Southwark, Philadelphia

Former District in Pennsylvania, United States

Southwark District

Former District

Corner of 3rd and Queen Streets

Map of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania highlighting Southwark District prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854

Coordinates: 39°56′16″N 75°08′52″W﻿ / ﻿39.93778°N 75.14778°W﻿ / 39.93778; -75.14778
Country| United States
State| Pennsylvania
County| Philadelphia
Time zone| UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)| UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s)| 215, 267 and 445

United States historic place

Southwark District

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. Historic district

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Location| Bounded by Delaware, Washington Aves., 5th, Lombard, Front, and Catharine Sts., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Area| 720 acres (290 ha)[2]
Built| 1703
Architect| Multiple
NRHP reference No.| 72001172[1]
Added to NRHP| May 19, 1972

Southwark was originally the Southwark District, a colonial-era municipality in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Today, it is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Because of its location south of the early Philadelphia, the name was adopted in allusion to the borough of Southwark in the county of London, England, just south of the city of London.[3]

## History

[edit]

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1790| 5,661| —
1800| 9,621| +70.0%
1810| 13,707| +42.5%
1820| 14,713| +7.3%
1830| 20,581| +39.9%
1840| 27,548| +33.9%
1850| 38,799| +40.8%

Southwark is one of the oldest English settlements in the County of Philadelphia. It is actually the oldest district founded by settlers in Philadelphia, as a result of its inclusion in the former Swedish colony of New Sweden. Southwark was originally a tract of ground on the fast land of the Neck, lying between Passyunk and Wicaco. Due to the populations of the Swedish settlements of Wicaco and Moyamensing, Southwark grew earlier than other parts of the county apart from the city of Philadelphia.[4]

The General Assembly created the district of Southwark on May 14, 1762, to facilitate cooperation with regard to street-building. As early as 1838, the district had its own police force.[5] Southwark was the location of the shipbuilding complex of Joshua Humphreys, the shipbuilder and naval architect who built the first six ships of the United States Navy and is known as the "Father of the U.S. Navy".[6]

In 1854, when it was incorporated into the city of Philadelphia by the Act of Consolidation, the borough comprised the area bounded on the north by South Street, on the west by Passyunk Avenue from 5th and South to 10th and Reed; the boundary then ran along Reed Street, down 7th, and along Mifflin Street to the river.[2]

Only a few traces of the name "Southwark" remain in this part of Philadelphia. The Southwark Post Office is located at 925 Dickinson Street. Other namesakes include Southwark Restaurant at 4th and Bainbridge Sts. and Southwark Development Corp., a public-housing project along Washington Avenue from 3rd to 5th Sts. Although not part of the Southwark District, the word "Southwark" is painted on a wall at 23rd Street and Washington Avenue.

In 1969, this area of Philadelphia was renamed, and the Northern portion is now commonly known as Queen Village. The neighborhood of Pennsport is the primary southern half of what was Southwark.[7] The area is a diverse community, a multi-racial neighborhood of middle class, working class, and professionals.

The historic district, as defined by the National Register of Historic Places,[8] is bounded by 5th Street on the west, Lombard Street on the north, Washington Avenue on the south, and Front, Catharine, and Queen Streets and Columbus Boulevard (formerly Delaware Avenue) on the east.

## Education

[edit]

Residents are within the School District of Philadelphia.

Residents are zoned to Southwark School (K-8) and South Philadelphia High School.[9][10]

The Vare-Washington School, which occupies the former George Washington School, is in proximity to Southwark.[11] Persons zoned to Vare-Washington are also zoned to Furness High School.[12] and residents of the former Abigail Vare School zone, are also zoned to Furness High School.[13]

* "The Swedish Church Southwark with the building of the Frigate Philadelphia," Plate 29 of Birch's Views of Philadelphia (1800)

* Southwark School

## See also

[edit]

