Spring Garden, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Spring Garden is a neighborhood
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 central Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...

, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, bordering Center City
Center 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...

 on the north. Spring Garden is a neighborhood that combines diverse residential neighborhoods and significant cultural attractions. The residential areas on the north side of the neightborhood (North of Spring Garden Avenue) are composed mostly of brick and brownstone three-story townhouses built during the mid-to-late 19th Century. The residential areas to the south are dominated by taller, multi-family buildings built during the 20th Century. The museum area, also to the south of Spring Garden Avenue, includes the Rodin Museum, the Central Library of Philadelphia
, and, soon, the Barnes Museum.

Boundaries

Finkel defines Spring Garden as "North of Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Benjamin Franklin Parkway is a scenic boulevard that runs through the cultural heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Named for favorite son Benjamin Franklin, the mile-long Parkway cuts diagonally across the grid plan pattern of Center City's Northwest quadrant...

 to Fairmount Avenue, 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...

 to Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...

." The Philadelphia Information Locator Service list (augmented from the Finkel 1995 list), repeats Finkel's definition of the neighborhood's boundaries. One qualification that should be added is that this definition would have Spring Garden as extending deep into Center City, nearly all the way to City Hall
Philadelphia City Hall
Philadelphia City Hall is the house of government for the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At , including the statue, it is the world's second-tallest masonry building, only shorter than Mole Antonelliana in Turin...

. The other boundary that most would agree Finkel omitted is Vine Street.

The neighborhood's main arterial road is Spring Garden Avenue, running east to west.

Demographics

Spring Garden is within the 19130 ZIP code, which also includes Fairmount
Fairmount, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fairmount is a United States neighborhood in the North Philadelphia area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The name "Fairmount" itself derives from the prominent hill on which the Philadelphia Museum of Art now sits, and where William Penn originally intended to build his own manor house...

 and Francisville
Francisville, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Francisville is a neighborhood in North Philadelphia, which is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its boundaries are Fairmount Avenue to the south, Girard Avenue to the north, Broad Street to the east, and Corinthian Avenue to the west. In 2000, it had a population of about 4,500...

. The 2000 census reported that the population within the 19130 ZIP code is 22,252. The racial composition of Spring Garden was 60% white, 30% African American, 3% Asian, and 7% Hispanic.
Ten years later, the population of the 19130 zip code had increased by 10% to 24,870, an increase in population of 2,618.

History

The neighborhood name is quite old, going back many decades before Philadelphia's 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 area was part of the Spring Garden District of Philadelphia County
Spring Garden District, Pennsylvania
Spring Garden District is a defunct district that was located in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The district ceased to exist and was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia following the passage of the Act of Consolidation, 1854. It corresponds largely with today's Spring Garden neighborhood...

, not yet part of the city. Finkel gives 1808 as the year it first appears in the written sources that he and his contributors consulted. The Philadelphia Information Locator Service list (augmented from the Finkel 1995 list), while repeating Finkel's definition of the neighborhood's boundaries, gives 1813 as the earliest year of use.

City Government

The Spring Garden neighborhood is in the 15th Ward and the 8th Ward. The 8th Ward leaders in 2011 are Stephanie Singer (D) and Alber Doering (R); the 15th Ward leaders are William Greenlee (D) and Jason Brehouse (R). Generally, the northern part of Spring Garden (Spring Garden Avenue and north) is in the 15th Ward; the southern part is in the 8th Ward.

Spring Garden is within the 5th City Council District. In 2011, the 5th district was served by Councilman Darrell Clark, who is the council's majority whip.

State Government

The Spring Garden neighborhood is in the 182d State House District and the 195th State House District. Generally, the northern part of Spring Garden (Spring Garden Avenue and north; roughly co-terminous with the portions of Spring Garden in the 15th Ward) is in the 195th State House District. In 2011, the representative from the 195th house district was Michelle F. Brownlee. Generally, the southern part of Spring Garden (the portion in the 8th Ward) is in the 182d State House District. In 2011, the representative from the 182d house district is Babette Josephs..

The Spring Garden neighborhood is in the 1st State Senate District. In 2011, the Senator is Lawrence M. Farnese, Jr.

Federal Government

Much of the residential area of the Spring Garden neighborhood is included in Pennsylvania's First Congressional District by way of a narrow (4-6 block wide), Gerrymandered, "S"-shaped leg that extends from Broad Street to 24th Street. In 2011, those residents of Spring Garden are represented by Bob Brady. The remaining portion of the Spring Garden is contained in Pennsylvania's Second Congressional District, which contains most of Philadelphia that sits west of Broad Street and south of Hunting Park Avenue. In 2011, those residents of Spring Garden were represented by Chaka Fatta.

The USPS Fairmount Carrier Annex, located at 900 North 19th Street, serves the Spring Garden neighborhood.

