Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia

Last updated
Strawberry Mansion
WTP A13 youcanlookitup 1.jpg
Strawberry Mansion, under restoration in 2009, is located adjacent to the Strawberry Mansion community
Street map of Philadelphia and surrounding area.png
Red pog.svg
Strawberry Mansion
Coordinates: 39°58′59″N75°10′55″W / 39.983°N 75.182°W / 39.983; -75.182
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
State Pennsylvania
County Philadelphia
City Philadelphia
Area code(s) 215, 267, and 445

Strawberry Mansion is a neighborhood in the U.S. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, located east of Fairmount Park in North Philadelphia. The neighborhood is bounded by 33rd Street to the west, 29th Street to the east, Lehigh Avenue to the north, and Oxford Street to the south. As of the 2000 census, the neighborhood had a population of 22,562. It is often associated with the historic house of the same name, Historic Strawberry Mansion, located adjacent to the neighborhood and generally thought to be the source of the community's name.

Contents

History

Formerly known as Summerville, the neighborhood takes its name from a house known as Strawberry Mansion, at one time housing a restaurant known for strawberries and cream. Strawberry Mansion was home to a number of Philadelphia's wealthiest families in the 19th century. In 1880, the average home price was higher than 85% of the houses in Philadelphia. [1]

19th century

The Jewish community started in the late 1890s, as the community migrated from Northern Liberties and Fairmount. After the turn of the century, many Jews living in South Philadelphia moved to then-greener neighborhoods of the city.

20th century

The first synagogue in the neighborhood was Beth Israel, which moved in 1909 from Eighth and Jefferson to 32nd and Montgomery. In 1913, a real estate broker placed an ad in the Philadelphia Jewish Herald encouraging Jews to leave South Philadelphia's Jewish quarter and move to the “fresh air” and “beautiful country landscape” of Strawberry Mansion. [2] At its height, about one-fifth of the Jewish population in the city lived in the enclave between Lehigh and Oxford streets, and 29th and 33rd streets. [3] The Jews built a community, and eventually left for Oxford Circle, Overbrook Park, and West Oak Lane-Mt. Airy. There were at least 21 synagogues in the neighborhood, built for the most part in the first quarter of the 20th century. By 2015, six of the buildings remained and had been transformed into churches. [4]

The 1950s and 1960s brought an economic decline and urban decay.

21st century

In 2000, the neighborhood had the lowest average home price in the city. Modern Strawberry Mansion has acquired a reputation as one of the most dangerous areas of Philadelphia. The neighborhood is quite large in area and in population and has been grossly neglected by police. A number of stately park-side homes in varying states of disrepair can be found in what was once one of the wealthiest areas in Philadelphia.

Strawberry Mansion has also been home to horses and urban cowboys for generations. One local group, the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, provides activities and support to neighborhood children in the struggling area. A notable mural, "A Tribute to Urban Horsemen," can be viewed from the community garden on Montgomery Avenue near 33rd st.

In 2015, it was announced that public access would be restored to the perimeter of a fallow basin of the East Park Reservoir in the first phase of a program to expand youth programs within the park. Then-Mayor Michael Nutter was quoted in ceremony, "What's demonstrated here today is that Strawberry Mansion will become the melting pot of the City of Philadelphia." Neighborhood residents eagerly await removal of the chain-link fence and barbed wire. The change is a significant expansion of the park side amenities afforded to neighborhood residents and the city, reflecting the wave of redevelopment in the area and renewed efforts to improve Fairmount Park.

Population

The community is bounded by Fairmount Park to the west, Lehigh Avenue to the north, Sedgley Avenue and the SEPTA rail tracks to the east, and Cecil B. Moore Avenue to the south. Bordering neighborhoods include Allegheny West to the north, Glenwood and Stanton to the east, and Brewerytown to the south. As of 2010, Strawberry Mansion was 94.3% black or African American, 2.3% white or European American, 1.6% Hispanic, 0.8% Asian, and 1% all other. [5]

Education

The School District of Philadelphia serves Strawberry Mansion.

Strawberry Mansion High School is in the neighborhood.

