St. Thomas More High School for Boys at 47th and Wyalusing Avenue was closed in 1975 and now houses the Sr Clara Muhammad School. Starting at $1,192 USD /mo. Additionally, 6.11% of the population is represented by non-citizens. He noted there was $60 million in manufacturing capital invested in the district, mostly by the river, and fifteen banks with total deposits of $40 million. Blocks away from "West" were the West Philadelphia Catholic High Schools for Girls at 46th Street and Boys at 48th Street, now consolidated into West Catholic Preparatory High School in the building at 46th Street. Some, like the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing, continue to educate men and women in the field. At the same time, new development moved beyond Forty-Fifth Street out to Cobbs Creek, the border with Delaware County. [28] The area's public schools are operated by the School District of Philadelphia. The remaining African American neighborhoods continued to suffer discrimination in access to jobs and capital while many of the jobs that previously fostered economic stability were lost or undercut by the flight of manufacturing firms. By the early twenty-first century West Philadelphia was about as populous as it had been in 1910, having lost more than a hundred thousand residents after 1950. The neighborhood of Eastwick in Southwest Philadelphia, near Philadelphia International Airport, showed the greatest poverty-rate increase of any community, rocketing from 12 percent during 2006-10 to 26 percent in the newest survey. The renowned Penn Relays draw high school and college track and field athletes from around the country. Throughout the eighteenth century much of what would become West Philadelphia remained sparsely populated farmland. 2 (April 1980), pp. Commuter trains have helped to shape and define Philadelphia and its region since their introduction in 1832. It was the first covered bridge in the United States. Philadelphia police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 44-year-old man in Germantown. By 1820, residents of these neighboring suburbs outnumbered those of the city proper. Developers found they could increase profits by catering to this emerging group, shrinking lot sizes, and building more compact, less ornate houses. ET on Saturday, 3/4/2023. Becoming Penn: The Pragmatic American University, 19502000. With other anchor institutions in the area, it supported development of the University City District to provide further amenities. 30 Years Later, I'm Still Trying To Make Sense Of The MOVE Bombing (National Public Radio), PhilaPlace: Association of Islamic Charitable Projects (AICP) An Interview with Linda Hauber (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). A gunfight ensued and in the end, police officer James Ramp was dead and nine MOVE members, including Delbert Africa, shown here, were arrested. No representation, guarantee or warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information modified or aggregated for specific neighborhoods and/or zip codes. Community opposition fell on deaf ears and the city demolished vacant houses, declared Black Bottom a blighted neighborhood, and purchased it through eminent domain. The Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (now USciences) was the nation's first pharmacy college. A series of wooden and iron bridges were constructed to replace it until the modern-era span was completed in 1932. During the latter confrontation, police firebombed the group's headquarters, killing 11 people and destroying an entire block of Osage Avenue and Pine Street. They were also discouraged, by legal means or by violence, from immediately following the white population into the growing suburbs. When the smoke cleared, sixty-two houses had been destroyed and eleven people, including founder John Africa and five children, were dead. The teacher population of 32 teachers has declined by 17% over five school years. New routes into the city aided this movement too, like the Chestnut Street bridge completed in 1866. Here, middle neighborhoods are places like East Mt. Different vintage years of estimates are not comparable. By the 1840s developers in Philadelphia, which was the second-largest city in the United States at the time, were already looking beyond the Schuylkill for fresh land. In the 1980s some immigrants began to move into the area, chiefly African and Cambodian, although the latter population would almost entirely decamp for other parts of the city by the beginning of the twenty-first century. The majority race in Philadelphia overall is white at 62.2% of residents. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2011. Other settlements followed, including Mantua Village, carved from the holdings of a local landowner, Judge Richard Peters (1743-1828), and laid out in 1809. But during the early decades of majority-Black West Philadelphia, these challenges were attenuated by the growth of African American political power and the slowly declining, but still available, unionized industrial jobs. University Archives staff members Mary D. McConaghy and Michael L. Ellerson gathered these statistical tables from the professional version of Social Explorerthen edited them for use here. 2023 University of Pennsylvania University Archives and Records Center, The West Philadelphia Community History Center is sponsored by the, University of Pennsylvania University Archives and Records Center. 