Philadelphia: Exploring the Identity of "The City of Neighborhoods" and the Story of City Tap University City
Philadelphia, a city steeped in history and rich in diverse communities, proudly claims the title "The City of Neighborhoods." This moniker reflects the intense pride Philadelphians hold regarding the distinct residential communities that comprise the city. But what are the origins of this claim, and how have these neighborhoods evolved over time? This article delves into the history and evolution of Philadelphia's neighborhoods, highlighting their unique characteristics and contributions to the city's identity and also tells the story of one of its popular establishments - City Tap University City.
The Genesis of "The City of Neighborhoods"
While the exact origins of Philadelphia's claim as "The City of Neighborhoods" remain unclear, the city was regarded as "The City of Homes" as far back as the 1870s. An 1893 book even termed Philadelphia "a city of residences," praising the legacy of homeownership by "employers and employees" dating from William Penn's arrival. This emphasis on residential communities laid the groundwork for the city's later embrace of the "City of Neighborhoods" identity.
William Penn, the founder of Philadelphia, understood the importance of community. Before setting foot on the Delaware River shoreline in October 1682, he lived in a number of European cities including Paris, Dublin, and Amsterdam.
Consolidation and the Preservation of Identity
Many of the current neighborhoods around Philadelphia existed as separate boroughs, districts, or townships in the County of Philadelphia before absorption into the city via the 1854 Act of Consolidation. This consolidation could have homogenized the city, but instead, the distinct identities of these communities persisted and were reinforced.
The distinction of being Philadelphia’s oldest continuously occupied neighborhood belongs to Tacony, with records of residents dating from a decade prior to William Penn’s arrival. Germantown, eight miles outside the original boundaries of Philadelphia, retains evidence of its past in its many historic buildings, including a house George Washington used during his presidency.
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Neighborhoods also formed through transportation innovations and real estate development. Mount Airy, in Philadelphia’s leafy Northwest section, inherited its name from the mansion owned by a Colonial-era Chief Justice of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court. But it expanded residentially in the late 1800s, spurred partly by the extension of trolley and commuter train lines from the city core. Byberry, in the Far Northeast section, was the most rural section of Philadelphia County at the time of the 1854 Consolidation and had a vibrant abolitionist/anti-slavery presence prior to the Civil War.
Transformation and Evolution
Philadelphia’s neighborhoods have not remained static. Urban renewal, economic shifts, and social changes have all shaped their character over time.
This is evident in Society Hill, the lauded upscale community of colonial-era homes adjacent to Independence National Historical Park. The name Society Hill originated with the Free Society of Traders, a colonial-era merchant’s society, and once applied to the entire region from today’s Pine Street down to Christian Street. Urban renewal transformed Society Hill from a hardscrabble residential area filled with commercial buildings into an elite enclave. However, that renewal also triggered removal of Philadelphia’s oldest African American community dating from colonial times - the area examined in Dr. W.E.B.
Powelton Village, a West Philadelphia neighborhood north of Drexel University and adjacent to Thirtieth Street Station, began its residential life in the late 1800s as a location desired by some of the city’s industrial tycoons. After some descent on the economic ladder, Powelton Village again gained distinction as the locus for Philadelphia’s counter-culture and anti-Vietnam War scenes in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The rugged wilderness-like Wissahickon Valley in Fairmount Park, listed as a National Natural Landmark, once contained residential clusters of housing for workers in the scores of water-powered mills along the Wissahickon Creek.
During the 1980s a large section of Logan was demolished because homes built there decades earlier were constructed on unstable ground, causing the foundations to sink and some houses to collapse.
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Neighborhood Memory and Shifting Demographics
Surprisingly for a city steeped in history, the neighborhood-memory of most Philadelphians extends back for only a couple of decades.
Beginning in the 1870s, North Philly housed six of the thirteen facilities used by the city’s professional baseball teams. Two teams from that era remain active in Major League Baseball, including the Phillies, who played in North Philly until Veterans Stadium opened in South Philadelphia in 1971. North Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion section, once known as Summerville, traces its name to a mansion-housed restaurant that once served strawberries and cream to wealthy guests in the nineteenth century. Now overwhelmingly African American, in the first half of the twentieth century Strawberry Mansion housed Philadelphia’s largest Jewish community, numbering more than 30,000 residents. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, the neighborhood’s total population dropped to 22,562, and 97.58 percent of those residents were African American.
