Northeast Philadelphia
Encyclopedia
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d Northeast Philly, the Northeast and the Great Northeast, is a section of the city of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. According to the 2000 Census, the Northeast has a sizable percentage of the city's 1.547 million people — a population of between 300,000 and 450,000, depending on how the area is defined. Beginning in the 1980s, many of the Northeast's middle class
American middle class
The American middle class is a social class in the United States. While the concept is typically ambiguous in popular opinion and common language use, contemporary social scientists have put forward several, more or less congruent, theories on the American middle class...
children graduated from college and settled in suburbs, especially nearby Bucks County. Whites were once predominant in northeastern Philadelphia. However, with the emigration of older populations and white flight a new influx of Hispanics
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
have settled in the Northeast, while 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...
s and Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
immigrants have purchased homes in northeast Philadelphia. The Northeast is now both racially and ethnically diverse and has a large immigrant population.
Geography
Due to the size of the Northeast, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission divides it into two regions called "Near Northeast" and "Far Northeast", the names being derived from their distance from Center CityCenter City, Philadelphia
Center City, or Downtown Philadelphia includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2005, its population of over 88,000 made it the third most populous downtown in the United States, after New York City's and Chicago's...
. The term "Near Northeast" is not used colloquially ("Lower Northeast" is more commonly used), but the term "Far Northeast" is in widespread use. The demarcation line between the two sections is typically given as Cottman Avenue
Pennsylvania Route 73
Pennsylvania Route 73 is a 62.51 miles long east–west state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. It runs from Pennsylvania Route 61 in Leesport to the New Jersey state line on the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge in Philadelphia, where it continues as New Jersey Route 73.Predating the Interstate...
.
Northeast Philadelphia is bounded by the Delaware River on the east, Bucks County on the north, and Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
on the west. The southern limit is given as Frankford/Tacony Creek
Frankford Creek
Frankford Creek is a minor tributary of the Delaware River in southeast Pennsylvania. The stream originates as Tookany Creek at Hill Crest in Cheltenham Township and meanders eastward, then southeastward, throughout Cheltenham Township, until a sharp bend near the Philadelphia border at Lawncrest,...
or Adams Avenue.
The neighborhoods that make up Northeast Philadelphia include Lawncrest
Lawncrest, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Lawncrest is a neighborhood in the "Near" Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The name is an amalgram of Lawndale and Crescentville, the two primary communities that make up the neighborhood....
, Rhawnhurst
Rhawnhurst, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Rhawnhurst is a residential neighborhood in the Northeast section of Philadelphia, named for George and William Rhawn by area real estate developers. Roughly bordered by Cottman Avenue to the south, Pennway Street to the west, the Pennypack Creek to the north, and Roosevelt Boulevard to the east,...
, Tacony
Tacony, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tacony is a historic neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, about from downtown Philadelphia. It is the oldest continuously occupied neighborhood in Philadelphia. It is bounded by Frankford Avenue on the northwest, Cottman Avenue on the northeast, Levick Street on the southwest, and the...
, Frankford, Holme Circle, Holmesburg, Upper Holmesburg
Upper Holmesburg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Upper Homlmesburg is a neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia. It is located along the Delaware River and Pennypack Creek, from Frankford Avenue to Willits Road....
, Mayfair
Mayfair, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mayfair is a neighborhood located in the Lower Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania centered on the intersection of Cottman and Frankford Avenues...
, Morrell Park
Morrell Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Morrell Park is a neighborhood located in the Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located on the eastern side of the Far Northeast, north of Grant Avenue and east of Northeast Philadelphia Airport.-Characteristics:...
, Oxford Circle
Oxford Circle, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oxford Circle is a neighborhood in the lower Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Its namesake is the much used traffic circle...
, Bustleton, Torresdale, Parkwood
Parkwood, Philadelphia
Parkwood is a neighborhood located in the Far Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The neighborhood is generally bound by Red Lion Road to the east of the Roosevelt Boulevard, Knights Road to the northwest and Academy Road to the southeast. The community is situated...
, Somerton, Fox Chase
Fox Chase, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fox Chase is a neighborhood in the Northeast Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The origin of the name comes from The "Fox Chase Inn" which opened in 1705...
, Pine Valley, Castor Gardens, Northwood, Burholme
Burholme, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Burholme is a neighborhood in the Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.The neighborhood is adjacent to Burholme Park, which is located in the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia.-External links:**...
