North Philadelphia: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox settlement
{{Infobox settlement
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| native_name_lang = <!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| native_name_lang = <!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| settlement_type = [[List of Philadelphia neighborhoods|Neighborhood of Philadelphia]]
| settlement_type = [[List of Philadelphia neighborhoods|Neighborhood of Philadelphia]]
| image_skyline = Brewerytown HD Philly.JPG
| image_skyline = File:North Philadelphia from One Liberty Observation Deck.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = [[Brewerytown, Philadelphia|Brewerytown Historic District]] in North Philadelphia.
| image_caption = North Philadelphia from One Liberty Observation Deck
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| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code = 19132, 19133, 19120, 19121, 19122, 19123, 19130,19134,19136,19138, 19150,
| postal_code = 19120, 19121, 19122, 19123, 19125, 19126, 19130, 19132, 19133, 19134, 19137, 19140 and 19141
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'''North Philadelphia,''' [[nickname]]d '''North Philly''', is a section of [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], in the [[United States]]. It is immediately north of [[Center City, Philadelphia|Center City]]. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either Vine Street or Spring Garden Street, between [[Northwest Philadelphia]] and [[Northeast Philadelphia]]. It is bordered to the north by [[Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Cheltenham Township]] along [[Cheltenham Avenue]], Spring Garden Street to the south, 35th Street to the west and Adams Avenue to the east. The [[Philadelphia Police Department]] patrols five districts located within North Philadelphia: the 22nd, 25th, 26th, 35th and 39th districts.<ref>[http://www.ppdonline.org/ops/ops_districts.php PPD Online Patrol Districts], [[Philadelphia Police Department]].</ref> There are seven [[ZIP code]]s for North Philadelphia: 19132, 19133, 19121, 19122, 19130, 19123 and 19120
'''North Philadelphia,''' [[nickname]]d '''North Philly''', is a section of [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]]. It is immediately north of [[Center City, Philadelphia|Center City]]. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either Vine Street or Spring Garden Street, between [[Northwest Philadelphia]] and [[Northeast Philadelphia]]. It is bordered to the north by Olney Ave along Broad Street, Spring Garden Street to the south, 35th Street to the west and Adams Avenue to the east. The [[Philadelphia Police Department]] patrols five districts located within North Philadelphia: the 22nd, 25th, 26th, 35th and 39th districts.<ref>[http://www.ppdonline.org/ops/ops_districts.php PPD Online Patrol Districts], [[Philadelphia Police Department]].</ref> There are thirteen [[ZIP code]]s for North Philadelphia: 19120, 19121, 19122, 19123, 19125, 19126, 19130, 19132, 19133, 19134, 19137, 19140 and 19141.


The city government views this sprawling chunk of Philadelphia more precisely as three smaller districts, drawn up by the Redevelopment Authority in 1964. These regions are (from north to south) [[Olney-Oak Lane, Philadelphia|Olney-Oak Lane]], Upper North Philadelphia and Lower North Philadelphia. Other sections of North Philadelphia include [[Brewerytown, Philadelphia|Brewerytown]], [[Fairhill, Philadelphia|Fairhill]], [[Fairmount, Philadelphia|Fairmount]], [[Fishtown, Philadelphia|Fishtown]], [[Francisville, Philadelphia|Francisville]], [[Franklinville, Philadelphia|Franklinville]], [[Glenwood, Philadelphia|Glenwood]], [[Hartranft, Philadelphia|Hartranft]], [[Koreatown, Philadelphia|Koreatown]], [[Northern Liberties, Philadelphia|Northern Liberties]], [[Poplar, Philadelphia|Poplar]] (roughly bound by Girard Avenue, Broad Street, Spring Garden Street and 5th Street), [[Sharswood, Philadelphia|Sharswood]], [[Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia|Strawberry Mansion]] and [[Yorktown, Philadelphia|Yorktown]].
The city government views this sprawling chunk of Philadelphia more precisely as three smaller districts, drawn up by the Redevelopment Authority in 1964. These regions are (from north to south) [[Olney-Oak Lane, Philadelphia|Olney-Oak Lane]], [[Upper North Philadelphia]] and [[Lower North Philadelphia]]. Other sections of North Philadelphia include [[Brewerytown, Philadelphia|Brewerytown]], [[Fairhill, Philadelphia|Fairhill]], [[Fairmount, Philadelphia|Fairmount]], [[Francisville, Philadelphia|Francisville]], [[Franklinville, Philadelphia|Franklinville]], [[Glenwood, Philadelphia|Glenwood]], [[Hartranft, Philadelphia|Hartranft]], [[Koreatown, Philadelphia|Koreatown]], [[Northern Liberties, Philadelphia|Northern Liberties]], [[Poplar, Philadelphia|Poplar]] (roughly bound by Girard Avenue, Broad Street, Spring Garden Street and 5th Street), [[Sharswood, Philadelphia|Sharswood]], [[Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia|Strawberry Mansion]], and [[Yorktown, Philadelphia|Yorktown]].


==History==
==History==

===Early history===
===Early history===

{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2009}}
Prior to its incorporation into the city proper, North Philadelphia was little more than a collection of primarily agricultural townships above the original City of Philadelphia. In the 18th century, as Philadelphia grew in importance and, consequently, population, then pastoral North Philadelphia became an attractive alternative to the burgeoning city. The mansions of wealthy Philadelphians began to dot the landscape, and by the late 18th and early 19th century, several small town centers had developed to anchor the growing population. However, this suburban landscape was to be interrupted around the middle of the 19th century, as rapid urban expansion led to [[Act of Consolidation, 1854|The Consolidation Act of 1854]]. This state law annexed all of the townships within Philadelphia County to the City of Philadelphia. With new territory now under the aegis of Philadelphia's city planners, a rising influx of European [[immigrants]] led to the end of North as a suburb of Philadelphia. North Philadelphia's decentralized towns were gradually meshed into a sprawling network of the ubiquitous Philadelphia [[rowhouse]]s. Many of the newly created neighborhoods retained the name of their ancestral towns and townships, for example, [[Northern Liberties, Philadelphia|Northern Liberties]] was formerly Northern Liberties Township.

Prior to its incorporation into the city proper, North Philadelphia was little more than a collection of primarily agricultural townships above the original City of Philadelphia. In the 18th century, as Philadelphia grew in importance and, consequently, population, then pastoral North Philadelphia became an attractive alternative to the burgeoning city. The mansions of wealthy Philadelphians began to dot the landscape, and by the late 18th and early 19th century, several small town centers had developed to anchor the growing population. However, this suburban landscape was to be interrupted around the middle of the 19th century, as rapid urban expansion led to [[Act of Consolidation, 1854|The Consolidation Act of 1854]]. This state law annexed all of the townships within Philadelphia County to the City of Philadelphia. With new territory now under the aegis of Philadelphia's city planners, a rising influx of European [[immigrants]] led to the end of North as a suburb of Philadelphia. North Philadelphia's decentralized towns were gradually meshed into a sprawling network of the ubiquitous Philadelphia [[rowhouse|rowhomes]]. Many of the newly created neighborhoods retained the name of their ancestral towns and townships, for example, [[Northern Liberties, Philadelphia|Northern Liberties]] was formerly Northern Liberties Township.


