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The poorest neighborhoods lie between Girard Avenue and Wingohocking Street, with the poorest of the poor on the west side of Broad.
Actually, I believe East of Broad is poorer-the poorest neighborhood in the city has been Fairhill for some time.
Interesting about Cedar Park having the most equal mix of black/white, and I agree Germantown is the most socioeconomically diverse neighborhood in the city-didn't know it was the single largest neighborhood in Philly. Cool stuff.
Also, pretty impossible to have an all inclusive list of neighborhoods-but some major ones missing are Andorra, Wissahickon and Cedarbrook (or Wadsworth) in NW Philly; Marconi Park, Italian Market in South Philly; Juniata Park and Fairhill in North Philly; Mantua and Cobbs Creek in West Philly.
Just be careful, young man! You saw those areas, now stay out of them. I take photos - shoot and scoot ... I wouldn't go into those neighborhoods without a motorized vehicle.
Thirty/thirty-five years ago, when I was a teen, I had the pleasure of 'exploring' the city with my dad on his tow truck (a side hustle to his Teamsters job). He had some balls, going into some of those neighborhoods ... amazing he never got set up and robbed, or worse. I know one thing, it taught me to appreciate Bridesburg.
When I was in my twenties and early thirties, I liked the thrill of those neighborhoods, (getting shot at in Frankford, me and my buddy breaking down near 8th and Marshall, bricks thrown at my car, looking for the corner boy who 'beat' us so we could run him down, seeing naked people wacked out on PCP, attacking buses or fistfighting - that sort of stupid nonsense), but once I got married I figured I made it this far, I just want to stay out of trouble and try to slide into retirement some day. I was actually very tame, I just put myself in a lot of situations that could have ended badly.
Stay out of Hunting Park and Frankford.
I've got about 30 years on PhilliesPhan2013 and still have his attitude.
I've been in the heart of Frankford more times than I care to count, including stints as a security guard at a senior apartment building just down Paul Street from Margaret-Orthodox - 'scuse me, Arrott Transportation Center - station.
The only neighborhood I absolutely refused to set foot in for many years was Fishtown, because of its reputation back then. That's no longer the case.
That said, there are parts of Fairhill and West Kensington I have yet to lay eyes on, and some of those neighborhoods I've only traversed on a bus or behind the wheel of a car share to date. And I will admit that I didn't venture too far west of 16th Street in Point Breeze prior to its rejeuvenation largely on the advice of my black friends who warned me away from it.
Guess I'm just more risk-tolerant (or less risk-averse; the two concepts aren't identical) in that department.
But it's been made abundantly clear to me by both residents I spoke with and the West Oak Lane-born-and-raised City Council member who represents it* that the residents of the neighborhood labeled "Cedarbrook" on this map absolutely detest their neighborhood being referred to by that name. "When we bought here, this was Mount Airy," was the response I heard from them.
You'll be able to read all about it on Next City sometime right around May 1st.
*That woman and I had a sort of mind meld as we described our respective childhood neighborhoods. Oak Park in Kansas City is different in physical form (KC is largely a city of single-family detached homes no matter what neighborhood you're in) but otherwise quite similar in character to West Oak Lane.
The difference is, Oak Park's gone seriously downhill since I left KC. Cedarbrook ("upper East Mt. Airy") hasn't, nor has West Oak Lane really - but both are vulnerable neighborhoods, and the Councilwoman knows it.
Edited to add one more comment on the map: Much like with Cedarbrook vs. East Mt. Airy, longtime Point Breezers object mightily to the splitting off of the neighborhood's easternmost blocks as "Newbold." Even the Newbolders got the message: the civic group covering the area recently changed its name to East Point Breeze Neighbors.
Last edited by MarketStEl; 04-27-2017 at 01:50 PM..
Actually, I believe East of Broad is poorer-the poorest neighborhood in the city has been Fairhill for some time.
Interesting about Cedar Park having the most equal mix of black/white, and I agree Germantown is the most socioeconomically diverse neighborhood in the city-didn't know it was the single largest neighborhood in Philly. Cool stuff.
