Philadelphia's Old Southwark District

by Arcadia Publishing

Overview

Southwark's deep history is tied to its relationship to the waterfront and the multitude of immigrant communities that settled its streets.

The area along the banks of the Delaware River originally known as Philadelphia's Southwark District encompasses the present-day neighborhoods of Queen Village, Pennsport, and Dickinson Square West. The Washington Avenue Immigration Station, Southwark's counterpart to Ellis Island, was a testament to the waves of immigrants reaching America's shores in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of the immigrants who stayed in Philadelphia found inexpensive housing in Southwark and employment along the waterfront. Today, the neighborhoods of old Southwark continue to embrace diversity. Many of the area's historic houses still stand alongside newly built homes. While the construction of high-volume roadways cut off the neighborhoods from the waterfront, new efforts are reconnecting Southwark to the river through improved access points and attractive waterfront recreation areas.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467121781
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	09/08/2014
Series:	Images of America Series
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Heather Gibson Moqtaderi earned an master of arts in early American culture, and Mehron Moqtaderi holds a bachelor of fine arts in visual communication. The authors reside in the Pennsport neighborhood and take great interest in the rich history of Southwark as well as the section's thriving current-day culture.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6

Introduction 7

1 Highlights of Early Southwark 9

2 Pier 53 and the Washington Avenue Immigration Station 17

3 Queen Village 27

4 The Jewish Quarter Markets 53

5 Charitable Organizations 61

6 Dickinson Square West 77

7 Westward to Passyunk 95

8 Pennsport 105

Bibliography 126

Index 127