Philadelphia Information Locator Service The majority of the names from this list are taken from Philadelphia Almanac and Citizens' Manual which was edited by Kenneth Finkel and published by the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1994 and 1995. It has been augmented by the staff of the Philadelphia City Archives.Philadelphia Neighborhoods and Place Names, L-P
(R.D.A.) = Redevelopment Area.
Neighborhood Location Date(s) of
referenceLaGrange Between Bustleton and Holmesburg, in the vicinity of Bustleton Avenue and Pennypack Creek. 1855-1895 Laniganville Vicinity of 36th Street and Girard Avenue. Lansdowne Village Failed real estate venture, 40th to 50th Streets, north of Parkside Avenue, that became part of site for Centennial Exhibition. Most of the property was acquired as part of Fairmount Park in 1860s and 1870s. Lawncrest Combination of Lawndale and Crescentville; on border with Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County. 1970s Lawndale Near Rising Sun and Oxford Avenue, south of Cottman Avenue. Named by a real estate developer. 1946 Lehigh (R.D.A.) Bounded by Lehigh Avenue, 5th Street, Susquehanna Avenue and Broad Street 1950-1968 Leverington Adjacent to Manayunk along Ridge Avenue, in the vicinity of Gorgas Lane. 1861 Levezytown Also known as Livezeytown. Located in the vicinity of Rhawn Street and Verree Road. 1855 Lexington Park Bounded by Pennypack Creek on the east, Roosevelt Boulevard on the west, below Rhawn Street and above Cottman Avenue. 1970s Lindley Village located at 7th Street and Lindley Avenue. Little Britain North of Wayne and Chelten Avenues, in the vicinity of West Price Street. Livezeytown See Levezytown. Logan Above Roosevelt Boulevard, south of Olney Avenue. 1970s Logan Circle Area from Schuylkill River to near Broad Street, from Market Street to Spring Garden Street. 1976 Logan's Hill See Negley's Hill. Lombard (R.D.A.) Bounded by Market Street, 7th Street, Lombard Street, Broad Street, South Penn Square, and Juniper Street 1952-1963 Lower Dublin Name of one of the original townships of Philadelphia, located in Northeast Philadelphia above Cottman Avenue. 1693-1854 Lower Tioga Bounded by Broad Street, Westmoreland Street, and the railroad. 1980 Ludlow East of Broad Street, in the vicinity of Spring Garden Street. 1970s Lumar Park Below Somerton, bounded by Red Lion Road, Bustleton Avenue, and Woodhaven Road. 1980 McCartersville South of Crescentville, along New Second Street Road. 1843-1910 MacLean Belmont Avenue and Conshohocken State Road. McNabbtown Village at SEPTA's Washington Lane station, near Awbury Arboretum. Manatawna Up Ridge Avenue from Andorra, near Manatawna Avenue. Native term meaning "where we drink liquor." (1888-1910 Manayunk North of Schuylkill River, upstream from the mouth of Wissahickon Creek. From the Native term meaning "where we go to drink." Renamed from Flat Rock after a brief interlude as Udoravia. 1821 Mantua Across from Philadelphia Zoo at railroad tracks to 30th Street Station. Laid about 1809. 1843 Martinsville East of Front Street, between Wolf and Porter Streets, vicinity of Greenwich Point Road and Southwark Canal. 1861-1899 Mayfair Cottman and Frankford Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard. Named by neighborhood civic association. 1929 Maylandsville Also known as Maylandville. In the vicinity of Darby Road, at the crossing of Mill Creek, below Woodlands Cemetery. Meadows, The Vicinity south of 84th Street, east of Darby Creek, north of Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, west of SEPTA's R1 railroad tracks. 1980 Mechanicstown Also known as Mechanics Town, Pumpkinstown, and Pumpkin Town. Located around the intersection of Germantown Avenue and Bells Mill Road. 1849-1855 Mechanicsville At the border of Buck County, southeast of Roosevelt Boulevard. 