* Philadelphia portal
* Pennsylvania portal

* Queen Village, Philadelphia
* Fabric Row (Philadelphia)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
2. ^ a b "Incorporated District, Boroughs, and Townships in the County of Philadelphia, 1854". Ushistory.org. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
3. ^ Espenshade, A. Howry (1925). Pennsylvania Place Names. Pennsylvania state college studies in history and political science,no. 1College series. Harrisburg, PA: The Evangelical Press. p. 33.
4. ^ Where Pennsylvania History Began (by Henry D. Paxon. The Swedish Colonial Society. 1926)
5. ^ "Watchman John Batts".
6. ^ Proceedings of the Delaware County Historical Society, Volume 1. Chester, Pennsylvania: Delaware County Historical Society. 1902. p. 67. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
7. ^ "Queen Village Neighbors Association". Archived from the original on December 7, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
8. ^ "Philadelphia City Code". Philadelphia. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
9. ^ "Southwark Elementary School Geographic Boundaries Archived 2012-05-07 at the Wayback Machine." School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 4, 2011.
10. ^ "South Philadelphia High School Geographic Boundaries Archived 2012-03-13 at the Wayback Machine." School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 4, 2011.
11. ^ Medina, Regina. "Philly union challenges teacher-dump decision." Philadelphia Inquirer. May 24, 2013. Retrieved on November 30, 2015.
12. ^ "School Finder." School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on November 30, 2015.
13. ^ "Horace Furness High School Geographic Boundaries" (Archive). School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 4, 2011.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Southwark District.

* Chronology of the Political Subdivisions of the County of Philadelphia, 1683-1854 (Daly, John; Weinberg, Allen (October 1966). Genealogy of Philadelphia County Subdivisions (Second ed.). Philadelphia Dept. of Records.)
* Information courtesy of ushistory.org
* Incorporated District, Boroughs, and Townships in the County of Philadelphia, 1854 By Rudolph J. Walther \- excerpted from the book at the ushistory.org website

## Related reading

[edit]

* Johnson, Amandus (1927) The Swedes on the Delaware (International Printing Company, Philadelphia)
* Weslager, C. A. (1988) New Sweden on the Delaware 1638-1655 (The Middle Atlantic Press, Wilmington ) ISBN 0-912608-65-X

* v
* t
* e

South Philadelphia

Sections and
Neighborhoods|

* Bella Vista
* Central South Philadelphia
* Devil's Pocket
* Dickinson Square West
* East Passyunk Crossing
* Fabric Row
* FDR Park
* Girard Estate
* Graduate Hospital / Southwest Center City
* Grays Ferry
* Hawthorne
* Italian Market
* Little Saigon
* Lower Moyamensing
* Marconi Plaza
* Moyamensing
* Newbold
* Packer Park
* Passyunk Square
* Pennsport
* Point Breeze
* Queen Village
* Schuylkill
* Southwark
* Sports Complex
* West Passyunk
* Wharton
* Whitman
* Wilson Park

Education|

| Public
K-12|

| Current|

* Universal Audenried Charter HS
* CAPA HS
* Furness HS
* GAMP
* South Philadelphia HS
* Universal Alcorn K-8
* F. Amadee Bregy K-8
* G. W. Childs K-8 ex-Jeremiah Nichols, Barratt MS
* D. Newlin Fell K-8
* Andrew Jackson K-8
* Eliza Butler Kirkbride K-8
* Delaplaine McDaniel K-8
* William M. Meredith K-8
* George W. Nebinger K-8
* George Sharswood K-8
* Southwark K-8
* Edwin M. Stanton K-8
* Universal Vare K-8
* Vare-Washington K-8 Ex-Washington school
* Francis Scott Key ES Formerly K-8

|

Former|

* Ex-Childs school
* David Landreth
* William S. Peirce K-8, then middle school
* Ex-Vare school
* Wayne

Private
K-12|

| Current|

* Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic HS

|

Former|

* Saint John Neumann HS
* Saint Maria Goretti HS
* St. Anthony de Padua Parish

Sports Complex|

* 2300 Arena
* Citizens Bank Park
* Lincoln Financial Field
* Wells Fargo Center
* Xfinity Live!

| Demolished|

* John F. Kennedy Stadium
* Spectrum
* Veterans Stadium

|

Other landmarks|

* Congregation Shivtei Yeshuron-Ezras Israel
* Franklin Hose Company No. 28
* Geno's Steaks
* Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church
* Grays Road Recreation Center
* Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia
* Marian Anderson House
* Pat's King of Steaks
* Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Freight Shed
* Royal Theater
* St. Anthony de Padua Parish School
* St Nicholas of Tolentine Church
* Tindley Temple United Methodist Church
* Tony Luke's
* Walt Whitman Bridge
* Mount Sinai Hospital (demolished)

Culture|

* Odunde Festival

* v
* t
* e

Communities of Philadelphia

Former municipalities are below.

