Wissahickon, Philadelphia Explained

Wissahickon
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Pennsylvania
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Philadelphia County
Subdivision Type3:City
Subdivision Name3:Philadelphia
Mapsize:300px
Pushpin Map:Philadelphia
Postal Code Type:Zipcode
Postal Code:19128
Area Code:215, 267 and 445

Wissahickon is a neighborhood in the section of Lower Northwest Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Wissahickon is located adjacent to the neighborhoods of Roxborough and Manayunk, and it is bounded by the Wissahickon Valley Park, Ridge Avenue, Hermit Street, and Henry Avenue. The name of the neighborhood is derived from the Lenni Lenape word wisameckham, for "catfish creek", a reference to the fish that were once plentiful in the Wissahickon Creek.

History

The village of Wissahickon was founded by officials of the Pencoyd Iron Works in the late nineteenth century.[1] Beginning in the 1880s, growing numbers of mill owners and wealthy business owners from neighboring Manayunk sought elegant homes on ample lots; they set their eyes on land previously owned by prominent Philadelphia families – including the Camac, Dobson, Salaignac, and Wetherill families – along the Wissahickon Creek. Grand single-detached and semi-detached homes with ample side and rear yards were built, creating "a unique park side Victorian wonderland." The neighborhood was considered a highly desirable place to live as it had proximity to the Wissahickon Valley, tree-lined streets, new sewers and water services, and grand homes in high Victorian styling.

Historic Structures

Government

Demographics

Taking into consideration the four Census Block Groups that mostly comprise the area (BG0209001, BG0209002, BG0209003, and BG0211001), as of the 2010 Census, the Wissahickon neighborhood had roughly 3,163 residents, 1,520 households, and 659 families. The racial makeup of Wissahickon was roughly 87.48% White/Caucasian, 6.32% Black or African-American, 2.84% Asian, 2.75% two or more races, .41% some other race, and .18% were American Indian/Alaska Native. Native or Latino people of any race were roughly 2.87% of the population.[38]

Of the roughly 1,520 households, 15% had children under the age of 18 living with them.

Roughly 44.10% of the residents were between 18 and 34 years old, 33.10% between 35 and 64 years old, 12.64% are under 18 years old, and 10.14% are over 65 years old.

Education

Primary and secondary education

The School District of Philadelphia operates public schools. Cook-Wissahickon School is a K-8 grade school located in the area.[39] The school was built in 1968 at the corner of East Salaignac and Righter Streets to replace the aging Cook Public School and the Wissahickon School.[40] The former Wissahickon School, built in 1887, was located at the north east corner of (then) Ridge Avenue and Kalos Street, now the site of LaNoche Park.[41]

Residents zoned to Cook-Wissahickon are zoned to Roxborough High School.[42]

Public libraries

Free Library of Philadelphia operates its Roxborough Branch, serving Wissahickon, at 6245 Ridge Avenue at Hermitage Street.[43]

A prior library, the Wissahickon Branch, located at Manayunk Avenue and Osborn Street, opened in 1909 and was built on land donated by the Pencoyd Iron Works.[44] It was the ninth Andrew Carnegie-funded Free Library branch designed by the architectural firm of Whitfield and King and featured a main reading room, a children's room which also served as a lecture room seating 100, and a basement consisting of a boiler room, coal bin, staff room, a small magazine room, and two toilets.[45] The Wissahickon Branch served the Wissahickon neighborhood until it closed in 1969. Sometime soon after, the building burned down.[46]

Parks and Recreation

An 1,800 acre watershed park surrounding the Wissahickon Creek with some 50 miles of wooded biking, hiking, and equestrian trails. Established in 1867, the park is owned by the City of Philadelphia and maintained by the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR).[50] [51] The Friends of the Wissahickon partners with the PPR to preserve and enhance the park.