1843 Middleton Upper end of Germantown Avenue at intersection with Wissahickon Creek, now site of Chestnut Hill College. Named for Joseph Middleton who owned the site of the college. 1843 Mifflin's Hollow Located along Midvale Avenue in East Falls. Milestown Located along Old York Road, north of Branchtown, above Oak Lane. 1800-1910 Millbrook Below Woodhaven Road in Northeast Philadelphia. 1960s Mill Creek North of Haverford Avenue, south of Girard Avenue, 45th to 52nd Streets. 1970s Mill Creek (R.D.A.) Bounded by Girard Avenue, Belmont Avenue, Haverford Avenue and 52nd Street. Enlarged in 1962 to include 52nd Street, Wyalusing Avenue, 53rd Street and Girard Avenue 1948-1963 Modena Park East of Northeast Philadelphia Airport at Morrell Avenue. 1970s Molesville Vicinity of Haddington. Mondal Village near Cobbs Creek and Woodland Avenue, with a windmill and an early grist mill. Monroe Village Also known as Monroeville. Located in the vicinity of 48th Street and Lancaster Avenue. 1849 Moreland Name of one of the original townships in Philadelphia located in Northeast Philadelphia. 1687-1854 Morrell Park North of Grant Avenue, east of Northeast Philadelphia Airport. 1970s Morrisville Also known as Morris City. Vicinity of Callowhill Street, between 22nd and 25th Streets; also in the vicinity of Kelly (East River) Drive near Girard Avenue. 1830 Morton South of West Oak Lane, east of East Mount Airy, west of Broad Street. 1970s Morton (R.D.A.) Bounded by Germantown Avenue, High Street, Belfield Avenue, Musgrave Street, SEPTA's R7 railroad line, and Chelten Avenue 1957-1963 Mount Airy Between Johnson Street and Cresheim Creek, Wissahickon Creek and Stenton Avenue. Named for the mansion of William Allen, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania during the Colonial period. 1843 Mount Moriah East of Cobbs Creek, in the vicinity of Kingsessing Avenue. 1980s Mount Pleasant Also known as Mount Pleasant Village. Located around the intersection of Germantown Avenue and Mount Pleasant Avenue. (1800-1910 Mount Vernon In Manayunk, at the foot of Hermitage Street. Moyamensing South central Philadelphia, between Passyunk and Wicaco. Said to mean "unclean place" or, more literally, "place of pigeon droppings." Also "place of meeting." 18th century Neck, The Southernmost part of South Philadelphia, below Moore Street. Negley's Hill Also known as Logan's Hill. Along Germantown Avenue, above Wayne Junction station. New Philadelphia A town proposed for the vicinity of Spring Garden Street between 19th street and the Schuylkill River. 1799 Nicetown Southeast of Germantown, below Wayne Junction station. Named for de Neus, Dutch Huguenots who settled there about 1700. 1808 Nicetown (R.D.A.) Bounded by Wingohocking Street, Broad Street, Roosevelt Boulevard, Germantown Avenue, Luzerne Street, Hunting Park Avenue, Pulaski Avenue and Tabor Branch of the old Reading Railroad. Enlarged to include Hunting Park Avenue, Wissahickon Avenue and Richmond Branch of the old Reading Railroad. 1958 Nittabaconck Native settlement on the east bank of the Schuylkill River, in the vicinity of East Falls. Normandy Also known as Normandy Village. East of Roosevelt Boulevard in the vicinity of Woodhaven and Byberry Roads. 1980s North Central (R.D.A.) Bounded by Spring Garden Street, Delaware River, Vine Street, 7th Street, Market Street, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 18th Street, Vine Street, 20th Street, and Pennsylvania Avenue 1952-1963 North Penn Village Vicinity north of Susquehanna Avenue, between 25th and 30th Streets. 