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127-534: Marconi Plaza is an urban park square located in South Philadelphia , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , United States. The plaza was named to recognize the 20th-century cultural identity in Philadelphia of the surrounding Italian American enclave neighborhood and became the designation location of the annual Columbus Day Parade. Marconi Plaza has two main halves, east and west, which are divided in

254-493: A heat wave during the summer, no mass health crises occurred. Philadelphia passed an ordinance that authorized Mayor William S. Stokley to appoint 500 men as Centennial Guards for the exposition. Among soldiers and local men hired by the city was Frank Geyer , best known for investigating one of America's first serial killers, H. H. Holmes . Centennial Guards policed exhibits, kept the peace, reunited lost children, and received, recorded, and when possible, returned lost items,

381-471: A 2013 population estimate. SEPTA 's Broad Street Line subway services South Philadelphia and provides quick access to Center City and North Philadelphia . A number of SEPTA bus routes also serve South Philadelphia, ferrying commuters to and from Center City and the surrounding neighborhoods and suburbs. I-95 runs north and south through South Philadelphia and, in this area, provides commuters with access to Philadelphia International Airport , I-76 ,

508-544: A brick and marble foundation and was 383 ft (117 m) long, 193 ft (59 m) wide, and 68 ft (21 m) tall. The building was designed in the Moorish style and intended as a tribute to the Crystal Palace of London 's Great Exhibition of 1851. Inside, nurserymen, florists, and landscape architects exhibited a variety of tropical plants, garden equipment, and garden plans. In dramatic fashion,

635-471: A diagonal from Broad Street to South Street, is a formerly thriving consumer district currently undergoing revitalization efforts. Within the past few years, several coffeeshops, restaurants and bars have opened which appeal to the younger population beginning to live in the area. In addition, a farmers' market is held on Wednesday nights at one of the squares. 2300 Arena (better known as the ECW Arena) at

762-500: A fence nearly three miles long. There were five main buildings in the exposition. They were the Main Exhibition Building, Memorial Hall, Machinery Hall, Agricultural Hall, and Horticultural Hall. Apart from these buildings, there were separate buildings for state, federal, foreign, corporate, and public comfort buildings. This strategy of numerous buildings in one exposition set it apart from the previous fairs around

889-504: A few skilled workers, merchants, and artists from Genoa and other wealthier areas of Northern Italy . In contrast, beginning in the 1890s, the vast majority of Italian immigrants that settled in Philadelphia came from impoverished regions of Southern Italy , with most Italian immigration to Philadelphia occurring in the 20th century. Though Italians in Philadelphia emigrated from various Southern Italian regions, most Italians in Philadelphia emigrated from or have origins in three main areas:

1016-624: A flag pole at the east end. Roman Terraces of Marconi: The Greco-Roman –accented homes west of the plaza from 15th to 19th street, using the same concept but on a smaller scale, include two oval-shaped terrace streets at Smedley and Colorado. The terrace at Colorado Street became well known citywide for its annual decorations and street lighting during the Christmas holidays from 1950 to 2000. Moyamensing Avenue Parkway of Marconi: This main angular dual street with an approximately 50-foot center median landscaped area and tree-lined street, crosses

1143-660: A great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin , as president. In its first few months, the group raised $ 40,000. When the group learned the planning commission was not doing much to display the work of women, it raised an additional $ 30,000 for a women's exhibition building. In 1873, the Centennial Commission named Alfred T. Goshorn as the director general of the Exposition. The Fairmount Park Commission set aside 450 acres (1.8 km ) of West Fairmount Park for

1270-552: A loan. The board initially thought it was a subsidy . But after the exposition ended, the federal government sued to have the money returned, and the United States Supreme Court ultimately forced repayment. John Welsh enlisted help from the women of Philadelphia who had helped him in the Great Sanitary Fair. A Women's Centennial Executive Committee was formed with Elizabeth Duane Gillespie,

1397-472: A pavilion devoted entirely to the artistic and industrial pursuits of their gender. They had to build their own structure because they lost their spot in one of the larger pavilions (the Main Building) due to an unexpected increase in the participation of foreign countries. Their aim was to employ only women in the construction of the pavilion and even to power it, and they succeeded with the exception of

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1524-461: A popular means for justifying female autonomy outside of the home by demonstrating to visitors the many ways women were making a profitable living. Exhibits demonstrated positive achievements and women's influence in domains such as industrial and fine arts (wood-carvings, furniture-making, and ceramics), fancy articles (clothing and woven goods), and philanthropy as well as philosophy, science, medicine, education, and literature. Mexico participated in

1651-693: A professor of mathematics, natural philosophy , and astronomy at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana . In December 1866, Campbell suggested to Philadelphia Mayor Morton McMichael that the United States Centennial be celebrated with an exposition in Philadelphia. Naysayers argued that the project would not be able to find funding, other nations might not attend, and domestic exhibits might compare poorly to foreign ones. The Franklin Institute became an early supporter of

1778-559: A second wave of violence broke out in the otherwise quiet Marconi plaza, when a group of around 50 protesters met a group of around 100 counter-protesters . The latter group was heard chanting "U.S.A" before a brawl ensued and a man from each side was detained. On June 24 it was announced the city would request permission from the Philadelphia Art Commission to remove the statue, with public feedback collected online and an official hearing set for July 22. On August 12,

1905-454: A separate annex was built to house them all. Another structure was built for the display of photography . Memorial Hall was designed by Herman J. Schwarzmann, who basically adopted an art museum plan submitted by Nicholas Félix Escalier to the Prix de Rome competition in 1867–69. Memorial Hall became the prototype, both from a stylistic and organizational standpoint, for other museums such as

