Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Chestnut Hill is a neighborhood
in the Northwest Philadelphia
section of the United States
city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
does not officially correlate neighborhood names to Philadelphia ZIP code
s (all are called simply "Philadelphia" or "Phila"). However, the 19118 ZIP code is almost entirely coterminous with the cultural-consensus boundaries of Chestnut Hill.
laid out by Francis Daniel Pastorius
and came to include the settlements originally known as Sommerhausen and Crefeld, as well as part of Cresheim. It served as a gateway between Philadelphia and the nearby farmlands. During the U.S. Revolutionary War era (late 18th century), the area was one of many summer vacation spots due to its higher elevation, 400–500 feet (120 to 150 m) above sea level, and cooler temperatures than the historic Center City. Chestnut Hill is still stereotypically known as one of the more affluent sections of Philadelphia. However, there are many residents who fall within lower/middle class incomes.
Chestnut Hill (along with many other towns and farmlands of Philadelphia County) became part of the City of Philadelphia in 1854 as part of the Act of Consolidation
, when the County and the City became completely coterminous. In the same year, the Chestnut Hill Railroad opened, making an easy commute to and from Center City.
During the American Civil War
, Chestnut Hill was home to Mower U.S. Army General Hospital
, constructed to serve Union army
soldiers.
From the mid-19th century through the mid-20th, the neighborhood served as the functional equivalent of both a "railroad suburb" and a "streetcar suburb
" of Center City; although it was part of Philadelphia, and not a suburb, it was a leafy outlying part functioning much like a commuter town
. (It still serves this function, although the streetcars are gone.) The neighborhood contains a wide variety of 19th and early 20th century residential buildings by many of the most prominent Philadelphia architects.
. This price was an increase of 57% from its 2005 median price.
The Chestnut Hill listings on the National Register of Historic Places
:
Other historic and notable properties include:
, the region's mass transit authority.
lines serve Chestnut Hill: the Chestnut Hill East Line
and Chestnut Hill West Line
.
(23
, 77 and L) and the Suburban Division
(94 and 134).
s in the southeastern Pennsylvania region are known as trolleys. The trolley network of this region was very extensive prior to World War II
, but has shrunk since that era. Chestnut Hill was formerly served by trolleys. Trolley service to Chestnut Hill began in 1894, and trolley tracks still run down the Belgian-block-paved main street of the neighborhood, Germantown Avenue. SEPTA "temporarily suspended" regular trolley service in 1992.
The withering of trolley service in Philadelphia is generally unpopular with most residents. This topic generates heated emotions because it is related to the larger issue of the Great American streetcar scandal. Further discussion of the arguments and counterarguments is beyond the scope of this article.
. Students in grades kindergarten
through 8 are zoned to John Story Jenks School
, while students in grades 9 through 12 are zoned to Germantown High School
.
, Springside School
, The Crefeld School
, Norwood-Fontbonne Academy, and Our Mother of Consolation.
Many "Chestnut Hillers" also send their children to private schools in nearby neighborhoods such as William Penn Charter School, Germantown Friends School
, Germantown Academy
, Saint Joseph's Preparatory School, Abington Friends School, LaSalle College High School, and Mount Saint Joseph Academy
.
operates the Chestnut Hill Branch at 8711 Germantown Avenue.
Neighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
in the Northwest Philadelphia
Northwest Philadelphia
Northwest Philadelphia is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The official boundary is Stenton Avenue to the north, the Schuylkill river to the south, Spring Ln to the west, and Wister Street to the east. The area is divided by Wissahickon Creek into two subsections...
section of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Boundaries
Chestnut Hill is bounded as follows:- on the northwest by Northwestern Avenue (a county line and city limit, beyond which lies a panhandlePanhandleA panhandle is an informal geographic term for an elongated arm-like protrusion of a geo-political entity, such as a subnational entity or a sovereign state.-Term:...
of Springfield TownshipSpringfield Township, Montgomery County, PennsylvaniaSpringfield Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 19,418 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Wyndmoor, Erdenheim, Flourtown, and Oreland...
, Montgomery CountyMontgomery County, PennsylvaniaMontgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
that juts into Whitemarsh TownshipWhitemarsh Township, PennsylvaniaWhitemarsh Township is a Home Rule Municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. However, it maintains its former classification of "Township" in its official name. The population was 17,349 at the 2010 census.-History:...
