[Illustration: _The wooden sheds were removed some time after 1787 to make way for the City Hall on the east (left) and County Courthouse on the west (right). Begun in 1787 and 1789 and completed in 1789 and 1791, respectively, these buildings fulfilled the original plan of a city governmental center as conceived by Andrew Hamilton. With the establishment of the temporary Federal capital in Philadelphia, from 1790 to 1800, City Hall became the seat of the U. S. Supreme Court and the County Courthouse became Congress Hall._] [Illustration: _In 1812, the Pennsylvania Legislature permitted the City and County of Philadelphia, which occupied the State House after the Federal and State capitals moved from Philadelphia, to pull down the east and west wings and erect in their places “modern” office buildings, designed by the architect Robert Mills. These buildings were used for the purposes of municipal administration and storing records. Because of the burden on public funds, the State House was dangerously close to being torn down at this time. It was spared that fate when the City bought the group of buildings and the square from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1818 for $70,000._] [Illustration: _Lafayette’s visit, in 1824, started a move to lift the State House from neglect and direct attention to it as a shrine. In line with this new attitude, attempts were made to restore the building to its original appearance. The first important step in this direction was the restoration of a steeple to the building. William Strickland, the famous American architect, designed a new one which was constructed in 1828; it was not an exact replica, but followed the general design of its predecessor removed in 1781. The principal deviations were the installation of a clock in the steeple and the use of more ornamentation._] [Illustration: _Although various alterations were made to the interior of the State House—by now, generally called Independence Hall—in the mid-nineteenth century, appreciable exterior changes were not made till just before 1900. Between 1896 and 1898, as part of the City’s general program for the restoration of Independence Square to its appearance during the Revolution, the Mills buildings were replaced by wings and arcades which resembled those of the 18th century. The buildings have retained this appearance to the present day._] [Illustration: _Second Street north from Market showing old City Hall in left foreground, one of the meeting places of the Assembly until the completion of the State House. Christ Church is in the background._ Engraving by William Birch, 1799. Courtesy Historical Society of Pennsylvania.] _The State House and Independence_