2032-518: A system of Irish Catholic churches and parochial schools for their children, including Catholic high schools. The later immigrant populations of Italians and Poles were also Catholic. Initially, these populations attended existing Catholic churches but built their own ethno-national churches when possible. However, the more established Irish-American ethnic community controlled the Catholic clergy and hierarchy for decades in Philadelphia and throughout

2159-659: A target for vandalism and city sanctioned removal nationwide. Some members of the Italian-American community of South Philadelphia assembled in Marconi Plaza, believing that the Italian immigrant-created Columbus statue would be destroyed; some of them were armed with weapons and surrounded the statue. However, in the wake of the George Floyd protests, outsider far-right counterprotesters who were not from

2286-526: Is 16,771 people per square mile. 46.6% of the population is male, and 53.4% is female. The South Philadelphia area comprises the zip codes of 19145, 19146, 19147 and 19148. The largest and oldest Italian immigrant settlements in Philadelphia are in South Philadelphia. Though rare and small in size, some early Italian immigrant settlements appeared in South Philadelphia prior to the 1890s; however, these small settlements generally consisted of

2413-462: Is a 19-acre (77,000 m) rectangular park. The Roman-styled plaza is divided in the center by Broad Street and is bordered by 13th Street, 15th Street, Bigler Street, and Oregon Avenue. The plaza design is credited to the strong influence of renowned architect Paul Philippe Cret in 1904 as part of his participation in the Art Jury reviewing the preliminary plans presented by landscape architects

2540-552: Is a park located along the Delaware River in the southernmost point of South Philadelphia, comprising some 348 acres (1.41 km ). The park was built to the design of Olmsted Brothers , the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and John Charles Olmsted in the early 20th century. The American Swedish Historical Museum is located in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park . The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard

2667-500: Is in South Philadelphia. It is a merger of the former Saint John Neumann High School and the Saint Maria Goretti High School . In addition, there are several Catholic elementary schools in South Philadelphia, usually tied to a local parish church. In 2010 South Philadelphia Catholic elementary schools had 2,572 students, a decline by 27% from the 2006 figure. Philadelphia Free School , patterned on

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2794-737: Is largely African American and is often considered the center of the South Philadelphia's African American communities. The neighborhood of Pennsport remains primarily a working class Irish-American neighborhood and the cultural center of Irish-American South Philadelphia. An increase in late 20th-century and early 21st-century immigration has given South Philadelphia significant populations from Asia , particularly Southeast Asia , including populations from Vietnam , Cambodia , Indonesia and Thailand . In addition, there has been an increase in recent years of immigrants from Russia , Mexico and Central American nations such as Honduras , Guatemala and El Salvador . Today, many vendors that work alongside

2921-720: Is located in South Philadelphia near the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The casino has over 2,100 slot machines and electronic table games , 150 table games, a poker room , and a sportsbook . The complex also has a 12-story hotel , dining, entertainment, and an event center. The South Philadelphia Race & Sportsbook operated by Parx Racing is located in South Philadelphia near the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, offering off-track betting and sports betting . Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Park (originally named League Island Park)

3048-596: Is located in the eastern part of the South Philadelphia, specifically Pennsport and Whitman . Pennsport, which is also locally referred to as "Two Street", is arguably the most well known Irish neighborhood in South Philadelphia. Pennsport is also home to many of the city's Mummers clubs, where some are known for their Irish American themes. Other Irish neighborhoods are located in the northwestern area of South Philadelphia, including Grays Ferry , Devil's Pocket and areas of Girard Estate , Southwest Center City and Schuylkill . Philadelphia's large Irish community, however,

3175-558: Is located in this section of town along the Delaware River . For decade during the World Wars and after, the shipyard was a major employer, whose craftsmen built new ships and repaired and maintained existing ones. With the decline in the military uses, the area is being redeveloped by the Navy and city for a variety of business and industrial uses. A refurbished area of South Philadelphia alongside Columbus Boulevard/Delaware Avenue (near

3302-627: Is mirrored on both sides of Broad Street and became property of the Fairmount Park system. It held the common name of Oregon Plaza until October 18, 1937 when it was officially named Marconi Plaza in honor of the Nobel Prize Laureate Guglielmo Marconi , the inventor of radio. The F. Amadee Bregy School was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The original design of

3429-408: Is more prominent in other sections of the city, most notably Northeast Philadelphia . As of 2000 the largest Mexican community in Philadelphia was in the area bounded by Front Street , 18th Street, Oregon Avenue, and Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia. As of 2011 most Mexicans in South Philadelphia originate from the state of Puebla . African Americans have lived in South Philadelphia since

3556-665: Is now the University of the Arts . Used for a time as a police station, the building now houses the Please Touch Museum , which includes a faithful 20x30-foot model of the exposition grounds and 200 buildings. The Women's Pavilion was the first structure at an international exposition to highlight the work of women, with exhibits created and operated by women. Female organizers drew upon deep-rooted traditions of separatism and sorority in planning, fundraising, and managing

3683-673: Is today known as Center City Philadelphia . Along with all other jurisdictions in Philadelphia County , South Philadelphia became part of the City of Philadelphia proper with passage by the Pennsylvania legislature of the city–county Act of Consolidation, 1854 . The area continued to grow, becoming a vital part of Philadelphia's large industrial base and attracting immigrants from Italy , Ireland, Poland and many Southern European and Eastern European countries during

3810-1053: The Art Institute of Chicago (1892–1893), the Milwaukee Public Museum (1893–1897), the Brooklyn Museum (1893–1924), and the Detroit Institute of Art (1920–1927). Libraries such as the Library of Congress , the New York Public Library , and the Free Library of Philadelphia also emulated its form. Finally, Memorial Hall was the architectural inspiration for the German capitol, the Reichstag building in Berlin. After

