History « Blackbottom

History

Originally an independent area just below the Southern boundary of the Philadelphia, Queen Village is approximately 2 miles east/southeast of City Hall, south of Society Hill, roughly one-half square mile in size. Although there are no “official” neighborhood boundaries in Philadelphia, Queen Village is generally considered to be the area bounded by Lombard Street to the North, South to Washington Avenue and from 6th Street on the West to the Delaware River (Columbus Blvd.) on the East.

The first settlers of Queen Village called the area “Wicaco” (also spelled Weccacoe), Lenni Lenape for “pleasant place” or “at the pine tree camp.” The first European inhabitants named the area “Southwark” (Prior to the incorporation of Philadelphia) after its counterpart in London.
The final name, Queen Village, honors Queen Christina of Sweden (for whom Queen Street and, strangely enough, Christian Street are also named). It was Queen Christina who had deeded 800 acres of land in the area to Lieutenant Swen Shute (a.k.a. “Lieutenant Swanson”) in 1653. One folk history claims that the name is in honor of Catherine the Great, but this is unlikely, as the Swedish influence in the area certainly outweighs that of the Russian.

In 1642, Queen Christina of Sweden sent emissaries to the “New World”, with Swedes settling Southwark in 1643. One descendant of the Swedish emissaries, John Hanson, was born in Maryland but lived in Southwark, worshiping at Old Swedes Church, while serving as a Delegate to the Continental Congress. Hanson is credited with convincing Maryland to support the Articles of Confederation (March 1, 1781). Under the Articles, Hanson was elected as the first President of the United States, close to a decade before George Washington’s first term as President of the United States under the Constitution. Hansen, recognized by George Washington as the “first president … of the United States”, is buried in the church yard of Old Swedes Church.

In May of 1762 the municipality, the oldest known neighborhood in Philadelphia, was deeded.
The increase of the population in Southwark springs mainly from the Swedish settlements of
Wicaco and Moyamensing. It was the location of the first shipyard in Philadelphia, with area trades that served the American navy and merchant marine.

Southwark had long been an extremely diverse neighborhood, engulfing a variety of cultures into one area primarily through the influx of immigrants. Irish immigrants began settling near the waterfront and worked on the waterfront as merchants, rope makers, riggers, carpenters, ship joiners, and mariners. Germans, Dutch, English, and some Swedes also joined them. Immigrants continued to stream into Southwark and began to fill the surrounding lands of Moyamensing and Passyunk in an urban migration that was duplicated nowhere else in the nation. No other big-city neighborhood would receive this particular mix of immigrants, which also included Jews and the African Americans.

Laborers and poor lived on narrow streets, back alleys, and rear courts. Most buildings in the area were only two or three floors. At the time, Irish immigrants and blacks were often the poorest of the poor, living on the fringes of the city, including Southwark. By the time of the Revolutionary War, Southwark had more than 750 houses, a handful of businesses, and more than 1,200 residents.
By the end of the 19th Century immigrants in the area had clustered together in tight knit communities to preserve old world traditions. Modernization of shipping industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to a substantial loss of jobs in the area. Institutional disinvestment, the aging and deterioration of the housing stock combined with mortgage lending practices (redlining) encouraged suburban development and inner city decline which caused significant outmigration from the area. Following World War II, Queen Village was certified as a “renewal area”, but it would be a long time before any action would come from the designation.

In 1967 three full blocks of eastern Queen Village were completely demolished for the building of 1-95 (the interstate highway), including many homes from Fitzwater Street. While some of the residents — whose families had lived in their houses for generations — relocated to surrounding areas of the city, some left Philadelphia entirely. While the-community used a variety of organizing methods to assist them with their battle 1-95 was still built, with the city making few compromises.

A lot has happened to Queen Village since the Swedes settled it over three hundred and fifty years ago. What was once viewed as the ghetto that no one wanted to live in is now an area that even some upper-middle class cannot afford. Homes that, in the past, cost a few thousands of dollars are now on the market costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. In the 1990 U.S. Census, the mean value of houses located in Queen Village was $148,818. Again, this is the area that less than 300 years ago was considered a ghetto for the poorest of the poor. Where people once had shame for this neighborhood, people are taking pride. However, this pride was not obtained without numerous sacrifices.
More so, in 1990, Queen Village continued to change and grow. It was gentrified, appealing to mostly professional, two-income couples. It remains full of restaurants, most in walking distance from the houses.

