New Philadelphia National Historic Site is a ghost town in Pike County, Illinois. It lies in or next to New Philadelphia National Historic Site, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 6.8 km (4.2 mi) E of Barry. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The New Philadelphia National Historic Site is the original site of the now-vanished town of New Philadelphia, Illinois, in the United States. It is located near the western Illinois city of Barry, in Pike County. Founded in 1836, New Philadelphia was the first town in the United States platted and registered by an African American before the American Civil War. The founder, Free Frank McWorter (1777–1854), was a former slave who was able to save money from work and his own business to purchase the freedom of his wife, then himself, and over time, 13 members of his family from Kentucky. Several of his freedom purchases were funded by the sale of New Philadelphia lots. The town was integrated and reached a population of about 160 near the close of the Civil War in 1865. A few years later, the town was bypassed by the railroad line leading to its eventual decline; the town lots were...From the Wikipedia article “New Philadelphia National Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At New Philadelphia National Historic Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:37 AM | 58° ENE | 8:36 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 121° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 23m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From New Philadelphia National Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:49 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 3:52 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:26 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:03 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:06 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.66 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 67 | 74 | 79 | 87 | 92 | 107 | 109 | 106 | 104 | 94 | 81 | 72 |
| Low °F | -15 | -10 | -1 | 19 | 33 | 46 | 50 | 48 | 36 | 21 | 9 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this ghost town
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of New Philadelphia National Historic Site, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph New Philadelphia National Historic Site?
What time is golden hour at New Philadelphia National Historic Site?
Where does the sun rise and set at New Philadelphia National Historic Site?
Can you see the Milky Way from New Philadelphia National Historic Site?
Do you need a permit to photograph at New Philadelphia National Historic Site?
How far is New Philadelphia National Historic Site from Barry?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.