3937-569: The Associated Press said "South Philadelphia has been growing more diverse for decades, but the last 20 years have seen the greatest influx of Asian and Hispanic families." David Elesh, a Temple University urban sociologist, said that of the almost 60,000 Philadelphia residents who reported being born in China, many lived in South Philadelphia. As of the 2010 Census, there are 168,782 people in 78,440 housing units. The population density

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4064-488: The Olmsted Brothers , who were then charged with a modified design to complete the work. . The Plaza later served as the grand pre-entrance for the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition , leading visitors south along a tree lined Southern Boulevard Parkway (landscaped segment of South Broad Street) to the exhibition grounds that started at Packer Avenue and continued to League Island Park . This neighborhood twin park

4191-997: The Pennsport neighborhood. Portions of South Philadelphia are within Philadelphia City Council Districts 1 and 2. As of 2014 Councilman Mark Squilla and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson represent the two districts. The Philadelphia Fire Department operates nine fire stations serving South Philadelphia. Most of South Philadelphia resides in Fire Battalion 1, headquartered at 711 S. Broad Street . Portions of South Philadelphia reside in Battalion 4, headquartered at N. 4th and Arch streets, and Battalion 11, headquartered at 43rd and Market streets. The Philadelphia Police Department patrols three districts located within South Philadelphia. The three patrol districts serving South Philadelphia are

4318-508: The Philadelphia Phillies (professional baseball), Philadelphia Eagles (professional football), Philadelphia 76ers (professional basketball), Philadelphia Flyers (professional ice hockey), Philadelphia Soul (professional arena football), Temple Owls (college football) make their home in the massive state-of-the-art sports arenas surrounding the well-known intersection: Citizens Bank Park , Lincoln Financial Field and

4445-822: The Philadelphia crime family is active in the area, maintaining much of its operations in South Philadelphia. The African-American Black Mafia and its offshoot, the Junior Black Mafia , have also had a presence in the Point Breeze section of South Philadelphia since the late 1960s. Historical gangs include the Italian Philadelphia poison ring as well as the Lanzetta brothers , a gang of six Italian-American brothers who were drug traffickers and bootleggers . All six brothers were born in

4572-700: The South Philadelphia Sports Complex and the Walt Whitman Bridge . The Girard Point Bridge section of I-95 crosses over the mouth of the Schuylkill River , where it merges with the Delaware River . I-76 becomes the Schuylkill Expressway at Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia and allows access between this section of the city and University City , Center City , 30th Street Station and

4699-753: The Sudbury school model, is located at the intersection of 21st and Christian streets. Free Library of Philadelphia operates six branches in South Philadelphia: Charles Santore, Fumo Family, Queen Memorial, South Philadelphia, Thomas F. Donatucci Sr. and Whitman. Prior to its 1999 reopening in a new building, the Fumo Branch was known as the Ritner Children's Branch. Prior to 2004, the Donatucci Branch

4826-401: The Walt Whitman Bridge ), Columbus Commons, provides big box shopping and chain restaurants. Washington Avenue, between 16th St. on the west and Front St. on the east, is home to many Asian businesses, including Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean. Among these are restaurants of all types, two large Asian supermarkets , jewelers and a wide variety of specialty shops. Passyunk Avenue , running on

4953-562: The Wells Fargo Center . Also located at the sports complex is Xfinity Live! Philadelphia , a dining and entertainment complex. The South Philadelphia Sports Complex is home to both Citizens Bank Park , the home field of the Philadelphia Phillies , Lincoln Financial Field , the home field of the Philadelphia Eagles , Wells Fargo Center , the home arena of the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers , and

5080-554: The beaux-arts style , it was the largest art hall in the country when it opened, with a massive 1.5-acre (0.61 ha) footprint and a 150 ft (46 m) dome atop a 59 ft (18 m)-high structure. The central domed area is surrounded by four pavilions on the corners, with open arcades to the east and west of the main entrance. It provided 75,000 sq ft (7,000 m ) of wall surface for paintings and 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m ) of floor space for sculptures. The exposition received so many art contributions that

5207-495: The 1960s. With the dramatic loss of industrial jobs during mid-20th century restructuring, there were population losses in South Philadelphia as well as other working-class parts of the city, and some neighborhood Catholic schools had to close. Today, many of South Philadelphia's communities are largely Italian Americans . Many of these communities contain both older and more recent Italian immigrants and Italian speakers, and Italian saint festivals and cultural celebrations, including

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5334-563: The 1st, 3rd and 17th districts. According to the United States Census Bureau , South Philadelphia has an area of 9.7 sq. miles, all land. The South Philadelphia Planning Analysis Section is bounded by South Street on the north and the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers to their confluence. The portions on either side of Broad Street are known as South Philadelphia West and South Philadelphia East . In 2010,

5461-631: The Centennial or on trains heading for Philadelphia. Philadelphia streetcars increased service, and the Pennsylvania Railroad ran special trains from Philadelphia's Market Street , New York City , Baltimore , and Pittsburgh . The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad ran special trains from the Center City part of Philadelphia. A small hospital was built on the exposition's grounds by the Centennial's Medical Bureau, but despite

5588-717: The Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), all public magnet schools, are in South Philadelphia, at 11th and Catharine streets, 21st and Ritner streets, and Broad and Carpenter streets, respectively. The Mastery Charter Schools system operates the Thomas School (grades 7–12) in South Philadelphia. It was formerly the district school Thomas Middle School, and shares a campus with a district elementary school, D. Newlin Fell School , at 9th Street and Oregon Avenue. Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School