Also, pretty impossible to have an all inclusive list of neighborhoods-but some major ones missing are Andorra, Wissahickon and Cedarbrook (or Wadsworth) in NW Philly; Marconi Park, Italian Market in South Philly; Juniata Park and Fairhill in North Philly; Mantua and Cobbs Creek in West Philly.
I did say the lists weren't complete in most cases.
I should have broken out Andorra and Wissahickon from Roxborough, I guess; I considered them subsections, much as Tulpehocken is in Germantown.
As for Cedarbrook | Wadsworth | Stenton, see my post immediately above.
But it's been made abundantly clear to me by both residents I spoke with and the West Oak Lane-born-and-raised City Council member who represents it* that the residents of the neighborhood labeled "Cedarbrook" on this map absolutely detest their neighborhood being referred to by that name. "When we bought here, this was Mount Airy," was the response I heard from them.
You'll be able to read all about it on Next City sometime right around May 1st.
*That woman and I had a sort of mind meld as we described our respective childhood neighborhoods. Oak Park in Kansas City is different in physical form (KC is largely a city of single-family detached homes no matter what neighborhood you're in) but otherwise quite similar in character to West Oak Lane.
The difference is, Oak Park's gone seriously downhill since I left KC. Cedarbrook ("upper East Mt. Airy") hasn't, nor has West Oak Lane really - but both are vulnerable neighborhoods, and the Councilwoman knows it.
Yeah-I guess it depends who you talk to. I'm sure some in Wadsworth/Cedarbrook consider it to be "Mt. Airy" but just about everyone from Mount Airy proper does not consider Mt. Airy to extend beyond Stenton Avenue. Mt. Airy is 19119-Cedarbrook/Wadworth is 19150. They are not very similar either-completely different architecture/history and demographics.
I agree completely that Wadsworth compares very much to homes and areas in the Northeast. Mt. Airy is about as different as you can get from that.
Mt. Airy prides itself on it's history of diversity. Cedarbrook/Wadsworth has always been one of the most African-American neighborhoods in the city, and prides itself on being a safe and Middle Class place.
I did say the lists weren't complete in most cases.
I should have broken out Andorra and Wissahickon from Roxborough, I guess; I considered them subsections, much as Tulpehocken is in Germantown.
As for Cedarbrook | Wadsworth | Stenton, see my post immediately above.
Haha, yeah sub-sections of neighborhoods is a whole "nother" beast. Pelham and Dogtown in Mt. Airy, "LA" in Roxborough, etc. but Andorra to me is definitely a distinct area, although still weirdly also "Roxborough".
Yeah-it depends who you talk to. I'm sure some in Wadsworth/Cedarbrook consider it to be "Mt. Airy" but just about everyone from Mount Airy proper does not consider Mt. Airy to extend beyond Stenton Avenue. Mt. Airy is 19119-Cedarbrook/Wadworth is 19150. The are not very similar either-completely different architecture/history and demographics.
Oh, I'm very aware of all that, even before I started my reporting - I've ridden the 18 through the neighborhood often enough.
Cedarbrook looks for all the world like much of the Northeast, and it was developed around the same time. The change is noticeable when you cross Stenton Avenue.
I decided to defer to the sensitivities of the people I spoke to who lived there (and those of Councilwoman Parker, who doesn't but represents it) in writing my story.
But as far as ZIP codes are concerned, let me present you with the opposite case.
I am a Germantowner. The neighborhood's boundaries are well defined and nowhere in dispute - they match those of Germantown Borough on the eve of consolidation in 1854.
But my home lies outside the ZIP code associated with the neighborhood - I'm in 19138. The Post Office calls the station serving the district "East Germantown Station," but it - and most of the postal zone - lie in West Oak Lane.
Then there are the Fallsers who do live in ZIP code 19144. Whoever buys that wonderfully restored Richard Neutra residence on that secluded lane opposite Penn Charter School will be one of them.
Oh, I'm very aware of all that, even before I started my reporting - I've ridden the 18 through the neighborhood often enough.
Cedarbrook looks for all the world like much of the Northeast, and it was developed around the same time. The change is noticeable when you cross Stenton Avenue.