Automobile

As mentioned above, the main arterial road through Spring Garden is Spring Garden Avenue, which runs east and west. The neighborhood is bounded on the east by Broad Street, which runs north and south. The neighborhood is also bounded by Vine Street on the south, which contains an entrance to Interstate 676. On the west, the neighborhood is bounded by the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Pennsylvania Avenue.

The Broad Street Subway

On the east side of the neighborhood, the subway connects the neighborhood to North Philadelphia (for example, Temple University), City Hall, Walnut Street, and the Sports Complex. The Spring Garden Station, refurbished in 2011, is located at Broad Street and Spring Garden Avenue.

Several bus routes connect the neighborhood to Center City:

The 33 Bus Route

The 33 bus route runs south through the neigborhood on 19th Street. It runs along Market eastward to Penn's Landing. The 33 returns, running west along John F. Kennedy Boulevard and north through the Spring Garden neighorhood on 20th Street.

During rush hour, the 33 south-bound runs every 5-8 minutes and takes about 10-12 minutes from 20th and Spring Garden to 16th and Market. Likewise, during rush hour, the 33 runs north-bound every 5-8 minutes and takes about 12-14 minutes to get from 15th & John F. Kennedy Boulevard to 20th & Spring Garden.

The 2 Bus Route

The 2 bus route runs south through the Spring Garden neighborhood on 17th street. It continues south on 17th through Center City to South Philadelphia at Oregon Station. The 2 bus route returns north from South Philadelphia, through Center City, on 16th Street.

During rush hour, the 2 south bound runs every 10-13 minutes and takes 9-11 minutes to get from 17th and Spring Garden to 17th and Market. Likewise, during rush hour, the 2 runs north-bound every 11-13 minutes and takes about 10-13 minutes to get from 16th and Market to 16th and Spring Garden.

The 7 Bus Route

The 7 bus route runs south along 23rd street from Brown Street to Spring Garden Avenue, where it turns southeast on Pennsylvania Avenue to 21st street. From there, it heads south into Center City. At Market Street, it heads west to 23rd street and then goes into South Philadelphia along 23rd.

The 48 Bus Route

The 48 bus route runs south along 23rd street from Brown Street to Spring Garden Avenue, where it turns southeast on Pennsylvania Avenue to 21st Street. From there, it heads south into Center City. At Market Street, it heads east along Market to Front Street. Heading out of Center City, the 48 runs west bound along Arch Street to 22d Street, where it turns north. Northbound, the 48 travels through the neighborhood on 22d, crossing Spring Garden Avenue and Fairmount Avenue.

During rush hour, the 48 south bound runs every 4-6 minutes and takes 9-11 minutes to get from 23rd and Spring Garden to 16th and Market. Likewise, during rush hour, the 48 runs north-bound every 7-8 minutes and takes about 10-13 minutes to get from 22d and Arch to 22d and Spring Garden.

The 32 Bus Route

The 32 bus route runs southeast along Pennsylvania Avenue, crossing Fairmount Avenue and Spring Garden Avenue. At Hamilton Street, it heads east to 21st Street. From there, it heads south into Center City. At Market Street, it heads east along Market to Broad Street. From there it heads south along Broad Street to Washington Street, where it turns around. Heading north out of Center City, the 32 runs north bound along Broad Street, goes counter-clockwise around City Hall, and then heads east on John F. Kennedy Boulevard to 18th Street where it turns north, returnng to the Spring Garden neighborhood on outs southern and western boarders.

During rush hour, the 32 south bound runs every 10-11 minutes and takes 9-11 minutes to get from Pennsylvania Avenue and Spring Garden to 15th and Market. Likewise, during rush hour, the 32 runs north-bound every 10-13 minutes and takes about 10-13 minutes to get from 15th and John F. Kennedy Boulevard to Pennsylvania Avenue and Spring Garden Avenue.

Public Schools

Spring Garden is in the School District of Philadelphia
School 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...

.

Spring Garden is located in the Laura Wheeler Waring Elementary School catchment. Spring Garden is also home of one of the top-ranked public high schools in the city and state, the Julia R. Masterman School
Julia R. Masterman School
The Julia Reynolds Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School is a secondary school located in Philadelphia. It is a magnet school, located in the Spring Garden neighborhood...

 at 1699 Spring Garden Avenue.

Spring Garden is also the home of the Community College of Philadelphia
Community College of Philadelphia
The Community College of Philadelphia is a community college in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The main campus is located at 1700 Spring Garden Street in a building that was the former Philadelphia Mint...

.

Private Schools

Spring Garden is the home of the John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School. For boys, the Roman Catholic High School is just outside the neighborhood, on the west side of Broad Street. Spring Garden is also the home of the St. Francis Xavier School, a Catholic lower- and middle-school.

See also

  • Parkway22: Proposed Condo tower to be constructed at 21st St and Spring Garden
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