5715-612: The Exposition, six from typhoid fever , one from smallpox , and one from organic disease of the heart. The Centennial National Bank was chartered on January 19, 1876, to be the "financial agent of the board at the Centennial Exhibition, receiving and accounting for daily receipts, changing foreign moneys into current funds, etc.," according to an article three days later in The Philadelphia Inquirer . Its main branch, designed by Frank Furness ,

5842-583: The Exposition, the building continued to be used for horticultural exhibits until it was severely damaged by Hurricane Hazel in 1954 and was subsequently demolished. As a replacement, the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center was built on the site in 1976 as part of the United States Bicentennial exposition. Designed by Joseph M. Wilson and Henry Pettit, Machinery Hall was the second largest structure in

5969-619: The Great Sanitary Fair, was one of the many United States Sanitary Commission 's Sanitary Fairs held during the American Civil War . The fairs provided a creative and communal means for ordinary citizens to promote the welfare of Union Army soldiers and dedicate themselves to the survival of the nation, and the Great Central Fair bolstered Philadelphia's role as a vital center in the Union war effort. It anticipated

6096-598: The Italian-Americans at the Italian Market are of Asian descent and Mexican or Central American descent, and Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican, and Central American restaurants are interspersed with historic Italian restaurants in the Market area. The recent revitalization of Center City Philadelphia and the subsequent gentrification of adjacent neighborhoods has also led to dramatic rises in prices of housing in

6223-495: The Main Exhibition Building dealt with mining , metallurgy , manufacturing , education, and science. Offices for foreign commissioners were placed in proximity to the products exhibited along in the aisles along the sides of the building. The walkways leading to the exit doors were ten feet wide. After the Exposition, the structure was turned into a permanent building for the International Exhibition. During

6350-745: The Maryland House, which was moved to Druid Hill Park in Baltimore , where it is extant today, and the Missouri House, which was moved to Spring Lake, New Jersey , along with several other exhibition buildings, some of which are still extant in various Jersey Shore towns. The United States government had a cross-shaped building that held exhibits from various government departments. The remaining structures were corporate exhibitions, administration buildings, restaurants, and other buildings designed for public comfort. The formal name of

6477-686: The NovaCare Complex, the practice facility of the Philadelphia Eagles. The sports complex region also once housed Veterans Stadium , the former home field of the Eagles and Phillies, which stood from 1971 to 2004, John F. Kennedy Stadium , which stood from 1925 to 1992, and the Spectrum , the former arena of the 76ers and Flyers, which was in use from 1967 to 2009 and was demolished in 2011. Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia

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6604-427: The Philadelphia Art Commission issued an order to remove the statue from Marconi Plaza and to place it in temporary storage. This followed an endorsement of a city proposal, two weeks prior, by the Philadelphia Historical Commission , to remove the statue, citing public safety and susceptibility of damage to the statue as a result of the George Floyd protests . Mollbore Terraces of Marconi : The 1930s Mollbore Terrace

6731-430: The Plaza was a two level terrace with pathways, marble trims, urns, influenced by landscaped architecture modeling after Roman gardens and English gardens . The east and west plaza reflected the same winding pathways, leading to a raised stepped terrace surrounded by stone railings and entrance sculptures of large urns, with two small "reflecting" pools of water facing Broad Street at the center point, which at that time

6858-424: The South 9th Street Italian Market festival, are popular in the South Philadelphia Italian-American communities. In addition, South Philadelphia continues to be home to many ethnic Irish American communities and African American communities. Both Irish American and African American communities can be found in the neighborhoods of Grays Ferry and Southwest Center City , while the nearby neighborhood of Point Breeze

6985-778: The Third Ward of South Philadelphia. South Philadelphia (along with Atlantic City ) was a part of their territory, in which they fought with rival bootleggers William Michael "Mickey Duffy" Cusick and Joe Bruno during Prohibition . Angelo Bruno , who was boss of the Philadelphia Crime Family, was murdered in front of his house at 10th and Snyder Avenues in 1980. Residents are with the School District of Philadelphia 's South District. Zoned public high schools in South Philadelphia include South Philadelphia High School , Audenried High School , and Furness High School . Historic school buildings include Francis Scott Key School and Southwark School . Academy at Palumbo, Girard Academic Music Program and The Philadelphia High School for

7112-435: The United States and coincided with the centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence 's adoption in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. It was held in Fairmount Park along the Schuylkill River on fairgrounds designed by Herman J. Schwarzmann . Nearly 10 million visitors attended the exposition, and 37 countries participated in it. The Great Central Fair on Logan Square in Philadelphia , in 1864, also known as

7239-539: The United States. On June 1, 1872, Congress created a Centennial Board of Finance to help raise money. The board's president was John Welsh , brother of philanthropist William Welsh, who had raised funds for the Great Sanitary Fair in 1864. The board was authorized to sell up to $ 10 million in stock via $ 10 shares. The board sold $ 1,784,320 ($ 45,381,205 in 2023 ) worth of shares by February 22, 1873. Philadelphia contributed $ 1.5 million and Pennsylvania gave $ 1 million. On February 11, 1876, Congress appropriated $ 1.5 million in

7366-420: The United States. It was purchased for $ 18,000 with money raised by Italian-Americans and the Columbus Monument Association, through the efforts of Alonzo Viti of Philadelphia and his brothers. The statue's initial installation began an annual tradition for the colony of mostly Italian Americans in South Philadelphia to march each year on Columbus Day to the statue in Fairmount Park. The 6-mile (9.7 km) journey