77th and 86th Streets run just a few blocks before they leave the city for surrounding jurisdictions. On Chestnut Street, Drexel Universitys WKDU regularly welcomed local talent into its studio for live events, as did WPEN, which lent its studio to college broadcasters. Philadelphia's love affair with the bicycle began with its public debut at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, held in Fairmount Park. Later renamed the Civic Center Museum, it closed in 1994. As African Americans began living in more neighborhoods, the white population began fleeing to the expanding suburbs. Despite the industry clustered along the areas shores, development in this period remained largely residential in the rest of West Philadelphia. The El once powered the economic engine of West Philadelphia. top Male population 45.52% Female population 54.48% Citizen US Born 88.53% Citizen not US Born 5.24% Not Citizen 6.24% Moved from Abroad 0.94% Moved from Same County 9.19% Moved from Same State 2.37% Moved from Different State 3.65% Same House as Last Year 83.85% Similar homes for rent in Washington Square West, Philadelphia. On the far side of the Schuylkill, the new housing developments were mostly marketed for the middle and upper classes, whose westward movement was further enabled by the replacement of the omnibus by horse cars in 1858. City officials found these species much more tolerant of the urban environment and resistant to disease. [8], The area gained some fame through the DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince song "Yo Home to Bel-Air", which became the theme song to the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in which Wynnefield native Will Smith raps, "In West Philadelphia, born and raised.". These are the types of employers who city residents work for. Learn how and when to remove this template message, West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb Historic District, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, National Register of Historic Places listings in West Philadelphia, "Studio 34's Eponymous Trolley, or, A Short History of Route 34", Mastery Charter Schools' big test in Philadelphia, "Commodore Theatre in Philadelphia, PA - Cinema Treasures", West Philadelphia Community History Center, Graduate Hospital / Southwest Center City. The Black population swelled again during World War II, breaking West Philadelphias racial boundaries by moving south of Market Street and west of Fifty-Ninth Street. The police department made matters worse by becoming the first U.S. law enforcement institution to bomb its own city. The university was not the only force at work; its efforts were aided by a nationwide decline in crime and marginal increase in the desire for urban living among a segment of the professional classes. There are 200,637 residents in West Philadelphia, with a median age of 33.1. The Black neighborhoods closest to the river, and therefore closest to Penn, tended to be those with the lowest income and the least political power. These are the most common groups that city residents self-reported as their ancestry. Later Tudor and Spanish Revival houses, and the Art Deco influenced apartment houses also filled in available lot spaces between developments and made it possible for more middle-class Philadelphians to move to the area. 1944), who was born and raised in West Philadelphia, Penn promised to not repeat the aggressive steps taken in the 1950s and 1960s. These are tabulated as the languages people preferentially speak when they are at home with their families. West Philadelphia has about 75 of Philadelphia's 196 blue historic markers, which note historically important birthplaces, homes, business and other places. [3] One of the major retail strips in West Philadelphia, it is lined with shops and restaurants through to 64th Street in the Wynnefield neighborhood. First, census tracts may vary from census year to census year, both with regards to boundaries and numbering. From radios earliest days, Philadelphia-area college and high school students have tested its boundaries. Today several bridges span the river, connecting West Philadelphia neighborhoods to the citys commercial heart. In 1840, the property was transformed into a cemetery with an arboretum of over 1,000 trees. The western portion of the neighborhood was once home to some of the most expensive real estate in the country (and much striking Victorian-era architecture remains). Warner was the first known European west of the Schuylkill. Black Bottom was a traditionally black, working-class neighborhood along the Market Street corridor, between the Powelton Village and Mantua neighborhoods and the campuses of Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania. A controversial Philadelphia-based organization often associated with the Black Power movement, MOVE is best known for a 1985 incident in which the Philadelphia police dropped an incendiary device on their West Philadelphia headquarters. West Philadelphia's streets are laid out in a modified grid. Social Explorer was created by a group of New York demographers to provide online access to U.S. socioeconomic data from a variety of sources, including the United States Census. The highest numbered street to run any considerable distance contiguously is 58th Street, which runs from the northern frontier of West Philadelphia at City Avenue south to the Schuylkill River. Much of West Philadelphias housing stock was built on speculation during the nineteenth century, when revolutions in transportation allowed wealthier citizens to live outside of the crowded city center but still commute in for work. The numbering pattern is mixed; someone traveling along Market Street into Upper Darby would cross 62nd Street, then Cobbs Creek Parkway/63rd St, then several named streets until finally arriving at 69th Street, skipping 6468. Abraham Browers innovative omnibus service, introduced to Philadelphia in 1831, allowed new settlers speedy access into the central city. Measuring America's People, Places, and Economy. The houses in this grouping are primarily three-story Italianate buildings, linked by material, decorative detail, and form. The Route 38 trolley, running from Wynfield to Center City via Belmont Avenue, and the Route 31 trolley, running from Overbrook to Center City via Haverford Avenue, were replaced by diesel buses when the Philadelphia Transportation Company transferred control of the trolley service to National City Lines. However, the Paoli/Thorndale does not stop anywhere between 30th Street and City Line Avenue, instead bypassing most of West Philadelphia ever since the closure of 52nd Street station. During the colonial era, West Philadelphia was accessible from the city only by ferry. One of the aggravating factors in this change has been the recent reconstruction of the EL which, due to detours of the "number streets" or numbered northsouth thoroughfares and closure of large portions of Market Street, have led to many remaining businesses failing. The new bridge spurred growth, prompting a network of industries, including stockyards, lumber mills, slaughterhouses, coal yards, foundries, and glass factories to serve the city across the river. The device ignited fuel in a generator on the roof, causing a fire that spread through the neighborhood. 