A Historical View of Kingsessing, PA

The slip and fall lawyers in Kingsessing, PA, at Philly Slip And Fall Guys, offer the following guide to the neighborhood’s history.

Kingsessing

The neighborhood of Kingsessing is located in Southwest Philadephia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The Schuylkill River flows along the eastern border as Cobbs Creek flows just outside the western edge of town. South 54th Street and Springfield Avenue intersect in the center of the neighborhood. The neighboring communities include Squirrel Hill, Grays Ferry, Elmwood Park, and Angora.

History

Initially a township, the greater area was named after a Lenape term meaning a place with a meadow. Many of the original settlers were Swedes and Finns that formed the New Sweden colony. Farms, gardens, and orchards covered the area. It became the state’s hub for florist and nursery gardens. This area became known as Southwest Philadelphia.

The neighborhood, getting its name from the historical township, is the site of the original village that was made up of the Lenape Native Americans and the early Swedes that founded the colony.

Historical Landmarks

The town has a rich history surrounding its gardens, but the 50-acre Bartram’s Garden is the oldest surviving botanical garden in the country. John Bartram established it in 1728 upon Lenape Native American territory along the Schuylkill River. Located on the property was Rambo’s Rock, an attraction that disappeared only to be replaced by a pier.

The current Grays Ferry Bridge was constructed in 1976 and consisted of a four-lane highway. However, before bridges connected the areas on either side of the river, there were three ferries including:

• Upper Ferry, also known as Sculls Ferry
• Middle Ferry
• Lower Ferry

Education

The public schools make up the Philadelphia City School District and include the following:

• Mitchell Elementary School – located on Kingsessing Avenue
• W.C. Longstreth Elementary School – located on Willows Avenue
• Benjamin B. Comegys School – located on Greenway Avenue
• Bartram High School – located on South 67th Street

However, there are several private schools and charter schools, such as:

• Independence Charter School West – located on Chester Avenue
• Hardy Williams Mastery Charter School – located on Warrington Avenue
• Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School – located on South 58th Street

All the residents have access to the free Kingsessing Library located on South 51st Street.

Demographics

The area has mainly low-income households, and as many as 59.9% of the children live below the poverty rate. Most of the working population are employed in the following fields:

• 33.3% sales and service jobs
• 32.8% manufacturing and laborer occupations
• 20.6% clerical, assistant, and tech support occupations
• 13.3% executive, management, and professional

As many as 13.5% of the neighborhood was born in countries other than the United States. Spanish is spoken by 2.1% of the residents, while the majority speak English. The neighborhood’s residents most commonly identify their ethnicity as the following:

• 24.7% Jamaican
• 6.5% Sub-Saharan African
• 5.8% African
• 2.4% Puerto Rican
• 1.5% Irish

Keep reading: An Overview of Center City, PA

Our Local Office

The Kingsessing, PA, slip and fall lawyers at Philly Slip And Fall Guys have years of experience handling slip and fall injuries. Call for a no-obligation consultation and see how they can help you.

Philly Slip And Fall Guys
1617 John F Kennedy Blvd #355,
Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA
(215) 268-6898