7493-494: The Women's Pavilion was commissioned in 1873 by the United States Centennial Board of Finance with the expectation that it would generate enthusiasm for the celebration of the fair and increase subscriptions to exposition stock. Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, president of the Women's Centennial Committee, led the effort to gather 82,000 signatures in two days to raise money for the pavilion. Gillespie also helped convince Congress to grant additional funding. It took only four months to raise

7620-442: The area saw rapid growth in population and urban development. This expansion was in part due to an influx of working class laborers and immigrants looking for factory jobs and dock work , as well as the first wave of mass immigration of Irish refugees or impoverished immigrants from Ireland in the wake of the Great Irish Hunger . South Philadelphia's urbanized border eventually expanded to reach that of Philadelphia proper, or what

7747-462: The area's population was 168,782. Though mostly known for its large Italian population, South Philadelphia contains a diverse population of Italians, Irish , African Americans and Mexicans , as well as growing populations of Vietnamese , Chinese , Cambodian , Indonesian , Thai and Central Americans . In addition, the area contains smaller but historically significant Greek , Jewish , and Maronite Lebanese communities. On January 22, 2010

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7874-402: The auction held on December 1, 1876, it was bought for $ 250,000. It quickly ran into financial difficulties but remained open through 1879 and was finally demolished in 1881. The third-largest structure at the exposition was Agricultural Hall. Designed by James H. Windrim , Agricultural Hall was 820 ft (250 m) long and 540 ft (160 m) wide. Made of wood and glass, the building

8001-416: The basis for a new definition to Marconi East as community 3 and Marconi West as community 4. 39°54′56″N 75°10′17″W  /  39.91559°N 75.17135°W  / 39.91559; -75.17135 South Philadelphia South Philadelphia began as a satellite town of Philadelphia, with small townships such as Moyamensing and Southwark . Towards the end of the First Industrial Revolution ,

8128-426: The birthday of the world-famous Italian scientist and inventor. Marble statue of Christopher Columbus was erected on the west plaza in 1976. This work was originally located along Belmont Avenue in Fairmount Park, having been unveiled on October 12, 1876, for Philadelphia's Centennial Exposition . Thought to be the work of Emanuele Caroni, this is said to be first publicly funded monument to Christopher Columbus in

8255-481: The building was east–west in direction, making it well lit, and glass was used between the frames to let in light. Skylights were set over the central aisles of the structure. The corridors of the building were separated by fountains that were attractive and also provided cooling. The structure of the building featured a central avenue with a series of parallel sheds that were 120 ft (37 m) wide, 1,832 ft (558 m) long, and 75 ft (23 m) high. It

8382-423: The building's corners. These towers had small balconies at different heights that served as observation galleries. Within the building, exhibits were arranged in a grid, in a dual arrangement of type and national origin. Exhibits from the United States were placed in the center of the building, and foreign exhibits were arranged around the center, based on the nation's distance from the United States. Exhibits inside

8509-407: The combination of public, private, and commercial investments that were necessary to mount the Centennial Exposition. Both had a similar neo-Gothic appearance, including the waving flags, a huge central hall, the "curiosities" and relics, handmade and industrial exhibits, and also a visit from the U.S. president and his family. The idea of the Centennial Exposition is credited to John L. Campbell,

8636-427: The corner of Swanson Street and Ritner Street is a venue known for hosting boxing and professional wrestling events. Centennial Exposition The Centennial International Exhibition , officially the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine , was held in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876. It was the first official world's fair to be held in

8763-442: The country. In 1852, the first Italian Catholic parish in the United States, St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi , was founded by pre-mass immigration Italians. Donna J. Di Giacomo, author of Italians of Philadelphia , wrote that this church "was a hallmark of the neighborhood and touched many a South Philadelphia Italian's and Italian American's life in one way or another for generations." Much of South Philadelphia's Irish population

8890-412: The culture of Philadelphia, establishing the Italian Market , creating both the cheesesteak and the hoagie , and introducing Italian roast pork sandwiches , water ice , tomato pie and pizza to the cuisine of Philadelphia . Recently, some Italian-American South Philadelphians have moved to Southern New Jersey . However, the Italian-American population in Philadelphia remains the second largest in

9017-403: The design by Hermann J. Schwarzmann. Their overarching goal was to advance women's social, economic, and legal standing, abolish restrictions discriminating against their gender, encourage sexual harmony, and gain influence, leverage, and freedom for all women in and outside of the home by increasing women's confidence and ability to choose. A project of the Women's Centennial Executive Committee,

9144-429: The early 19th century at the very least, though the city of Philadelphia proper was home to a significant population of freed and fugitive slaves from at least the 18th century onward. The majority of the current African American population in South Philadelphia, however, is descended from Southern migrants who moved into the city in high numbers during the first Great Migration in the early 20th century. South Street

9271-480: The establishment of Greek Orthodox parishes in South Philadelphia, while Lebanese immigrants established Lebanese Maronite parishes. Despite this dramatic growth in population, the low funding of education by the city resulted in the first public high school not being formed in South Philadelphia until 1934. Attracted to the industrial jobs, the new residents of South Philadelphia created communities that continued many of their Old World traditions. While many of

9398-568: The evolved bicycle, with tension spokes and a large front wheel. Two English manufacturers, Bayless Thomas and Rudge, displayed their high-wheel bikes (called "ordinary bikes" or "penny farthings") at the exposition. The bicycle displays inspired Albert Augustus Pope to begin making high-wheel bikes in the United States. He started the Columbia Bike Company and published a journal called " LAW Bulletin and Good Roads", which

9525-763: The exposition and asked the Philadelphia City Council for use of Fairmount Park . With reference to the numerous events of national importance that were held in the past and related to the city of Philadelphia, the City Council resolved in January 1870 to hold the Centennial Exposition in the city in 1876. The Philadelphia City Council and the Pennsylvania General Assembly created a committee to study

