West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb Historic District

Roughly bounded by U. of Pennslvania campus, Woodlands Cemetery, Poweltown Ave., 52nd St., and Woodland Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. County/parish: Philadelphia.

Added to the National Register of Historic Places February 05, 1998. NRIS 97001669.

3382 contributing buildings. 3 contributing sites. 1 contributing object.

Also known as:

  • Victorian University City Historic District

From Wikipedia:

West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb Historic District

The West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb Historic District is an area of West Philadelphia listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It represented the transformation of Philadelphia's rural farmland into urban residential development, made possible by the streetcar, which provided easy access to Center City. This is an early example of the streetcar suburb.

Development had proceeded during the 19th century to about 43rd Street. The arrival of electrified streetcars in 1892 accelerated development to the west and southwest.

Noted Philadelphia church architect Isaac Pursell (1853-1910) designed the contributing Christ Memorial Church (1887) at 4233-4257 Chestnut Street.

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National Park Service documentation: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71997186

LC