South Philadelphia district, highlighted on map of Philadelphia County.
d
South Philly, is the section of
Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the
Delaware River to the east and south, and the
Schuylkill River to the west.
["." City of Philadelphia. Accessed November 8, 2008.] History
South Philadelphia began as a satellite town of Philadelphia, with small townships such as
Moyamensing and
Southwark.
During the
Industrial Revolution, the area saw rapid growth, in part due to mass immigration from
Ireland, and eventually saw its urbanization border that of Philadelphia. Along with all other jurisdictions in the county, South Philadelphia became part of the City of Philadelphia proper with passage of the city/county Act of Consolidation of 1854. The area continued to grow, becoming a vital part of Philadelphia's large industrial base and attracting immigrants from
Italy,
Ireland,
Poland, and many other countries, as well as Black American migrants from the southern United States, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These immigrants and migrants became the basis of South Philadelphia's unique and vibrant culture that would develop over the next several decades. Even with this dramatic growth in population, the low funding of education by the city resulted in the first
high school not being formed in South Philadelphia until 1934. Monsignor James F. Connelly, the pastor of the Stella Maris Catholic Church and an editor of the 1976 work
The History of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, stated in a 2005
Philadelphia Inquirer article that each parish church "offer the immigrants the faith they were familiar with."
[Woodall, Martha. "." Philadelphia Inquirer. March 16, 2005.]Many of South Philadelphia's communities are largely
Italian American. An increase in immigration has given South Philadelphia significant populations from
Vietnam,
Cambodia,
Thailand,
Italy,
Russia, and
Mexico, as well as smaller populations from dozens of nations across the world. The recent revitalization of
Center City Philadelphia has led to
gentrification in
Fitler Square,
Graduate Hospital/Southwest Center City, which led to skyrocketing prices of housing in
Queen Village, and
Bella Vista, and some other parts of South Philadelphia. These events have resulted in perhaps the largest change in South Philadelphia's culture in nearly a hundred years. Many of the clubs that make up the annual
Mummers Parade every New Year's Day are from South Philadelphia. Many are located on the largely
Irish American 2nd street (
Two Street).
[ ] Government and infrastructure
Portions of South Philadelphia are within
Philadelphia City Council Districts 1 and 2. As of 2008 Council President Anna C. Verna and Councilman Frank DiCicco represent the two districts.
operates nine fire stations serving South Philadelphia. Most of South Philadelphia resides in Fire Battalion 1, headquartered at 711 South Broad Street. Portions of South Philadelphia reside in Battalion 4, headquartered at North 4th Street and Arch Street, and Battalion 11, headquartered at 43rd Street and Market Street.
South Philadelphia is traditionally working-class and highly unionized. This has resulted in a heavily
Democratic populace.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, South Philadelphia has an area of 9.7 sq. miles, of which none is water. South Philadelphia is located at .
Demographics
In 2000, the area's population was 162,683. It is home to a diverse population of
Italian Americans,
African Americans,
Mexican Americans, and
Irish Americans, as well as many newer immigrants. Many residents have lived in the neighborhood for decades. Many family-owned businesses are found in South Philadelphia. The
Philadelphia Police Department patrols four districts located within South Philadelphia. The four patrol districts serving South Philadelphia are the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 17th districts.
As of the 2000 Census, there are 162,683 people in 78,440 housing units. The population density is 16,771 people per square mile. 46.6% of the population is male, and 53.4% is female.The vast majority of Philadelphia's Italian and Mexican community live in South Philadelphia. The South Philadelphia area comprises the zip codes of 19145, 19146, 19147, and 19148. Data for the zip codes that make up South Philadelphia as of the Census 2000 Summary File:
Transportation
I-95 runs north and south through South Philadelphia and, in this area, provides commuters with access to
Philadelphia International Airport,
I-76, the
South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and the
Walt Whitman Bridge. The Girard Point Bridge section of I-95 crosses over the mouth of the
Schuylkill River, where it merges with the
Delaware River.
I-76 becomes the
Schuylkill Expressway at Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia and allows access between this section of the city and
University City,
Center City Philadelphia,
30th Street Station, and the western suburbs.
In addition,
PA Route 291 serves as a major artery between the area and
Delaware County, crossing the
Schuylkill River via the Platt Bridge (named for Medal of Honor recipient
George C. Platt). Broad Street (Philadelphia's equivalent of 14th St.) is also known as
PA Route 611.
A number of
SEPTA bus routes serve South Philadelphia, ferrying commuters to and from
Center City Philadelphia and its immediate suburbs, mostly those in
Delaware County. In addition, the transit system's
Broad Street Line gives subway riders quick access to downtown and
North Philadelphia destinations.
Crime
In a 2007
Philadelphia Weekly article journalist Steve Volk states that anti-drug activists said that South Philadelphia has secretive
recreational drug dealing because more of the neighborhoods in the region are mixed-income than neighborhoods in some other regions. Therefore many drug dealers hide their activities.
Education
Primary and secondary schools
Public schools
Residents are with the
School District of Philadelphia's South District.