The high school and the area middle school shared a building with a third school, Leslie P. Hill Elementary School, which was a K-8 school, until it was closed in 2013. Many children, prior to the close, attended elementary, junior, and high schools without leaving the building. Now the neighborhood school that feeds into SMHS is James G. Blaine at 30th and Berks. [6]

In 2015, a music recording studio opened at Strawberry Mansion High school financed by popular recording artist Drake. [7]

The historic Most Precious Blood School is also located in the neighborhood.

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairmount Park</span> Municipal park in Philadelphia, US

Fairmount Park is the largest municipal park in Philadelphia and the historic name for a group of parks located throughout the city. Fairmount Park consists of two park sections named East Park and West Park, divided by the Schuylkill River, with the two sections together totalling 2,052 acres (830 ha). Management of Fairmount Park and the entire citywide park system is overseen by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, a city department created in 2010 from the merger of the Fairmount Park Commission and the Department of Recreation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squirrel Hill</span> Neighborhood of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States

Squirrel Hill is a residential neighborhood in the East End of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The city officially divides it into two neighborhoods, Squirrel Hill North and Squirrel Hill South, but it is almost universally treated as a single neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wynnefield, Philadelphia</span> Neighborhood of Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States

Wynnefield is a diverse middle-class neighborhood in West Philadelphia. Its borders are 53rd Street at Jefferson to the south, Philadelphia's Fairmount Park to the east, City Avenue to the north and the Amtrak Philadelphia Main Line tracks to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairmount, Philadelphia</span> Neighborhood of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, United States

Fairmount is a neighborhood within Lower North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Its boundaries are north of Fairmount Avenue, west of Corinthian Avenue, south of Girard Avenue and east of The Schuylkill River. While this may be the most accurate demarcation, the area's boundaries fluctuate depending how the neighborhood is defined. Several other neighborhoods near Fairmount are sometimes also collectively called Fairmount, including: Spring Garden, Franklintown and Francisville. Fairmount and neighboring Spring Garden are commonly referred to as the "Art Museum Area," for their proximity to and association with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Fairmount is also the location of the Eastern State Penitentiary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Overbrook Park, Philadelphia</span> Neighborhood of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, United States

Overbrook Park is a neighborhood in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in the 1940s on the site of a former farm known as Supio's farm, offering new housing for returning GIs and their families. Overbrook Park is a largely middle-class African-American and historically Jewish-American neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brewerytown, Philadelphia</span> Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States

Brewerytown is a neighborhood in the North Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. An unofficial region, Brewerytown runs approximately between the Schuylkill River's eastern bank and 25th Street, bounded by Montgomery Avenue to the north and Parrish Street to the south. Brewerytown derived its name from the numerous breweries that were located along the Schuylkill during the late 19th century and early 20th century. It is now primarily a residential neighborhood, with a growing and active commercial sector along Girard Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Philadelphia</span> Neighborhood of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is immediately north of Center City. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either Vine Street or Spring Garden Street, between Northwest Philadelphia and Northeast Philadelphia. It is bordered to the north by Olney Ave along Broad Street, Spring Garden Street to the south, 35th Street to the west and Adams Avenue to the east. The Philadelphia Police Department patrols five districts located within North Philadelphia: the 22nd, 25th, 26th, 35th and 39th districts. There are thirteen ZIP codes for North Philadelphia: 19120, 19121, 19122, 19123, 19125, 19126, 19130, 19132, 19133, 19134, 19137, 19140 and 19141.

Jews in Philadelphia can trace their history back to Colonial America. Jews have lived in Philadelphia since the arrival of William Penn in 1682.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Falls, Philadelphia</span> Neighborhood of Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States

East Falls is a neighborhood in Lower Northwest, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies on the east bank of the "Falls of the Schuylkill," cataracts submerged in 1822 by the Schuylkill Canal and Fairmount Water Works projects. East Falls sits next to the Germantown, Roxborough, Allegheny West, and the Nicetown-Tioga neighborhoods. Wissahickon Valley Park separates it from Manayunk, Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Buffalo, Buffalo</span> Neighborhood in New York, United States

North Buffalo, is a neighborhood in the city of Buffalo, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Historic Strawberry Mansion</span> Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States

Historic Strawberry Mansion is a summer home in East Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Built between 1783 and 1789 by Judge William Lewis, it was originally named Summerville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Coltrane House</span> Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States