); - on the west by the Wissahickon GorgeWissahickon CreekWissahickon Creek is a stream in southeastern Pennsylvania. Rising in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, it runs about 23 miles passing through and dividing Northwest Philadelphia before emptying into the Schuylkill River at Philadelphia...
(part of Fairmount ParkFairmount ParkFairmount Park is the municipal park system of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It consists of 63 parks, with , all overseen by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, successor to the Fairmount Park Commission in 2010.-Fairmount Park proper:...
) (beyond which lie Upper Roxborough and AndorraAndorra, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaAndorra is a neighborhood in Northwest Philadelphia, which is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Andorra is a part of Roxborough, being within the borders of the original Roxborough Township and having the same zip code . At some point during the 19th or 20th century, Andorra...
); - on the northeast by Stenton Avenue (a county line and city limit, beyond which lie ErdenheimErdenheim, PennsylvaniaErdenheim is a community in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It is served by the 19038 zip code. The primary commercial areas are located along the Bethlehem Pike.Erdenheim was laid out in 1892...
and WyndmoorWyndmoor, PennsylvaniaWyndmoor is a census-designated place in Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 5,498 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, Springfield TownshipSpringfield Township, Montgomery County, PennsylvaniaSpringfield Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 19,418 at the 2010 census. It includes the villages of Wyndmoor, Erdenheim, Flourtown, and Oreland...
); and - on the southeast by the Cresheim ValleyCresheim CreekCresheim Creek is a creek in southeastern Pennsylvania. Rising at Hill Crest in Cheltenham Township , it runs about 2.7 miles southwest, passing through part of Northwest Philadelphia and dividing Mount Airy from Chestnut Hill, before emptying into the Wissahickon Creek at...
(part of Fairmount ParkFairmount ParkFairmount Park is the municipal park system of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It consists of 63 parks, with , all overseen by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, successor to the Fairmount Park Commission in 2010.-Fairmount Park proper:...
) (beyond which lies Mount AiryMount Airy, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaMount Airy is a neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania.-Boundaries:Mount Airy is bounded on the northwest by the Cresheim Valley, which is part of Fairmount Park. Beyond this lies Chestnut Hill. On the west side is the Wissahickon Gorge, which is also part of Fairmount...
).
ZIP code
The USPSUnited States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
does not officially correlate neighborhood names to Philadelphia ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
s (all are called simply "Philadelphia" or "Phila"). However, the 19118 ZIP code is almost entirely coterminous with the cultural-consensus boundaries of Chestnut Hill.
History
The village of Chestnut Hill was part of the German TownshipGermantown Township, Pennsylvania
Germantown Township, also known as German Township, is a defunct township that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The municipality ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854.-History:Germantown Township,...
laid out by Francis Daniel Pastorius
Francis Daniel Pastorius
thumb|right|300px|Home of Francis Daniel Pastorius in Germantown, PA as it appeared circa 1919Francis Daniel Pastorius was the founder of Germantown, Pennsylvania, now part of Philadelphia, the first permanent German settlement and the gateway for subsequent emigrants from Germany. He was "the...
and came to include the settlements originally known as Sommerhausen and Crefeld, as well as part of Cresheim. It served as a gateway between Philadelphia and the nearby farmlands. During the U.S. Revolutionary War era (late 18th century), the area was one of many summer vacation spots due to its higher elevation, 400–500 feet (120 to 150 m) above sea level, and cooler temperatures than the historic Center City. Chestnut Hill is still stereotypically known as one of the more affluent sections of Philadelphia. However, there are many residents who fall within lower/middle class incomes.
Chestnut Hill (along with many other towns and farmlands of Philadelphia County) became part of the City of Philadelphia in 1854 as part of the Act of Consolidation
Act of Consolidation, 1854
The Act of Consolidation, more formally known as the act of February 2, 1854 , was enacted by General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and approved February 2, 1854 by Governor William Bigler...
, when the County and the City became completely coterminous. In the same year, the Chestnut Hill Railroad opened, making an easy commute to and from Center City.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Chestnut Hill was home to Mower U.S. Army General Hospital
Mower Hospital
The Mower U.S. Army General Hospital was one of the largest Federal military hospitals during the American Civil War. Located in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, it operated from January 1863 through May 1865, when it was closed with the cessation of the war.The hospital complex was...