===Industrial era===
===Industrial era===
[[File:SusquehannaBroad.jpg|thumb|2600 Block of North Broad Street. Example of the late [[Victorian era|Victorian]] and [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] stylizations of the German architects that designed buildings in North Philadelphia. Turrets like the one pictured still dot North Broad Street.]]
[[File:SusquehannaBroad.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|2600 Block of North Broad Street. Example of the late [[Victorian era|Victorian]] and [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] stylizations of the German architects that designed buildings in North Philadelphia. Turrets like the one pictured still dot North Broad Street.]]


Philadelphia was one of the more important centers of manufacturing in the world between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries,<ref name="Licht1992p003to016">{{Harvnb|Licht|1992}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=kbNAy9TX8SEC&lpg=PP1&ots=XfV9dDMLKv&dq=%22getting%20work%22&pg=PA4 pp. 3–16]</ref><ref name="WorkshopoftheWorld">[[#CITEREFBowie2007|Workshop of the World]]</ref> and North Philadelphia is one of the sections of the city whose landscape was most deeply shaped by the industrial era. Its landscape still strongly reflects this heritage.
Philadelphia was one of the most important centers of manufacturing in the world between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries,<ref name="Licht1992p003to016">{{Harvnb|Licht|1992}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=kbNAy9TX8SEC&dq=%22getting%20work%22&pg=PA4 pp. 3–16]</ref><ref name="WorkshopoftheWorld">[[#CITEREFBowie2007|Workshop of the World]]</ref> and North Philadelphia is one of the sections of the city whose landscape was most deeply shaped by the industrial era. Its landscape still strongly reflects this heritage.


As the [[industrial age]] peaked in America, North Philadelphia became a working man's town. Upper North Philadelphia, Olney, Brewerytown, became major hubs of production. Large factories and industrial complexes were erected, covering vast swaths of city land. Thousands of row homes were constructed to house the burgeoning worker population. This expansion was also the impetus for breaking ground on the [[Broad Street Line]] subway, designed specifically to carry a passenger from the northern hub of [[Olney, Philadelphia|Olney]] to [[Philadelphia City Hall]] in under 20 minutes. Major freight and passenger rail lines were built to intersect at the newly constructed [[North Broad Street Station]] and transmit cargo from the bustling factories. The completion of the BSL these major railways made the region a thriving hub of transportation. For a time, North Philadelphia station became the second most heavily trafficked rail station in the city, and the Olney Ave station the most used subway stop.
As the [[industrial age]] peaked in America, North Philadelphia became a working man's town. [[Upper North Philadelphia]], [[Olney, Philadelphia|Olney]], [[Brewerytown, Philadelphia|Brewerytown]], became major hubs of production. Large factories and industrial complexes were erected, covering vast swaths of city land. Thousands of row homes were constructed to house the burgeoning worker population. This expansion was also the impetus for breaking ground on the [[Broad Street Line]] subway, designed specifically to carry a passenger from the northern hub of Olney to [[Philadelphia City Hall]] in under 20 minutes. Major freight and passenger rail lines were built to intersect at the newly constructed [[North Broad Street Station]] and transmit cargo from the bustling factories. The completion of the BSL these major railways made the region a thriving hub of transportation. For a time, North Philadelphia station became the second most heavily trafficked rail station in the city, and the Olney Ave station the most used subway stop.


Along with many of Philadelphia's major manufacturing concerns came the nearby estates of the wealthy [[industrialists]] who had founded them. Lower North Philadelphia in particular housed a number of the ''[[nouveau riche]]'': ambitious first or second generation immigrants or those that had made their fortunes starting manufacturing firms. Many were German Jews who had settled in the area, later founding companies and building synagogues. For a time, an age of opulence and grand architecture returned to North Philadelphia, centered on what is now zoned as the Historic North Broad Street Mansion and Speculative Housing Districts. Gentlemen's clubs, upscale restaurants and shopping districts grew in this southern tier for a brief moment in history, peaking in the late 1920s. Upper-class foremen and executives lived farther north along [[Broad Street (Philadelphia)|Broad Street]], in what is now the West Diamond Street Townhouse Historic District. Thriving commercial districts sprung up along the great northern avenues: Columbia (renamed Cecil B. Moore Avenue), Susquehanna, Dauphin, Erie, Lehigh and Olney, to name a few. However, just as this wealth was so suddenly gained, it would just as suddenly be lost. The new money culture proved to be an unstable foundation for a lasting community, and like so many constructs of the [[Gilded Age]], this core of wealth was doomed to rot.
Along with many of Philadelphia's major manufacturing concerns came the nearby estates of the wealthy [[industrialists]] who had founded them. [[Lower North Philadelphia]] in particular housed a number of the ''[[nouveau riche]]'': ambitious first or second generation immigrants or those that had made their fortunes starting manufacturing firms. Many were German Jews who had settled in the area, later founding companies and building synagogues. For a time, an age of opulence and grand architecture returned to North Philadelphia, centered on what is now zoned as the Historic North Broad Street Mansion and Speculative Housing Districts. Gentlemen's clubs, upscale restaurants and shopping districts grew in this southern tier for a brief moment in history, peaking in the late 1920s. Upper-class foremen and executives lived farther north along [[Broad Street (Philadelphia)|Broad Street]], in what is now the West Diamond Street Townhouse Historic District. Thriving commercial districts sprung up along the great northern avenues: Columbia (renamed Cecil B. Moore Avenue), Susquehanna, Dauphin, Erie, Lehigh and Olney, to name a few. However, just as this wealth was so suddenly gained, it would just as suddenly be lost. The new money culture proved to be an unstable foundation for a lasting community, and like so many constructs of the [[Gilded Age]], this core of wealth was doomed to rot.


===Post-industrial economic decline===
===Post-industrial economic decline===
Over the next few decades [[The Great Depression]], [[outsourcing]] and [[white flight]] took their toll on North Philadelphia in a fashion similar to other major US cities of the mid to late 20th century, if not in a more pronounced fashion. While residential corridors like Hope Street and Delhi Street had long housed primarily African-American residents, white residents moved out of the city as waves of poor blacks moved in. During the 40s and 50s, much of the area was [[racial integration|racially integrated]], although smaller streets were usually completely black or white. Whites began to move out slowly at first in the late 1940s as these residents became more affluent and [[Northeast Philadelphia]] began to develop new housing with lawns and conveniences such as modern plumbing. In most cases African Americans moved into the vacant houses and as this began to increase, true white flight began. Increasingly, people moved out of North Philadelphia not solely to move into newer homes, but to avoid facing decreasing property values and increased criminality. For a time, Lower North Philadelphia became a great center of black culture and music, most notably [[jazz]]. Many commercial corridors were maintained for decades, and a great many musicians came to North Philadelphia, like [[John Coltrane]] and [[Stan Getz]]. By 1964, North Philadelphia was the city's center of [[African Americans|African American]] culture, home to 400,000 of the city's 600,000 black residents.<ref name="Time">[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,830558-1,00.html Doing No Good] Time Magazine</ref>
Over the next few decades [[The Great Depression]], [[outsourcing]] and [[white flight]] took their toll on North Philadelphia in a fashion similar to other major US cities of the mid to late 20th century, if not in a more pronounced fashion. While residential corridors like Hope Street and Delhi Street had long housed primarily African-American residents, white residents moved out of the city as waves of poorer black residents moved in. During the 40s and 50s, much of the area was [[racial integration|racially integrated]], although smaller streets were usually completely black or white. Whites began to move out slowly at first in the late 1940s as these residents became more affluent and [[Northeast Philadelphia]] began to develop new housing with lawns and conveniences such as modern plumbing. In most cases African Americans moved into the vacant houses and as this began to increase, true white flight began. Increasingly, people moved out of North Philadelphia not solely to move into newer homes, but to avoid facing decreasing property values and increased criminality. For a time, Lower North Philadelphia became a great center of black culture and music, most notably [[jazz]]. Many commercial corridors were maintained for decades, and a great many musicians came to North Philadelphia, like [[John Coltrane]] and [[Stan Getz]]. By 1964, North Philadelphia was the city's center of [[African Americans|African American]] culture, home to 400,000 of the city's 600,000 black residents.<ref name="Time">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090114112509/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,830558-1,00.html Doing No Good] Time Magazine</ref>


