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In the early 1700s Fairhill Square Park was a piece of land owned by Isaac Norris. Isaac Norris served as mayor of Philadelphia in 1724 and was also a successful businessman.
During the revolutionary war large portions of the land Norris owned were…

Although this building is no longer part of the active railroad station, it has a history of connecting people dating back to the late 19th century. It was built in 1881 as a replacement for the Pennsylvania Reading Railroad’s Centennial Station,…

Jerry’s Ladies Fashions occupied this double-wide storefront at 2900 North 5th Street until just a few years ago. Jerry’s was one of three businesses on this block owned and operated by the Schaff family during the 20th century. Jerry’s brother…

Now home to the Rivera Recreation Center, this 17-acre plot of land has served the community as a place to play and gather for over six decades. The first recreation center to stand on this ground, the Frederick R. Mann Recreation Center, was built…

The Julia de Burgos Elementary School sits on what used to be the site of a lace factory. The factory was built in 1880 to produce carpets for the Horner Brother Carpet Company. It was purchased once more (in 1894) before it was incorporated under…

In the 1960s during the Vietnam War, Thomas Edison High School lost 54 students in Vietnam, the highest number of casualties to the war from any high school in the United States. These losses had an immense impact on the student body and former…

Once a dramatic backdrop to the Baker Bowl, The Ford Motor company constructed this 10 storey building that is still standing today at the intersection of North Broad and Lehigh Avenue. The structure was completed in 1914 with its 500,000 sqft of…

For many years, 2713 Germantown Avenue was home to many theatres (under an array of names). The building was designed by Philadelphia architect A.E. Westover. The theater first opened as the Amusement Parlor in 1912, showing silent movies with live…

Taller Puertorriqueño is a non-profit that was created in 1974 in order to preserve, develop and promote Puerto Rican art and culture. Since its opening, it has become “el corazón cultural del barrio” (The Cultural Heart of the neighborhood) by…

The Admiral Theater opened on September 3rd, 1928 and closed in 1976. It was one of multiple movie houses in el Centro de Oro, but it was unique in holding quarter matinees. It was also known for the ice cream shop in the lobby. Today, the building…