Queen Village - Philadelphia PA
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 39° 56.535 W 075° 08.729
18S E 487571 N 4421357
Cross the street to the south side of Lombard and you’ve entered Queen Village, the oldest neighborhood in Philadelphia and one of the oldest “urban villages” in the country.
Waymark Code: WM12G2T
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 05/20/2020
Views: 0
Queen Village-Philadelphia’s first neighborhood. Cross the street to the south side of Lombard and you’ve entered Queen Village, the oldest neighborhood in Philadelphia and one of the oldest “urban villages” in the country. This community is known for its large stock of 18th- and l9th-century buildings, many of them unchanged from colonial times. Some streets look very much like they did 200 years ago.
Queen Village was settled by Swedes in the 1600s and named Wicaco, the Lenape tribe’s word for “peaceful place.” Its name has changed twice since then. William Penn named it Southwark after a neighborhood in London. It was renamed Queen Village in the 1970s to honor the role of Sweden’s Queen Christina in promoting the original settlement.
Early residents included ship builders, rope and sail makers, sailors, dock workers, carpenters and craftsmen. Today Queen Village is home to a vibrant mix of people of all backgrounds and economic levels. Its thriving businesses and residential areas make it an exciting community in which to live and work.
Queen Village-has several landmarks of note:
Sparks’ Shot Tower. Located at Front and Carpenter Streets, this was the first shot tower in the United States. Lead shot was made here for the U.S. Army during the War of 1812.
South Street. A place where Philadelphians have shopped and been entertained for over 200 years. The nation’s first permanent theater, Southwark Theater, was located at South and Leithgow Streets. George Washington attended plays there.
Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church. Located at Swanson and Christian Streets, this is the oldest church in Pennsylvania. Built in 1700 as a Lutheran church by descendants of the early Swedish settlers, it became part of the Episcopal Church in 1845. Betsy Ross, credited with sewing the first American flag, was married here.
2nd Street. This is the home base of the Mummers, those New Year’s celebrants known for their colorful costumes and marching string bands. At the southwest corner of 2nd Street and Washington Avenue, you’ll find the Mummers Museum, a repository of costumes and Mummer history.
4th Street Fabric Row. Thought to be the country’s oldest fabric district, these retail stores continue south on 4th Street from Bainbridge Street.
Queen Village extends south from Lombard Street to Washington Avenue, and from the Delaware River west to 6th Street.
(Sidebar) Over the years, Queen Village has been home to many famous people. Here are a few names you may recognize.
• Surveyors of the “Mason-Dixon” line, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon
• Movie actor & comedian, Larry Fine (a.k.a. ‘Larry’ of the Three Stooges)
• The artist. Man Ray (born Emmanuel Rudnitzky)
• Rock ’n Roll singer & musician, Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans)
• Basketball player, Maurice “Mo” Cheeks of the Philadelphia 76ers
Group that erected the marker: Philadelphia County Historical Society
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
intersection of Lombard Street and 2nd Street
at the south end of the New Market.
Philadelphia, PA USA
19106
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed
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