Walnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Walnut Hill is a neighborhood in the West Philadelphia
section of Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
. It is located between 45th Street and 52nd Street, bounded by Market Street and Spruce Street. Most of the neighborhood is in the northwestern part of the University City
District. It is northeast of Cedar Park
and northwest of Spruce Hill
.
It is a racially mixed neighborhood with large numbers of African American
s, Middle East
erners, and Italian Americans, although the western part of the neighborhood is almost entirely African American. There is a growing Muslim
presence, owing to the Masjid Jam'ia mosque
at 43rd and Walnut Streets (affiliated with UPenn's Muslim Student Organization), the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects mosque at 45th and Walnut Streets, and Masjid Al Birr Wat Taqwa mosque on 52nd and Market Streets. There are a number of establishments that sell Halal
food.
The neighborhood was largely built from the turn of the century through the 1940s, with a large growth spurt immediately following the construction of the SEPTA Market-Frankford Line
. It is mostly 2 and 3-story rowhouses.
As 52nd Street is often considered to be the geographic and psychological "heart" of West Philadelphia, those living in the western reaches of Walnut Hill may be less likely to identify with the neighborhood and more likely to describe their neighborhood as simply "West Philly."
West Philadelphia High School
is located in Walnut Hill and The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College
is close by, if not technically within the boundaries of the neighborhood. In recent years, the Enterprise Center Community Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Walnut Hill Community Association, has made strides to spur development in the neighborhood.
West Philadelphia
West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though there is no official definition of its boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Line Avenue to the northwest, Cobbs Creek to the southwest, and...
section of Philadelphia
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,...
, 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...
. It is located between 45th Street and 52nd Street, bounded by Market Street and Spruce Street. Most of the neighborhood is in the northwestern part of the University City
University City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
University City is the easternmost region of West Philadelphia.The University of Pennsylvania has long been the dominant institution in the area and was instrumental in coining the name University City as part of a 1950s urban-renewal effort...
District. It is northeast of Cedar Park
Cedar Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cedar Park is a neighborhood located in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was built as a streetcar suburb for Center City between 1850 and 1910. It is a racially and ethnically diverse part of the city, with much of the historic architecture preserved...
and northwest of Spruce Hill
Spruce Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Spruce Hill is a neighborhood in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is between 40th and 46th streets, and it stretches from Market Street south to Woodland Avenue. It has a population of over 16,000. It was built as a streetcar suburb for Center City between 1850 and...
.
It is a racially mixed neighborhood with large numbers of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s, Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
erners, and Italian Americans, although the western part of the neighborhood is almost entirely African American. There is a growing Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
presence, owing to the Masjid Jam'ia mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
at 43rd and Walnut Streets (affiliated with UPenn's Muslim Student Organization), the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects mosque at 45th and Walnut Streets, and Masjid Al Birr Wat Taqwa mosque on 52nd and Market Streets. There are a number of establishments that sell Halal
Halal
Halal is a term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. The term is used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law...
food.
The neighborhood was largely built from the turn of the century through the 1940s, with a large growth spurt immediately following the construction of the SEPTA Market-Frankford Line
Market-Frankford Line
The Market–Frankford Line is a rapid transit line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority .-Route:The Market–Frankford Line begins at 69th Street Transportation Center, in Upper Darby...
. It is mostly 2 and 3-story rowhouses.
As 52nd Street is often considered to be the geographic and psychological "heart" of West Philadelphia, those living in the western reaches of Walnut Hill may be less likely to identify with the neighborhood and more likely to describe their neighborhood as simply "West Philly."
West Philadelphia High School
West Philadelphia High School
West Philadelphia High School is a secondary school located in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The school was completed on November 1, 1912. and occupies an entire city block between 47th and 48th streets, between Walnut Street and Locust Street...
is located in Walnut Hill and The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College
The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College
The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College was founded in 1974 as America's first private college to offer career training in fine dining and the luxury hospitality industry. The college offers four majors: Culinary Arts, Restaurant Management, Pastry Arts and Hotel Management...
is close by, if not technically within the boundaries of the neighborhood. In recent years, the Enterprise Center Community Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Walnut Hill Community Association, has made strides to spur development in the neighborhood.
External links
- West Philadelphia Data and Information Resources - University of Pennsylvania