, constructed to serve Union army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
soldiers.
From the mid-19th century through the mid-20th, the neighborhood served as the functional equivalent of both a "railroad suburb" and a "streetcar suburb
Streetcar suburb
A streetcar suburb is a residential community whose growth and development was strongly shaped by the use of streetcar lines as a primary means of transportation. Early suburbs were served by horsecars, but by the late 19th century cable cars and electric streetcars, or trams, were used, allowing...
" of Center City; although it was part of Philadelphia, and not a suburb, it was a leafy outlying part functioning much like a commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
. (It still serves this function, although the streetcars are gone.) The neighborhood contains a wide variety of 19th and early 20th century residential buildings by many of the most prominent Philadelphia architects.
Architecture and housing stock
Housing in Chestnut Hill is very expensive for this region. In 2011, it had a median home sale price of $629,500—the highest of any Philadelphia neighborhood outside of Center CityCenter City, Philadelphia
Center City, or Downtown Philadelphia includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2005, its population of over 88,000 made it the third most populous downtown in the United States, after New York City's and Chicago's...
. This price was an increase of 57% from its 2005 median price.
The Chestnut Hill listings on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
- AnglecotAnglecotThe Anglecot, also known as the Potter Residence, is a historic residence in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was designed by noted Philadelphia architect Wilson Eyre for Charles Adams Potter , a manufacturer of linoleum.Anglecot was a sanatarium in the 1970s...
(1883), designed by Wilson EyreWilson EyreWilson Eyre, Jr. was an influential American architect, teacher and writer who practiced in the Philadelphia area...
. - Chestnut Hill Historic DistrictChestnut Hill Historic District (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)The Chestnut Hill Historic District is a historic area in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district in 1985.-Contributing properties:...
- Druim Moir Historic DistrictDruim Moir Historic DistrictDruim Moir, also known as the Houston Estate Historic District, is a historic district in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Druim Moir was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979...
, includes Romanesque Revival mansion (1883-86), designed by G. W. & W. D. HewittG. W. & W. D. HewittG. W. & W. D. Hewitt was a prominent architectural firm in the eastern United States at the turn of the twentieth century. It was founded in Philadelphia in 1878, by brothers George Wattson Hewitt and William Dempster Hewitt , both members of the American Institute of Architects...
. - Graver's Lane StationGravers (SEPTA station)Graver's Lane Station is a SEPTA Regional Rail station at 300 East Gravers Lane at Anderson Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station building is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places and the National Register. It was built in 1872 or 1879 with Furness & Evans as the architect,...
(1883), designed by Frank FurnessFrank FurnessFrank Heyling Furness was an acclaimed American architect of the Victorian era. He designed more than 600 buildings, most in the Philadelphia area, and is remembered for his eclectic, muscular, often idiosyncratically scaled buildings, and for his influence on the Chicago architect Louis Sullivan...
. - John Story Jenks SchoolJohn Story Jenks SchoolJohn Story Jenks School is a public school in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the School District of Philadelphia. J. S. Jenks serves children from kindergarten through eighth grade and has a student population of about 500...
(1922), designed by Irwin T. Catharine. - Thomas Mill Bridge (across the Wissahickon CreekWissahickon CreekWissahickon Creek is a stream in southeastern Pennsylvania. Rising in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, it runs about 23 miles passing through and dividing Northwest Philadelphia before emptying into the Schuylkill River at Philadelphia...
, the only traditional covered bridgeCovered bridgeA covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
in Philadelphia). - Wissahickon Inn (now Chestnut Hill Academy)Chestnut Hill AcademyChestnut Hill Academy, commonly referred to as CHA, is a Pre-K to 12 all-male independent college preparatory school located in northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(1883-84), designed by G. W. & W. D. HewittG. W. & W. D. HewittG. W. & W. D. Hewitt was a prominent architectural firm in the eastern United States at the turn of the twentieth century. It was founded in Philadelphia in 1878, by brothers George Wattson Hewitt and William Dempster Hewitt , both members of the American Institute of Architects...
.
Other historic and notable properties include:
- Inglewood CottageInglewood CottageInglewood Cottage is a Gothic Revival villa, built ca. 1850, located at 150 Bethlehem Pike, in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was designed by famed American architect, Thomas Ustick Walter, Fourth Architect of the U.S. Capital, and built by Cephas Childs, a prominent...