As the century marched past middle age, many other problems symptomatic of all US cities of the time came about. Many of the neighborhoods in North Philadelphia sprung up around one monolithic factory, which was the center of the community's income. Each factory that closed down devastated its host neighborhood. In this way, the wave of national industrial collapse caused the rapid break up of numerous "factory neighborhoods" in the predominantly working class North Philadelphia.
As the century marched past middle age, many other problems symptomatic of all US cities of the time came about. Many of the neighborhoods in North Philadelphia sprung up around one monolithic factory, which was the center of the community's income. Each factory that closed down devastated its host neighborhood. In this way, the wave of national industrial collapse caused the rapid break up of numerous "factory neighborhoods" in the predominantly working class North Philadelphia.
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====1964 Columbia Avenue Riot====
====1964 Columbia Avenue Riot====
{{Main|Philadelphia 1964 race riot}}
{{Main|Philadelphia 1964 race riot}}
On the evening of August 28, 1964 a black woman named Odessa Bradford got into an argument with two police officers, one black, Robert Wells, and the other white, John Hoff, after her car stalled at 23rd Street and Columbia Avenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upenn.edu/gazette/0301/early4.html|title=Mar/Apr Gazette: "No Other Life"|author=|date=|website=www.upenn.edu|accessdate=1 April 2018}}</ref> After Bradford refused to comply with the two officers' orders to move the car, because the car had stalled, and she was unable to drive it, an argument ensued. The officers then tried to physically remove Bradford from the car. She resisted and a large crowd assembled in the area. A man tried to come to Bradford's aid by attacking the police officers at the scene, but he and Bradford were arrested. Rumors then spread throughout North Philadelphia that a pregnant black woman had been beaten to death by white police officers. Later that evening, and throughout the next two days, angry mobs [[looting|looted]] and burned mostly white-owned businesses in North Philadelphia, mainly along Columbia Avenue. Outnumbered, the police response was to withdraw from the area rather than aggressively confront the rioters. The [[Philadelphia 1964 race riot|race riots]] of 1964 became iconic for the rising ethnic tensions in the region, and the continued withdrawal of white residents. The riot, which virtually destroyed the central shopping district of North Philadelphia, signaled the beginning of the end for the North's commercial sector. The withering of the American manufacturing sector led to the closing of many of the factories that many northern neighborhoods were centered on and depended on. Increased urban blight and the general decline of Philadelphia in the late 20th century even saw the decline of many of the strong black communities in North Philadelphia. The legendary [[Connie Mack Stadium]] was closed in favor of the new [[Pattison Sports Complex]]. North Philadelphia Station lost [[Amtrak]] Service, and the [[Broad Street Line|BSL subway line]] garnered a reputation for violent crime and rape. The great [[art deco]] office buildings and government institutions were mostly abandoned, as were the mansions of the many ruined industrialists. As in many poorer African American city ghettos, drug addiction became a major blight in North Philadelphia, further destabilizing families and social networks.
On the evening of August 28, 1964, a black woman named Odessa Bradford got into an argument with two police officers, one black, Robert Wells, and the other white, John Hoff, after her car stalled at 23rd Street and Columbia Avenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upenn.edu/gazette/0301/early4.html|title=Mar/Apr Gazette: "No Other Life"|website=www.upenn.edu|access-date=1 April 2018}}</ref> After Bradford refused to comply with the two officers' orders to move the car, because the car had stalled, and she was unable to drive it, an argument ensued. The officers then tried to physically remove Bradford from the car. She resisted and a large crowd assembled in the area. A man tried to come to Bradford's aid by attacking the police officers at the scene, but he and Bradford were arrested. Rumors then spread throughout North Philadelphia that a pregnant black woman had been beaten to death by white police officers. Later that evening, and throughout the next two days, angry mobs [[looting|looted]] and burned mostly white-owned businesses in North Philadelphia, mainly along Columbia Avenue. Outnumbered, the police response was to withdraw from the area rather than aggressively confront the rioters. The [[Philadelphia 1964 race riot|race riots]] of 1964 became iconic for the rising ethnic tensions in the region, and the continued withdrawal of white residents. The riot, which virtually destroyed the central shopping district of North Philadelphia, signaled the beginning of the end for the North's commercial sector. The withering of the American manufacturing sector led to the closing of many of the factories that many northern neighborhoods were centered on and depended on. Increased urban blight and the general decline of Philadelphia in the late 20th century even saw the decline of many of the strong black communities in North Philadelphia. The legendary [[Connie Mack Stadium]] was closed in favor of the new [[Pattison Sports Complex]]. North Philadelphia Station lost [[Amtrak]] Service, and the [[Broad Street Line|BSL subway line]] garnered a reputation for violent crime and rape. The great [[art deco]] office buildings and government institutions were mostly abandoned, as were the mansions of the many ruined industrialists. As in many poorer African American city ghettos, drug addiction became a major blight in North Philadelphia, further destabilizing families and social networks.


==Locale==
==Locale==
{{Geographic location
{{Geographic location
|Centre = North Philadelphia
|Centre = North Philadelphia
|North = [[Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Cheltenham Township]]
|North = [[Olney, Philadelphia]]
|Northeast = [[Northeast Philadelphia]]
|Northeast = [[Northeast Philadelphia]]
|East = [[Kensington, Philadelphia|Kensington]]
|East = [[Kensington, Philadelphia|Kensington]]
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|Southwest = [[West Philadelphia]]
|Southwest = [[West Philadelphia]]
|West = [[Germantown, Philadelphia|Germantown]], [[Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia|Chestnut Hill]]
|West = [[Germantown, Philadelphia|Germantown]], [[Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia|Chestnut Hill]]
|Northwest = [[Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Cheltenham Township]]
|Northwest = [[Mt. Airy/ Cedarbrook, Philadelphia]]
}}
}}


==North Philadelphia today==
==North Philadelphia today==
[[File:Germantownlehighave.jpg|thumb|Commercial District of Germantown and Lehigh Avenue, in the [[Hartranft, Philadelphia|Hartranft]] neighborhood of North Philadelphia]]
[[File:Germantownlehighave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Commercial District of Germantown and Lehigh Avenue, in the [[Hartranft, Philadelphia|Hartranft]] neighborhood of North Philadelphia]]
[[File:Ogden snow.JPG|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Ogden Street in North Philadelphia on a snowy night]]