, Bell's Corner, Normandy, Summerdale, Modena Park
Modena Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
-Modena Park:is a neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia. It is located east of Northeast Philadelphia Airport at Morrell Avenue. The ground was owned by the estate of William Dudley in 1910. The neighborhood was built around 1960-1963, and features short blocks of two story rowhouses with...
, Pennypack Woods, Winchester Park, and others. It is sometimes said to include the neighborhoods of Bridesburg, Port Richmond, and Fishtown, however, they are located south of the Frankford/Tacony Creek
Frankford Creek
Frankford Creek is a minor tributary of the Delaware River in southeast Pennsylvania. The stream originates as Tookany Creek at Hill Crest in Cheltenham Township and meanders eastward, then southeastward, throughout Cheltenham Township, until a sharp bend near the Philadelphia border at Lawncrest,...
boundary.
History
Early settlement
The first European settlement in the Northeast was by Swedish farmers, who emigrated there when the area was a part of the New SwedenNew Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
colony. They were followed by English Quakers, including Thomas Holme
Thomas Holme
Thomas Holme was the first Surveyor General of Pennsylvania to actually serve, in which capacity he laid out the original plan for the city of Philadelphia.-Life:...
, who came to begin the settlement of William Penn's
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
Pennsylvania colony in the late 1680s. In the years to follow, Northeast Philadelphia developed as a scattering of small towns and farms that were a part of the county, but not the city, of Philadelphia. Before consolidation with the city, what is now the Northeast consisted of the townships of Byberry
Byberry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Byberry is a place name in Northeast Philadelphia that can have several references.Byberry is a neighborhood in the far northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
, Delaware
Delaware Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Delaware Township is a defunct township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The borough ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.-History:...
, Lower Dublin
Lower Dublin Township, Pennsylvania
Lower Dublin Township, also known as Dublin Township, is a defunct township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The township ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.-History:Commonly called Lower...
, Moreland
Moreland Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Moreland Township, is a defunct township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The borough ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.-History:...
, and Oxford
Oxford Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Oxford Township, is a defunct township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The township ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.-History:...
, (largely rural areas); and the boroughs of Bridesburg
Bridesburg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Bridesburg is the last river-front neighborhood before the Northeast section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States begins. Bridesburg has a significant Polish community and continues to be a destination from incoming immigrants from Poland to live...
, Frankford
Frankford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Frankford is a large and important neighborhood in the lower Northeast section of Philadelphia situated about six miles northeast of Center City. Although its borders are vaguely defined, the neighborhood is bounded roughly by the original course of Frankford Creek, now roughly Adams to Aramingo...
, and White Hall
Whitehall Borough, Pennsylvania
Whitehall Borough is a defunct borough that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The borough ceased to exist when it was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia on the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.-History:...
, which were more urbanized.
Growth in industry and farming
While most of the land in what is now the Northeast was dedicated to farming, the presence of many creeks, along with proximity to Philadelphia proper, made the towns of the Northeast suitable for industrial development. The Northeast's first factory was the Rowland Shovel Works on the Pennypack CreekPennypack Creek
Pennypack Creek is a creek in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. It runs southeast through eastern Montgomery County, lower Bucks County, and the northeast section of Philadelphia, before emptying into the Delaware River.-Name:...
. In 1802, it produced the first shovel made in the United States. More mills and factories followed along the Pennypack and Frankford Creek
Frankford Creek
Frankford Creek is a minor tributary of the Delaware River in southeast Pennsylvania. The stream originates as Tookany Creek at Hill Crest in Cheltenham Township and meanders eastward, then southeastward, throughout Cheltenham Township, until a sharp bend near the Philadelphia border at Lawncrest,...
s, and traces of the mill race
Mill race
A mill race, raceway or mill lade is the current or channel of a stream, especially one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energy...
s and dams remain to this day. The most famous of these factories was the Disston Saw Works
Disston Saw Works
Disston Saw Works was one of the better known and highly regarded manufacturers of handsaws in the United States. A much evolved version of this company is currently active in Philadelphia and known as Disston Precision.-History:...
in Tacony
Tacony, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tacony is a historic neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, about from downtown Philadelphia. It is the oldest continuously occupied neighborhood in Philadelphia. It is bounded by Frankford Avenue on the northwest, Cottman Avenue on the northeast, Levick Street on the southwest, and the...