9652-627: The exposition and located west of the Main Exhibition Building. With a superstructure made of wood and glass resting on a foundation of massive masonry, it had a main hall painted light blue, 1,402 ft (427 m) long and 360 ft (110 m) wide, with a wing of 208 ft (63 m) by 210 ft (64 m) attached on the south side of the building. The length of the building was 18 times its height. With eight entrances, it occupied 558,440 sq ft (51,881 m ), had 1,900 exhibitors, and took six months to construct. The exhibits focused on machines and evolving industries. Machinery Hall

9779-419: The exposition introduced the general public to the notion of landscape design, as exemplified the building itself and the grounds surrounding it. A long, sunken parterre leading to Horticultural Hall became the exposition's iconic floral feature, reproduced on countless postcards and other memorabilia. This sunken garden enabled visitors on the raised walkways to see the patterns and shapes of the flowerbeds. After

9906-607: The exposition mainly consisted of two types of building, traditional masonry monuments and buildings with a structural framework of iron and steel. The Centennial Commission turned to third-place winner's architect Henry Pettit and engineer Joseph M. Wilson for design and construction of the Main Exhibition Building. A temporary structure, the Main Building was the largest building in the world by area, enclosing 21.5 acres (87,000 m ). It measured 464 ft (141 m) in width and 1,880 ft (570 m) in length. It

10033-462: The exposition the next day. The average daily attendance for May was 36,000 and for June 39,000. A severe heat wave began in mid-June and continued into July, hurting attendance. The average temperature was 81 °F (27 °C), and on ten days during the heat wave the temperature reached 100 °F (38 °C). The average daily attendance for July was 35,000, but it rose in August to 42,000 despite

10160-462: The exposition was the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine, but the official theme was the celebration of the United States centennial. This was reinforced by promotional tie-ins, such as the publication of Kate Harrington 's Centennial, and Other Poems , which celebrated the exposition and the centennial. At the same time, the exposition was designed to show

10287-799: The exposition, Memorial Hall reopened in 1877 as the Pennsylvania Museum of Art and included the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Art. In 1928 the museum moved to Fairmount at the head of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and in 1938 was renamed the Philadelphia Museum of Art . Memorial Hall continued to house the school, and afterward was taken over by the Fairmount Park Commission in 1958. The museum school

10414-477: The exposition, which was dedicated on July 4, 1873, by Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson . The Commission decided to classify the exhibits into seven departments: agriculture, art, education and science, horticulture, machinery, manufactures, and mining and metallurgy. Newspaper publisher John W. Forney agreed to head and pay for a Philadelphia commission sent to Europe to invite nations to exhibit at

10541-437: The exposition. Despite fears of a European boycott and high American tariffs making foreign goods not worthwhile, no European country declined the invitation. To accommodate out-of-town visitors, temporary hotels were constructed near the exposition's grounds. A Centennial Lodging-House Agency made a list of rooms in hotels, boarding houses , and private homes and then sold tickets for the available rooms in cities promoting

10668-418: The exposition. In 1869, Schwarzmann began working for the Fairmount Park Commission, which administered the site of the 1876 Centennial Exposition. It is one of the great urban parks of the United States; its importance in landscape history was surpassed only by Central Park . Schwarzmann was the chief architect for the Centennial Exposition, designing Memorial Hall, Horticultural Hall, other small buildings, and

10795-429: The fairgrounds, and exorbitant rates were charged by carriage drivers. Drawing lessons from this failure, the Philadelphia exposition was ready for its visitors, with direct railroad connections to service passenger trains every 30 minutes, trolley lines, street cars, carriage routes, and even docking facilities on the river. More than 200 buildings were constructed within the exposition's grounds, which were surrounded by

10922-454: The funds for the pavilion. Much of the pavilion was devoted to human ecology and home economics . On exhibit were over 80 patented inventions, including a reliance stove, a hand attachment for sewing machines, a dishwasher, a fountain griddle-greaser, a heating iron with removable handle , a frame for stretching and drying lace curtains, and a stocking and glove darner. The Centennial women not only showed domestic production but also employed

11049-561: The landscaping around them. His work for the Centennial Exposition was informed by the Vienna International Exposition in 1873 , which Schwarzmann visited to study the buildings and the grounds layout. The Vienna International Exposition in 1873 was marred by disastrous logistic planning and was taken as a cautionary example. At the Vienna Exposition, there was no convenient way for visitors to reach

11176-566: The largest street festival in Philadelphia, is an African-American celebration that is held annually in the South Street area. As of 2013, those who identified as "Black alone" or in combination with another ethnicity totaled 45,482 persons living in the zip codes 19145, 19146, 19147 and 19148. The African American population in South Philadelphia has historically constituted between 25% and 30% of South Philadelphia's population - 27% "Black alone" and in combination with another ethnicity, as of

11303-525: The late 19th and early to mid 20th centuries, as well as Black American migrants from the southern United States during the Great Migration of the early 20th century. The immigrants and migrants became the basis of South Philadelphia's unique and vibrant culture that developed over the next several decades. Struggling to maintain their Catholic identity in a mostly Protestant city, the Irish built

11430-414: The longest 125 ft (38 m) in length. The construction included red and black brick-laid design with stained glass or painted glass decorations. The Interior walls were whitewashed, and woodwork was decorated with shades of green, crimson, blue, and gold. The flooring of the building was made of wooden planks that rested directly on the ground without any air space underneath them. The orientation of