2.57. Then on the far bank of the Schuylkill, port and mercantile infrastructure began to build up at this westward point of entry to the city. A pivotal factor in the development of West Philadelphia was the construction of the University of Pennsylvanias campus. Starting at $1,140 USD /mo. Then in the 1870s the University of Pennsylvania left its cramped center city location for West Philadelphia, a move with enormous effect on the development of surrounding neighborhoods, especially during the second half of the twentieth century. Combined, these trolley routes convey more than 150,000 passengers daily, and operate 24-hour schedules, even in blizzards. West Philadelphia contains many places of worship. The Route 13 trolley runs along Chester Avenue from the transit tunnel at 40th Street and Baltimore Avenue to 67th Street where it turns off Chester Avenue and continues along PA Route 13 into Yeadon, Delaware County on to its terminus at Green Lane. US-born citizens make up 88.6% of the resident pool in West Philadelphia, while non-US-born citizens account for 5.29%. miles) 13.6 : Sex : Total Population: 275,579 : Male: 128,893: 46.8% 85.6%. Community groups have called on SEPTA to reopen closed Regional Rail stations in areas further away from the Market-Frankford Line and the Broad Street Line. Second, the questions asked by census takers usually vary from one census year to the next. QuickFacts data are derived from: Population Estimates, American Community Survey, Census of Population and Housing, Current Population Survey, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, State and County Housing Unit Estimates, County Business Patterns, Nonemployer Statistics, Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners, Building Permits. Suburban Lives. University City Science Center, the nation's first urban research park was conceived as an ambitious urban renewal project, but ignited racial tensions in a city marred by poverty. Immigration Surged The immigrant population spiked 59% in 17 years Shoppers at the Hung Vuong Supermarket on Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia. In 2008, the area around the Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia Zoo, and the Mann Music Center was designated the Centennial District: an area to be revitalized by the country's 250th birthday in 2026. Users should exercise caution when comparing 2017-2021 ACS 5-year estimates to other ACS estimates. Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Demographic data shown in this section was gathered from the latest U.S. Census Bureau release, the 2020 . Often branded the 'Surekill Distressway,' the Schuylkill Expressway, connecting the Heart of Philadelphia to the northwestern suburbs, has been on of Pennsylvania's popular and congested highways. An official website of the United States government. As the century wore on, the only corners of West Philadelphia that were not overwhelmingly Black were immediately around Drexel and Pennsylvania universities and in a band of neighborhoods to the west of the higher education cluster that remained racially mixed from the 1960s onward. Lancaster Avenue begins at 34th street near Drexel University; runs westward to the city line at City Avenue; and continues on as U.S. Route 30 to Lancaster, York, Pittsburgh. Statistics are provided for West Philadelphia as a whole and by individual census tract. This photograph shows two clusters of houses on an otherwise vacant street, awaiting the relocation of residents before demolition. The land that makes up West Philadelphia was not always part of the city. The two 77th Streets (as well as all numbered streets after 58th) are miles apart. Philadelphia Population & Age Distribution Age. Residents complained of a bullhorn broadcasting political messages all day and accused the group of stockpiling weapons. . In 1854, the Act of Consolidation was signed, aligning Philadelphias borders with those of Philadelphia County. Select your ideal criteria and let Scout do the rest. West Philadelphia drew national attention in 1978 and 1985 for violent clashes between police and an Afro-centric, back-to-nature group called MOVE. Starting with the first wave of Irish immigrants in the early 19th century, West Philadelphia was home to large numbers of European immigrants and their descendants. Age is classified into groups; each percentage listed is that groups percentage of the total population. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Count White 1 Hispanic 2 Black Asian Mixed 1 Other 1 4.4% 629 2.8% 400 87.3% 12.4k 2.8% 395 2.2% 312 0.5% 71. Total Population by Neighborhood#5 Two other trolley lines originally ran through West Philly. A reinforced, bunkerlike structure built on the roof supported this belief. A handful of chestnut trees remain near Cobbs Creek. Hospitals and academic medical centers have played a central role in the economies of many major U.S. cities, including Philadelphia. CLOSE. Chinese and Koreans, were living in the Oxford Circle/Castor section of lower Northeast Philadelphia (ZIP code 19149), West Philadelphia (19104), and Chinatown (19106 . The western reaches of West Philadelphia included miles of two-story rowhouses with bay windows above classical columned front porches. The Woodlands Cemetery, which is located near the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was originally the estate of Andrew Hamilton who bought the property in 1735 from descendants of Blockley Township's founder, William Warner, who hailed from Brockley, England. The demographic statistics for this exhibit have been compiled from Social Explorer by the staff of the University Archives of the University of Pennsylvania. Count. It holds the graves of many famous Philadelphians. Largely commissioned by speculative developers and designed by some of the city's most prolific architects, they were purchased by industrial managers and other professionals who led the first movement of upper and middle class from the more crowded city center. As of early 2017, large proposed developments in West Philadelphia include the 30th Street Station District and Schuylkill Yards. The property was cut off from all city services, though sympathetic Philadelphians sometimes delivered food and other necessities. What resulted was a collection of Colonial Revival houses with Arts and Crafts influences, which reflect the sophisticated tastes of post-World War I Philadelphians. This situation was counterpoised by the rise of University City, which was quickly becoming a rival for Center City in term of jobs and investment. In the 1960s and 1970s, illuminated signs announced what speed to drive to travel 4.3 miles into Center City without stopping for a red light. Source & Methodology. White 1 Hispanic 2 Black Asian Mixed 1 Other 1 -42.4% 35.3% 77.7% +6.3% 12.4% 6.12% +31.8% 42.9% 11.0% +3.8% 6.90% 3.14% +0.3% 2.05% 1.71% +0.2% 0.53% 0.28% 1 non-Hispanic 2 excluding black and Asian Hispanics Relative Ethno-Racial Composition by Age #3 Computer and Internet Use. Philadelphia was at the forefront of the early nursing profession and its prestigious nursing schools set new standards for professionalism in the field. As of 2010, there were 24,608 people of West Indian ancestry living in Philadelphia, representing about 1.6 percent of the city, the vast majority of which are Haitians and Jamaicans. Of this, 45.85% are males and 54.15% are females. For the 1844-54 legal entity, see, Neighborhood of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More than half the world's population . Professional basketball has a long history in the Philadelphia region, from the first professional league, formedin 1898,to the NBA. Much of the vacancy and crime that blighted West Philadelphia could be found in these areas, which were still cut off from legitimate employment and capital markets. Philadelphia After the 1854 Act of Consolidation. Etienne, Harley F. Pushing Back the Gates: Neighborhood Perspectives on University-Driven Revitalization in West Philadelphia. Airy, West Oak Lane, East Oak Lane, Rhawnhurst, Germantown, Mayfair, Tacony, Wynnefield and Olney. There are more white people in the northwest areas of the city. Multiple business corridors sprouted on Fifty-Second Street and Baltimore, Lancaster, Woodland, and Girard Avenues. Other major thoroughfares include Chestnut and Walnut Streets, which together form Pennsylvania Route 3. William Penn wrote that the area is likely to be a great part of the settlement of this age and intended to expand settlement across the river. With the exception of Market Street, these streets can be regarded as being "named after" the streets in West Philadelphia, not continuations, as they are cut off by the park. University of Pennsylvania Library and College Hall. Marsh, Margaret. 302 South 12th Street. Another development on Locust Street, a project by banker and West Philly resident Clarence Howard Clark, comprised three-story, two-bay, brick, restrained Queen Anne rowhouses. In 2014, President Barack Obama designated a swathe of West Philadelphia neighborhoods, including Mantua, as one of twenty-two national Promise Zones. . After generating area maps from Google Maps,they added census boundaries and census tract labels as needed. Other high schools include University City High School; William L. Sayre High School, formerly Sayre Middle School; Robert E. Lamberton High School; Mastery Charter Shoemaker Campus, formerly William Shoemaker Middle School; and Overbrook High School. The educational status of the citys residents who are 18 and older. The streets were once lined with American Chestnut and walnut trees that touched across the five lanes of roadway, but many were removed due to Chestnut blight and replaced with a mix of sycamore and poplar trees. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}395833N 751246W / 39.975709N 75.2129W / 39.975709; -75.2129. The average annual household income in Overbrook Park is $63,686, while the median household income sits at $47,174 per year. During the 1940s, the Warriors drew crowds to the Philadelphia Arena at Forty-Fifth and Market Streets. As African Americans began living in more neighborhoods, the white population began fleeing to the expanding suburbs. By the 1930s one of the more notable developments in West Philadelphia was the growing number of Black residents and the discriminatory pressures that boxed them into an intensely segregated area stretching south to Market Street, west to Fifty-Ninth Street, and bounded to the north and east by the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the river beyond it. West Philadelphia is also served by five of SEPTA's thirteen Regional Rail Lines, which transport thousands of commuters daily to and from Center City and University City, and provide a quick and inexpensive link to the Philadelphia International Airport. Data.census.gov, Census Data API, and Census Search will be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Outbreaks of violence, like the 1844 Nativist Riots in Kensington and Southwark, exposed the Philadelphia police departments inability to police areas outside of center city, spurring calls for consolidation.