=== Neighborhoods ===
=== Neighborhoods ===
[[File:Ogden snow.JPG|thumb|left|Ogden Street in North Philadelphia on a snowy night.]]
{{See also|Neighborhoods in Philadelphia}}
{{See also|Neighborhoods in Philadelphia}}
North Philadelphia, like many other sections of Philadelphia, is highly racially and socially segregated block by block. A noticeable pattern in the area is that, in the southern part of North Philadelphia (south of about Erie Avenue), Germantown Avenue (which later becomes North 6th Street) is the dividing point between the areas that are predominantly Black (to the west), and the areas that are predominantly Hispanic (to the east). However, this is slowly changing, with a small yet growing population of Hispanics living west of Germantown Avenue, and already significant population of Blacks living east of that street.
North Philadelphia, like many other sections of Philadelphia, is highly racially and socially segregated block by block. A noticeable pattern in the area is that, in the southern part of North Philadelphia (south of about Erie Avenue), Germantown Avenue (which later becomes North 6th Street) is the dividing point between the areas that are predominantly Black (to the west), and the areas that are predominantly Hispanic (to the east). However, this is slowly changing, with a small yet growing population of Hispanics living west of Germantown Avenue, and already significant population of Blacks living east of that street.


The area between Broad Street and 5th Street is increasingly becoming a "transition zone" between the larger predominately black area west of Broad, and the smaller predominately Hispanic area east of 5th. This section of Philadelphia has nearly equal populations of Hispanics and Blacks. Though, Germantown Avenue is still seen as a divider street, with areas between Germantown Avenue and Broad Street "more black" and areas between Germantown Avenue and 5th street "more Hispanic".
The area between Broad Street and 5th Street is increasingly becoming a "transition zone" between the larger predominantly black area west of Broad, and the smaller predominantly Hispanic area east of 5th. This section of Philadelphia has nearly equal populations of Hispanics and Blacks, although Germantown Avenue is still seen as a divider street, with areas between Germantown Avenue and Broad Street "more black" and areas between Germantown Avenue and 5th street "more Hispanic".


East of Front street, blocks start to get more diverse, with significant populations of Hispanics, blacks and whites. Also, as the Hispanic community continues to grow eastward, the ethnic white enclaves of eastern North Philadelphia continue to shrink.
East of Front street, blocks start to get more diverse, with significant populations of Hispanics, blacks and whites. Also, as the Hispanic community continues to grow eastward, the ethnic white enclaves of eastern North Philadelphia continue to shrink.


See https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/nation/census/2010/
See [https://web.archive.org/web/20110513090510/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/nation/census/2010/]


North Philadelphia is usually described as an area north of Center City, between Front Street and Fairmount Park.
North Philadelphia is usually described as an area north of Center City, between Front Street and Fairmount Park.
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*[[Lower North Philadelphia]] - Spring Garden Street to the south and Dauphin Street to the north
*[[Lower North Philadelphia]] - Spring Garden Street to the south and Dauphin Street to the north
*[[Upper North Philadelphia]] - Dauphin Street to the south and Wyoming Avenue to the north
*[[Upper North Philadelphia]] - Dauphin Street to the south and Wyoming Avenue to the north
*[[Olney-Oak Lane, Philadelphia]] often nicknamed '''Uptown''' - Wyoming Avenue to the south and the Philadelphia city limits to the north


=== Blight and Brownfields ===
=== Blight and Brownfields ===
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===Notable people===
===Notable people===
*[[Blue Magic]]

*[[Tierra Whack]]
*[[Tierra Whack]]
* [[Cecil B. Moore]]
*[[Cecil B. Moore]]
*[[Jaguar Wright]]
* Gillie Da Kid
* [[Billy Paul]]
*[[Billy Paul]]
* [[Rasheed Wallace]]
*[[Rasheed Wallace]]
* [[Teddy Pendergrass]]
*[[Teddy Pendergrass]]
*[[Lil Uzi Vert]]
*[[Lil Uzi Vert]]
*[[Bernard Hopkins]]
*[[M. K. Asante]]
*[[M. K. Asante]]
*[[Blanche Calloway]]
*[[Blanche Calloway]]
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*[[Bill Cosby]]
*[[Bill Cosby]]
*[[Freeway (rapper)|Freeway]]
*[[Freeway (rapper)|Freeway]]
*[[Young Gunz]]
*[[Vivian Green]]
*[[Vivian Green]]
*[[Kevin Hart]]
*[[Kevin Hart]]
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*[[Lee Morgan]]
*[[Lee Morgan]]
*[[Ursula Rucker]]
*[[Ursula Rucker]]
*[[Jill Scott]]
*[[Jill Scott (singer)|Jill Scott]]
*[[Monnette Sudler]]
*[[Monnette Sudler]]
*[[Walter E. Williams]]
*[[Walter E. Williams]]
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*[[Gabriel Rosado]] (boxer)
*[[Gabriel Rosado]] (boxer)
*[[Peedi Peedi|Pedro "Peedi Crakk" Zayas]] - rapper
*[[Peedi Peedi|Pedro "Peedi Crakk" Zayas]] - rapper
*[[Kahleah Copper]]


=== Redevelopment and gentrification ===
=== Redevelopment and gentrification ===
{{Refimprove|date=May 2009}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2009}}
[[File:Brewerytown HD Philly.JPG|[[Brewerytown, Philadelphia|Brewerytown Historic District]] in North Philadelphia.|thumb|220px|right]]
[[File:North Philadelphia from One Liberty Observation Deck.jpg|thumb|right|View of North Philadelphia from One Liberty Observation Deck]]
Some areas, like Olney, Allegheny and Erie, still have relatively active communities, but even they are often troubled by drugs, crime and/or social underfunding. Allegheny West has advanced, mostly from the support of some of the last industries in North Philadelphia, such as [[Pep Boys]], which is headquartered in the neighborhood.
Some areas, like Olney, Allegheny and Erie, still have relatively active communities, but even they are often troubled by drugs, crime and/or social underfunding. Allegheny West has advanced, mostly from the support of some of the last industries in North Philadelphia, such as [[Pep Boys]], which is headquartered in the neighborhood.


Several parts of North Philadelphia, especially those that border the Center City district, have recently{{when?|date=February 2019}} been experiencing varying levels of [[gentrification]]. Once economically divested neighborhoods like [[Brewerytown, Philadelphia|Brewerytown]], [[Francisville, Philadelphia|Francisville]], [[Northern Liberties, Philadelphia|Northern Liberties]], [[Poplar, Philadelphia|Poplar]] and [[West Kensington, Philadelphia|West Kensington]] have seen large scale development break ground. Other regions have seen virtually no change, save the rising housing values that have accompanied increased attention in urban markets. Many residents of communities in North Philadelphia have voiced resistance towards these gentrifying forces, viewing the sudden investment as an invasion that threatens the traditional character of the neighborhoods. Some poor and elderly residents have been pushed out of increasingly valued neighborhoods adjacent to the dynamic Center City housing market, as speculative buyers push outward from the city core. Many{{Who|date=July 2010}} fear this process will be repeated in North Philadelphia. Many buildings are abandoned.
Several parts of North Philadelphia, especially those that border the Center City district, have recently{{when|date=February 2019}} been experiencing varying levels of [[gentrification]]. Once economically divested neighborhoods like [[Brewerytown, Philadelphia|Brewerytown]], [[Francisville, Philadelphia|Francisville]], [[Northern Liberties, Philadelphia|Northern Liberties]], [[Poplar, Philadelphia|Poplar]] and [[West Kensington, Philadelphia|West Kensington]] have seen large scale development break ground. Other regions have seen virtually no change, save the rising housing values that have accompanied increased attention in urban markets. Many residents of communities in North Philadelphia have voiced resistance towards these gentrifying forces, viewing the sudden investment as an invasion that threatens the traditional character of the neighborhoods.


