Communities
Philadelphia has several communities and neighborhoods within the city. All have their own identities and many have some unique qualities that stand them apart from the rest of the city.
South Philly is one of those that has very distinct boundaries – the Delaware River on the east and the Schuylkill River on the south and west. This was initially a city in its own right and has traditionally been where migrants from Ireland and Italy chose to settle. Over the past couple of decades, this area has seen more immigrants from an ever-widening range of countries, including Haiti, Russia, China, Vietnam and even Mexico.
Frankford was initially settled by Germans, but was incorporated into the city limits in 1854. Today, it’s mostly residential and is home to a wide ethnic mixture. You’ll find one of the city’s oldest churches here.
Every city that has a part of the city founded and inhabited by a particular foreign people finds that the area serves as a great cultural area for residents and visitors and Philadelphia’s Chinatown is no different. Famous here for its Friendship Arch and the many ethnic restaurants and bakeries, the area has been threatened by urban renewal efforts but remains a popular tourist area. Germantown is very urbanized, but has plenty of historically significant buildings.
Strawberry Mansion in northern Philadelphia was once the home to the city’s wealthiest members. Today, the area has seen significant decline though there have been some efforts at renewal.
There are several more very unique and important neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Mount Airy was noted as one of the first cities in the nation to successfully undertake integration measures. Old City is home to bars and restaurants frequented by those seeking fashionable nightlife. Brewerytown was once home to the city’s many breweries, but became a blighted area when it changed to a primarily residential area. Today, Brewerytown is becoming a popular place to live, especially among the young professionals. The Museum District, Social Hill and many other neighborhoods in Philadelphia each have their own personalities.