Northeast Philadelphia

Categories: Philadelphia neighborhoods

Northeast Philadelphia ("the Northeast") is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that is marked by a large Italian, Polish and Irish Catholic population. The neighborhoods that make up Northeast Philadelphia include Fox Chase, Rhawnhurst, Tacony, Frankford, Mayfair, Bustleton, Torresdale, Parkwood, Somerton, Burholme, Ryers, Holmesburg, and Crestmont Farms. It is sometimes said to include the neighborhoods of Bridesburg, Port Richmond, and Fishtown, as well. According to the 2000 Census, the Northeast has a population between 300,000 and 450,000 people, depending on how the area is defined.

History

The first European settlement in the Northeast was by Swedish farmers, who emigrated there when the area was a part of the New Sweden colony. They were followed by English Quakers, including Thomas Holme, who came to begin the settlement of William Penn's Pennsylvania colony in the late 1680's. In the years to follow, Northeast Philadelphia developed as a scattering of small towns and farms which were a part of the county, but not the city, of Philadelphia.

Geography

Due to the size of the Northeast and how it was developed the area is usually divided into two sections known as the Near and Far Northeast, the names "near" and "far" derived from the areas' distance from Center City. The demarcation line between the two sections is typically given as Pennypack Creek, with areas lying north of the creek being known as the Far Northeast and areas located south of the creek known as the Near Northeast.

Northeast Philadelphia is bounded by the Delaware River on the east, Bucks County on the north, and Montgomery County on the west. The southern limit is variously given as Frankford/Tacony Creek, Cottman Avenue (PA-73), or Adams Avenue.

Local Businesses and Attractions

Northeast Philadelphia has the third busiest airport in Pennsylvania and Franklin Mills Mall, the most visited attraction in the state. It is home to Holy Family University. The Northeast's main highways are I-95 and Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1), and it is also serviced by SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line, and three commuter rail lines.