Blackbottom

A visitor to the Queen Village section of South Philadelphia in the first half of the 20th century would have witnessed an area essentially unchanged from over a century earlier. By the 1970s, though, much of the area had changed dramatically. 500 historically certified homes were demolished for over 800 units of low in-come housing and the construction of a major highway cutting through the heart of the neighborhood. Visitors today witness an area plagued by gentrification and a significant loss of the rich ethnic histories the area was once home to.

I-95

I-95 is an interstate highway in the United States that spans across the country. When it was growing and expanding its reach, the interstate came to Philadelphia; Queen Village was one of the neighborhoods affected by it. The Images Page contains old pictures of homes that were demolished to make room for the new highway. It is important to remember the communities that came before our current perception of Queen Village.