Glenwood, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Glenwood is a neighborhood in North Philadelphia. It is located in the vicinity of North Philadelphia Station
to West York Street.
In 1988 two residents of the 3100 block of Percy Street, Reverend Clarence Hester, a Baptist
minister and activist, and Carrie Hartsfield, an insurance worker who retired, cofounded the Glenwood Community Development Corporation in an effort to improve the area. Hester defined Glenwood as the area bounded by Broad Street, 6th Street, Glenwood Avenue/Alleghany Avenue, and York Street. Glenwood is predominately African American
and Puerto Rican.
epidemic of the 1980s changed the character of the neighborhood; it became considered to be on the western fringes of the Philadelphia Badlands
. Hester said that when recreational drug presence appeared in his area, many residents left. Many houses became vacant and left to children, and many drug dealers moved into the area. Afterwards Hester began campaigning against drug dealers in the area. Hester persuaded W. Wilson Goode, then the Mayor of Philadelphia, to order the demolition of 82 properties, including former drug houses, at the intersection of Hutchinson Street and Percy Street. Frank Rubino of the Philadelphia Weekly
stated in a 2007 article that Glenwood had "Crumbling, boarded-up" row houses
with signs reading "KEEP OUT!," broken windows, lots with trash, porches with iron grating, graffiti, murals erected for people who died, discarded malt liquor bottles and tires, and stray cats. In the same article Hartsfield described Glenwood as "absolutely an ugly neighborhood," adding that "it's ugly and it’s dirty."
North Philadelphia (SEPTA Regional Rail station)
North Philadelphia, formerly Germantown Junction Station, is a railroad station on the Northeast Corridor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is an above-ground station at 2900 North Broad Street in the city's North Philadelphia section...
to West York Street.
In 1988 two residents of the 3100 block of Percy Street, Reverend Clarence Hester, a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister and activist, and Carrie Hartsfield, an insurance worker who retired, cofounded the Glenwood Community Development Corporation in an effort to improve the area. Hester defined Glenwood as the area bounded by Broad Street, 6th Street, Glenwood Avenue/Alleghany Avenue, and York Street. Glenwood is predominately African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and Puerto Rican.
Crime
The crack cocaineCrack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
epidemic of the 1980s changed the character of the neighborhood; it became considered to be on the western fringes of the Philadelphia Badlands
Philadelphia Badlands
The Philadelphia Badlands is a section of North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States that in the 1980s and '90s became known for an abundance of open-air recreational drug markets and drug-related violence...
. Hester said that when recreational drug presence appeared in his area, many residents left. Many houses became vacant and left to children, and many drug dealers moved into the area. Afterwards Hester began campaigning against drug dealers in the area. Hester persuaded W. Wilson Goode, then the Mayor of Philadelphia, to order the demolition of 82 properties, including former drug houses, at the intersection of Hutchinson Street and Percy Street. Frank Rubino of the Philadelphia Weekly
Philadelphia Weekly
Philadelphia Weekly , is an award-winning alternative newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, published every Wednesday.The paper was founded in 1971 as a sister publication to the South Philadelphia Press. In 1995, the paper became Philadelphia Weekly...
stated in a 2007 article that Glenwood had "Crumbling, boarded-up" row houses
Row houses
The Row at Stanford University is made up of 36 student-managed houses, from the Cowell Cluster to the Lake Houses and all along Mayfield Avenue, with a total population of a little over 1600 students. Houses range in occupancy from 22 to 59...
with signs reading "KEEP OUT!," broken windows, lots with trash, porches with iron grating, graffiti, murals erected for people who died, discarded malt liquor bottles and tires, and stray cats. In the same article Hartsfield described Glenwood as "absolutely an ugly neighborhood," adding that "it's ugly and it’s dirty."