Marconi Plaza, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Marconi Plaza is a neighborhood located in South Philadelphia
, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
An Italian-American enclave, Marconi Plaza has two main halves, East and West, which are divided in the middle by Broad Street
. It is located at the most southern end of the city and within the northern border of the Philadelphia Sports Complex Special District. The neighborhood is accessible via the Oregon Avenue Station of the Broad Street Subway
.
Boundaries of Marconi Plaza Neighborhood:
The urban park Plaza itself, from which the neighborhood derives its namesake, is a 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) rectangle park. The Roman styled Plaza is divided in the center by Broad Street with four borders of 13th street, 15th street, Bigler Street, and Oregon Avenue.
in 1914–1916 and was built as the grand entrance for the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition
, leading visitors south along a tree lined Southern Boulevard (now South Broad Street) to the exhibition grounds that started at Packer Avenue and League Island
. This neighborhood twin park mirrored on both sides of Broad Street became property of the Fairmount Park
system and held the common name of Oregon Plaza until October 18, 1937 when it was officially named Marconi Plaza in honor of the Nobel Prize Laureate Guglielmo Marconi
, the inventor of Radio.
. The east and west plaza reflected the same winding pathways leading to a raised stepped terrace surrounded by stone railings and entrance sculptures of large urns with two small pools of water facing Broad Street at the center point, which at that time was cut away from the curbline of half circles both on the east and west. The park is lushly covered with 25% trees adorned with park benches, open areas for two tot lots, a baseball field, basketball court, and country cotttage style enclosed bocce
court. The sidewalk border surrounding the park is densely lined with large maple trees aged at over 100 years with heights of 30–50 feet high.
Over the years many of the fine details have been erased including the half circled indented curbline on either side of Broad Street at the center. This location also had on both sides of the plaza, two reflecting pools of water. The pools were filled in to provide the foundation for the two statues that were later erected to support the immigrant Italian community and respond to Anti-Italianism
. A statue of Guglielmo Marconi was erected on the east Plaza though the efforts of the Marconi Memorial Association headed by Dr. Frank P. DiDio. The statue was dedicated on April 25, 1980, to commemorate the 106th anniversary of the birthday of the world famous Italian scientist and inventor.
A statue of Christopher Columbus
was erected on the west plaza in 1982. This work was originally located along Belmont Avenue in Fairmount Park, having been erected on October 12, 1876. Thought to be the work of Emanuele Caroni, this is said to be first publicly funded monument to Christopher Columbus in the United States. It was purchased for $18,000 with money raised by Italian-Americans and the Columbus Monument Association, through the efforts of Alonzo Viti of Philadelphia and his brothers. The statue's initial installation began an annual tradition for the colony of mostly Italian Americans in South Philadelphia
to march each year on Columbus Day to the statue in Fairmount Park. The 6 miles (9.7 km) journey was found to be too exhausting and in 1920 the celebration changed locations.
Moyamensing Boulevard Park of Marconi: This main angluar dual street with an approximately 50 foot center medial park, crosses the standard grid and was designed as an alternative roadway access to the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition. It begins at Oregon Avenue, what once a headhouse entrance, through to the intersection of 20th Street, Penrose Avenue and Packer Avenue. An architectural design for a grand public square like the squares of center City Philadelphia was planned at the boulevard park's end point of Penrose Avenue which was viewed by city planners to be the significant southern gateway to the City. The 1926 square was never developed.
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
, 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...
.
An Italian-American enclave, Marconi Plaza has two main halves, East and West, which are divided in the middle by Broad Street
Broad Street (Philadelphia)
Broad Street is a major arterial street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is nearly 13 miles long.It is Pennsylvania Route 611 along its entire length with the exception of its northernmost part between Old York Road and Pennsylvania Route 309 and the southernmost part south of Interstate 95...
. It is located at the most southern end of the city and within the northern border of the Philadelphia Sports Complex Special District. The neighborhood is accessible via the Oregon Avenue Station of the Broad Street Subway
Broad Street Line
The Broad Street Line is a rapid transit line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that runs from Fern Rock Transportation Center in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia...
.
| Western Half | Eastern Half |
|---|---|
| Broad Street to 20th St. from Oregon Avenue to Packer Avenue including Moyamensing Blvd Moyamensing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Moyamensing was originally a township on the fast land of the Neck, lying between Passyunk and Wicaco. It was incorporated into the Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania and is today primarily a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.-History:The... |
Broad Street to 8th St. from Oregon Avenue to Packer Avenue |
The urban park Plaza itself, from which the neighborhood derives its namesake, is a 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) rectangle park. The Roman styled Plaza is divided in the center by Broad Street with four borders of 13th street, 15th street, Bigler Street, and Oregon Avenue.
History
The plaza was originally designed by the architects Olmsted BrothersOlmsted Brothers
The Olmsted Brothers company was an influential landscape design firm in the United States, formed in 1898 by stepbrothers John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. .-History:...
in 1914–1916 and was built as the grand entrance for the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition
Sesquicentennial Exposition
The Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition of 1926 was a world's fair hosted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, and the 50th anniversary of the 1876 Centennial Exposition-History:The honor of hosting...