(1850), designed by Thomas Ustick Walter. - The former site of Boxly, the estate of Frederick Winslow TaylorFrederick Winslow TaylorFrederick Winslow Taylor was an American mechanical engineer who sought to improve industrial efficiency. He is regarded as the father of scientific management and was one of the first management consultants...
, where Taylor often received the business-management pilgrims who came to meet the "Father of Scientific Management". - Esherick HouseEsherick HouseThe Esherick House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is one of the most studied of the nine built houses designed by American architect Louis Kahn. Commissioned by Margaret Esherick, it was completed in 1961....
(1961), designed by Louis KahnLouis KahnLouis Isadore Kahn was an American architect, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. After working in various capacities for several firms in Philadelphia, he founded his own atelier in 1935...
. - Vanna Venturi HouseVanna Venturi HouseThe Vanna Venturi House, one of the first prominent works of the postmodern architecture movement, is located in the suburban neighborhood of Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
(1962-64), designed by Robert VenturiRobert VenturiRobert Charles Venturi, Jr. is an American architect, founding principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, and one of the major figures in the architecture of the twentieth century...
.
Public transportation
Public transportation in southeastern Pennsylvania, which includes Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, is provided by SEPTASoutheastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus, subway and elevated rail, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia,...
, the region's mass transit authority.
Regional rail (commuter rail)
Two SEPTA Regional RailSEPTA Regional Rail
The SEPTA Regional Rail system consists of commuter rail service on thirteen branches to over 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and its suburbs. Service on most lines runs from 5:30 AM to midnight...
lines serve Chestnut Hill: the Chestnut Hill East Line
Chestnut Hill East Line
The Chestnut Hill East Line , is a route of the SEPTA Regional Rail system. The route serves the northwestern section of Philadelphia with service to Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill...
and Chestnut Hill West Line
Chestnut Hill West Line
The Chestnut Hill West Line , is a route of the SEPTA Regional Rail system. The route serves the northwestern section of Philadelphia with service to Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill...
.
Buses
Chestnut Hill is served by SEPTA bus routes from both the City Transit DivisionSEPTA City Transit Division surface routes
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority operates the overwhelming majority of Philadelphia public transit within their City Transit Division. Although perhaps best known for the Market-Frankford Line and Broad Street Line, they are also responsible for all 73 of the trolley and bus...
(23
SEPTA Route 23
SEPTA's Trolley Route 23, the Germantown Avenue-11th & 12th Streets Line is a former streetcar line and currently operated by bus. It is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
, 77 and L) and the Suburban Division
SEPTA Suburban Division bus routes
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority operates or contracts operation of these routes serving points in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, with a few routes operating into the city of Philadelphia. The Suburban Transit Division is broken down into three divisions...
(94 and 134).
Trolleys [trams]
TramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s in the southeastern Pennsylvania region are known as trolleys. The trolley network of this region was very extensive prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but has shrunk since that era. Chestnut Hill was formerly served by trolleys. Trolley service to Chestnut Hill began in 1894, and trolley tracks still run down the Belgian-block-paved main street of the neighborhood, Germantown Avenue. SEPTA "temporarily suspended" regular trolley service in 1992.
The withering of trolley service in Philadelphia is generally unpopular with most residents. This topic generates heated emotions because it is related to the larger issue of the Great American streetcar scandal. Further discussion of the arguments and counterarguments is beyond the scope of this article.
Public education
Residents are zoned to schools in the School District of PhiladelphiaSchool District of Philadelphia
The School District of Philadelphia is a school district based in the School District of Philadelphia Education Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that includes all public schools in the city of Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the eighth largest school district in the nation.The School...
. Students in grades kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through 8 are zoned to John Story Jenks School
John Story Jenks School
John Story Jenks School is a public school in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the School District of Philadelphia. J. S. Jenks serves children from kindergarten through eighth grade and has a student population of about 500...
, while students in grades 9 through 12 are zoned to Germantown High School
Germantown High School (Philadelphia)
Germantown High School is a secondary school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.GHS, located in Germantown, is a part of the School District of Philadelphia....
.
Private education
Chestnut Hill is home to many private schools, including Chestnut Hill AcademyChestnut Hill Academy
Chestnut Hill Academy, commonly referred to as CHA, is a Pre-K to 12 all-male independent college preparatory school located in northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, Springside School
Springside School
Springside School is a private, all-girls school in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood, in the Northwest section of Philadelphia in the United States...
