Arch Street (Philadelphia) Explained

Arch Street
Former Names:Mulberry Street
Holme Street
Tioga Street
Owner:City of Philadelphia
Maint:Streets Department
Length Mi:3.7
Location:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Metro:30th Street
Coordinates:39.9543°N -75.1618°W
Direction A:West
Terminus A:Gross Street in Overbrook
Direction B:East
Terminus B:Front Street in Old City
Junction: in University City
in Center City
North:Race Street (West Phila.)
Cherry Street (Center City)
South:Market Street (West Phila.)
JFK Boulevard / Filbert Street (Center City)
Commissioning Date:1682

Arch Street is a major east-west street in Center City Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.

Location

Arch Street runs from the Delaware River one way westbound through the Old City section of Philadelphia, where landmarks include the Arch Street Friends Meeting House, the Betsy Ross House, Girard Fountain Park, the U.S. Mint, and Christ Church Burial Ground. It crosses Independence Mall at 5th and 6th Streets, traverses Philadelphia's Chinatown neighborhood, and passes Reading Terminal Market.

The tourist areas around Logan Square and the museum district are just north of Arch Street, which ends just east of the Schuylkill River at 23rd Street. West of the river, there is a block of Arch Street between 30th Street Station and Cira Centre. Arch Street also runs eastbound one-way from 49th Street to 63rd Street.

As of 2023, the section of Arch Street from 6th to Broad Streets is part of Philadelphia's High Injury Network, the small fraction of streets on which the majority of traffic deaths and serious injuries occur.[1]

History

The street was called Mulberry Street in William Penn's original city grid, but it was renamed Arch in 1854.[2] Other parts of the street were once called Holme and Tioga streets.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Arch from 6th to 11th Streets was known as Radio Row, after its extensive number of electronic goods stores.[3]

In popular culture

Gallery

File:Arch Street 2024.jpg|Arch Street in ChinatownFile:United States Mint Philadelphia.jpg|Philadelphia MintFile:6th Street Philadelphia 1.jpg|Independence National Historical Park at 6th and Arch Streets

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Story Map Series . 2024-02-08 . phl.maps.arcgis.com.
  2. Web site: What’s In An Odonym? . Hidden City Philadelphia . Hidden City Daily . January 16, 2013 . July 2, 2014 . Woodall, Peter.
  3. Web site: I Remember Arch Street . City of Philadelphia . PhillyHistory blog . May 2, 2007 . July 2, 2014 . Kushnier, Ron.