Jim Murphy, a Philadelphia author and certified tour guide, will lead a free William Penn Jane’s Walk at noon, Sunday, Oct. 30. It will last two to three hours.

He’ll meet interested tour-goers outside the National Constitution Center entrance at 525 Arch Street … and will be holding a yellow sign.

Jane’s Walks, named after New York activist Jane Jacobs, are more interactive than most tours and are always free. They’re usually held the first weekend to coincide with her birthday.

However, Murphy does his William Penn tours in October to honor Penn's birthday on Oct. 14. A plus: it's usually the most colorful time of year in Philadelphia, too.

Murphy is the author of “Real Philly History, Real Fast,” a popular book published by Temple University Press in June 2021.

The tour will take place rain or shine

His William Penn Jane’s Walk will trace the amazing success of William Penn. People on the tour will learn how Penn grew Philadelphia from a “howling wilderness” that started 58 years after New York City into the largest and most important city in America by 1770.

Along the way, tour-goers will hear historic passages about Philadelphia’s Market Street, discuss the variety of peoples represented in the City of Brotherly Love, and learn why Penn wanted a “greene Country Towne.”

At the end, those present will learn an easy way to remember Philadelphia Streets that almost no one knows today.

No pre-registration is required, Murphy says. "Just show up and be ready to walk."