HIGHLIGHT: PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia: The steeple at the city’s landmark Christ Church is leaning, and its supporting tower needs serious structural support. Now, thanks to a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the church can shore up the structure. Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross were members of Christ Church. The tower and steeple – financed by a lottery organized by Franklin – made it the tallest building in America until 1856. Legend has it Franklin wanted to use the structure in his lightning experiments. Founded in 1695, Christ Church was the birthplace of the U.S. Episcopal Church.