Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA)
Archivist:
Helen Remich Dubas Neighborhoods of Philly . . . Probably
one of the most argued about topics in Philadelphia,
could very well be the boundaries of neighborhoods.
In an introduction of a book, the author called out
what constituted North Philadelphia. North
Philadelphia neighborhoods were comprised of a heavy
population of Danube Swabians; Hunting Park (where I
grew up) is not mentioned, yet Franklinville, the
adjoining neighborhood
is
listed. That’s exactly what I’m talking
about…boundaries, a no-win topic in Philadelphia.
North
Philadelphia neighborhoods comprised a very heavy
population of
Danube Swabians:
Nicetown,
Tioga, Kensington,
Fishtown, Wissinoming, Frankford,
Allegheny West,
Franklinville,
Brewerytown, Strawberry
Mansion, Logan, Olney, East and West Oak Lane, Fairmount,
& Spring Garden.
Other Neighborhoods:
Fox Chase,
Hunting Park,
Pottstown
Researchers Note:
In the early 1960’s, neighborhoods "began to change."
Residents began to move out of the city into nearby Eastern
Montgomery County. You'll find ancestors in such towns
as Horsham, Southampton, Abington, Willow Grove, etc. They
are all towns about 20 minutes outside of the Philly.
Brewerytown is
a neighborhood in the North Philadelphia district of the
city of Philadelphia. Brewerytown
runs approximately between the Schuylkill River’s eastern
bank and 23rd Street, bounded by Cecil B. Moore Avenue in
the north and Parrish Street in the south. As its name
suggests, Brewerytown is so called because of the numerous
breweries which were located along the Schuylkill during the
late 19th century and early 20th century.
The earliest
indications of this legacy can be seen on maps from the
1860's, which list several minor brewers and distillation
facilities in this region. Proximity to the river and nearby
farmland allowed these establishments to flourish, and as
demands increased, so did development in Brewerytown. Much
of the expansion into the early 20th century was handled by
architect Otto Wolf, who oversaw the construction of over 60
buildings in the area, bringing a distinct German texture to
the houses, saloons, and breweries of the area. Some of his
buildings are still standing, including the Bergdoll Brewing
complex, and F.A. Poth Brewing.
At its peak, 700 breweries operated across
Philadelphia, several in a 10 block area of Brewerytown.
Unfortunately, with the collapse of local industry later in
the 20th century, and beer production moving primarily to
the midwest every single brewer had vanished by 1987.
www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Brewerytown
http://pabreweryhistorians.tripod.com/grandaddy.htm |
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More Neighborhoods will be added,
so check back. If you have information to share about
Donauschwaben in Philadelphia, please contact the Archivist.
Neighborhood names, A-K
Neighborhood names, L-P
Neighborhood names, Q-Z
Districts, Townships & Boroughs
Philadelphia
Home
Peter Stahl, Musician, Banat-PA
Remich Family
Archives:
-
Death Notices/Funeral Cards
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Tombstones ( Lawnview
Cemetary, Rockledge; Greenmount Cemetary, Philadelphia; and Holy
Trinity, Pottstown)
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Fishtown
is
a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States.[1] Located immediately northeast of Center City,
its borders are somewhat disputed today due to many
factors, but are roughly defined by the triangle created
by the Delaware River, Frankford Avenue, and York
Street. Newer residents of the area consider it to go
all the way up to Lehigh Avenue, while some older
residents maintain the upper border to be Norris Street.
The name "Fishtown" is
derived from the area's former role as the center of the
shad fishing industry on the Delaware River. The name
comes from the fact that a number of 18th and early 19th
century German & German-American families bought up the
fishing rights on both sides of the Delaware River from
Trenton Falls down to Cape May, NJ. Also, in the early
18th century, an English colonist was fabled to have
caught the largest Shad in the world in the Delaware
River.
The apocryphal local
legend traces the name of Fishtown to Charles Dickens
who purportedly visited the neighborhood in March 1842,
but records show this to be false, as it was named
Fishtown prior to his visiting.
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Fox Chase
is actually Philadelphia. Rockledge, borders Fox
Chase. Rockledge, however, is in the next county over,
Eastern Montgomery County. [Rockledge was
formed due to an overflow of Philadelphians from Fox Chase,
an old community just across the county line in
Philadelphia.
This small borough was incorporated on
January 9, 1893.
Its approximately four-tenths of a square mile
were taken from Abington Township. Primarily residential in
its land use, most of its residents work in Philadelphia or
other portions of Montgomery County. It should be noted that
some homes and businesses, while having a Rockledge mailing
address, will actually be located in surrounding Abington
Township. Area 39 square miles.] |
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Franklinville |
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Hunting Park is located in North
Philadelphia, the neighborhood’s namesake is a large
park. Having grown up there, I spent many hours in the
park, whether it be ice skating in the large, cement
"lake" or riding the carousel, which was always a
favorite pastime for children and adults alike. The
carousel had a ring catch, and it meant a free ride if
you could catch the ring. During the summer,
neighbors would carry their chairs and blankets to the
park to have a picnic, especially on the fourth of July
when fireworks would delight the crowd. There was also a
bandstand, which at one point in time, was graced by the
presence of John Philip Sousa, famous band leader.
The amusement park that acquired the carousel.
They show what appears to be a
current
photo, and they do have a brief history of the
carousel at their site.
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Map of Hunting Park
Philip Remich at Hunting Park 1945-46 |
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Olney
Olney is named after the estate of Alexander
Wilson who resided on Rising Sun Avenue, near the Tacony
Creek. Wilson chose the name for his residence because of
his love for the poet William Cowper, of Olney, England. The
mansion was demolished in 1924, but the name was applied to
the growing village nearby.
Olney was settled by German Americans and the
population remained homogenous throughout the first half of
the 20th century.
www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Brewerytown |
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Pottstown, about an hour
Northwest of Philadelphia |
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