Many currently think of Philadelphia’s Latino community as historically rooted in northeastern North Philadelphia and western Kensington, but there is also a fading memory of the once-vibrant Puerto Rican presence in Spring Garden, evidenced by the Roberto Clemente Playground. That facility honors Clemente, the Puerto Rican-born professional baseball star and respected humanitarian, who was the first Latino selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Many see South Philadelphia as historically the Italian section of the city. Few are aware of that area’s origins with Swedish settlers as evidenced by the Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church, the oldest church in Pennsylvania.
In the 1950s and 1960s efforts to preserve racial integration by staunching “white flight” became defining struggles in neighborhoods like Mount Airy and the Wynnefield section of West Philadelphia. In the 1980s some politicians in Philadelphia’s Northeast mounted a campaign to have that section secede from the city and become an entity known as Liberty County. Secession supporters cited their feeling of being overtaxed but receiving short-shrift in city services. The proposed state legislation to create the separate Liberty County died from inaction.
Neighborhood Pride and "Attytood"
The dawn of the twenty-first century did not lessen turf-related tensions. Neighborhoods are sometimes places of conflict but at the same time they remain sources of pride. The heartfelt loyalty held by Philadelphians about their neighborhoods radiates through the collective psyche of the city.
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“Attytood” is a driving force in Philadelphia, contributing to national reputations for the love of local cuisine like juicy cheesesteaks and dry soft pretzels and the often-raucous sports fans’ allegiances to local professional sports teams. Neighborhood festivals demonstrate neighborhood pride. Mayor Ed Rendell is surrounded by West Oak Lane neighbors during a Welcome America neighborhood festival in 1997. Implicit in Philadelphia’s “City of Neighborhoods” dynamic is the intense pride Philadelphians hold regarding the distinct residential communities comprising this city.
University City: A Hub of Innovation and Millennial Influence
University City stands out as a dynamic and rapidly evolving neighborhood within Philadelphia. Home to renowned educational institutions like the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, and the University of the Sciences, it is a hub of innovation, research, and intellectual activity. University City has one of Philly’s biggest chunks of millennials.
The concentration of these institutions also fuels a thriving "eds and meds" sector, driving the local economy and attracting a diverse population. With 54 percent of our residents holding bachelor's degrees or higher (compared to Philly’s overall 23 percent), we’ve got some serious brainpower over here. And if you ever need a trip to the emergency room, UC’s Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania are ranked in 13 specialties, and CHOP is ranked in 10, just FYI. Education and medicine are two huge drivers of our local economy, providing jobs and public services that help the whole city grow.
All that "eds and meds" growth leads to growth in other areas, too. The UC job market has been on the up-and-up for years, and pedestrian counts are growing. Sure, growth rates and statistics are a total snoozefest, but they mean the UC nerds are putting people to work and getting them out on the town. Who doesn’t like a little extra cash and a place to spend it?
The influx of millennials, drawn to the area's academic and professional opportunities, has further shaped University City's character. This demographic has contributed to a vibrant cultural scene, with a growing number of restaurants, bars, and retail establishments catering to their tastes.
City Tap University City: A Neighborhood Gathering Place
Among the many establishments that have found a home in University City, City Tap University City stood out as a popular spot. City Tap House University City is a trendy New American tavern located on Walnut Street in Philadelphia. It's a popular spot offering over 60 varieties of craft beers and delicious brick-oven pizzas. The vibrant atmosphere attracts a diverse crowd, from students to fun-seekers and couples looking for a great dining experience. The outdoor terrace provides an inviting setting to enjoy the extensive beer selection and delectable food offerings.
The restaurant wrote on Instagram, "We appreciate all of the love & loyalty we have felt over these last 13 years,". "We are grateful for the many memories this store has been a part of," City Tap House management wrote. City Tap House has another location at 100 N. 18th Street in Logan Square.
It offered a diverse menu with highlights like amazing pork nachos, delicious Brussel sprouts with pomegranates, and accidental but tasty beef tacos. The atmosphere is described as nice, the service is good, and the indoor/outdoor seating makes it perfect for any occasion. Reviewers praise the tasty food options like waffles with strawberries, Honey spicy chicken sandwich, mushroom pizza, wings, and pizza.
A City of Constant Evolution
Philadelphia's neighborhoods are not static entities; they are constantly evolving, reflecting the city's changing demographics, economic conditions, and cultural trends. While some neighborhoods have experienced periods of decline, others have undergone revitalization, attracting new residents and businesses.
Despite these changes, the sense of neighborhood identity remains strong in Philadelphia. Whether it's the historic charm of Society Hill, the vibrant arts scene of Fishtown, or the academic energy of University City, each neighborhood contributes to the city's unique character and reinforces its claim as "The City of Neighborhoods."
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