, founded by English industrialist Henry Disston
Henry Disston
Henry Disston was an English American industrialist who founded the Keystone Saw Works in 1840 and developed the surrounding neighborhood of Tacony in Philadelphia, beginning in 1872. He was the father of industrialist Hamilton Disston.-Early life and rise to prominence:Disston was born in...
, whose saw blades were world-renowned.
Consolidation and population increase
By 1854, the entire County of Philadelphia was incorporatedAct of Consolidation, 1854
The Act of Consolidation, more formally known as the act of February 2, 1854 , was enacted by General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and approved February 2, 1854 by Governor William Bigler...
into the City. In spite of the political incorporation, the Northeast retained its old development patterns for a time, and the dense populations and urban style of housing that marked older, more traditional sections of the city had not yet found their way there. In the first three decades of the 20th century, rapid industrialization led to the growth of industrial sections of the northeast and the neighborhoods surrounding them. These demographic changes, along with the building of the Market-Frankford Line
Market-Frankford Line
The Market–Frankford Line is a rapid transit line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority .-Route:The Market–Frankford Line begins at 69th Street Transportation Center, in Upper Darby...
train and new arterial highways, such as the Roosevelt Boulevard
Roosevelt Boulevard (Philadelphia)
Roosevelt Boulevard , often referred to simply as "the Boulevard," is a major traffic artery through North and Northeast Philadelphia...
, brought new middle class populations to the lower half of the Northeast. Vast tracts of row homes were built in that section of the Northeast for new arrivals in the 1920s and 1930s, typically with small, but valued front lawns, which impart a "garden suburb" quality to much of the Northeast, reducing the sense of physical density felt elsewhere in the city. Much of this development occurred east of Roosevelt Boulevard (Mayfair, Torresdale) and in Oxford Circle.
Post-war growth
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, newer arrivals, armed with the mortgage benefits of the GI Bill, brought the baby boom
Baby boom
A baby boom is any period marked by a greatly increased birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds and when the number of annual births exceeds 2 per 100 women...
to the Northeast. This newer population was heavily Jewish or ethnic Catholic (including Irish-, Italian-, Polish-, and German-Americans) and completed the development of the region, filling in undeveloped areas of Rhawnhurst and Bell's Corner and developing the previously rural Far Northeast. As older sections of the city lost populations of young families, the Northeast's school-age population swelled, requiring rapid expansion of schools, libraries, cinemas, shopping, transportation, restaurants and other needed amenities.
The period from 1945 through the 1970s was marked in many American cities by urban decline in older, more industrial areas. This was especially true in Philadelphia, in which much of the city's North, West and South sections lost population, factories, jobs and commerce, especially associated with "white flight
White flight
White flight has been a term that originated in the United States, starting in the mid-20th century, and applied to the large-scale migration of whites of various European ancestries from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions. It was first seen as...
." During the postwar period, the Northeast experienced a heavy influx of growing middle class families, and had become an almost exclusively white community. This aroused controversy in the 1960s and '70s, as passions for and against school busing
Desegregation busing
Desegregation busing in the United States is the practice of assigning and transporting students to schools in such a manner as to redress prior racial segregation of schools, or to overcome the effects of residential segregation on local school demographics.In 1954, the U.S...
were focused on the Northeast, to address racial imbalances, especially in the city's public schools. That racial imbalance was ultimately addressed by the upward mobility enjoyed by many of the graduates of the Northeast's excellent public and parochial school systems, who made their way out of the Northeast and into the suburbs from the 1980s onward, making room for new arrivals from the city's Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
, 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 Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
populations.
A separate identity
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
s and Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
s, while the rest of the city almost uniformly voted for the latter party. As a result, many Northeasters became more and more discontented with the high city taxes and a perceived imbalance in the services they received for them. This discontent grew to give rise to a secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
ist movement, led by State Senator Hank Salvatore, among others. Salvatore introduced a bill in the State Senate to allow the Northeast to become a separate county called Liberty County, but the bill failed to progress beyond this stage. As the Philadelphia economy grew stronger, and the most discontented people fled to the suburbs, and a new, more popular mayor, Ed Rendell
Ed Rendell
Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
, was elected the call for secession waned, and the section settled back into life as a part of the city.