I decided to defer to the sensitivities of the people I spoke to who lived there (and those of Councilwoman Parker, who doesn't but represents it) in writing my story.
But as far as ZIP codes are concerned, let me present you with the opposite case.
I am a Germantowner. The neighborhood's boundaries are well defined and nowhere in dispute - they match those of Germantown Borough on the eve of consolidation in 1854.
But my home lies outside the ZIP code associated with the neighborhood - I'm in 19138. The Post Office calls the station serving the district "East Germantown Station," but it - and most of the postal zone - lie in West Oak Lane.
Then there are the Fallsers who do live in ZIP code 19144. Whoever buys that wonderfully restored Richard Neutra residence on that secluded lane opposite Penn Charter School will be one of them.
Interested to read the story! I just don't see the usefulness in calling what is a pretty large area all Mt. Airy, when they are such distinct communities. I grew up in East Mount Airy-and some of my friends across Stenton called their neighborhood Wadsworth while some Mt. Airy. There is a mega-church called "Mount Airy Church of God" on 65th Ave and Ogontz-that's a little crazy lol. Also a "Chestnut Hill Church" on East Chelten.
Recently (the last ~15 years) people refer to all of Mount Airy, Wadsworth, West Oak Lane and Germantown as "Uptown". Very true about "Northwest Philly" not being used often/if at all historically. Maybe because of the large barrier in The Wissahickon Gorge that separates the two areas as you noted.
True about the zip codes-I was recently in a conversation (think you were too?) on Facebook about a $2.5 Million house on School House Lane which was in 19144 but "East Falls". Germantown's boundary is in dispute with Johnson Street versus Washington Lane.
One of the weirdest neighborhood quandaries is near the Walnut Lane Bridge on Johnson Street which is 19144-some consider it Mt. Airy, some Germantown-and believe it or not a few "Roxborough". https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0347...7i13312!8i6656
Also, this neighborhood linked below which has an East Falls zip, but cut off from EF and more connected to North Philly.
But it's been made abundantly clear to me by both residents I spoke with and the West Oak Lane-born-and-raised City Council member who represents it* that the residents of the neighborhood labeled "Cedarbrook" on this map absolutely detest their neighborhood being referred to by that name. "When we bought here, this was Mount Airy," was the response I heard from them.
You'll be able to read all about it on Next City sometime right around May 1st.
*That woman and I had a sort of mind meld as we described our respective childhood neighborhoods. Oak Park in Kansas City is different in physical form (KC is largely a city of single-family detached homes no matter what neighborhood you're in) but otherwise quite similar in character to West Oak Lane.
The difference is, Oak Park's gone seriously downhill since I left KC. Cedarbrook ("upper East Mt. Airy") hasn't, nor has West Oak Lane really - but both are vulnerable neighborhoods, and the Councilwoman knows it.
Edited to add one more comment on the map: Much like with Cedarbrook vs. East Mt. Airy, longtime Point Breezers object mightily to the splitting off of the neighborhood's easternmost blocks as "Newbold." Even the Newbolders got the message: the civic group covering the area recently changed its name to East Point Breeze Neighbors.
I am surprised to hear about Oak Park. I always thought of it as a solid neighborhood. KC seems to be doing ok overall though. There seems to be a lot more pride than when I left in 2007.
I am interested to read your article about Cedarbrook though I must admit that I am skeptical. Most of the housing in Cedarbrook is looks like it was built postwar whereas most of the housing west of Stenton would have been built long before that. Any period of time that the area east of Stenton was referred to as Mt. Airy seems like it would be short compared the age of Mt. Airy. Stenton is also the cut off for the 19119 zip code. The area also has its own commercial corridor (Wadsworth) and its own library. Stenton Ave also acts as a political boundary between the areas represented by Cindy Bass and Cherelle Parker. In fact the entire stretch of Stenton tends to act as a boundary; it separates Chestnut Hill from Montco, EMA from Cedarbrook and EMA/East Germantown from West Oak Lane. Cedarbrook also seems to be very segregated which would seem to be counter to the identity of EMA.
I don't know all the history but it would seem to me that the facts on the ground today warrant separating the two neighborhoods.
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