11557-685: The middle by Broad Street . It is located at the most southern end of the city and within the northern border of the Sports Complex Special Services District and the southern border of Lower Moyamensing . The park plaza is accessible via the Oregon Avenue station of the Broad Street subway . Boundaries of the Marconi Plaza neighborhood: The urban park plaza itself, from which the neighborhood derives its name (Marconi East and "Marco" Marconi West),

11684-444: The most unusual of which were front hair pieces and false teeth. Guards were required to live onsite and were housed at six police stations strategically located throughout the Exposition. A magistrate's office and courtroom were located at the only two-story police station located on the grounds and was used to conduct prisoner hearings. Officers slept in cramped quarters, which fostered health issues. Eight guards died while working

11811-485: The neighborhood began to show up. Jim Kenney released a statement on twitter; @PhillyMayor (June 14, 2020). "We are aware of the groups of armed individuals protecting the Columbus statue in Marconi Plaza. All vigilantism is inappropriate, and these individuals only bring more danger to themselves and the city" ( Tweet ) – via Twitter . city officials have since declared that the statue will remain on site for

11938-432: The neighborhoods of historic Queen Village, Bella Vista , and some other northern parts of South Philadelphia, leading to an influx of young urban professionals in those more northern neighborhoods. Many of the community clubs that create the annual Mummers Parade every New Year's Day have traditionally been from South Philadelphia, especially those located on the largely Irish Americans S. 2nd Street ("Two Street") in

12065-621: The new arrivals were Catholic, neighborhood parishes reflected their ethnic and national traditions. Monsignor James F. Connelly, the pastor of the Stella Maris Catholic Church and an editor of the 1976 work The History of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia , said in a 2005 Philadelphia Inquirer article that each parish church "offer[s] the immigrants the faith they were familiar with." Coptic Orthodox Christian churches were also established in South Philadelphia in

12192-595: The occasion written by Dudley Buck and Sidney Lanier was performed. The opening ceremony concluded in Machinery Hall, with Grant and Pedro II turning on the Corliss Steam Engine which powered most of the other machines at the exposition. The official number of first day attendees was 186,272 people, with 110,000 entering with free passes. In the days following the opening ceremony, attendance dropped dramatically, with only 12,720 people visiting

12319-485: The park is densely lined with large maple trees with heights of 30–50 feet high. Bronze statue of Guglielmo Marconi , sculpted by Saleppichi Giancarlo, was erected on the east plaza in 1975 though the efforts of the Italo-American Community organized as the "Marconi Memorial Association" headed by Dr. Frank P. DiDio. The statue was dedicated on April 25, 1980, to commemorate the 106th anniversary of

12446-640: The pavilion's exhibits, indicating the growth of a sector of elite women during the Porfirio Díaz regime of the late nineteenth century, with many individual women sending examples of woven textiles and embroidery. Eleven nations had their own exhibition buildings, and others contributed small structures, including the Swedish School house referenced below, now in Central Park , New York City. The British buildings were extensive and exhibited

12573-465: The plaza, two reflecting pools of water. The pools were filled in to provide the foundation for the two statues that were later erected to support the cultural history of the immigrant Italian community and respond to Anti-Italianism . The park is currently lushly covered with 25% trees adorned with park benches, open areas for two tot lots, a baseball field, basketball court, and country cottage style enclosed bocce court. The sidewalk border surrounding

12700-759: The previously combined regions of Abruzzo and Molise ; the city of Messina in Sicily and the surrounding province ; and Salerno and Avellino in Campania . To this day, dialects from those regions mixed with English are spoken in many South Philadelphia households and neighborhoods. Italians in South Philadelphia experienced widespread discrimination from the larger majority populations of Philadelphia. For example, Italian neighborhoods in South Philadelphia were heavily redlined for decades specifically due to their Italian-American demographics. However, Italian-Americans in South Philadelphia have contributed greatly to

12827-553: The project and seek support of the U.S. Congress . Congressman William D. Kelley spoke for the city and state, and Daniel Johnson Morrell introduced a bill to create a United States Centennial Commission. The bill, which passed on March 3, 1871, provided that the U.S. government would not be liable for any expenses. The United States Centennial Commission organized on March 3, 1872, with Joseph R. Hawley of Connecticut as president. The Centennial Commission's commissioners included one representative from each state and territory in

12954-648: The region, often excluding the more recent Italian (and, to a lesser extent, Polish) populations from participating in the church hierarchy. In addition to the influx of Catholic immigrants to the majority Protestant city of Philadelphia, many Polish Jews and other Jews from Central and Eastern Europe settled in South Philadelphia during the first half of the 20th century, especially in the diverse area now known as Queen Village where Jewish immigrants lived among Catholic Polish immigrants, Irish-Americans, and Italian immigrants. A smaller but significant Greek immigrant community also flourished around this time, leading to

13081-559: The south entrance of the building served as a primary entrance to the building for streetcars. The north side related the building to the Art Gallery and the west side served as a passageway to the Machinery and Agricultural Halls. In the Main Exhibition Building, columns were placed at a uniform distance of 24 ft (7.3 m). The entire structure consisted of 672 columns, the shortest column 23 ft (7.0 m) in length and

13208-495: The standard street grid and was designed as an alternative roadway access to the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition. It begins at Oregon Avenue, that once was a headhouse entrance for the 1926 Expo, through to the intersection of 20th Street, Penrose Avenue and Packer Avenue. An architectural design for a grand public square like the squares of Center City Philadelphia (inspired by the Benjamin Franklin Parkway )

13335-402: The standard street grid, offsetting the numbered streets that permitted placing a "mini-public-square" of green space for houses to face inward on all four sides and directions. The center large rectangular common parks space was originally designated as a "Terrace" that included pathways, grass and trees with an octagon-shaped wading pool at the west end and a raised octagon sand pit platform with

