800 Spruce St.
• World’s Fair on American soil (1876)
May 23, Please Touch Museum, 4231 Aleja Republika
• Passenger and cargo steamer (1787)
May 30, Independence Harbor Museum, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.
• American Flag (1777)
June 6, Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch St.
• US Army (1775)
June 13, Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. 3rd St.
• Annual Reminder Demonstration (1965)
June 20, Philly Pride Visitor Center, Lombard St. and S. 12th St.
• Paper Manufacturer in America (1690)
June 27, Rittenhouse Town, 6034 Wissahickon Ave.
• Bank of the United States (1791)
July 4, First Bank of the United States, 120 S. 3rd St.
• Organized baseball team (1831)
July 11 (location to be determined)
• Ice Soda (October 1874)
July 18, Franklin Fountain, 116 Market St.
• American Art School (1805)
July 25, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N. Broad St.
• Scientific Society of Natural History (1812)
Aug. 1 at the Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• The Zoo of America (1874)
Aug. 8, Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.
• US Mint (1793)
August 15 (location to be determined)
• Selfie (1839)
August 22, Love Park, 1501 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
• Slinky (1943)
August 29, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Signing of the Constitution (1787)
September 5, National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St.
• Continental Congress (1774)
September 12 at Carpenters’ Hall, 320 Chestnut St.
• Naming the United States (1776)
September 19, Independence Hall
• Ronald McDonald House (1974)
September 26, Ronald McDonald House, 3925 Chestnut St.
• Prison in America (1829)
Oct. 3, East Jail, 2027 Fairmount Ave.
• First Peoples
Oct. 10, Penn Museum, 3260 South St.
• United States Navy and Marine Corps (1775)
October 17, Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St.
• Public screening of the film (1870)
October 24, Philadelphia Film Society, 1412 Chestnut St.
• A up-to-date detective story written (1841)
Oct. 31, Edgar Allan Poe House, 532 N. 7th St.
• America’s Thanksgiving Parade (1920)
November 7, Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• University in America (1740)
November 14, Houston Hall, University of Pennsylvania, 3417 Spruce St.
• Children’s Hospital of America (1855)
Nov. 21, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Main Building, 3401 Civic Center Blvd.
• Pencil with attached eraser (1858)
November 28, National Freedom Museum, 321 Chestnut St.
• Weather office (1870)
December 5, Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St.
• Electronic computer (1945)
December 12, University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut St.
• Public Lending in America (1731)
December 19, The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust St.
• First dishes in Philadelphia: cheesesteaks (1930s), water ice (1932) and bubble gum (1928)
December 26, Reading Terminal Market, 1136 Arch St.