Low-income high-rise towers, known as Southwark Plaza, built in Queen Village were viewed as a government ploy to condemn the area. Many residents attributed most of the criminal activity that occurred in Queen Village to residents of the towers. Two of these towers were eventually imploded in 2000, with one left standing. Since then, new housing — the Courtyard — provides fixed income housing for those families in need.

Sites of Interest in Queen Village
Settlement Music School at 416 Queen Street was founded in 1908 to give children the fine music education, regardless of race, religion, ethnic origin or ability to pay. Actor Kevin Bacon is an alum, as well as singer Kathy Sledge.
Shot Tower Plaza, located at Front and Carpenter Streets, was designed to manufacture ammunition for sportsman. It was completed in 1808 and was also used in the War of 1812, causing divestment by the company’s Quaker owners. It is one of three shot towers remaining in the country and is currently is used as a recreation center and playground.
Gloria Dei (Old Swede’s) Church at Columbus Blvd. & Christian Street is the direct descendant of the first chapel built in 1645, made of logs, with loopholes so that the settlers could spy and shoot at attackers. In. 1698 the settlers built the Old Swedes’ Church/Gloria Dei on the old site of the log cabin. It is considered the oldest church still in active use in the United States and quite possibly the oldest building in Philadelphia.
Emmanuel Lutheran Church at 1001 South Fourth Street grew out of what was originally a parochial school which was started in 1847. The current church was completed in 1869 and remains standing today.
4th Street is known as “Fabric Row” and is considered the country’s oldest operating fabric district.
The Delaware Riverfront has multiple attractions, including nightclubs and restaurants, and other sites that appeal to a wide variety of visitors.
South Street is filled with a variety of shops and diverse eateries and was once considered to be the “hippest street in town.” An influx of national chain stores and restaurants since the early 1990s, along with conflicts between neighbors and “nuisance” bars has sullied this image. Previously named Cedar Street by William Penn, it was commonly known as South Street as early as 1701 because it formed the southern boundary of the city of Philadelphia, separating it from the District of Southwark.
Workman Place, located between Pemberton, Fitzwater, Front and Second Streets, is a colonial 18th Century courtyard.
Kenilworth Street, located between Front and Second Streets, features some of the earliest homes in Queen Village, built during the 1740’s.
Saint Phillip Neri Church, located at 218 Queen Street, was founded in 1840 and was the site of the Native American Riots in 1844.
Mario Lanza Park, in the 200 block of Queen and Catherine Streets is named after the actor and opera singer who resided on the 600 Block of Christian Street.
Front Street was the first street of Penn’s city. The section that travels through the old District of Southwark from South Street to Hoffman was confirmed in 1790.
2nd Street is the unofficial home of the Mummers and features the Mummers Museum.
Some well-known Queen Villagers
Chubby Checker
Maurice “Mo” Cheeks
Larry Fine (of the Three Stooges)
Mario Lanza (actor and opera singer)
Lionel Simmons (athlete)
William Shippen (first mayor of Philadelphia)
Man Ray (artist)

George Mifflin (Pennsylvania Governor from 1790 to 1799)

Surveyors Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon

[Note: This document is primarily a revision of "The trials and tribulations of a community: Southwark, Wicaco, and Queen Village. What's next?" by Michelle Hueber, University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work (Spring, 2001). At the time of this printing, research was still underway to confirm and correct some of the content of this work. Changes from the source document are based on interviews with Carla Puppin and Marryanne Buczek of the Queen Village Neighbors Association and Alotta's (1990) Mermaids, Monasteries, Cherokees and Custer (see bibliography).
This project represents the original work of Michelle Hueber writing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work (UPSSW) in Spring, 2001 as corrected, modified and updated by Mark D. Brown (also of UPSSW) in Spring 2003.
Much of the material for this project comes from field interviews with Marge Schernecke, Carla Puppin and Marryanne Buczek of the Queen Village Neighbors Association. We are grateful for their contributions, without which this paper would not have been possible.

Mark D. Brown, May 1, 2003

Bibliography

Alotta, R. I. (1990). Mermaids, Monasteries, Cherokees, and Custer: The Stories Behind Philadelphia Street Names. Bonus Books, Inc.: Chicago, Illinois.

Levy, P. (undated). “Queen Village. The Eclipse of a Community.” Prepared for the Institute of Civic Values.

Niebanck, P. & Pope, J.B. (1968). Residential Rehabilitation: The Pitfall of Non-Profit Sponsorship. University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia.

Rapkin, C. & Grigsby, W.G. (1960). Residential Renewal in the Urban Core. University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia.

Warner Jr., S. B. (1968). The Private City: Philadelphia in Three Periods of Growth. University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia.

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