1861-1899 North Philadelphia Most of the area north of Center City and south of Logan. North Philadelphia (R.D.A.) Bounded by Lehigh Avenue, Front Street, Spring Garden Street and Fairmount Park 1968 Northeast Philadelphia Philadelphia between Shackamaxon and the Bucks County line. Northern Liberties North of Spring Garden Street, on Delaware River, to approximately Girard Avenue. 1680s Northwest Philadelphia That part of Philadelphia northwest of the Roosevelt Boulevard, Stenton Avenue and Wister Street to Stenton Avenue. (Incorporates old Germantown and Roxborough townships) Northwood Vicinity of Adams Avenue at Roosevelt Boulevard, east to Frankford. 1970s Nya Vasa Swedish settlement west of Schuylkill River and north of Philadelphia International Airport, opposite Girard Point. 17th century Oakdale Vicinity of the pleasure park at 12th and Huntingdon Streets, near Lehigh and Germantown Avenues. Oak Lane Northeast of Broad Street and Godfrey Avenue. Named for a landmark oak tree. 1895 Ogontz From Ogontz Avenue to Broad Street above Olney Avenue. 1980s Old City Also known as Olde City. Bounded by Delaware River, Walnut Street, Spring Garden Street and 4th Street. 1950s Old City (R.D.A.) Bounded by Vine Street, Delaware River, Lombard Street and 7th Street. 1948-1963 Old Kensington Also known as Olde Kensington. Southern portion of Kensington located north of Northern Liberties, west of Fishtown. 1976 Olney Vicinity of 5th and Chew Streets, west of the railroad tracks to Fox Chase and east of Melrose Park. Named for the estate of Alexander Wilson. 1855 Ontario (R.D.A.) Bounded by Venango Street, Germantown Avenue, Allegheny Avenue and 15th Street 1961 Orchard Park Island Road near 81st Street, north of Eastwick. 1890s Oregon Vicinity of Swampoodle. 1840 Overbrook West along City Avenue near Lancaster Avenue, where Pennsylvania Railroad built a station in 1867. 1910s Overbrook Farms Development started in the early 1890s around Overbrook Railroad Station. Overbrook Park Vicinity of City Avenue and Cobbs Creek. 1970s Oxford Name of one of the original townships of Philadelphia, originally bounded by Cottman Avenue, Delaware River, Frankford Creek, Tacony Creek and city line. 1693-1854 Oxford Circle North of traffic circle where Roosevelt Boulevard and Cheltenham, Oxford and Castor Avenues intersect. 1920s Packer Park At southern end of Broad Street, north of Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park and west of Broad Street. Panorama Hill Section of West Philadelphia from 49th to 53rd Streets, south of Girard Avenue. Now Cathedral Cemetery. 1853 Paradise At Hunting Park and Ridge Avenues, east of Schuylkill River bend, north of Strawberry Mansion Bridge, in the vicinity of Laurel Hill Cemetery. 1970s Parkside Vicinity of Fairmount Park at Parkside Avenue, west of Belmont Avenue, bordering Wynnefield. 1980s Parkwood Also known as Parkwood Manor. Near Bucks County border south of Mechanicsville, northeast of Woodhaven Road. 1970s Paschall Vicinity of Cobbs Creek Park and Chester Avenue. 1970s Paschallville Also known as Paschalville or Paschall Ville. Vicinity of Paschall Avenue and Island Road. 1861-1910 Passyunk Also known as Passayunk, Passyonck, Passuming, Passajungh, Perslajongh, Passajon, and Paisajungh. All related to the Native pachsegink, meaning "in the valley" or "place between the hills." Areas of South Philadelphia, south of Tasker Avenue. 1680s Passyunk Homes Vicinity of 26th Street and Penrose Avenue. 1980s Passyunk Square (R.D.A.) Bounded by Washington Avenue, 11th Street, Reed Street, 10th Street, Tasker Street, and Broad Street 1948 Passyunkville Vicinity of Point Breeze. 1811 Pattison Avenue East (R.D.A.) Bounded generally by 13th Street, Packer Avenue, Front Street, Oregon Avenue, Vandalia Street, railroad right-of-way, 11th Street, Pattison Avenue, Broad Street, and Geary Street. 1954 Pauls Run North of Country Lane, west of Bustleton Avenue, south of Red Lion Road. 1980s Pelham A sister development to Overbrook Farms started in the 1890s on the Carpenter Estate between Germantown Avenue and the Carpenter Lane Station on SEPTA's R8 railroad line. Pemberton (R.D.A.) Bounded by 21st, Bainbridge, 22nd and Pemberton Streets 1967-1968 Pemichpacka Native settlement, meaning "deep, dead water" or "a pond not having current," along Pennypack Creek. Penn Name of both a township and a district both located in North Philadelphia west of 6th Street and north of Poplar Street 1808-1854 Penn Center (R.D.A.) Bounded by Broad Street, 18th Street, Market Street and Vine Street. Enlarged to include 18th to 20th Streets, Market Street to John K. Kennedy Boulevard. 1952-1967 Penn-Knox Section of Germantown between Manheim Street and Chelten Avenue, Wayne and Germantown Avenues. 1980s Pennsport South of Washington Avenue, along the Delaware River. 1970s Pennsport (R.D.A.) Bounded by Washington Avenue, Water Street, Snyder Avenue and 4th Street 1968 Pennypack Between Northeast Philadelphia Airport and Pennypack Park. 1970s Pennypack Woods Also known as Pennypack Village. Below Holme Avenue, east of Holme Circle, south of Academy Gardens. 1970s Pittsville Also known as Pittville. Located in the vicinity of the intersection of Limekiln Pike and Haines Street. 1855-1910 Pleasant Hill. Easternmost section of Torresdale, below Poquessing Creek. 1888 Pleasantville See Cedar Grove. Pleasantville See Somerton Pleasantville Also known as Terrapin Town or Tortleberg. Vicinity located east of Somerton. 1843 Pluck Hill Fitler and Harrison Streets, near Frankford. Named for the play of butcher boys who battered each other with plucks, the innards of newly slaughtered animals. 1857 Plumbsock See Byberry Cross. Poetquessing Also known as Poanpissing or Achpoquesing. Native for "a place abounding with mice" on banks on Poquessing Creek in Northeast Philadelphia. 17th century Point Breeze East of Schuylkill River, north of Passyunk Avenue, south of Grays Ferry Avenue. 1895 Point-No-Point South of mouth of Frankford Creek, now Bridesburg. Poor Island Along Delaware River near Shackamaxon, now part of Port Richmond. Poplar North of Chinatown, between Spring Garden and Northern Liberties. 1970s) Poplar (R.D.A.) Bounded by Girard Avenue, Broad Street, 5th Street, and Spring Garden Street. Enlarged to include 8th Street, Girard Avenue, Franklin Street and Thompson Street. 1948-1968 Port Richmond Along Delaware River between Kensington and Frankford Creek. In 1728 a mansion was named "Richmond Hall" after a London suburb. The Port was added owing to the riverfront commerce. 1970s Port Richmond (R.D.A.) Bounded by Richmond Street, Allegheny Avenue, Bath Street, Lippincott Street, Allen Street, Monmouth Street, Allen Street, and Cambria Street. 1962 Powelton Also known as Powelton Village. South of Lancaster Avenue and Spring Garden Street, east of 42nd Street, and northwest of Powelton and Lancaster Avenues. 1843 Powelton (R.D.A.) Bounded by right-of-way of SEPTA railroad tracks, Market Street, 46th Street, Haverford Avenue, 44th Street and Belmont Avenue 1950-1963 Pratt Street (R.D.A.) Bounded by Bridge Street, Tacony Street, Aramingo Avenue, Margaret Street and the northern right-of-way of Frankford Creek 1962 Preston (R.D.A.) Bounded by 41st, Preston, Parrish and Ogden Streets 1967 Princeton Station See Rockdale Prospect Heights North of Somerton. 1890s Province Island Located in Kingsessing. 1843 Pulaskitown Section of Germantown located west of Germantown Avenue near intersection of Morris Street and Queen Lane. Pumpkin Town Also known as Pumpkinstown. See Mechanicstown. For beginning of list, A-K, click here
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Last updated on 20 May 1998