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Neighborhood Histories: Mount Airy

West Mount Airy. Image By Stacia Freedman.

Long before William Penn claimed Philadelphia for England, the neighborhood now known as Mt. Airy was inhabited for thousands of years by the Lenni Lenape, a tribe indigenous to the region. After Europeans and German immigrants began arriving in the area in the early 1600s, the Lenape were forced to relocate north leaving their ancestral lands. However, traces of their language lived on in the names of places all across the region. In the native language, Wissahickon meant “place for catfish” and Manayunk meant “place to drink.” Oddly enough, that’s still true!

Mt. Airy takes its name from the 47-acre estate built in 1740 by William Allen, Jr., a former mayor of Philadelphia. At the time, wealthy city dwellers bought up farmland in the northwest where summers were cooler and more “airy” and where they created lavish estates. Today, all that’s left of Allen’s former estate is the 14-acre campus of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, 7301 Germantown Avenue. 

West Mt. Airy. Image by Stacia Freedman.

Technically, Mt. Airy includes both sides of Germantown Avenue, east and west. But West Mt. Airy, meaning everything west of Germantown Avenue, is a middle to upper-middle-class, ethnically diverse neighborhood with most of its homes built from the mid-19th century to 1920. East Mt Airy is a predominantly black working-class neighborhood with most homes built in the 1950s. However, there are exceptions, with a scattering of grand mansions on the east side of Germantown Avenue.

Benjamin Chew, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, constructed Cliveden, a grand Georgian house at 6401 Germantown Ave as a summer retreat in the 1760s. Just ten years later, the British defeated Washington’s troops at Cliveden during the Battle of Germantown. Today, Cliveden is a Museum with tours Thurs-Sun, 12-4 pm.

The building of railroads and the advent of horse-drawn trolleys changed Mt Airy from a summer place to a suburb from which one could commute to the City. The population of Mt Airy grew dramatically from 22,605 in 1870, to 104,865 in 1930. But the Great Migration of the 1950s lifted Mt Airy into the national spotlight. While White Flight shifted the nation’s demographics in many cities, West Mt. Airy residents organized to maintain their real estate and spiritual values. As a result, West Mt. Airy was (and still is) one of the most stable and diverse middle-class neighborhoods. This would not have happened without the leadership of many houses of worship.

The Germantown Jewish Centre, 400 West Ellet St., has been a supporter of equal housing laws and the LGBTQ community. Many of the synagogue’s members do not drive on the sabbath and need to live within walking distance from the synagogue. This fact alone has created generational stability in West Mt. Airy. 

There is also a strong presence of many denominations of Christian churches in West Mt. Airy. The Summit Presbyterian Church, 6757 Greene St, is another house of worship welcoming the LGBTQ community and often partners with Jewish congregations to take a stand against gun violence and other issues of concern. The dominance of rainbow flags and Harris-Walz lawn signs are a tip off to West Mt. Airy’s progressive politics. 

The hub of Mt. Airy is Weavers Way Coop at the corner of Greene & Carpenter Lane. First launched 40 years ago, this tiny store remains the most popular grocery in West Mt. Airy. It isn’t just about whole grains and tofu anymore. Weavers Way carries Metropolitan baguettes, Humboldt Fog cheese and Esposito’s Strip Steaks.

Unique area shops include WPM Typewriter Shop, Philly’s only vintage typewriter sales, rental and repair shop (and touch typing lessons) on the southeast corner of Carpenter & Greene. And book lovers of all ages will enjoy browsing at Big Blue Marble Bookstore, 551 Carpenter Lane.

Technically, West Mt Airy is bordered by Wissahickon Avenue to the west, Stenton Avenue to the east, Cresheim Valley to the north, and Johnson Street to the south. But that’s not how locals describe it. A prime section of real estate can be found between Allens Lane to the north, Wissahickon Ave to the west, Mc Callum Street to the east, and Mt Pleasant Ave (or Carpenters Woods) to the south. This is where you’ll find the homes of Mt Airy lawyers, neurosurgeons, and developers who hit the jackpot. Many of these estates were built in the 19th century and are shrouded by high stone walls and dense foliage. But enough are on full display for a leisurely bike ride or walk. 

Another area known for its late 19th century mansions is Pelham which consists of more than three hundred buildings constructed starting in 1894 on the former estate of George Washington Carpenter. Pelham homes were built of Wissahickon schist, brick, and/or stucco, and included a wide variety of architectural styles, including Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, Jacobean, Flemish, Italianate, and Dutch Colonial. Start your tour on the 100 block of West Pelham Street.

Other quirky West Mt Airy architectural developments include the 1920s English Village, a row of semi-detached stone cottages, each surrounded with white picket fences on the 200 block of W. Gorgas Lane.  “I was teaching music in the Philadelphia schools when a fellow teacher, whom I was dating at the time, took me to see a 3-bedroom house for sale on Gorgas Lane,” said Judy. “It was love at first sight. These houses have character, small front gardens and they have a human scale.” That was in 1993. Judy and her partner are still in their home thirty years later. “I love the diversity on our street, people of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicity and sexual orientation.” Her enthusiasm reflects the overall vibe in West Mt. Airy. 

There’s another reason people live here now. Wissahickon Valley Park, 2,000 acres of woodlands, wildlife, and hiking/biking trails, are in their backyard. Bring your bike and walking shoes!

Whether you’re drawn by its rich history, stunning architecture, progressive spirit, or proximity to nature, Mt. Airy offers a unique blend of culture, community, and charm that’s truly one of a kind. For more insights into Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, check out our articles on the history of Rittenhouse Square and Powelton Village.

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