Sections and
Neighborhoods|

| Center City|

* Avenue of the Arts
* Broad Street
* Chinatown
* Fitler Square
* Franklin Square
* Jewelers' Row
* Logan Square
* Old City
* Penn's Landing
* Rittenhouse Square
* Society Hill
* South Street
* Washington Square West

|

South|

* Bella Vista
* Central South Philadelphia
* Devil's Pocket
* Dickinson Square West
* East Passyunk Crossing
* Fabric Row
* FDR Park
* Girard Estate
* Grays Ferry
* Greenwich
* Hawthorne
* Italian Market
* Little Saigon
* Lower Moyamensing
* Marconi Plaza
* Moyamensing
* Newbold
* Packer Park
* Passyunk Square
* Pennsport
* Point Breeze
* Queen Village
* Southwark
* Southwest Center City
* Sports Complex
* West Passyunk
* Wharton
* Whitman
* Wilson Park

Southwest|

* Angora
* Bartram Village
* Clearview
* Eastwick
* Elmwood Park
* Hog Island
* Kingsessing
* Mount Moriah
* Paschall
* Southwest Schuylkill

West|

* Avenue of Technology
* Belmont Village
* Carroll Park
* Cathedral Park
* Centennial District
* Cedar Park
* Cobbs Creek
* Dunlap
* Garden Court
* Haddington
* Haverford North
* Mantua
* Mill Creek
* Overbrook
* Overbrook Farms
* Overbrook Park
* Parkside
* Powelton Village
* Saunders Park
* Spruce Hill
* Squirrel Hill
* 30th Street Station
* University City
* Walnut Hill
* Woodland Terrace
* Wynnefield
* Wynnefield Heights

North|

| Lower North|

* Badlands
* Belfield
* Brewerytown
* Callowhill
* Cecil B. Moore
* El Centro de Oro / Fairhill
* Fairmount
* Francisville
* Hartranft
* Ivy Hill
* Ludlow
* N3RD Street
* North Central
* Northern Liberties
* North Philadelphia East
* North Philadelphia West
* Poplar
* Sharswood
* South Lehigh
* Spring Garden
* Stanton
* Strawberry Mansion
* Yorktown

|

Upper North|

* Allegheny West
* Badlands
* Franklinville
* Glenwood
* Hunting Park
* Nicetown–Tioga
* Olde Kensington
* Swampoodle
* West Kensington

Olney-Oak Lane|

* East Oak Lane
* Feltonville
* Fern Rock
* Koreatown
* Logan
* Ogontz
* Olney
* West Oak Lane

Northwest|

| Lower Northwest|

* Andorra
* East Falls
* Manayunk
* Parkland
* Roxborough
* Wissahickon

|

Upper Northwest|

* Beggarstown
* Cedarbrook
* Chestnut Hill
* Germantown
* Morton
* Mount Airy
* Wister

Northeast|

| Near Northeast|

* Burholme
* Castor Gardens
* Crescentville
* Fox Chase
* Frankford
* Holme Circle
* Holmesburg
* Juniata
* Lawndale
* Lexington Park
* Mayfair
* Oxford Circle
* Rhawnhurst
* Ryers
* Tacony
* Wissinoming

|

Far Northeast|

* Academy Gardens
* Ashton-Woodenbridge
* Bustleton
* Byberry
* Crestmont Farms
* Millbrook
* Modena Park
* Morrell Park
* Normandy
* Parkwood
* Pennypack
* Somerton
* Torresdale
* Upper Holmesburg
* Winchester Park

River Wards|

* Bridesburg
* Fishtown
* Harrowgate
* Kensington
* Olde Richmond
* Port Richmond

Former
Municipalities|

| Cities|

* Philadelphia (Center City)

|

Boroughs|

* Aramingo
* Bridesburg
* Frankford
* Germantown
* Manayunk
* West Philadelphia
* Whitehall

Districts|

* Belmont
* Kensington
* Moyamensing
* Northern Liberties
* Penn
* Richmond
* Southwark
* Spring Garden

Townships|

* Blockley
* Bristol
* Byberry
* Delaware
* Germantown
* Kingsessing
* Lower Dublin
* Moreland
* Northern Liberties
* Oxford
* Passyunk
* Penn
* Roxborough

Footnotes|

As a consolidated city-county Philadelphia is its own county seat.

* v
* t
* e

US National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania

Topics|

* Contributing property
* Keeper of the Register
* Historic district
* History of the National Register of Historic Places
* National Park Service
* Property types

Lists by county|

* Adams
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Lists by city|

* Pittsburgh
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* Center City
* North
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* West

Other lists|

* European archaeological sites
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* National Historic Landmarks (Philadelphia)

* Category
* NRHP portal

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
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National|

* United States
* Israel

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