==Demographics==
==Demographics==
According to the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], 340,350 people live among the ZIP codes of 19132, 19133, 19121, 19122, 19130 and 19123.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=86000US19104&_geoContext=01000US%7C86000US19131&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US42&_zip=19104&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|title=American FactFinder - Community Facts|first=U.S. Census|last=Bureau|date=|website=factfinder.census.gov|accessdate=1 April 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200216041546/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=86000US19104&_geoContext=01000US%7C86000US19131&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US42&_zip=19104&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|archive-date=16 February 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> ([https://web.archive.org/web/20090604162745/http://westphillydata.library.upenn.edu/infoR_ZipCode.htm Map])
According to the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], 340,350 people live among the ZIP codes of 19132, 19133, 19121, 19122, 19130 and 19123.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=86000US19104&_geoContext=01000US%7C86000US19131&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US42&_zip=19104&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|title=American FactFinder - Community Facts|first=U.S. Census|last=Bureau|website=factfinder.census.gov|access-date=1 April 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200216041546/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=86000US19104&_geoContext=01000US%7C86000US19131&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US42&_zip=19104&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|archive-date=16 February 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> ([https://web.archive.org/web/20090604162745/http://westphillydata.library.upenn.edu/infoR_ZipCode.htm Map])


===Racial demographics===
===Racial demographics===
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=86000US19132&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US42%7C05000US42101&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US42&_zip=19132&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|title=American FactFinder - Community Facts|first=U.S. Census|last=Bureau|date=|website=factfinder.census.gov|accessdate=1 April 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212053743/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=86000US19132&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US42%7C05000US42101&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US42&_zip=19132&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|archive-date=12 February 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=86000US19132&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US42%7C05000US42101&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US42&_zip=19132&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|title=American FactFinder - Community Facts|first=U.S. Census|last=Bureau|website=factfinder.census.gov|access-date=1 April 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212053743/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=86000US19132&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US42%7C05000US42101&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US42&_zip=19132&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=|archive-date=12 February 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Non-Hispanic Black: 169,494 (49.8%)
* Non-Hispanic Black: 169,494 (49.8%)
* Hispanic or Latino of any race: 103,806 (30.5%)
* Hispanic or Latino of any race: 103,806 (30.5%)
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* Native American: 1,021 (0.3%)
* Native American: 1,021 (0.3%)


Most of North Philadelphia's population is made up of [[African Americans]] and [[Stateside Puerto Ricans|Puerto Ricans]].<ref name="2010 Census">{{cite news | title=2010 Census | publisher=Medgar Evers College | url=http://2010.census.gov/partners/materials/factsheets-pr.php | accessdate=2010-04-13 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611082314/http://2010.census.gov/partners/materials/factsheets-pr.php | archivedate=2010-06-11 }}</ref> The eastern half of North Philadelphia has one of the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans in the country, this section of North Philadelphia is over 75% Puerto Rican, and over half of Philadelphia's Puerto Rican population resides in this section of the city. North Philadelphia also has a high concentration of [[Nation of Islam|Black Muslims]].<ref name="2010 Census"/> The area also has significant [[Irish Americans|Irish]] and other [[White Americans]], [[Dominican Americans|Dominican]], [[Haitian Americans|Haitian]], [[Cuban Americans|Cuban]], [[Korean Americans|Korean]] and [[Polish Americans|Polish]] populations, among others.<ref name="2010 Census"/> About half of the population lives below the poverty line.<ref name="2010 Census"/>
Most of North Philadelphia's population is made up of [[African Americans]] and [[Stateside Puerto Ricans|Puerto Ricans]].<ref name="2010 Census">{{cite news | title=2010 Census | publisher=Medgar Evers College | url=http://2010.census.gov/partners/materials/factsheets-pr.php | access-date=2010-04-13 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611082314/http://2010.census.gov/partners/materials/factsheets-pr.php | archive-date=2010-06-11 }}</ref> The eastern half of North Philadelphia has one of the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans in the country, this section of North Philadelphia is over 75% Puerto Rican, and over half of Philadelphia's Puerto Rican population resides in this section of the city. North Philadelphia also has a high concentration of [[Nation of Islam|Black Muslims]].<ref name="2010 Census"/> The area also has significant [[Irish Americans|Irish]] and other [[White Americans]], [[Dominican Americans|Dominican]], [[Haitian Americans|Haitian]], [[Cuban Americans|Cuban]], [[Korean Americans|Korean]] and [[Polish Americans|Polish]] populations, among others.<ref name="2010 Census"/> About half of the population lives below the poverty line.<ref name="2010 Census"/>


==Crime==
==Crime==
Most of Philadelphia's crime pertains to the drug trade. In a 2007 ''[[Philadelphia Weekly]]'' article journalist Steve Volk states that anti-drug activists said that North Philadelphia has a lot of open air [[recreational drug]] dealing because the act is a tradition and because many areas have consistent poverty.<ref>Volk, Steve. "[http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=14558 Top 10 Drug Corners] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20120907063947/http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=14558 |date=2012-09-07 }}." ''[[Philadelphia Weekly]]''. May 2, 2007. Retrieved on January 20, 2009.</ref> Though several blighted Philadelphia neighborhoods are known for open-air drug dealing, as well as open-air drug using, the "[[Philadelphia Badlands|North Philly Badlands]]" is notorious nationwide for it. Many North Philadelphia neighborhoods are blighted, and abound in abandoned homes and vacant lots.
Most of Philadelphia's crime pertains to the drug trade. In a 2007 ''[[Philadelphia Weekly]]'' article journalist Steve Volk states that anti-drug activists said that North Philadelphia has a lot of open air [[recreational drug]] dealing because the act is a tradition and because many areas have consistent poverty.<ref>Volk, Steve. "[http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=14558 Top 10 Drug Corners] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120907063947/http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=14558 |date=2012-09-07 }}." ''[[Philadelphia Weekly]]''. May 2, 2007. Retrieved on January 20, 2009.</ref> Though several blighted Philadelphia neighborhoods are known for open-air drug dealing, as well as open-air drug using, the "[[Philadelphia Badlands|North Philly Badlands]]" is notorious nationwide for it. Many North Philadelphia neighborhoods are blighted, and abound in abandoned homes and vacant lots.


==Economy==
==Economy==
Line 205: Line 202:
Notably, [[Broad Street (Philadelphia)|Broad Street]] roughly bisects North Philadelphia north-south. Broad Street is a six-lane arterial street that is designated as [[Pennsylvania Route 611]]. The [[Broad Street Line]] or 'Orange Line,' runs along Broad Street, directly connecting North Philadelphia with Center City and South Philadelphia, as well as with the rest of Philadelphia's public transit system: [[SEPTA]].
Notably, [[Broad Street (Philadelphia)|Broad Street]] roughly bisects North Philadelphia north-south. Broad Street is a six-lane arterial street that is designated as [[Pennsylvania Route 611]]. The [[Broad Street Line]] or 'Orange Line,' runs along Broad Street, directly connecting North Philadelphia with Center City and South Philadelphia, as well as with the rest of Philadelphia's public transit system: [[SEPTA]].