Transportation

Along the perimeter of Wissahickon is one of the longest and oldest thoroughfares in Philadelphia, Ridge Avenue.[52]

One SEPTA Regional Rail line connects the neighborhood to Center City: the Manayunk/Norristown Line stops at the Wissahickon station. The station was once home to a building designed by the renowned architect Frank Furness; however, the building was later demolished.[53] Improvements were made to the existing station, and during Summer 2016, local artist and Moore College of Art & Design faculty member, David Guinn painted a mural on a retaining wall running along the outbound platform of the station, coordinated by the Wissahickon Interested Citizen's Association, Mural Arts Program, and Cook-Wissahickon School.[54] [55] [56] [57]

The neighborhood is also served by bus routes 9, 27, and 65. The Wissahickon Transportation Center offers connecting service to routes 1, 9, 27, 35, 38, 61, 62, 65, 124, 125, & R. Plans for renovating the Wissahickon Transportation Center were released in 2018 by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.[58] Called the Wissahickon Gateway Plan, the plan's proposals to expand the transfer station, improve Ridge Avenue, extend the Schuylkill River Trail, and introduce new development (including shops, offices, and apartments) were met with mixed reviews.[59] [60] [61] [62]

Civic Association

The local civic association is called Wissahickon Interested Citizen's Association (WICA). The association was instrumental in preparing and implementing a Neighborhood Conversation Overlay (NCO) to mitigate the impact of new development in the neighborhood as well as maintain the walkability and character of it.[63] [64] [65] [66] [67] [68] Public meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month. Another area civic association, Wissahickon Neighbors Civic Association (WNCA), serves the community northwest of Ridge Avenue. Public meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month at Pilgrim Church.