, The Crefeld School
The Crefeld School
The Crefeld School is a small, private school in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1970 as The Miquon Upper School. Its mission is to pioneer a progressive, alternative learning community for classroom secondary and middle school students...
, Norwood-Fontbonne Academy, and Our Mother of Consolation.
Many "Chestnut Hillers" also send their children to private schools in nearby neighborhoods such as William Penn Charter School, Germantown Friends School
Germantown Friends School
Germantown Friends School is a coeducational K-12 school in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States under the supervision of Germantown Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends . It is governed by a School Committee whose members are drawn mainly...
, Germantown Academy
Germantown Academy
Germantown Academy is America's oldest nonsectarian day school, founded on December 6, 1759 . Germantown Academy is now a K-12 school in the Philadelphia suburb of Fort Washington, having moved from its original Germantown campus in 1965...
, Saint Joseph's Preparatory School, Abington Friends School, LaSalle College High School, and Mount Saint Joseph Academy
Mount Saint Joseph Academy
Mount Saint Joseph Academy may refer to:*Mount Saint Joseph Academy *Mount Saint Joseph Academy *Mount Saint Joseph Academy *Mount Saint Joseph Academy...
.
Public libraries
Free Library of PhiladelphiaFree Library of Philadelphia
The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-History:History of the Free Library of Philadelphia: Initiated by the efforts of Dr...
operates the Chestnut Hill Branch at 8711 Germantown Avenue.
Parks and arboretums
- Pastorius ParkPastorius ParkPastorius Park is a 16-acre park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is maintained by the Fairmount Park Commission. Established in 1915, the park was named in honor of Francis Pastorius, a leader of early German immigrants to the area. It is located in the Chestnut Hill section of...
- Wissahickon Valley portion of the Fairmount ParkFairmount ParkFairmount Park is the municipal park system of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It consists of 63 parks, with , all overseen by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, successor to the Fairmount Park Commission in 2010.-Fairmount Park proper:...
system - Morris ArboretumMorris ArboretumThe Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania is the official arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located at 100 East Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
Other notable civic institutions
- Woodmere Art MuseumWoodmere Art MuseumWoodmere Art Museum, located in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has a collection of paintings, prints, sculpture and photographs focusing on artists from the Delaware Valley and includes works by Thomas Pollock Anshutz, Severo Antonelli, Jasper Francis Cropsey , Daniel...
- Wissahickon Skating ClubWissahickon Skating ClubWissahickon Skating Club is a non-profit skating club in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. The club was organized in 1954 for the purpose of supporting amateur and professional athletes for ice hockey and figure skating competitions. Construction began in 1955, and in 1956, the doors opened...
- Philadelphia Cricket ClubPhiladelphia Cricket ClubThe Philadelphia Cricket Club, founded in 1854, is the oldest country club in the United States. It has two locations: Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, and Flourtown, Pennsylvania.-History:...
- The Institutes for the Achievement of Human PotentialThe Institutes for The Achievement of Human PotentialThe Institutes for The Achievement of Human Potential is a non-profit organization providing teaching programs and literature which it promotes as improving the health and neurological development of normal children and of children who have sustained a brain injury.Although the institute's programs...
is adjacent to Chestnut Hill in Wyndmoor
Notable residents (past and present)
- R. Tucker AbbottR. Tucker AbbottRobert Tucker Abbott was an American conchologist and malacologist . He was the author of more than 30 books on malacology, which have been translated into many languages....
, malacologistMalacologyMalacology is the branch of invertebrate zoology which deals with the study of the Mollusca , the second-largest phylum of animals in terms of described species after the arthropods. Mollusks include snails and slugs, clams, octopus and squid, and numerous other kinds, many of which have shells...
and author - Willie AndersonWillie Anderson (golfer)William Law Anderson was a Scottish immigrant to the United States who became the first golfer to win four U.S. Opens, with victories in 1901, 1903, 1904, and 1905. He is still the only man to win three consecutive titles, and only Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus have equalled his total...
, golfer, winner of four U.S. OpensU.S. Open (golf)The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... - E. Digby BaltzellE. Digby BaltzellEdward Digby Baltzell was an American sociologist, academic and author.-Life and career:Baltzell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a wealthy Episcopalian family. "Digby" attended St. Paul's School, an Episcopal boarding school in New Hampshire. He attended the University of Pennsylvania,...