{{Asof|2017}} Taiwanese airline [[China Airlines]] provides a private bus service to and from [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] in New York City for customers based in the Philadelphia area. This service stops in North Philadelphia.<ref>"[https://www.china-airlines.com/us/en/fly/at-the-airport/Airport-Shuttle Airport Shuttle] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306022345/https://www.china-airlines.com/us/en/fly/at-the-airport/Airport-Shuttle |date=2016-03-06 }}." [[China Airlines]]. Retrieved on May 12, 2017.</ref>
{{Asof|2017}}, Taiwanese airline [[China Airlines]] provides a private bus service to and from [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] in New York City for customers based in the Philadelphia area. This service stops in North Philadelphia.<ref>"[https://www.china-airlines.com/us/en/fly/at-the-airport/Airport-Shuttle Airport Shuttle] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306022345/https://www.china-airlines.com/us/en/fly/at-the-airport/Airport-Shuttle |date=2016-03-06 }}." [[China Airlines]]. Retrieved on May 12, 2017.</ref>


==Education==
==Education==
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*[[The Blue Horizon]] - closed
*[[The Blue Horizon]] - closed
*[[The Village of Arts and Humanities]]
*[[The Village of Arts and Humanities]]
*[[New Freedom Theatre]]


Uptown Theater is an iconic part of the music scene of North Philadelphia. It was a springboard for many notable artist of our time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whyy.org/articles/why-marquee-lights-are-back-on-at-n-phillys-uptown-theater/|title=Why the marquee lights are back on at North Philly’s shuttered Uptown Theater|website=WHYY|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-14}}</ref>
Uptown Theater is an iconic part of the music scene of North Philadelphia. It was a springboard for many notable artist of our time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://whyy.org/articles/why-marquee-lights-are-back-on-at-n-phillys-uptown-theater/|title=Why the marquee lights are back on at North Philly's shuttered Uptown Theater|website=WHYY|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-14}}</ref>




== See also ==
== See also ==
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==References==
==References==
{{wikivoyage|Philadelphia/North|North Philly}}
{{wikivoyage|Philadelphia/North|North Philly}}
* {{cite web | last = Bowie | first = John et al. (editors) | title = Workshop of the World—Philadelphia | publisher = Oliver Evans Press | year = 2007 | url = http://www.workshopoftheworld.com/ | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2009-11-02 }}.
* {{cite web | last = Bowie | first = John et al. (editors) | title = Workshop of the World—Philadelphia | publisher = Oliver Evans Press | year = 2007 | url = http://www.workshopoftheworld.com/ | access-date = 2009-11-02 }}.
* {{Cite book | last = Licht | first = Walter | authorlink = | year = 1992 | title = Getting Work: Philadelphia, 1840–1950 | publisher = Harvard University Press | location = Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA | isbn = 978-0-8122-1719-3 | ref = harv |lccn=91035021}}.
* {{Cite book | last = Licht | first = Walter | year = 1992 | title = Getting Work: Philadelphia, 1840–1950 | publisher = Harvard University Press | location = Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA | isbn = 978-0-8122-1719-3 |lccn=91035021}}.
*Adams, Carolyn, et at. (editors) (1993). ''Philadelphia: Neighborhoods, Division, and Conflict in a Post-Industrial City''. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press 978-1566390781
*Adams, Carolyn, et at. (editors) (1993). ''Philadelphia: Neighborhoods, Division, and Conflict in a Post-Industrial City''. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press 978-1566390781


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[[Category:North Philadelphia| ]]
[[Category:Neighborhoods in Philadelphia| ]]
[[Category:Neighborhoods in Philadelphia| ]]
[[Category:Irish-American neighborhoods]]
[[Category:Irish-American neighborhoods]]
[[Category:Irish-American culture in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Irish-American culture in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:North Philadelphia| ]]

Revision as of 02:13, 22 April 2024

North Philadelphia
North Philadelphia from One Liberty Observation Deck
North Philadelphia from One Liberty Observation Deck
Map of Philadelphia County with North Philadelphia highlighted. Click for larger image
Map of Philadelphia County with North Philadelphia highlighted. Click for larger image
Country United States of America
State Pennsylvania
County Philadelphia
City Philadelphia
Area
 • Total46.7 sq mi (121 km2)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total240,781
 • Density5,155/sq mi (1,990/km2)
ZIP code
19120, 19121, 19122, 19123, 19125, 19126, 19130, 19132, 19133, 19134, 19137, 19140 and 19141

North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is immediately north of Center City. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either Vine Street or Spring Garden Street, between Northwest Philadelphia and Northeast Philadelphia. It is bordered to the north by Olney Ave along Broad Street, Spring Garden Street to the south, 35th Street to the west and Adams Avenue to the east. The Philadelphia Police Department patrols five districts located within North Philadelphia: the 22nd, 25th, 26th, 35th and 39th districts.[1] There are thirteen ZIP codes for North Philadelphia: 19120, 19121, 19122, 19123, 19125, 19126, 19130, 19132, 19133, 19134, 19137, 19140 and 19141.

The city government views this sprawling chunk of Philadelphia more precisely as three smaller districts, drawn up by the Redevelopment Authority in 1964. These regions are (from north to south) Olney-Oak Lane, Upper North Philadelphia and Lower North Philadelphia. Other sections of North Philadelphia include Brewerytown, Fairhill, Fairmount, Francisville, Franklinville, Glenwood, Hartranft, Koreatown, Northern Liberties, Poplar (roughly bound by Girard Avenue, Broad Street, Spring Garden Street and 5th Street), Sharswood, Strawberry Mansion, and Yorktown.

History

Early history

Prior to its incorporation into the city proper, North Philadelphia was little more than a collection of primarily agricultural townships above the original City of Philadelphia. In the 18th century, as Philadelphia grew in importance and, consequently, population, then pastoral North Philadelphia became an attractive alternative to the burgeoning city. The mansions of wealthy Philadelphians began to dot the landscape, and by the late 18th and early 19th century, several small town centers had developed to anchor the growing population. However, this suburban landscape was to be interrupted around the middle of the 19th century, as rapid urban expansion led to The Consolidation Act of 1854. This state law annexed all of the townships within Philadelphia County to the City of Philadelphia. With new territory now under the aegis of Philadelphia's city planners, a rising influx of European immigrants led to the end of North as a suburb of Philadelphia. North Philadelphia's decentralized towns were gradually meshed into a sprawling network of the ubiquitous Philadelphia rowhouses. Many of the newly created neighborhoods retained the name of their ancestral towns and townships, for example, Northern Liberties was formerly Northern Liberties Township.

Industrial era

2600 Block of North Broad Street. Example of the late Victorian and Gothic stylizations of the German architects that designed buildings in North Philadelphia. Turrets like the one pictured still dot North Broad Street.

Philadelphia was one of the most important centers of manufacturing in the world between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries,[2][3] and North Philadelphia is one of the sections of the city whose landscape was most deeply shaped by the industrial era. Its landscape still strongly reflects this heritage.

