Where Is The Frankford Section Of Philadelphia?
215 & 267. Frankford is a neighborhood in the Northeast section of Philadelphia situated about six miles (10 km) Northeast of Center City. Although its borders are vaguely defined, the neighborhood is bounded roughly by the original course of Frankford Creek, now roughly Adams to Aramingo Avenues, Roosevelt Boulevard, and Cheltenham Avenue.
In 1854, the borough was annexed by the city of Philadelphia through the Act of Consolidation, 1854. Frankford was historically a manufacturing center, beginning with a gristmill constructed in the 1660s. This same mill became famous during the American Revolutionary War due to the heroics of Lydia Darrah.
The town doesn’t have well-defined borders but is adjacent to Frankford Creek, Roosevelt Boulevard Cheltenham Avenue, Summerdale, Juniata, Oxford Circle, Wissinoming, Bridesburg, and Kensington. According to history, Frankford was divided between Frankford and East Frankford and the entire area of Frankford Avenue.
According to history, Frankford was divided between Frankford and East Frankford and the entire area of Frankford Avenue. This division caused a rift among Caucasians and African Americans who occupy the west and east side, respectively.
Where did Frankford get its name?
The original settlers were Henry Waddy, Thomas Fairman, Robert Adam and Edward Seary. The village very likely took its name from the title of the Frankfurt Company, which took up ground there, along what is now known as Frankford Creek, in the lower part of Oxford Township. Frankford Creek’s upper tributaries were the Tacony Creek and the Wingohocking Creek. Frankford was an early suburb of the town of Philadelphia. William Penn forged a trail through the village running from the original town (now Center City) to New York City, passing through Bucks County near the site of his home, Pennsbury Manor. That trail came to be known as “Frankford Pike” (later Frankford Avenue) and was the town’s main street.
By 1990, over 30% of the storefronts on Frankford Avenue were vacant. Since this time, Frankford has seen a push for improvement. In 1993, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission adopted the Frankford Plan as a blueprint for revitalizing the neighborhood.
Northwood is bounded by Harrison Street to the south, Roosevelt Boulevard to the west and Oxford Avenue to the east, its northernmost point being Sanger Street, just below the intersection of Castor Avenue, Roosevelt Blvd ( U.S. 1) and Oxford Avenue. However, a more broad definition of Northwood would extend to Adams Avenue on the south, including the location of Northwood Park and the larger mansions on Castor Avenue south of Harrison Street.
It provided over 22,000 jobs and at its peak, produced 8 million bullets per day. In 1922, the Frankford Elevated Line opened, connecting to the Market Street Elevated to provide rapid-transit access to Center City and West Philadelphia.
That trail came to be known as “Frankford Pike” (later Frankford Avenue) and was the town’s main street.
By act on April 4, 1831, the boundaries of the borough were extended to include land to the northwest of Leiper Street, the line running along Harrison and Horrocks Streets, to a point on Frankford Creek below Wyoming Avenue.
On November 25, 1773, after receiving permission to dam the creek from a Quaker named Nicholas Waln, a feme-sole trader named Mary Peters also established a small grist mill. She was in a partnership with Richard Whitman of Oxford Township, Philadelphia County.