Tour Guide: Stephen Pierce of America’s Rising Son
- Website: americasrisingson.co
- Phone: 484-802-1846
- Email: Letitbeginhere101@gmail.com
This tour will start at Arch Street Meeting House, where Samuel Nicholas is buried. Nicholas was the first commissioned officer of the Marines on November 28, 1775. Before I go into his biography and how the Marines were founded, I will also talk about Philadelphia being one of the biggest ports in the American colonies, along with the Quaker’s relationship to naval defenses. We will then walk to Independence Hall and discuss the debates and votes within the Second Continental Congress establishing the Navy and Marines. Then, walk to the John Barry Statue. Talk about his biography and the founding of the Navy. We will also have a friendly debate about who the real “Father of the Navy” is. From there, we will walk to Old Saint Mary’s Parish, where John Barry is buried, just to see his gravesite. From there, we will walk to the Man Full of Trouble Tavern, which has just reopened, and talk about tavern life with sailors and marines outside of the tavern, and if people want to stop in for libations, that’s fine. We will finally end at the Independence Seaport Museum and discuss life on the waterfront and shipbuilding operations in South Philadelphia during the 18th and 19th Centuries. The tour will be around 90 minutes long.
Stephen Pierce grew up in Havertown, PA where he still lives. He has been working in the history field for 5 years. After he received his Masters degree in Early 18th Century American History from La Salle University in 2020, he worked at Historic Fort Mifflin as the main tour guide and historic interpreter until 2021. Since 2023, he has been the main tour guide and visitors’ associate at the Harriton House in Bryn Mawr, PA. Harriton House is the home of Charles Thomson, the Secretary to the Continental Congress. In 2025 Stephen became a certified Philadelphia tour guide and is in the process in creating tours and presentations for 2025 and 2026.