As the industrial age peaked in America, North Philadelphia became a working man's town. Upper North Philadelphia, Olney, Brewerytown, became major hubs of production. Large factories and industrial complexes were erected, covering vast swaths of city land. Thousands of row homes were constructed to house the burgeoning worker population. This expansion was also the impetus for breaking ground on the Broad Street Line subway, designed specifically to carry a passenger from the northern hub of Olney to Philadelphia City Hall in under 20 minutes. Major freight and passenger rail lines were built to intersect at the newly constructed North Broad Street Station and transmit cargo from the bustling factories. The completion of the BSL these major railways made the region a thriving hub of transportation. For a time, North Philadelphia station became the second most heavily trafficked rail station in the city, and the Olney Ave station the most used subway stop.

Along with many of Philadelphia's major manufacturing concerns came the nearby estates of the wealthy industrialists who had founded them. Lower North Philadelphia in particular housed a number of the nouveau riche: ambitious first or second generation immigrants or those that had made their fortunes starting manufacturing firms. Many were German Jews who had settled in the area, later founding companies and building synagogues. For a time, an age of opulence and grand architecture returned to North Philadelphia, centered on what is now zoned as the Historic North Broad Street Mansion and Speculative Housing Districts. Gentlemen's clubs, upscale restaurants and shopping districts grew in this southern tier for a brief moment in history, peaking in the late 1920s. Upper-class foremen and executives lived farther north along Broad Street, in what is now the West Diamond Street Townhouse Historic District. Thriving commercial districts sprung up along the great northern avenues: Columbia (renamed Cecil B. Moore Avenue), Susquehanna, Dauphin, Erie, Lehigh and Olney, to name a few. However, just as this wealth was so suddenly gained, it would just as suddenly be lost. The new money culture proved to be an unstable foundation for a lasting community, and like so many constructs of the Gilded Age, this core of wealth was doomed to rot.

Post-industrial economic decline

Over the next few decades The Great Depression, outsourcing and white flight took their toll on North Philadelphia in a fashion similar to other major US cities of the mid to late 20th century, if not in a more pronounced fashion. While residential corridors like Hope Street and Delhi Street had long housed primarily African-American residents, white residents moved out of the city as waves of poorer black residents moved in. During the 40s and 50s, much of the area was racially integrated, although smaller streets were usually completely black or white. Whites began to move out slowly at first in the late 1940s as these residents became more affluent and Northeast Philadelphia began to develop new housing with lawns and conveniences such as modern plumbing. In most cases African Americans moved into the vacant houses and as this began to increase, true white flight began. Increasingly, people moved out of North Philadelphia not solely to move into newer homes, but to avoid facing decreasing property values and increased criminality. For a time, Lower North Philadelphia became a great center of black culture and music, most notably jazz. Many commercial corridors were maintained for decades, and a great many musicians came to North Philadelphia, like John Coltrane and Stan Getz. By 1964, North Philadelphia was the city's center of African American culture, home to 400,000 of the city's 600,000 black residents.[4]

As the century marched past middle age, many other problems symptomatic of all US cities of the time came about. Many of the neighborhoods in North Philadelphia sprung up around one monolithic factory, which was the center of the community's income. Each factory that closed down devastated its host neighborhood. In this way, the wave of national industrial collapse caused the rapid break up of numerous "factory neighborhoods" in the predominantly working class North Philadelphia.

1964 Columbia Avenue Riot

On the evening of August 28, 1964, a black woman named Odessa Bradford got into an argument with two police officers, one black, Robert Wells, and the other white, John Hoff, after her car stalled at 23rd Street and Columbia Avenue.[5] After Bradford refused to comply with the two officers' orders to move the car, because the car had stalled, and she was unable to drive it, an argument ensued. The officers then tried to physically remove Bradford from the car. She resisted and a large crowd assembled in the area. A man tried to come to Bradford's aid by attacking the police officers at the scene, but he and Bradford were arrested. Rumors then spread throughout North Philadelphia that a pregnant black woman had been beaten to death by white police officers. Later that evening, and throughout the next two days, angry mobs looted and burned mostly white-owned businesses in North Philadelphia, mainly along Columbia Avenue. Outnumbered, the police response was to withdraw from the area rather than aggressively confront the rioters. The race riots of 1964 became iconic for the rising ethnic tensions in the region, and the continued withdrawal of white residents. The riot, which virtually destroyed the central shopping district of North Philadelphia, signaled the beginning of the end for the North's commercial sector. The withering of the American manufacturing sector led to the closing of many of the factories that many northern neighborhoods were centered on and depended on. Increased urban blight and the general decline of Philadelphia in the late 20th century even saw the decline of many of the strong black communities in North Philadelphia. The legendary Connie Mack Stadium was closed in favor of the new Pattison Sports Complex. North Philadelphia Station lost Amtrak Service, and the BSL subway line garnered a reputation for violent crime and rape. The great art deco office buildings and government institutions were mostly abandoned, as were the mansions of the many ruined industrialists. As in many poorer African American city ghettos, drug addiction became a major blight in North Philadelphia, further destabilizing families and social networks.

Locale

North Philadelphia today

Commercial District of Germantown and Lehigh Avenue, in the Hartranft neighborhood of North Philadelphia
Ogden Street in North Philadelphia on a snowy night

Neighborhoods

North Philadelphia, like many other sections of Philadelphia, is highly racially and socially segregated block by block. A noticeable pattern in the area is that, in the southern part of North Philadelphia (south of about Erie Avenue), Germantown Avenue (which later becomes North 6th Street) is the dividing point between the areas that are predominantly Black (to the west), and the areas that are predominantly Hispanic (to the east). However, this is slowly changing, with a small yet growing population of Hispanics living west of Germantown Avenue, and already significant population of Blacks living east of that street.

The area between Broad Street and 5th Street is increasingly becoming a "transition zone" between the larger predominantly black area west of Broad, and the smaller predominantly Hispanic area east of 5th. This section of Philadelphia has nearly equal populations of Hispanics and Blacks, although Germantown Avenue is still seen as a divider street, with areas between Germantown Avenue and Broad Street "more black" and areas between Germantown Avenue and 5th street "more Hispanic".

East of Front street, blocks start to get more diverse, with significant populations of Hispanics, blacks and whites. Also, as the Hispanic community continues to grow eastward, the ethnic white enclaves of eastern North Philadelphia continue to shrink.

See [1]

North Philadelphia is usually described as an area north of Center City, between Front Street and Fairmount Park.

Sub-sections include:

Blight and Brownfields

Today, many remnants of these more prosperous eras remain. However, many historic buildings have collapsed, either from neglect or demolition, and thousands more still lie abandoned. A handful have become protected historic properties, and 67 properties and districts were added to the National Register of Historic Places. Several blocks, with numerous old mansions, have been re-zoned as the aforementioned historic districts. A great many extravagant churches were built over the years, as well. Some still stand, but all too often money is scarce to preserve their deteriorating architecture. The trolley lines that once criss-crossed the northern streets and linked the region with the rest of Philadelphia were shut down by SEPTA in 1992. Immense, abandoned factories sit idle; warehouses lie empty; and disused heavy rail lines scar the landscape. The names of the old industrialists, such as Gratz, Poth, Uber, Bouvier and Schmidt, still adorn many buildings and street signs in the area but are otherwise foreign to many modern-day residents.