Zoned public high schools in South Philadelphia include
South Philadelphia High School,
Audenried High School, and
Furness High School.
["." School District of Philadelphia. Accessed November 6, 2008.] Parochial schools
The
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia operates Roman Catholic private schools in the area. Catholic elementary and middle schools include Annunciation BVM, Epiphany of Our Lord, Holy Spirit, St. Monica, St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Our Lady of Angels, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, St. Richard School, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Stella Maris, and St. Thomas Aquinas.
Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School is in South Philadelphia. The school is a 2004 consolidation of the male
St. John Neumann High School, established in
1934, and the all-female
St. Maria Goretti High School, established in
1955.
The former Neumann campus became the St. John Neumann Place, a housing development for senior citizens. Martha Woodall of the
Philadelphia Inquirer said "for generations, South Philadelphia was the heart of Roman Catholic education in the five-county Archdiocese of Philadelphia." In the early 1970s thirty South Philadelphia area elementary and middle schools had a combined population of 19,000 students. By the 2000s many Catholic families moved to
South Jersey,
Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and other areas, leading to the closure of several Roman Catholic elementary schools and the merger of Neumann and Goretti. In 2005 4,300 students combined attended 13 parish elementary and middle schools in South Philadelphia.
Public libraries
Free Library of Philadelphia operates six branches in South Philadelphia: Charles Santore, Fumo Family, Queen Memorial, South Philadelphia, Thomas F. Donatucci, Sr. and Whitman. Prior to its 1999 reopening in a new building, the Fumo Branch was known as the Ritner Children's Branch.
Places of note
The configuration of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex in early 2004. Clockwise from top right: Citizens Bank Park, Lincoln Financial Field, Wachovia Center, Wachovia Spectrum, and Veterans Stadium (demolished on March 21, 2004).
Perhaps the most famous landmark in South Philadelphia is the
South Philadelphia Sports Complex at the corner of
Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. Here, the
Philadelphia Eagles (professional football),
Philadelphia Phillies (professional baseball),
Philadelphia 76ers (professional basketball),
Philadelphia Flyers (professional ice hockey),
Philadelphia Wings (professional lacrosse),
Philadelphia Soul (professional arena football),
Temple Owls (college football) and the annual
Wing Bowl (an event sponsored by the sports talk radio station,
610-WIP) make their home in the massive state-of-the-art sports arenas surrounding the well-known intersection:
Citizens Bank Park,
Lincoln Financial Field, the now-closed
Wachovia Spectrum, and the
Wachovia Center.
The sports complex was once home to
Veterans Stadium (The Vet) which stood from 1971 to 2004, and
JFK Stadium which stood from 1925 to 1992. The NovaCare Complex, located on Pattison Avenue just west of the stadium area, serves as the practice facility of the
Philadelphia Eagles. They now play at Lincoln Financial Field.
The intersection of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue is home to the regionally famous
Geno's Steaks and
Pat's King of Steaks cheesesteak shops, fierce competitors in the local delicacy market for decades. Also, nearby is the city's open-air
Italian Market, specializing in fresh produce, meats, and other foods, which is known from several famous scenes from the film
Rocky and its sequels.
South Street, serving as a border between South Philadelphia proper and
Center City Philadelphia, runs east and west (although traffic is forced to travel east one-way). Many bars, nightspots, shops,
tattoo parlors, and restaurants are located along this
neon-lit hotspot, with occasional live music venues (including the
the TLA) hidden along the way.
The
American Swedish Historical Museum is located in
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park.
The
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, location of the alleged
Philadelphia Experiment, is located in this section of town along the
Delaware River.
The
Sunoco oil corporation bases its headquarters along South Philadelphia's Passyunk Avenue, located a short drive from the wide collection of car dealerships known as the "Philadelphia Auto Mall".
A refurbished area of South Philadelphia alongside Columbus Boulevard/Delaware Avenue (near the
Walt Whitman Bridge) provides shopping at a
Best Buy and an
Ikea for thousands of shoppers. There are also many new chain restaurants and fast food establishments along this stretch including Longhorn Steakhouse, Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que Pit, and Chick-Fil-A just to name a few. This new shopping area goes by the name Columbus Commons.
Washington Avenue, between 16th St. on the west and Front St. on the east, is home to many Asian businesses, including Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean. Among these are restaurants of all types, two large Asian supermarkets, jewelers and a wide variety of specialty shops.
Passyunk Avenue, running on a diagonal from Broad Street to South Street, is a formerly thriving consumer district currently undergoing revitalization efforts. Within the past few years, several coffeeshops, restaurants and bars have opened appealing to the young population begin in inhabit the area around 11th and Passyunk.
The Arena at the corner of Swanson Street and Ritner Street is a venue known for hosting boxing and professional wrestling events.
Famous residents
- Al Alberts, singer and composer
[Broadcast Pioneers. ". Accessed 6 November 2008.]
- Jerry Jaye, country/rockabilly singer ("My Girl Josephine")
- Hy Lit, Philadelphia-area DJ from the 1950s until 2005
- Man Ray, modernist/Dada/Surrealist artist
- Guy Marks, actor, singer, comedian and impressionist