, leading visitors south along a tree lined Southern Boulevard (now South Broad Street) to the exhibition grounds that started at Packer Avenue and League Island
League Island
League Island was an island in the Delaware River, part of the city of Philadelphia, just upstream from the mouth of the Schuylkill River, which was the site of the Philadelphia shipyard, which eventually became the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, now known as the Philadelphia Naval Business...
. This neighborhood twin park mirrored on both sides of Broad Street became property of the Fairmount Park
Fairmount Park
Fairmount 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 and held the common name of Oregon Plaza until October 18, 1937 when it was officially named Marconi Plaza in honor of the Nobel Prize Laureate Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi
Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian inventor, known as the father of long distance radio transmission and for his development of Marconi's law and a radio telegraph system. Marconi is often credited as the inventor of radio, and indeed he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand...
, the inventor of Radio.
Architecture & art
The original design of the Plaza was a terrace styled with influences of Roman gardensRoman gardens
Roman gardens and ornamental horticulture became highly developed during the history of Roman civilization. The Gardens of Lucullus on the Pincian Hill at the edge of Rome introduced the Persian garden to Europe, around 60 BC...
. The east and west plaza reflected the same winding pathways leading to a raised stepped terrace surrounded by stone railings and entrance sculptures of large urns with two small pools of water facing Broad Street at the center point, which at that time was cut away from the curbline of half circles both on the east and west. The park is lushly covered with 25% trees adorned with park benches, open areas for two tot lots, a baseball field, basketball court, and country cotttage style enclosed bocce
Bocce
Bocce is a ball sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire...
court. The sidewalk border surrounding the park is densely lined with large maple trees aged at over 100 years with heights of 30–50 feet high.
Over the years many of the fine details have been erased including the half circled indented curbline on either side of Broad Street at the center. This location also had on both sides of the plaza, two reflecting pools of water. The pools were filled in to provide the foundation for the two statues that were later erected to support the immigrant Italian community and respond to Anti-Italianism
Anti-Italianism
Anti-Italianism is a hostility toward Italian people utilizing stereotypes about them, such as the idea that the Italians are tolerant of violence, political corruption, Italy's former alliance with Nazi Germany and criminal groups such as the Mafia...
. A statue of Guglielmo Marconi was erected on the east Plaza though the efforts of the Marconi Memorial Association headed by Dr. Frank P. DiDio. The statue was dedicated on April 25, 1980, to commemorate the 106th anniversary of the birthday of the world famous Italian scientist and inventor.
A statue of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
was erected on the west plaza in 1982. This work was originally located along Belmont Avenue in Fairmount Park, having been erected on October 12, 1876. Thought to be the work of Emanuele Caroni, this is said to be first publicly funded monument to Christopher Columbus in the United States. It was purchased for $18,000 with money raised by Italian-Americans and the Columbus Monument Association, through the efforts of Alonzo Viti of Philadelphia and his brothers. The statue's initial installation began an annual tradition for the colony of mostly Italian Americans in South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
to march each year on Columbus Day to the statue in Fairmount Park. The 6 miles (9.7 km) journey was found to be too exhausting and in 1920 the celebration changed locations.
Marconi East
Mollbore Terraces of Marconi: The 1930s Mollbore Terrace was a unique urban change from the densely lined row houses that characterized most of South Philadelphia. The design included front porches and a rear yard with an access service roadway for trash pick-up. Three separate Mollbore Terrace sections were constructed east of the plaza within the boundaries of 13th Street to 7th Street, and from Oregon Ave to Johnston Street. The layout departed from the standard street grid, offsetting the numbered streets that permitted placing a "mini-public-square" of green space for houses to face inward on all four sides and directions. The center large rectangular common parks space was originally designated as a "Terrace" that included pathways, grass and trees with an octagon-shaped wading pool at the west end and a raised octagon sand pit platform with a flag pole at the east end.Marconi West
Roman Terraces of Marconi: The Greco-Roman accented homes west of the plaza from 15th to 19th street using the same concept but on a smaller scale include two oval-shaped Terrrace streets at Smedley and Colorado. The terrace at Colorado Street became well known City wide for its annual decorations and street lighting during the Christmas holidays from 1950-2000.Moyamensing Boulevard Park of Marconi: This main angluar dual street with an approximately 50 foot center medial park, crosses the standard grid and was designed as an alternative roadway access to the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition. It begins at Oregon Avenue, what once a headhouse entrance, through to the intersection of 20th Street, Penrose Avenue and Packer Avenue. An architectural design for a grand public square like the squares of center City Philadelphia was planned at the boulevard park's end point of Penrose Avenue which was viewed by city planners to be the significant southern gateway to the City. The 1926 square was never developed.
Boundaries
In 2002 the City of Philadelphia legislated boundaries of the Sports Complex Special Service District. The residential communities defined included Marconi Plaza. The Special District established an overlay providing the basis for a new definition to Marconi East as community "three" and Marconi West as community "four".