, author and sociologist - James Bond (ornithologist)James Bond (ornithologist)James Bond was a leading American ornithologist whose name was appropriated by writer Ian Fleming for his fictional spy, James Bond.-Biography:...
and namesake of the fictional secret agent - Joseph S. ClarkJoseph S. ClarkJoseph Sill Clark, Jr. was a U.S. lawyer and Democratic Party politician in the mid-20th century. He served as the mayor of Philadelphia from 1952 until 1956, and as a United States Senator from Pennsylvania from 1957 until 1969...
, former senator from PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. - George Gordon Meade EasbyGeorge Gordon Meade EasbyGeorge Gordon Meade Easby was the great-grandson of U.S. Civil War General George Gordon Meade of the Union Army and a descendant of seven signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence...
, great-grandson of General George MeadeGeorge MeadeGeorge Gordon Meade was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved in coastal construction, including several lighthouses. He fought with distinction in the Second Seminole War and Mexican-American War. During the American Civil War he served as a Union general, rising from... - Melissa FitzgeraldMelissa FitzgeraldMelissa Fitzgerald is an American actress best known for her role on the TV program The West Wing as Carol Fitzpatrick, assistant to C. J. Cregg....
, actress - William J. Green, IIIWilliam J. Green, IIIWilliam Joseph Green, III is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Green also served as the 94th Mayor of Philadelphia.-Youth:...
, former mayor of Philadelphia - Henry H. HoustonHenry H. HoustonHenry Howard Houston was a leading Philadelphia businessman and philanthropist. He was in charge of the Philadelphia, Germantown and Chestnut Hill Railroad which was built in the 1880s to link downtown Philadelphia with the wealthy and growing suburbs to the northwest.Houston attended St...
, railroad businessman and developer - W. Thacher LongstrethW. Thacher LongstrethWilliam Thacher Longstreth was a Republican member of the Philadelphia City Council, known for his influence. Longstreth was a graduate of Princeton University....
, former City Councilman At-Large - David MorseDavid Morse (actor)David Bowditch Morse is an American stage, television, and film actor. He first came to national attention as Dr. Jack Morrison in the medical drama St. Elsewhere from 1982 to 1988...
, actor - Frank RizzoFrank RizzoFrancis Lazarro "Frank" Rizzo, Sr. was an American police officer and politician. He served two terms as mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from January 1972 to January 1980; he was Police Commissioner for four years prior to that.-Police Commissioner:Rizzo joined the Philadelphia Police...
, former mayor of Philadelphia - Witold RybczynskiWitold RybczynskiWitold Rybczynski , is a Canadian-American architect, professor and writer.Rybczynski was born in Edinburgh of Polish parentage and raised in Surrey, England before moving at a young age to Canada. He attended Loyola High School , located on Sherbrooke street, in Montreal-Ouest...
, architect and urban policy scholar - Hugh ScottHugh ScottHugh Doggett Scott, Jr. was a politician from Pennsylvania who served in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and who also served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee.- Early life :He was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on November 11, 1900...
, U.S. CongressmanUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... - Denise Scott BrownDenise Scott BrownDenise Scott Brown, is an architect, planner, writer, educator, and principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates in Philadelphia...
, architect - Frederick Winslow TaylorFrederick Winslow TaylorFrederick Winslow Taylor was an American mechanical engineer who sought to improve industrial efficiency. He is regarded as the father of scientific management and was one of the first management consultants...
, engineer, management theorist, and consultant - Marcus TracyMarcus TracyMarcus Garin Tracy is an American soccer player who plays as a striker. He is currently without a club.-College and Amateur:...
, professional soccer player with DanishDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
club AaB - Robert VenturiRobert VenturiRobert Charles Venturi, Jr. is an American architect, founding principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, and one of the major figures in the architecture of the twentieth century...
, architect - Alexander Lawton MackallAlexander Lawton MackallAlexander Lawton Mackall was an author, journalist and gastronomy expert and critic. He was the editor of several New York magazines and the author of the renowned restaurant guide Knife and Fork in New York , a precursor of the Zagat's Survey...
, journalist, editor, and gastronomic expert - Lori Shorr, Chief Education Officer for Philadelphia