Southwark, Philadelphia

{{Historical populations | type=USA

| 1790|5661

| 1800|9621

| 1810|13707

| 1820|14713

| 1830|20581

| 1840|27548

| 1850|38799

}}

Southwark is one of the oldest English settlements in the County of Philadelphia. It is actually the oldest district founded by settlers in Philadelphia, as a result of its inclusion in the former Swedish colony of New Sweden. Southwark was originally a tract of ground on the fast land of the Neck, lying between Passyunk and Wicaco. Due to the populations of the Swedish settlements of Wicaco and Moyamensing, Southwark grew earlier than other parts of the county apart from the city of Philadelphia.Where Pennsylvania History Began (by Henry D. Paxon. The Swedish Colonial Society. 1926)

The General Assembly created the district of Southwark on May 14, 1762, to facilitate cooperation with regard to street-building. As early as 1838, the district had its own police force.{{Cite web|url=https://www.odmp.org/officer/24309-watchman-john-batts|title=Watchman John Batts}} Southwark was the location of the shipbuilding complex of Joshua Humphreys, the shipbuilder and naval architect who built the first six ships of the United States Navy and is known as the "Father of the U.S. Navy".{{cite book|title=Proceedings of the Delaware County Historical Society, Volume 1|date=1902|publisher=Delaware County Historical Society|location=Chester, Pennsylvania|page=67|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BdPTAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA67|access-date=15 April 2018}}

In 1854, when it was incorporated into the city of Philadelphia by the Act of Consolidation, the borough comprised the area bounded on the north by South Street, on the west by Passyunk Avenue from 5th and South to 10th and Reed; the boundary then ran along Reed Street, down 7th, and along Mifflin Street to the river.{{cite web|url=http://www.ushistory.org/philadelphia/incorporated.html|title=Incorporated District, Boroughs, and Townships in the County of Philadelphia, 1854|website=Ushistory.org|access-date=2 January 2019}}

Only a few traces of the name "Southwark" remain in this part of Philadelphia. The Southwark Post Office is located at 925 Dickinson Street. Other namesakes include Southwark Restaurant at 4th and Bainbridge Sts. and Southwark Development Corp., a public-housing project along Washington Avenue from 3rd to 5th Sts. Although not part of the Southwark District, the word "Southwark" is painted on a wall at 23rd Street and Washington Avenue.

In 1969, this area of Philadelphia was renamed, and the Northern portion is now commonly known as Queen Village. The neighborhood of Pennsport is the primary southern half of what was Southwark.{{Cite web |url=http://www.qvna.org/qv/history.htm |title=Queen Village Neighbors Association |access-date=2009-11-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207062442/http://www.qvna.org/qv/history.htm |archive-date=2009-12-07 |url-status=dead }} The area is a diverse community, a multi-racial neighborhood of middle class, working class, and professionals.

The historic district, as defined by the National Register of Historic Places,{{cite web | url=http://www.phila.gov/philacode/html/_DATA/TITLE14/CHAPTER_14_2000_SPECIAL_CONTRO/14_2008_Southwark_National_His.html | title=Philadelphia City Code | publisher=Philadelphia | access-date=7 August 2016}} is bounded by 5th Street on the west, Lombard Street on the north, Washington Avenue on the south, and Front, Catharine, and Queen Streets and Columbus Boulevard (formerly Delaware Avenue) on the east.

Residents are within the School District of Philadelphia.

Residents are zoned to Southwark School (K-8) and South Philadelphia High School."[https://webapps.philasd.org/sp_files/boundary_maps/2640.pdf Southwark Elementary School Geographic Boundaries] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507075403/https://webapps.philasd.org/sp_files/boundary_maps/2640.pdf |date=2012-05-07 }}." School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 4, 2011."[https://webapps.philasd.org/sp_files/boundary_maps/2000.pdf South Philadelphia High School Geographic Boundaries] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313090039/https://webapps.philasd.org/sp_files/boundary_maps/2000.pdf |date=2012-03-13 }}." School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 4, 2011.

The Vare-Washington School, which occupies the former George Washington School, is in proximity to Southwark.Medina, Regina. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20131114035337/http://articles.philly.com/2013-05-24/news/39504605_1_arlene-kempin-george-washington-elementary-philadelphia-school-district Philly union challenges teacher-dump decision]." Philadelphia Inquirer. May 24, 2013. Retrieved on November 30, 2015. Persons zoned to Vare-Washington are also zoned to Furness High School."[https://webapps.philasd.org/school_finder/ School Finder]." School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on November 30, 2015. and residents of the former Abigail Vare School zone, are also zoned to Furness High School."[https://webapps.philasd.org/sp_files/boundary_maps/2160.pdf Horace Furness High School Geographic Boundaries]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120328083726/https://webapps.philasd.org/sp_files/boundary_maps/2160.pdf Archive]). School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 4, 2011.

File:Preparation for War to defend Commerce Birch's Views Plate 29.jpg|"The Swedish Church Southwark with the building of the Frigate Philadelphia," Plate 29 of Birch's Views of Philadelphia (1800)

File:Southwark School Philly.JPG|Southwark School

{{Portal|Philadelphia|Pennsylvania}}

• Queen Village, Philadelphia
• Fabric Row (Philadelphia)

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Southwark District}}

• [http://www.phila.gov/phils/Docs/Inventor/graphics/wards/wards1.htm Chronology of the Political Subdivisions of the County of Philadelphia, 1683-1854] ({{cite book |last1=Daly |first1=John |last2=Weinberg |first2=Allen |title=Genealogy of Philadelphia County Subdivisions |date=October 1966 |publisher=Philadelphia Dept. of Records |edition=Second |url=https://archive.org/details/genealogy-of-philadelphia-county-political-subdivisions-1687-1960}})
• [http://www.ushistory.org/philadelphia/incorporated.html Information] courtesy of [http://www.ushistory.org ushistory.org]
• [http://www.ushistory.org/philadelphia/incorporated.html Incorporated District, Boroughs, and Townships in the County of Philadelphia, 1854 By Rudolph J. Walther] - excerpted from the book at the ushistory.org website

• Johnson, Amandus (1927) The Swedes on the Delaware (International Printing Company, Philadelphia)
• Weslager, C. A. (1988) New Sweden on the Delaware 1638-1655 (The Middle Atlantic Press, Wilmington ) {{ISBN|0-912608-65-X}}

{{South Philadelphia}}

{{Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania}}

{{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Neighborhoods in Philadelphia

Category:Municipalities in Philadelphia County prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854

Category:Populated places established in 1762

Category:1854 disestablishments in Pennsylvania

Category:National Register of Historic Places in Philadelphia

Category:Historic districts in Philadelphia

Category:Irish-American history

Category:Irish-American culture in Pennsylvania

Category:Irish-American culture in Philadelphia

Category:South Philadelphia

Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania