Strawberry Mansion is a neighborhood in the U.S. city of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, located east of

Fairmount Park Fairmount Park is the largest municipal park in Philadelphia and the historic name for a group of parks located throughout the city. Fairmount Park consists of two park sections named East Park and West Park, divided by the Schuylkill River, wit ...

North Philadelphia North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is immediately north of Center City. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either ...

. The neighborhood is bounded by 33rd Street to the west, 29th Street to the east, Lehigh Avenue to the north, and Oxford Street to the south. As of the 2000 census, the neighborhood had a population of 22,562. It is often associated with the historic house of the same name, Historic Strawberry Mansion, located adjacent to the neighborhood and generally thought to be the source of the community's name.

History

Formerly known as Summerville, the neighborhood takes its name from a house known as Strawberry Mansion, at one time housing a restaurant known for strawberries and cream. Strawberry Mansion was home to a number of Philadelphia's wealthiest families in the 19th Century. In 1880, The average home price was higher than 85% of the houses in Philadelphia.

19th century

The Jewish community started in the late 1890s, as the community migrated from Northern Liberties and Fairmount. After the turn of the century, many Jews living in

South Philadelphia South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south and the Schuylkill River to the west.Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club The Fletcher Street Riding Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to inner-city horsemanship in north Philadelphia. Part of a century-long tradition of black cowboys and horsemanship in Philadelphia, local horsemen maintain and care f ...

, provides activities and support to neighborhood children in the struggling area. A notable mural, "A Tribute to Urban Horsemen," can be viewed from the community garden on Montgomery Avenue near 33rd st. In 2015, it was announced that public access would be restored to the perimeter of a fallow basin of the East Park Reservoir in the first phase of a program to expand youth programs within the park. Then-Mayor Michael Nutter was quoted in ceremony, "What's demonstrated here today is that Strawberry Mansion will become the melting pot of the City of Philadelphia." Neighborhood residents eagerly await removal of the chain-link fence and barbed wire. The change is a significant expansion of the park side amenities afforded to neighborhood residents and the city, reflecting the wave of redevelopment in the area and renewed efforts to improve Fairmount Park.

Population

The community is bounded by

to the west, Lehigh Avenue to the north, Sedgley Avenue and the

SEPTA The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five c ...

rail tracks to the east, and Cecil B. Moore Avenue to the south. Bordering neighborhoods include Allegheny West to the north, Glenwood and Stanton to the east, and Brewerytown to the south. As of 2010, Strawberry Mansion was 94.3% black or African American, 2.3% white or European American, 1.6% Hispanic, 0.8% Asian, and 1% all other.Philadelphia Neighborhoods and Place Names, Q-Z
" City of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 4, 2011.

Education

The

School District of Philadelphia The School District of Philadelphia (SDP) is the school district that includes all school district-operated public schools in Philadelphia. Established in 1818, it is the 8th largest school district in the nation, by enrollment, serving over 200 ...

serves Strawberry Mansion. Strawberry Mansion High School is in the neighborhood. The high school and the area middle school shared a building with a third school, Leslie P. Hill Elementary School, which was a K-8 school, until it was closed in 2013. Many children, prior to the close, attended elementary, junior, and high school without leaving the building. Now the neighborhood school that feeds into SMHS is James G. Blaine at 30th and Berks. In 2015, a music recording studio opened at Strawberry Mansion High school financed by popular recording artist Drake. The historic Most Precious Blood School is also located in the neighborhood.

Notable residents

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Born and raise ...

musician and composer. The

John Coltrane House The John Coltrane House is a historic house at 1511 North 33rd Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. A National Historic Landmark, it was the home of American saxophonist and jazz pioneer John Coltrane from 1952 until 1958. On his death ...

, currently owned by his cousin, is designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...

Mary Dee Mary Dudley (born Mary Elizabeth Goode; April 8, 1912March 17, 1964), known as Mary Dee, was an American disc jockey who is widely considered the first African-American woman disc jockey in the United States. She grew up in Homestead, Penns ...

, radio broadcaster *

Larry Fine Louis Feinberg (October 5, 1902 – January 24, 1975), known professionally as Larry Fine, was an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is best known as a member of the comedy act the Three Stooges. Early life Fine was born to a Russian Je ...

, comedian and member of the

Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeare ...

Meek Mill Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, ...

, rapper *

Ronald Murray Ronald "Flip" Murray (born July 29, 1979) is a retired American professional basketball player who last played for Al Mouttahed Tripoli of the Lebanese Basketball League. He is a , point guard–shooting guard. After attending Strawberry Mansio ...

, professional basketball player * Allen Rosenberg, rower and rowing coach * Sandy Stewart, singer and entertainer * Jazmine Sullivan, Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter

References