What neighborhood is Temple University's campus in? (Philadelphia, York: real estate, crime)

[car0401]

Hi, I'm doing a research study on the neighborhood that Temple University's Campus now occupies. The neighborhood was almost entirely destroyed during urban renewal in the 50's and 60's to make way for Temple University's expansion. I was wondering if anyone knows the name of the neighborhood that was leveled on the east side of Broad Street. I cant seem to find any official name, but the long-term residents of Cecil B. Moore called it "Crosstown." Any help or information is appreciated.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by car0401

Hi, I'm doing a research study on the neighborhood that Temple University's Campus now occupies. The neighborhood was almost entirely destroyed during urban renewal in the 50's and 60's to make way for Temple University's expansion. I was wondering if anyone knows the name of the neighborhood that was leveled on the east side of Broad Street. I cant seem to find any official name, but the long-term residents of Cecil B. Moore called it "Crosstown." Any help or information is appreciated.

Yorktown is between Girard Ave and CB Moore(was Columbia Ave) east of Broad. It was built in the 60s so it's not that and it's south of Temple's campus.

Never heard of "Crosstown". To me the east side of Broad wrt Temple is Fairhill and the west side is Stanton/Swampoodle.

[car0401]

Thanks for the info. I into Yorktown more and the area that is currently Yorktown appeared to be named Southwest Temple. It seems like Southwest Temple was the name assigned to the area in the urban renewal plans and was not the actual vernacular name for the area at the time. The long-term residents defined Crosstown as being the area across from Cecil B. Moore (the neighborhood), hence the name across-town or crosstown. I'm guessing this included the area of Yorktown.

It's odd that the name of both Crosstown (Boundaries: North - Susquehanna Ave, S - Cecil B. Moore Ave, E - 10th Street along the rail-line, W - Broad Street) and Yorktown appear to be lost. Its possible that the area didn't have a name, but that would be very unusual. It's strange how a neighborhood estimated to hold well over 10,000 people, can literally disappear without a name or any in-depth history.

Apparently the area was also a huge architectural loss. A long-term resident told me the neighborhood had a lot of brownstones and other beautiful townhouses and looked almost identical to Spring Garden. The houses had beautiful foyers with marble covering every surface from the floors, walls, and ceilings. Heres some old photos I found:

https://digital.library.temple.edu/d...l0/id/88/rec/3

https://digital.library.temple.edu/d...id/3318/rec/19

https://digital.library.temple.edu/d...id/13426/rec/4

https://digital.library.temple.edu/d.../id/1473/rec/9

https://digital.library.temple.edu/d.../6604/rec/1029

https://digital.library.temple.edu/d.../id/6605/rec/5

https://digital.library.temple.edu/d...d/3247/rec/164

[selhars]

I'm born and raised in Philly, from South and SW -- and I went to Temple -- and I never knew that any neighborhood near there was called any neighborhood name. I call it North Philly. Plain and simple.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by selhars

I'm born and raised in Philly, from South and SW -- and I went to Temple -- and I never knew that any neighborhood near there was called any neighborhood name. I call it North Philly. Plain and simple.

Beyond Francisville, at Girard on the west side of Broad, the area is kinda called N. Central.

MarketEl will probably answer with the actual names.

Not surprising that you didn't learn about any neighborhood names while you went to Temple. Likewise I doubt very many Penn or Drexel students know the names of specific W. Philly neighborhoods. Spruce Hill, Walnut Hill, Cedar Park, Powelton Village, etc. are all just University City to them which is okay.

[car0401]

Originally Posted by RUGGLES99

back in the 50s and 60s that area of temple was called 'the ghetto.' unless you took classes there, and risked your life, you did not go there. basically, it was just north philly. and btw, cecil moore was an ahole.

Were you a student or did you go around the area in the 1950's and 60's?


I would think crime wasn't as high in the 1950s and early 1960s before the 1964 Columbia Ave Riots. Most shops were owned by jewish people and other white people before the riot. Crime mostly came from the unemployment and disinvestment that happened in the 1960s. Crime would get a lot worse in the 70s-80s.


Interesting take on Cecil B. Moore. What did he do to be an a-hole?

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by RUGGLES99

interesting how areas got these names that never had them before, mainly attributable to realtor bs hype. back in the 50s and 60s that area of temple was called 'the ghetto.' unless you took classes there, and risked your life, you did not go there. basically, it was just north philly. and btw, cecil moore was an ahole.

In the 50s and 60s CB Moore Ave was Columbia Ave.

Funny how tons of black working and middle class people lived in N. Phila then including that ahole who didn't like that Girard College was a 100% racist institution.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by car0401

Were you a student or did you go around the area in the 1950's and 60's?


I would think crime wasn't as high in the 1950s and early 1960s before the 1964 Columbia Ave Riots. Most shops were owned by jewish people and other white people before the riot. Crime mostly came from the unemployment and disinvestment that happened in the 1960s. Crime would get a lot worse in the 70s-80s.


Interesting take on Cecil B. Moore. What did he do to be an a-hole?

Moore was an African-American civil rights activist so of course he would trigger white crybabies. Moore was really good at getting attention and would not " stay in his place". Moore was a lawyer(Temple Law) and a Marine Corp WWII vet. Basically he was an American patriot.

But it's futile to explain anything to dedicated trolls.

[car0401]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Moore was an African-American civil rights activist so of course he would trigger white crybabies. Moore was really good at getting attention and would not " stay in his place". Moore was a lawyer(Temple Law) and a Marine Corp WWII vet. Basically he was an American patriot.

But it's futile to explain anything to dedicated trolls.

I think I phrased the question too vaguely. I know who Cecil B. Moore is, I personally feel he is one of the greatest Philadelphians and Civil Rights leaders of the 20th century. I was asking RUGGLES99 how Moore's history of desegregating a racist institution and being a pillar of the North Philly black community made him an a-hole. I doubt RUGGLES99 has any semblance of an informed opinion, but i'm always open to hearing a counterpoint or argument.

[car0401]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Beyond Francisville, at Girard on the west side of Broad, the area is kinda called N. Central.

MarketEl will probably answer with the actual names.

Not surprising that you didn't learn about any neighborhood names while you went to Temple. Likewise I doubt very many Penn or Drexel students know the names of specific W. Philly neighborhoods. Spruce Hill, Walnut Hill, Cedar Park, Powelton Village, etc. are all just University City to them which is okay.

I think you're right about the name being North Central.



I dont think the neighborhood was ever just called "North Philadelphia." People from other sections of the city would probably call it that, but North Philadelphia is a section of the city, not a neighborhood. Similarly someone from North Philly would probably say someone living in Point Breeze lives in "South Philly."

It's very unlikely North Central was an unnamed "ghetto" in the 1950s. Real estate developers have created names to entice people to developing and redeveloping areas for over a century. Residents will also name their neighborhoods for surrounding landmarks such as East Falls or Graduate Hospital.

I guess the question is: Is North Central Philadelphia the historic name for the neighborhood or could it be an urban renewal name similar to how "University City" that was pasted over the demolished neighborhood of Black Bottom?