Today, the Northeast enjoys greater racial balance and relative stability. The region is uniformly developed, but like many American urban communities, it has witnessed the loss of manufacturing, factory conversions to marginal retail "outlets," and growing vacancies along shopping avenues, especially in the southern part of the region. During the housing boom of the first decade of the 21st century, favorable property tax advantages granted to new construction within the city limits led to a growth in residential units and an escalation of existing home prices in the Northeast.
Demographics
According to the 2010 census, 400,179 people live in the Northeast section of Philadelphia. (Map)Racial demographics
- Non-Hispanic White: 216,496 (54.1%)
- Non-Hispanic Black: 68,430 (17.1%)
- Hispanic or Latino: 44,820 (11.2%)
- Asian: 39,217 (9.8%)
- Two or more races: 18,008 (4.5%)
- Other race: 4,802 (1.2%)
- American Indian or Alaska Native: 3,601 (0.9%)
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 800 (0.2%)
Political representation and government
Unlike the rest of Philadelphia (a solidly Democratic city) there is lively competition between RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
s and Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
s in some parts of the Northeast. For example, Republicans currently hold three of the State Representative seats in the Northeast and one non at-large Philadelphia City Council
Philadelphia City Council
The Philadelphia City Council, the legislative body of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consists of ten members elected by district and seven members elected at-large. The council president is elected by the members from among their number...
seat. As of 2011, no Republican represents any part of the Northeast in the United States Congress except for the small portion within the 8th district.
U.S. House of Representatives
Almost all of Northeast Philadelphia is in the 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, and is currently represented by Allyson SchwartzAllyson Schwartz
Allyson Young Schwartz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes parts of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia...
. Some small parts of the section fall into the 1st, 2nd, or 8th districts.
Senate
In the Pennsylvania State SenatePennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
, most of the Northeast is in the 5th district, represented by Michael J. Stack, III, (D). Smaller parts are represented by Shirley Kitchen
Shirley Kitchen
Shirley M. Kitchen is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 3rd District since 1996. Previously she was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1987 through 1988.-External links:...
(D), 3rd district, or Christine Tartaglione
Christine Tartaglione
Christine M. "Tina" Tartaglione is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 2nd District since her election in 1994.- Accident and recovery :...
(D), 2nd district.
House of Representatives
The Northeast is represented by several members in the House including that of Dennis M. O'BrienDennis M. O'Brien
Dennis Michael "Denny" O'Brien is the representative from the 169th Legislative District and was the 137th Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He is the majority chairman of the House Committee on Children & Youth...
(R), former Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
. Other State Representatives whose districts are in all or part of the Northeast are John Taylor
John J. Taylor (politician)
John J. Taylor is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 177th Legislative District of Pennsylvania, USA, since 1984. He is Republican Chairman of the House Liquor Control Committee and a member of the House Urban Affairs Committee....
(R), Brendan F. Boyle
Brendan F. Boyle
Brendan F. Boyle is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He is the state Representative from Pennsylvania House District 170, which covers parts of Northeast Philadelphia and Montgomery County....
(D), Kevin J. Boyle (D), Michael McGeehan
Michael McGeehan
Michael McGeehan is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.-External links:* official PA House website* official Party website...
(D), John Sabatina, Jr. (D), Tony Payton
Tony Payton
Tony J. Payton, Jr. is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 179th legislative district. He was elected in 2006....
(D), Mark B. Cohen
Mark B. Cohen
Mark B. Cohen is a Democratic politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Succeeding Eugene Gelfand, he has represented Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 202 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since June 10, 1974, making him the most senior member in the Pennsylvania...
and Dwight E. Evans
Dwight E. Evans
Dwight Evans is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 203rd District . He currently serves as Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman.-Early life and education:...
(D).
Philadelphia City Council
In the Philadelphia City CouncilPhiladelphia City Council
The Philadelphia City Council, the legislative body of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consists of ten members elected by district and seven members elected at-large. The council president is elected by the members from among their number...
, the Far Northeast is represented by the 10th district councilman and City Council Minority (Republican) Leader, Brian J. O'Neill
Brian J. O'Neill
Brian J. O'Neill is a Republican Councilman representing the Tenth District on the City Council of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has served since 1980....
. The Lower Northeast is divided among five other council districts, including the 1st, represented by Frank DiCicco; 5th, Darrell Clarke; 6th, Joan L. Kajewski; 7th, Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez; and 9th, Marian B. Tasco
Marian B. Tasco
Marian B. Tasco is a Democratic Councilwoman representing the Ninth District on the City Council of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She has served since 1988.She is the Majority Leader.-References:...
