Ogontz/Belfield is a neighborhood in Upper Northern

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

that is located adjacent to

West Oak Lane West Oak Lane is a neighborhood in Northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The neighborhood was developed primarily between the early 1920s and late 1930s, with the areas near to Cedarbrook constructed after World War II. At the nor ...

, East Germantown, Logan, and Fern Rock, Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, United States.

History

Ogontz was named after a Native American chieftain. According to Philadelphia Department of Records, Belfield is located in the "vicinity of Chelten and Olney Avenues, Wister Street and Ogontz Avenue. Named for the Belfield Mansion". Ogontz is "from Ogontz Avenue to Broad Street above Olney Avenue". Ogontz gets its name from Ogontz Avenue, a thoroughfare which runs diagonally through the uniform grid of streets in the city. Many of the commercial and residential properties on Ogontz Ave. began to decline in the early 1970s, but revitalization efforts have largely restored it to being an important destination for the surrounding community. Ogontz Avenue joins

Pennsylvania Route 309 Pennsylvania Route 309 (PA 309) is a state highway that runs for 134 miles (216 km) through eastern Pennsylvania. The route runs from an interchange between Pennsylvania Route 611, PA 611 and Cheltenham Avenue on the border of Philadelphia ...

(old US 309), a limited access expressway, after it crosses into the suburbs. The Ogontz theatre, built in 1926- 1927, was located at 6033 Ogontz Avenue; it was closed in 1988 then was torn down. The Central High School, Special Troops Armory, and Suffolk Manor Apartments are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

Boundaries

•Bounded by Broad Street (beyond lay Fern Rock, Philadelphia) •Bounded by Olney Avenue (beyond lay

Logan, Philadelphia Logan is a neighborhood in the upper North Philadelphia section of the city of Philadelphia, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The majority of the neighborhood falls within the 19141 zip code, but some of it falls within 19140. Olney Avenue exte ...

) •Bounded by Stenton Avenue (beyond lay

West Oak Lane, Philadelphia West Oak Lane is a neighbourhood, neighborhood in Northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The neighborhood was developed primarily between the early 1920s and late 1930s, with the areas near to Cedarbrook constructed after World War ...

) •Bounded by Wister Street (beyond lay East

Germantown, Philadelphia Germantown () is an area in Northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded by Palatines, Palatine, Quaker, and Mennonite families in 1683 as an independent borough (Pennsylvania), borough, it was absorbed into Philadelphia in 1854. The area, whi ...

)

Education

Central High School, Philadelphia, Widener Memorial School, and Philadelphia School for Girls are located just south of the neighborhood. Since

La Salle University La Salle University () is a private university, private, Catholic university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The university was founded in 1863 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and named for St. Jean-Bapt ...

is located on both sides of Olney Avenue, it is partially in Ogontz/Belfield. Imhotep Charter High School, Joseph Pennell Elementary, Ogontz Academy, and Prince Hall Elementary are all located within the neighborhood.

Public libraries

Free Library of Philadelphia The Free Library of Philadelphia is the public library system that serves the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the 16th-largest public library system in the United States. The Free Library of Philadelphia is a non-Mayoral agency of the ...

operates the David Cohen Ogontz Branch at 6017 Ogontz Avenue at Church Lane.David Cohen Ogontz Branch
" ''

''. Retrieved on November 7, 2008.

Recreation

Belfield Recreation Center, Belfield Park, and Kemble Park are located in the neighborhood.

References

External links

Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation
{{Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Neighborhoods in Philadelphia Olney-Oak Lane, Philadelphia