Further reading

Historic maps of the area

External links

Notes and References

  1. Campbell. William Bucke. 1942. Old Towns and Districts of Philadelphia: An Address Delivered Before the City History Society of Philadelphia, February 26, 1941. Philadelphia History. 4. 5. 122. Penn State University Libraries Digital Collections.
  2. News: Salisbury. Stephan. 100 Steps Zigzag in Right Direction. February 21, 2016. The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 5, 2005. B.1.
  3. Web site: Historic Wissahickon house designated despite owner objection. Hahn. Ashley. April 14, 2017. WHYY Philadelphia. January 19, 2020.
  4. Web site: Ridge Avenue Roxborough Thematic Historic District Inventory. July 2018. January 19, 2020.
  5. Web site: Nine properties recommended for historic designation to finish 2016 . 2022-07-08 . WHYY . en-US.
  6. Web site: Philadelphia Register of Historic Places . July 8, 2022 . City of Philadelphia (phila.gov).
  7. Web site: June–July 2022 . 559 Righter Street Proposal . July 8, 2022 . City of Philadelphia (phila.gov).
  8. Web site: Nomination of Historic Building, Structure, Site, or Object (145 Sumac Street). Allegretti. Jeffrey. January 20, 2015. City of Philadelphia, Historical Commission. June 3, 2018.
  9. Web site: 145 Sumac Street Nomination for Historic Designation Form. Philadelphia Historical Commission. staff. September 2019. City of Philadelphia – Philadelphia Historical Commission. January 16, 2020.
  10. Web site: 147 Sumac Street Nomination for Historic Designation Form. Philadelphia Historical Commission. staff. September 2019. City of Philadelphia – Philadelphia Historical Commission. January 16, 2020.
  11. Web site: Multi-pronged Battle Ahead for Group of Neighbors Trying to Save Historic Wissahickon House. Jaffe. Alan. June 2, 2015. PlanPhilly. June 3, 2018.
  12. Web site: Historic Recognition Won't Save Roxborough House from Demolition. Jaffe. Alan. June 24, 2015. PlanPhilly. June 3, 2018.
  13. Web site: Civic Group, Developer Reach Agreement about Future of Historic Wissahickon Property. Jaffe. Alan. August 17, 2015. PlanPhilly. June 3, 2018.
  14. Web site: Historic House in Manayunk Saved from Demolition. Lurye. Sharon. August 17, 2015. Philly Voice. June 3, 2015.
  15. Web site: Wissahickon Queen Anne Home Undergoes Restoration, asks $499K. Romero. Melissa. July 29, 2016. Curbed Philadelphia. June 3, 2018.
  16. Web site: Legendary Jazz Landmark and Keystone Battery up for Historic Designation Consideration. Herr-Cardillo. Starr. November 11, 2019. Hidden City Philadelphia. January 16, 2020.
  17. Web site: Ridge Avenue Roxborough Thematic Historic District Nomination. Philadelphia Historical Commission. staff. July 9, 2018. January 20, 2020.
  18. News: Real Estate News. September 2, 1897. The Philadelphia Inquirer. 12.
  19. News: Real Estate News. April 28, 1896. The Philadelphia Inquirer. 10.
  20. Web site: Kellogg. Isabelle. Jacobs Wyper Architects Restores Merrick Hall at Northern Home for Children in Roxborough. American Institute of Architects Philadelphia Chapter. February 21, 2016. September 3, 2014.
  21. Web site: Fox. Jessie. Expanding Services By Merging Old And New At Roxborough's Northern Services. Hidden City Philadelphia. February 21, 2016. September 23, 2013.
  22. Web site: Northern Home for Friendless Children. Philadelphia Architects and Buildings. February 21, 2016. 2016.
  23. News: Chastain. Sue. A Roxborough Home For Boys Helps Them To Move Forward. February 21, 2016. The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 13, 1994.
  24. News: Scally. Bernard J.. Northern Children's Services offer more with Merrick Hall reopening. February 21, 2016. Roxborough Review. August 3, 2014.
  25. Book: Manton, John Charles. Bygones: A Guide to Historic Roxborough-Manayunk. J.C. Manton. 1990. Philadelphia. 87–88. 21743508.
  26. Web site: St. Timothy Working Men's Club & Institute. 2018. Philadelphia Architects and Buildings. The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. May 26, 2018.
  27. Book: Merrick, J. Vaughan. Workingmen's Clubs and Institutes: How to Organize and How to Conduct Them : an Address at the Opening of the New Building Erected for St. Timothy's Workingmen's Club and Institute, Roxborough, Philadelphia. 1878. Philadelphia. 77318739.
  28. Book: Manton, John C.. Victorian Roxborough: An Architectural History. J.C. Manton, Historical Research. 1983. 22–25. 256225727.
  29. Web site: End of St. Timothy's Workingmen's Club and Institute in Roxborough (1913). mjk38. August 11, 2014. Philadelphia Studies. 2016-07-14.
  30. Web site: Paine Residence. 2018. Philadelphia Architects and Buildings. The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. May 25, 2018.
  31. Web site: City of Philadelphia, Records Department, City Archives, RG 149.6, Fairmount Park Commission Index to Briefs of Title of Fairmount Park Properties. (Finding Aid). Moak. Jefferson M.. December 13, 2011. PACSCL Finding Aids. University of Pennsylvania Libraries. May 25, 2018.
  32. Book: Haller, John S. Jr. . Medical Protestants: The Eclectics in American Medicine, 1825–1939. 1994. Southern Illinois University Press. 0585029660. Carbondale. 42854393.