.
Jack Kelly, an at-large member, is also from the Northeast. The Republican candidate for mayor of Philadelphia in 2007, Al Taubenberger
Al Taubenberger
Alfred Wilhelm "Al" Taubenberger is the president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and president of the Burholme Civic Association and Town Watch. He is also a Republican politician from Northeast Philadelphia. He has run for office three times, losing each time...
resides in the Northeast and is president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
Public safety
The Philadelphia Police DepartmentPhiladelphia Police Department
The Philadelphia Police Department is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
patrols four districts within its Northeast Division, including the 7th and 8th districts in the Far Northeast, and the 2nd and 15th in the Near Northeast. The police department's East Division includes the 24th, 25th, and 26th districts which patrol Kensington, Port Richmond, Fishtown, parts of North Philadelphia and other neighborhoods. Neighborhoods in the East Division are sometimes mistakenly considered part of Northeast Philadelphia.
Economy and attractions
Franklin Mills
Franklin Mills is an enclosed shopping mall located in northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, bordering Bensalem in Bucks County and outside Center City...
, a shopping mall that was built on what was once Liberty Bell Park Racetrack, and is one of the most visited attractions in the state. The lower sections of the Northeast still boast pleasant shopping avenues lined by stores and restaurants, such as Castor Avenue. Major shopping centers along Cottman Avenue include, the Cottman-Bustleton Center, and the Roosevelt Mall
Roosevelt Mall
Roosevelt Mall is a medium-sized outdoor shopping mall, located along PA 73 between Bustleton Avenue and the Roosevelt Boulevard in the Castor Gardens neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is anchored by a large, 3-level department store on its east end, that currently houses...
which opened in 1964 at Cottman Avenue and the Roosevelt Boulevard.
Also present in the Northeast are two nationally recognized medical establishments, Friends Hospital
Friends Hospital
Friends Hospital, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is recognized as one of the premier mental hospitals in the United States.Founded by Quakers in 1813 as "The Asylum for Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason," and later known as the "Frankford Asylum for the Insane," it was the first...
and Fox Chase Cancer Center
Fox Chase Cancer Center
The Fox Chase Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center research facility and hospital located in the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The main facilities of the center are located on property adjoining Burholme Park...
.
Prior to its disestablishment, Ransome Airlines
Ransome Airlines
Ransome Airlines was a commuter airline which was headquartered at Northeast Philadelphia Airport in Northeast Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded by Dawson Ransome, it began operations as an independent carrier in 1967. Ransome was particularly noted for operating the Dash 7 as it...
had its headquarters on the grounds of Northeast Philadelphia Airport
Northeast Philadelphia Airport
Northeast Philadelphia Airport is a public airport located just north of the intersection of Grant Avenue and Ashton Road in the Ashton-Woodenbridge neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia. It is part of the Philadelphia Airport System along with Philadelphia International Airport, and is the...
.
Education
The first school was founded in the Northeast in 1723 by Silas Crispin, Thomas HolmeThomas Holme
Thomas Holme was the first Surveyor General of Pennsylvania to actually serve, in which capacity he laid out the original plan for the city of Philadelphia.-Life:...
's son-in-law. The Northeast is home to Fox Chase Farm
Fox Chase Farm
Fox Chase Farm is one of two working farms in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . Formerly owned by the Wistar family, the farm is located on Pine Road in the Fox Chase neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia on the border with Montgomery County...
, an educational facility that is the only working farm left in the Philadelphia city limits.
Colleges and universities
The main campus of Holy Family University is located in Northeast Philadelphia. The university, founded in 1954, has more than two thousand students.Primary and secondary schools
The School District of PhiladelphiaSchool District of Philadelphia
The School District of Philadelphia is a school district based in the School District of Philadelphia Education Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that includes all public schools in the city of Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the eighth largest school district in the nation.The School...
operates public schools in the area. Public high schools in the area include Northeast
Northeast High School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Northeast High School is a high school located at 1601 Cottman Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States....
, Abraham Lincoln, Samuel S. Fels High School, Frankford
Frankford High School
Frankford High School is a public high school in the School District of Philadelphia. It is located at Oxford Avenue and Wakeling Street in the Frankford section of Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States....