The Neighborhood Transformation Initiative or NTI, was a City program launched by Mayor John F. Street. The program called for the demolition of thousands of condemned buildings and the construction of large-scale, medium-density public housing, with restoration efforts to be employed on salvageable houses. Many blocks of old rowhouses have been bulldozed and replaced with suburban-style tract houses. This program has radically changed some sections of North Philadelphia. Some[who?] charge that little effort was made to save a number of historic buildings, others[who?] that NTI was needed to change blighted neighborhoods. The lasting effects of the program remain to be seen.

Notable people

Redevelopment and gentrification

Brewerytown Historic District in North Philadelphia.

Some areas, like Olney, Allegheny and Erie, still have relatively active communities, but even they are often troubled by drugs, crime and/or social underfunding. Allegheny West has advanced, mostly from the support of some of the last industries in North Philadelphia, such as Pep Boys, which is headquartered in the neighborhood.

Several parts of North Philadelphia, especially those that border the Center City district, have recently[when?] been experiencing varying levels of gentrification. Once economically divested neighborhoods like Brewerytown, Francisville, Northern Liberties, Poplar and West Kensington have seen large scale development break ground. Other regions have seen virtually no change, save the rising housing values that have accompanied increased attention in urban markets. Many residents of communities in North Philadelphia have voiced resistance towards these gentrifying forces, viewing the sudden investment as an invasion that threatens the traditional character of the neighborhoods.

Demographics

According to the 2010 census, 340,350 people live among the ZIP codes of 19132, 19133, 19121, 19122, 19130 and 19123.[6] (Map)

Racial demographics

[7]

  • Non-Hispanic Black: 169,494 (49.8%)
  • Hispanic or Latino of any race: 103,806 (30.5%)
  • Non-Hispanic White: 34,375 (10.1%)
  • Asian & Pacific Islander: 17,017 (5.0%)
  • Mixed or Other: 14,635 (4.3%)
  • Native American: 1,021 (0.3%)

Most of North Philadelphia's population is made up of African Americans and Puerto Ricans.[8] The eastern half of North Philadelphia has one of the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans in the country, this section of North Philadelphia is over 75% Puerto Rican, and over half of Philadelphia's Puerto Rican population resides in this section of the city. North Philadelphia also has a high concentration of Black Muslims.[8] The area also has significant Irish and other White Americans, Dominican, Haitian, Cuban, Korean and Polish populations, among others.[8] About half of the population lives below the poverty line.[8]

Crime

Most of Philadelphia's crime pertains to the drug trade. In a 2007 Philadelphia Weekly article journalist Steve Volk states that anti-drug activists said that North Philadelphia has a lot of open air recreational drug dealing because the act is a tradition and because many areas have consistent poverty.[9] Though several blighted Philadelphia neighborhoods are known for open-air drug dealing, as well as open-air drug using, the "North Philly Badlands" is notorious nationwide for it. Many North Philadelphia neighborhoods are blighted, and abound in abandoned homes and vacant lots.

Economy

Pep Boys is headquartered in North Philadelphia.[10]

Certain sections of North Philadelphia were highly commercial. TOPPS Cards were once produced in North Philadelphia until moving to New York.

Temple University is the seventh largest employer in the City of Philadelphia, Temple University Hospital, Inc is number 11 (PA Dept of Labor and Industry, 1st Quarter 2019).[11]

Transportation

Notably, Broad Street roughly bisects North Philadelphia north-south. Broad Street is a six-lane arterial street that is designated as Pennsylvania Route 611. The Broad Street Line or 'Orange Line,' runs along Broad Street, directly connecting North Philadelphia with Center City and South Philadelphia, as well as with the rest of Philadelphia's public transit system: SEPTA.

As of 2017, Taiwanese airline China Airlines provides a private bus service to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for customers based in the Philadelphia area. This service stops in North Philadelphia.[12]

Education

Public education

Public and Charter schooling in North Philadelphia is handled by the School District of Philadelphia. The region is divided into several "clusters," which administer individual schools. By region, these clusters are:

Lower North Philadelphia

  • William Penn (William Penn High School closed in June 2010)
  • Strawberry Mansion
  • Murrell Dobbins C.T.E.
  • A. Philip Randolph C.T.E.
  • Franklin (current closed for asbestos removal)
  • Masterman
  • Roberts Vaux (now a Big Picture Charter School)

Upper North Philadelphia

  • Gratz (now a Mastery Charter School)
  • Edison

Olney/Oak Lane

  • King
  • Olney
  • Central
  • Philadelphia High School for Girls ("Girls High")

YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, which is chartered by the School District of Philadelphia, is also located in North Philadelphia, just south of William Penn High School.

The Mastery Charter Schools system operates the Clymer School in North Philadelphia.[13] The system opened the Mastery Charter Lenfest Campus (7–12) in September 2001 in an office building in North Philadelphia. The school moved to Old City in Center City in 2002.[14]

North Philadelphia has the largest concentration of Charter Schools in Philadelphia

Post-secondary education

North Philadelphia hosts a number of institutions of higher learning.

Libraries

There are thirteen branch libraries of the Philadelphia Free Library located in North Philadelphia.

Museums and cultural sites

Uptown Theater is an iconic part of the music scene of North Philadelphia. It was a springboard for many notable artist of our time.[16]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ PPD Online Patrol Districts, Philadelphia Police Department.
  2. ^ Licht 1992, pp. 3–16
  3. ^ Workshop of the World
  4. ^ Doing No Good Time Magazine
  5. ^ "Mar/Apr Gazette: "No Other Life"". www.upenn.edu. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  6. ^ Bureau, U.S. Census. "American FactFinder - Community Facts". factfinder.census.gov. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  7. ^ Bureau, U.S. Census. "American FactFinder - Community Facts". factfinder.census.gov. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d "2010 Census". Medgar Evers College. Archived from the original on 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  9. ^ Volk, Steve. "Top 10 Drug Corners Archived 2012-09-07 at archive.today." Philadelphia Weekly. May 2, 2007. Retrieved on January 20, 2009.
  10. ^ "Contact Us." Pep Boys. Retrieved on August 24, 2009.
  11. ^ "PA Department of Labor and Industry" (PDF). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  12. ^ "Airport Shuttle Archived 2016-03-06 at the Wayback Machine." China Airlines. Retrieved on May 12, 2017.
  13. ^ "Clymer Elementary." Mastery Charter Schools. Retrieved on September 10, 2012. "1201 W. Rush Street Philadelphia, PA 19133"
  14. ^ "Lenfest Campus." Mastery Charter Schools. Retrieved on September 10, 2012.
  15. ^ "Harcum College at Congresso." Harcum College at Congresso. Retrieved on July 16, 2015.
  16. ^ "Why the marquee lights are back on at North Philly's shuttered Uptown Theater". WHYY. Retrieved 2019-11-14.

References

  • Bowie, John et al. (editors) (2007). "Workshop of the World—Philadelphia". Oliver Evans Press. Retrieved 2009-11-02. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help).
  • Licht, Walter (1992). Getting Work: Philadelphia, 1840–1950. Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-1719-3. LCCN 91035021..
  • Adams, Carolyn, et at. (editors) (1993). Philadelphia: Neighborhoods, Division, and Conflict in a Post-Industrial City. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press 978-1566390781

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