  33. Book: Transactions of the National Eclectic Medical Association of the United States of America for the Years 1885–86. Alexander. Chronicle Book and Job Printing Office. 1886. Wilder. Alexander. 13. Orange. NJ.
  34. Book: Paine, William. Pennsylvania frauds! How state officials teach a political arithmetic! What Dr. Paine knows of the frauds of the Pennsylvania war claims. [Philadelphia|year=1870|location=Internet Archive].
  35. News: Alumni Personals. May 26, 1899. The Lafayette Weekly.
  36. Web site: Wissahickon Presbyterian Church. 2017. Philadelphia Architects and Buildings.
  37. Book: White, William P.. The Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. A Camera and Pen Sketch of Each Presbyterian Church and Institution in the City. Allen, Lane & Scott. 1895. Philadelphia. 213.
  38. Web site: 2010 Census: Apportionment Data Map. United States Census Bureau. May 27, 2018.
  39. Web site: Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School. The School District of Philadelphia. July 16, 2015.
  40. Web site: Welcome. Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School. The School District of Philadelphia. February 21, 2016.
  41. Web site: Wissahickon School. Edmunds. Franklin Davenport. February 12, 1914. Free Library of Philadelphia Digital Collections. November 24, 2017.
  42. "High School Directory Fall 2017 Admissions" (Archive). School District of Philadelphia. p. 57/70. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  43. "Roxborough Branch." Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
  44. Book: Fourth Annual Message of John E. Reyburn Mayor of the City of Philadelphia with Annual Reports of Various Departments ..., Volume 1. 1911. Dunlap Printing Co.. Philadelphia, PA. 1137. February 20, 2016.
  45. Web site: Wissahickon Branch: Interior view of the Wissahickon Branch, ca. 1909. 2016. Free Library of Philadelphia Digital Collections. February 20, 2016.
  46. Web site: Wissahickon Branch: Exterior view of the Wissahickon Branch, ca. 1909. 2016. Free Library of Philadelphia Digital Collections. February 20, 2016.
  47. Web site: FP.2010.001, Reference Collection (Finding Aid), Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives. PACSCL Finding Aids. July 13, 2016.
  48. Web site: Phil Moyer Keeps LaNoce Park Looking Good. Chakars. Janis. April 23, 2012. Newsworks. July 13, 2016.
  49. Web site: Wissahickon Barber Shop Celebrates 100 years. WHYY. June 3, 2018.
  50. Web site: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Finder – Wissahickon Valley Park. 2021-04-17. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.
  51. Web site: FAQ. 2021-04-17. Friends of Wissahickon.
  52. Web site: Cooperman. Emily T.. 2008. Historic Context Statement for Neighborhood Cluster 2: Roxborough and Manayunk. April 17, 2021. Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.
  53. Web site: Thomas. George E.. Frank Furness: Philadelphia & Reading Railroad. FrankFurness.org. February 20, 2016. 2012.
  54. Web site: Pasquarello. Daniel. Proposed Wissahickon mural aims to show local balance between urban and natural environments. WHYY/NewsWorks. February 20, 2016. January 2, 2015.
  55. Web site: Muse. Queen. Community begins to brainstorm for upcoming mural at the Wissahickon station. WHYY/NewsWorks. February 20, 2016. April 20, 2015.
  56. Web site: Corrigan. John. Plans for Wissahickon Station mural revealed. WHYY/NewsWorks. February 20, 2016. August 5, 2015.
  57. Web site: Mural Begins to Unfold in Wissahickon. June 14, 2016. Town News Today. July 13, 2016.
  58. Web site: Philadelphia City Planning Commission. July 23, 2018. Wissahickon Gateway Plan is Complete!. 2021-04-17. Philadelphia2035. en.
  59. Web site: Saffron. Inga. SEPTA's new Wissahickon bus station promises better connections. But it could harm a beloved Philly landscape.. 2021-04-17. Philadelphia Inquirer. October 27, 2020 . en.
  60. Web site: February 25, 2020. SEPTA plans hearing on Wissahickon center. 2021-04-17. The (Roxborough) Review – Montgomery News. en.
  61. Web site: LeStourgeon. Colin. September 27, 2020. Renderings Released for Wissahickon Transportation Center Renovation. 2021-04-17. Philadelphia YIMBY. en-US.
  62. Web site: Stuart. Sarah Clark. July 22, 2020. Groups Call For Action on the Wissahickon Gateway Trail. 2021-04-17. Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. en-US.
  63. Web site: Civics look into ways to guide change; Wissahickon Interested Citizens Association seeks remapped zoning ordinance. Scally. Bernard J.. June 16, 2015. Roxborough Review. January 19, 2020.
  64. Web site: Changing Skyline: Fighting the suburbanizing tide in Roxborough. Saffron. Inga. January 14, 2016. The Philadelphia Inquirer. January 19, 2020.
  65. Web site: Wissahickon looks to rezone neighborhood to boost preservation efforts. Corrigan. John. March 7, 2016. WHYY Philadelphia. January 19, 2020.
  66. Web site: Rezoning plan presented to Wissahickon community. Fitzsimmons. Eric. March 10, 2016. Roxborough Review. January 19, 2020.
  67. Web site: New development controls proposed for a hidden gem of the Northwest. Blumgart. Jake. May 21, 2018. WHYY Philadelphia. January 19, 2020.
  68. Web site: American Legal Publishing – Online Library. library.amlegal.com. 2020-01-19.