, George Washington. and Swensen. Several publicly-funded charter high schools
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
also operate in Northeast Philadelphia, including Philadelphia Academy, MaST, Franklin Towne and Maritime Academy Charter High School. Northeast Philadelphia is also home to a public magnet school
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
, The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush
The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush
The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush is a public, magnet high school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. The diocese was...
operates Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
s. Catholic high schools in Northeast Philadelphia include Archbishop Ryan
Archbishop Ryan High School
Archbishop Ryan High School is a Roman Catholic high school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA...
, Father Judge
Father Judge High School
Father Judge High School is a Roman Catholic high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was established in 1954 by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is run by the Oblates of St...
, Cardinal Dougherty
Cardinal Dougherty High School
Cardinal Dougherty High School was a private, Roman Catholic high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia...
, Northeast Catholic
Northeast Catholic High School
Northeast Catholic High School opened in 1926 as Northeast Catholic High School for Boys, and is located at 1842 Torresdale Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is under the administration of the high school system of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia and its sports teams...
, and St. Hubert Catholic High School for Girls. It was announced in October 2009 that both Cardinal Dougherty and Northeast Catholic would be closed due to decreasing enrollments. Nazareth Academy
Nazareth Academy High School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Nazareth Academy High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.-Background:...
is an independent Catholic high school founded and operated by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
News media
A free weekly newspaper, the Northeast TimesNortheast Times
The Northeast Times is an American newspaper, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that primarily targets the Northeast Philadelphia community. After being owned by The Philadelphia Inquirer parent company, it was sold to a newly formed company, Broad Street Media.-External links:* *...
, is distributed throughout the Northeast. A second free newspaper, the Northeast News Gleaner
Northeast News Gleaner
The Northeast News Gleaner billed themselves as "the oldest weekly newspaper in Northeast Philadelphia". Known informally as the News Gleaner, and founded in 1882 by the Henry family, the publication had been housed in a building on Gantry Road since March 1999.In 2002, News Gleaner Publications...
, was also printed there until it closed December 11, 2008. Two city-wide newspapers, The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
and Philadelphia Daily News
Philadelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Daily News is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The newspaper is owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings which also owns Philadelphia's other major newspaper The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Daily News began publishing on March 31, 1925, under...
, both dailies, also cover the Northeast.
Recreation
A prominent geographic feature and recreation destination in Northeast Philadelphia is Pennypack CreekPennypack Creek
Pennypack Creek is a creek in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. It runs southeast through eastern Montgomery County, lower Bucks County, and the northeast section of Philadelphia, before emptying into the Delaware River.-Name:...
, which runs through Pennypack Park
Pennypack Park
Pennypack Park is a municipal park, part of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park system, in Northeast Philadelphia in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Established in 1905 by ordinance of the City of Philadelphia, it includes about of woodlands, meadows and wetlands. The Pennypack Creek runs through the...
. The park's 1600 acres (6.5 km²) of woodlands span the width of the Northeast, and serve as a natural oasis amid urban development. The park is home to the oldest stone arch bridge still in use in the United States, built in 1697 on what is now Frankford Avenue. The section is also home to many playgrounds and smaller parks, including Burholme Park.
Transportation
The Northeast's main highways are Interstate 95 (Delaware Expressway)Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania
Interstate 95 is an Interstate highway running from Miami, Florida north to Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the route is known by many as the Delaware Expressway, but is officially named The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. and locally known as "95"...
. and Roosevelt Boulevard
Roosevelt Boulevard (Philadelphia)
Roosevelt Boulevard , often referred to simply as "the Boulevard," is a major traffic artery through North and Northeast Philadelphia...
(U.S. 1
U.S. Route 1 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway, extending from the Florida Keys in the south to the Canadian border in the north. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, US 1 runs for from the Maryland state line near Oxford to the New Jersey state line near Trenton.-Maryland to Interstate...
) Secondary major arteries include Cottman Avenue (PA 73
Pennsylvania Route 73
Pennsylvania Route 73 is a 62.51 miles long east–west state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. It runs from Pennsylvania Route 61 in Leesport to the New Jersey state line on the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge in Philadelphia, where it continues as New Jersey Route 73.Predating the Interstate...
), Frankford Avenue (US 13), Woodhaven Road (PA 63
Pennsylvania Route 63
Pennsylvania Route 63 is a long state highway located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. The western terminus of the route is at PA 29 in Green Lane, Montgomery County. The eastern terminus is at Interstate 95 in Bensalem Township, Bucks County...
), Grant Avenue, Oxford Avenue (PA-232
Pennsylvania Route 232
Pennsylvania Route 232 is a long state highway located in southeastern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 1 and US 13 at the Oxford Circle in Philadelphia. The northern terminus is at PA 32 in the borough of New Hope, Bucks County, on the banks of the Delaware River...
), State Road, Bustleton Avenue (PA-532
Pennsylvania Route 532
Pennsylvania Route 532 is a state route located in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.-Philadelphia:PA 532 begins as Welsh Road, where it intersects with Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia. After less than a mile, PA 532 leaves Welsh Road and follows Bustleton Avenue...
), Bridge Street, Harbison Avenue, and Academy Road.
The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge
Tacony-Palmyra Bridge
The Tacony–Palmyra Bridge is a combination steel arch, double-leaf bascule bridge across the Delaware River, connecting New Jersey Route 73 in Palmyra, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Route 73 in the Tacony section of Philadelphia. The bridge has a total length of 3,659 feet and spans 2,324 feet . It...
, the only Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
crossing in Philadelphia not operated by the Delaware River Port Authority
Delaware River Port Authority
The Delaware River Port Authority is a bi-state instrumentality created by a Congressionally approved interstate compact between the governments of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey...
(thus resulting in a cheaper toll), allows one to drive between the Tacony
Tacony, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tacony is a historic neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, about from downtown Philadelphia. It is the oldest continuously occupied neighborhood in Philadelphia. It is bounded by Frankford Avenue on the northwest, Cottman Avenue on the northeast, Levick Street on the southwest, and the...
section of the city and Palmyra
Palmyra, New Jersey
Palmyra is a Borough in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 7,091.Palmyra was originally incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 19, 1894, from portions of Cinnaminson Township and Riverton...
, New Jersey.
The Northeast is also served by SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line
Market-Frankford Line
The Market–Frankford Line is a rapid transit line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority .-Route:The Market–Frankford Line begins at 69th Street Transportation Center, in Upper Darby...
, often called the "Frankford El" or "the El" because portions of the rail line are elevated above streets below, including Frankford and Kensington avenues. The northernmost and easternmost terminus of the line is at the Frankford Transportation Center
Frankford Transportation Center
The Frankford Transportation Center is a transportation terminal in Frankford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was once known as the Bridge Street terminal before a complete reconstruction in 2003...
, Frankford Avenue and Bridge Street. Three commuter rail
SEPTA Regional Rail
The SEPTA Regional Rail system consists of commuter rail service on thirteen branches to over 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and its suburbs. Service on most lines runs from 5:30 AM to midnight...
lines also serve the Northeast. An extension of the Broad Street Line along Roosevelt Boulevard
Roosevelt Boulevard
The following roads are called Roosevelt Boulevard:*Roosevelt Boulevard in Jacksonville, Florida*Roosevelt Boulevard between Marmora and Ocean City, New Jersey*Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
has been proposed. Many SEPTA bus routes and all three of its trackless trolley routes run through the Northeast, although north-south buses run more frequently than west-east ones. Most north-south routes terminate at the Frankford Transportation Center.
One of two airports that serve Philadelphia, Northeast Philadelphia Airport
Northeast Philadelphia Airport
Northeast Philadelphia Airport is a public airport located just north of the intersection of Grant Avenue and Ashton Road in the Ashton-Woodenbridge neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia. It is part of the Philadelphia Airport System along with Philadelphia International Airport, and is the...
(PNE), is located in this section of the city. PNE is the sixth busiest airport in Pennsylvania.
Notable persons
- Rubén Amaro, Jr.Rubén Amaro, Jr.Rubén Amaro, Jr. is the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.He is also a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from to . He is the son of former infielder Rubén Amaro, Sr....
, MLB baseball player and general manager - Bill Keane, creator of Family Circus comic strips
- Rich GannonRich GannonRichard Joseph Gannon is a former football quarterback, who achieved most of his success late in his career with the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League...
, Former NFL Quarterback and 2002 NFL MVP
See also
- Historical Society of FrankfordHistorical Society of FrankfordThe Historical Society of Frankford is a historical society and museum located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1905 in the Frankford neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia. Its mission is to collect, preserve, and tell the history of Frankford and that of Northeast Philadelphia...
, founded 1905 - National Register of Historic Places listings in Northeast PhiladelphiaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Northeast PhiladelphiaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Northeast Philadelphia.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...