National Park Service scraps plan to remove Philadelphia statue after online firestorm

The National Park Service will no longer move forward with plans to permanently remove Pennsylvania founder William Penn's statue from a historical park, the agency said Monday.

Removing the statue, along with a replica of Penn's home, were among some of the changes planned for Welcome Park, a recreation area within Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, according to the Friday announcement. 

After intense online criticism from concerned citizens and politicians alike regarding the proposed renovation plans, the agency has "withdrawn the review of a draft proposal to rehabilitate Welcome Park and closed the public comment period."

"The preliminary draft proposal, which was released prematurely and had not been subject to a complete internal agency review, is being retracted.  No changes to the William Penn statue are planned," according to NPS.

Here's what we know.

National Park Service jumps to clarify plans after online firestorm

Several people, including local politicians, took to social media Monday to voice their concerns over the removal of the statue from Welcome Park.

Pennsylvania State Rep. Martina White, a Republican, said on Facebook that she hoped the agency would find a "way to incorporate the statue into the renovations," inviting members of the public to have their voice heard by submitting a comment to the planning committee.

The plan drew intense criticism from conservative commentators and news outlets, saying that William Penn had been "canceled" by the Biden administration.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said his team had been in contact with the Biden administration over the course of the day to "correct this decision."

"I’m pleased Welcome Park will remain the rightful home of this William Penn statue – right here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Penn founded," Shapiro said.

Park service first said they wanted a more 'welcoming' environment

The initial design changes planned for Welcome Park’s restoration were minimal, with arrangements made to replace deteriorated pavement, dead trees, damaged benches, insufficient lighting sources, according to the park service website. 

But after conversations with indigenous representatives from surrounding areas, the park service decided to revise the design to offer an “expanded interpretation of the Native American history of Philadelphia,” the park service said. 

The proposed changes would provide "a more welcoming, accurate, and inclusive experience for visitors,” according to the park service website, which still says that "the Penn statue ... will be removed and not reinstalled."

Among the proposed changes were newly planted strips of greenery, a ceremonial gathering space with circular benches and exhibit panels replacing a timeline about Penn. 

It's unclear whether any of those changes will now be made following the park service's about-face. 

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Who is William Penn?

Penn, born in London in October 1644, was known as a “religious and social reformer,” and most commonly as the founder of Pennsylvania, according to the Library of Congress. 

After experiencing persecution in his native England for his “adopted Quaker faith,” Penn would later “establish freedom of worship” in America, in his very own colony called Pennsylvania, according to the Library of Congress. 

“Penns Woods,” or Pennsylvania “became a haven for minority religious sects from across Europe, as well as the most culturally diverse of the thirteen original colonies.” 

What is Welcome Park? 

Welcome Park, named after the ship that first took Penn to Philadelphia in October 1682, is located on Second Street between Chestnut and Walnut Streets inside Independence National Historical Park, which is on 143 S. 3rd Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Its a “lesser-known” area within the park, which provides “visitors with an overview of the city layout and a brief history of William Penn,” according to the National Park website.

The design and construction of Welcome Park was complete in 1982, with funding provided by the Independence Historical Trust. 

When will the project be finished?

In the park service's announcement that the Penn statue would remain intact, the agency said that it "remains committed to rehabilitating Welcome Park as the nation prepares to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026."

"Upon completion of all the necessary internal reviews, the park looks forward to engaging in a robust public process to consider options for refurbishing the park in the coming years," the agency said.  

USA TODAY reached out to the National Park Service for comment on Monday but has not gotten a response.