Philadelphia has a lot of history associated with it, but who would have thought that the proliferation of squirrels in America would have started there? The first introduction of squirrels to urban centers took place in Philadelphia in 1847, when 3 squirrels were released in Franklin Square. The furry critters were provided with food and boxes for nesting, and additional squirrels were introduced in the following years. By 1857, the squirrels were so tame that they would go up to people and take nuts out of their hands. The squirrels definitely did what the city officials hoped they would — they added liveliness to the parks and drew people to the outdoors to enjoy the beauty of the city’s many parks. It wasn’t long before Boston introduced squirrels into the Boston Common, followed by Central Park in New York City following suit.
