Whitman, Philadelphia

Whitman
Neighborhood of Philadelphia
Whitman
Coordinates: Coordinates: 39°55′03″N 75°09′13″W / 39.91757°N 75.15365°W / 39.91757; -75.15365
Country  United States
State Pennsylvania
County Philadelphia County
City Philadelphia
Zip code 19148
Area code(s) Area code 215

Whitman is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is bounded on the west by Sixth Street, on the east by Front Street, on the south by Bigler Street, and on the north by Snyder Avenue. The name "Whitman" was adopted when the nearby Walt Whitman Bridge was being constructed in the 1950s.[1] In 2015, Whitman and nearby South Philadelphia neighborhoods were named by Philadelphia Magazine as one of the safest and most family-friendly neighborhoods in Philadelphia. [2]

Demographics

In 2015, Whitman experienced a large surge of young professionals and students who moved into blocks previously occupied by single families. Single family homes still make up the majority of neighborhood occupants, as the Whitman Council fights to preserve the single-family nature of its housing. The Navy Yard reports Whitman to be one of the most desirable neighborhood for Navy Yard young professionals due to its proximity to the Navy Yard and nearby amenities.

According to the 2000 Census, Whitman, combined with Queen Village and Southwark, has 26,300 inhabitants. The racial makeup of the community is White, 60 percent; Black, 27 percent; Asian, 8 percent; Latino, 5 percent. About 40 percent of the population is under 18. Whitman has a very large population of Irish Catholics.. The 2010 Census showed progressive changes in demographics, including an increase in total inhabitants, with a marked increase in Asian American and young professional population.[3]

Major landmarks

The George Sharswood School and SS United States are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[4][5]

Education

Schools

The School District of Philadelphia operates public schools in the Whitman neighborhood.

Neighborhoods assigned to Sharswood are also assigned to Furness High School.[8][9]

Public libraries

The Free Library of Philadelphia Whitman Branch serves the community.[10]

Notable residents

  • Joey Coyle, who stole $1.2 million that fell from an armored truck. His story was developed into a 1993 movie, Money for Nothing, starring John Cusack.
  • Jim Kenney, the 99th mayor of Philadelphia, grew up in the Whitman neighborhood and once served as a board member of Whitman Council Civic Association.

District and local organization

State Senate district

  • First, Larry Farnese (D)

State House district

  • 184th, William Keller (D)

City Council district

Ward

  • 39th

Police district

  • Third

Civic groups and town watches

  • Whitman Plaza Community[11]
  • Pennsport/Whitman Town Watch
  • Mifflin Square Patrol
  • Whitman Council, which holds monthly meetings and distributes bimonthly newsletters.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "The place where you live: Whitman".
  2. ↑ neighborhood/|title=Whitman: Up and Coming South Philly Neighborhood | Philadelight|date=2015-08-09|newspaper=Philadelight|access-date=2017-02-25|language=en-US}}
  3. ↑ "The 2010 Census | Philly". www.philly.com. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  4. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  5. ↑ "Whitman Neighborhood: Up and Coming South Philly". Philadelight Magazine. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  6. ↑ "George Sharswood Elementary School Geographic Boundaries" (Archive). School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on November 29, 2015.
  7. ↑ "John H. Taggart Elementary School Geographic Boundaries" (Archive). School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on November 29, 2015.
  8. ↑ "A Directory of High Schools for 2009 Admissions" (Archive). School District of Philadelphia. p. 15 (PDF p/ 17/40). Accessed November 6, 2008.
  9. ↑ "Horace Furness High School Geographic Boundaries" (Archive). School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 4, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Whitman Branch." Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved on October 19, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Whitman Plaza". www.whitmanplaza.com. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  12. ↑ "Whitman Council Inc". whitmancouncil.org. Whitman Council. Retrieved 2016-10-05.
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