The John Coltrane House is a historic house at 1511 North 33rd Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. A National Historic Landmark, it was the home of American saxophonist and jazz pioneer John Coltrane from 1952 until 1958. On his death in 1967 the house passed to his cousin, who sold it in 2004. Efforts for restoration and reuse as a jazz venue are struggling. In 2022, two of Coltrane's sons filed a lawsuit contesting the ownership of the home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poplar, Philadelphia</span> Neighborhood of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, United States

Poplar is a neighborhood in Lower North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located north of Callowhill, between Spring Garden/Fairmount and Northern Liberties, bounded roughly by Girard Avenue to the north, North Broad Street to the west, Spring Garden Street to the south, and 5th Street to the east. The neighborhood is predominantly residential, with commercial frontage on Broad Street and Girard Avenue and some industrial facilities to the west of the railroad tracks along Percy St. and 9th St.

Perth Amboy, New Jersey is located at the mouth of the Raritan River and the Arthur Kill at the Raritan Bay, and is part of the region known as the Raritan Bayshore.

The Food Trust is a nonprofit organization. It was founded in 1992 by Duane Perry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The current executive director is Yael Lehmann. The goal of the organization is to improve the health of children and adults by providing better nutrition. The Food Trust works with neighborhoods, schools, grocers, farmers and policymakers to implement a comprehensive approach to improved food access that combines nutrition education and greater availability of affordable, healthy food. It is currently operating 25 farmer's markets in the Philadelphia region. The markets accept SNAP/food stamps, Farmers' Market Nutrition Program vouchers and Philly Food Bucks. The Food Trust is funded by private foundations, government grants, and individual donors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Jews in Greater Cleveland</span>

The Jewish community of the Greater Cleveland area comprises a significant ethnoreligious population of the U.S. State of Ohio. It began in 1839 by immigrants from Bavaria and its size has significantly grown in the decades since then. In the early 21st century, Ohio's census data reported over 150,000 Jews, with the Cleveland area being home to more than 50% of this population. As of 2018, Greater Cleveland is the 23rd largest Jewish community in the United States. As of 2023, the Cleveland Jewish Community is estimated to be about 100,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girard Avenue</span> Major commercial and residential street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Girard Avenue is a major commercial and residential street in Philadelphia. For most of its length it runs east–west, but at Frankford Avenue it makes a 135-degree turn north. Parts of the road are signed as U.S. Route 13 and U.S. Route 30.

Ridge Pike is a major historic road in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that opened in 1706 that originally connected Wissahickon Creek to Perkiomen Creek. Inside Philadelphia, it is called Ridge Avenue. Going westward, it traverses many eastern Pennsylvania neighborhoods in Montgomery County including Conshohocken and beyond, connecting with Germantown Pike near Collegeville and continuing to Pottstown. In Montgomery County, Ridge Pike is called Main Street in the Norristown area and again in Collegeville and Trappe, and is called High Street in the Pottstown area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel</span> Synagogue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania founded in 1946

Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel is a Conservative synagogue located in the Center City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States.

References

  1. Lin, Jeffrey (2017). "Understanding Gentrification's Causes" (PDF). Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. Hingston, Sandy (2015-12-07). "10 Things You Might Not Know About Philly's Jewish Quarter". phillymag.com. Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 2018-09-16.
  3. Macy, Evan (2009-12-12). "Strawberry Mansion: A Former Resident Returns". philadelphianeighborhoods.com. Department of Journalism at the Lew Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  4. Buozis, Michael (2015-01-07). "The Last Synagogues Of Strawberry Mansion". hiddencityphila.org. Hidden City Daily. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  5. "Philadelphia Neighborhoods and Place Names, Q-Z." City of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 4, 2011.
  6. the Notebook (2013-02-23). "Live blog: School closing hearings Day 3". Thenotebook.org. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  7. "Students of Struggling Philadelphia High School Start Using Recording Studio Donated by Drake - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. 2015-03-10. Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  8. Meyers, Allen (1999-11-15). Strawberry Mansion: The Jewish Community of North Philadelphia - Allen Meyers - Google Books. ISBN   9781439627129 . Retrieved 2016-02-19.

Strawberry Manion ushistory.org