Franklin Field has come a long way from its humble beginnings as an old potter’s field or a burial ground for unknown or unclaimed people.
The longstanding facility on the University of Pennsylvania campus is being recognized in this weekend’s Philly “Firstival” as the nation’s first sports stadium. It was was way ahead of its time when it was created in 1895.
“In the 1890s, an old potter’s field at 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, they broke ground and the building began.”
The stadium started with a football field. Then, a track and a baseball field were added. Finally, stands were built that could accommodate over 20,000 fans.
The stadium continued to be the “first” for many things as it expanded, said Scott Ward, the associate athletic director and executive director of the Penn Relays.
“It was the first stadium, the first double-tiered stadium, the first horseshoe-shaped stadium, the stadium with the first scoreboard, the first TV broadcast, and the first time a baton was used in the track meet,” he said.
(We should note that Fordham University in New York also lays claim to broadcasting the first football game. Fordham says their 1939 game against Waynesburg College was the actual first to be shown on TV .)
This year marks 130 years of hosting Penn Relays at Franklin Field. The iconic track-and-field event is a testament to the stadium’s continuing capacity to bring fans together, Ward said.
“When you have 40,000 spectators and participants competing at Penn Relays, the stadium comes alive again, and you hear the roar of the crowd,” he said. “The crowd is a culture between all the nations.”
And beyond the Penn Relays, the field has served as a space for many other sporting events. The Army-Navy football game was played 18 times in the stadium, the Eagles played at the stadium from 1958-1970 and the space hosted the first rugby league match between the United States and Australia.
Penn’s baseball team also played in the space from 1895 to 1939, and the field has hosted events such as the 1936 Democratic National Convention and the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Championships.
Celebrating Franklin Field’s history and evolution
The firstival statue celebrating Franklin Field was created by Roselyn Dooley and aims to showcase some of the stadium’s popular events.
“I just wanted to show some action and show that the athletes get to be the innovators for their fields,” she said.
Ward explained that the space has a way of connecting others.
“I think it’s kind of a testament of time to say that Franklin Field was the first stadium, and it’s still in use,” he said. “There’s the historical component of that, but also this evolution of sport, of bringing people together and promoting competitive spirit and leadership. I think it’s a prime example for the city of Philadelphia, and what has inspired that fan base.”
The space continues to host the Penn Relays – which will happen at the end of this month. But beyond this, Ward said the space hosts unique programs beyond track and field events.
“It is a multi-use facility, and we try to treat it like that,” he said. “I think that’s mainly for the benefit of the fans in Philadelphia and the population on campus, because sports is also entertainment.”
The Philadelphia Historic District’s “52 Weeks of Firsts” highlights a Philly “first” each weekend through the end of 2026. Each “first” comes with a corresponding “Firstival,” which includes corresponding storytellers, live music, family-friendly activities and games, and a local “#1” sculpture by a local artist.
The festival celebrating this Philly milestone will be held at Franklin Field on 235 S. 33rd Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday.
First circus performance, botanical garden and postmaster coming up
Here is your full guide to all of this year’s firstivals – including where you can find this upcoming Saturday’s Firstival dates and location.
Completed
Week 1: Successful balloon flight in America (1793)
Week 2: The Mummers parade, the nation’s first folk parade (1901)
Week 3: Volunteer fire company (1736)
Week 4: Professional basketball league (1898)
Week 5: Public Girl Scout cookie sale (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: Matchbook (1892)
Week 13: Medical school (1765)
Upcoming
• Stadium in America (1895)
April 4, Franklin Field, 235 S. 33rd St.
• Circus performance 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, Historic St. George’s Museum & Archives, 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 Avenue of the Republic
• Steamboat for passengers and freight (1787)
May 30, Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.
• American flag (1777)
June 6, Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch St.
• U.S. 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 maker 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 TBD)
• Ice cream soda (Oct. 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 Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Zoo in America (1874)
Aug. 8, Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.
• U.S. Mint (1793)
Aug. 15 (location TBD)
• Selfie (1839)
Aug. 22, Love Park, 1501 John F Kennedy Blvd.
• Slinky (1943)
Aug. 29, Philadelphia Art Museum, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Signing of the Constitution (1787)
Sept. 5, National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St.
• Continental Congress (1774)
Sept. 12 at Carpenters’ Hall, 320 Chestnut St.
• Naming of the United States (1776)
Sept. 19, Independence Hall
• Ronald McDonald House (1974)
Sept. 26, Ronald McDonald House, 3925 Chestnut St.
• Penitentiary in America (1829)
Oct. 3, Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Ave.
• The First Peoples
Oct. 10, Penn Museum, 3260 South St.
• U.S. Navy and Marine Corps (1775)
Oct. 17, Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St.
• Public showing of a motion picture (1870)
Oct. 24, Philadelphia Film Society, 1412 Chestnut St.
• Modern detective story written (1841)
Oct. 31, Edgar Allan Poe House, 532 N. 7th St.
• Thanksgiving Day parade in America (1920)
Nov. 7, Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• University in America (1740)
Nov. 14, Houston Hall, The University of Pennsylvania, 3417 Spruce St.
• Children’s hospital in America (1855)
Nov. 21, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Main Building, 3401 Civic Center Blvd.
• Pencil with an attached eraser (1858)
Nov. 28, National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut St.
• Weather bureau (1870)
Dec. 5, The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St.
• Electronic computer (1945)
Dec. 12, The University of Pennsylvania, 3451 Walnut St.
• Public lending library in America (1731)
Dec. 19, The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust St.
• Philly food firsts: Cheesesteaks (1930s), water ice (1932) and bubble gum (1928)
Dec. 26, Reading Terminal Market, 1136 Arch St.