13462-399: The time being and on June 17 city workers boarded it up with a wooden box to protect it. On June 15 conservative WPHT radio talk show host Dom Giordano interviewed a South Philadelphia resident who defended the statue in a segment called "The 'Gravy Seals' Speak Out". When questioned as to why the man would defend the statue, he is quoted as saying "...it's more than just a statue, that statue

13589-485: The way. The intersection of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue is home to the regionally famous Geno's Steaks and Pat's King of Steaks cheesesteak shops, fierce competitors in the local deli market for decades. Also, nearby is the city's open-air Italian Market , specializing in fresh produce, meats and other foods. It is lined by specialty shops, such as butchers, bakeries and cheese/grocery stores, as well as one for kitchen goods, and new cafes and coffee houses. The area

13716-816: The western suburbs. In addition, PA Route 291 serves as a major artery between the area and Delaware County , crossing the Schuylkill River via the Platt Bridge , named for Medal of Honor recipient George C. Platt . Broad Street is part of PA Route 611 . South Philadelphia is served by unprotected bike lanes on many streets going in all directions. Snyder Avenue has unprotected bike lanes going East and West. Columbus Boulevard has North and South bike lanes which are separated from automobile traffic from Reed Street to Center City. 22nd Street provides Northward lanes for cyclists . Some streets such as 11th Street have both Bike lanes and Sharrows or Shared lane marking . In 2022, Washington Avenue east of Broad Street

13843-481: The world that had relied exclusively on having one or a few large buildings. The Centennial Commission sponsored a design competition for the principal buildings, conducted in two rounds; winners of the first round had to have details such as construction cost and time prepared for the runoff on September 20, 1873. After the ten design winners were chosen, it was determined that none of them allowed enough time for construction and limited finances. The architecture of

13970-594: The world the United States' industrial and innovative prowess. The exposition was originally scheduled to open in April, marking the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord , but construction delays caused the date to be pushed back to May 10. Bells rang all over Philadelphia to signal the exposition's opening. The opening ceremony was attended by President Ulysses Grant and his wife as well as Emperor Pedro II of Brazil and his wife . A cantata commissioned for

14097-420: Was 45 ft (14 m) tall, weighed 650 tons, and had 1 mi (1.6 km) of overhead line belts connecting to the machinery in the building. It symbolized the technology that was transforming the United States into an industrial powerhouse. Amenities available to the visitors within the hall were rolling chairs, telegraph offices, and dinner for fifty cents. Machinery Hall had 8,000 operating machines and

14224-399: Was a unique urban change from the densely lined row houses that characterized most of South Philadelphia. The design included front porches and a rear yard with an access service roadway for trash pick-up. Three separate Mollbore Terrace sections were constructed east of the plaza within the boundaries of 13th Street to 7th Street, and from Oregon Ave to Johnston Street. The layout departed from

14351-402: Was constructed using prefabricated parts, with a wood and iron frame resting on a substructure of 672 stone piers. Wrought iron roof trusses were supported by the columns of the superstructure. The building took eighteen months to complete and cost $ 1,580,000. The building was surrounded by portals on all four sides. The east entrance of the building was used as an access way for carriages, and

14478-416: Was cut away from the curbline, forming half circles open to traffic on both the east and west. This accent was used in 1926 to position a large Liberty Bell at the center of the street, permitting traffic to circle around. Over the years, many of the fine details have been erased, including the half circled indented curbline on either side of Broad Street at the center. This location also had, on both sides of

14605-504: Was designed to look like various barn structures pieced together. The building's exhibits included products and machines used in agriculture and other related businesses. Situated high atop a hill presiding over Fountain Avenue, Horticultural Hall epitomized floral achievement, which attracted professional and amateur gardeners. Unlike the other main buildings, it was meant to be permanent. Horticultural Hall had an iron and glass frame on

14732-418: Was donated from the community and was paid for by the community. So it represents Italian heritage, even though the history may be blemished on Columbus himself. It's still recognized as an Italian heritage symbol, so we feel like we're being attacked. Because you know - they took down Rizzo , they took down the mural, now they're gonna take down this and they're probably going to stop the parade ..." On June 23

14859-442: Was featured in the film Rocky and its sequels. This is the heart of an annual street festival celebrating the neighborhood's food. Edward W. Bok Technical High School , listed on the National Register of Historic Places , has been converted into a workspace and community center. Among the largest landmarks in South Philadelphia is the South Philadelphia Sports Complex at the corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. Here,

14986-405: Was filled with a wide assortment of hand tools, machine tools, material handling equipment, and the latest fastener technology. Some of the sandstone that was used to build the hall was from Curwensville, Pennsylvania . The Art Gallery building (now known as Memorial Hall ) is the only large exhibit building still standing on the exposition site. Constructed of brick, glass, iron, and granite in

15113-598: Was found to be too exhausting and in 1920 the celebration changed locations. Controversy surrounding Christopher Columbus statue The words "Italian-Americans against racism" were painted on the pavement in front of the statue as part of a series of protest events on Columbus Day. During the aftermath of the George Floyd protests and greater Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in June, statues depicting Christopher Columbus as well as other historical figures had become

15240-417: Was opened that April on the southeast corner of Market Street and 32nd Street. A branch office operated during the exposition on the fairgrounds. The Centennial Commission ran out of funds for printing and other expenses. Philadelphia city officials appropriated $ 50,000 to make up for the shortfall. Herman J. Schwarzmann , an engineer for the Fairmount Park Commission, was appointed the main designer of

15367-630: Was originally considered the cultural and commercial center of this community, though the community became increasingly concentrated to western areas below South Street, including Point Breeze , Southwest Center City , Schuylkill and Grays Ferry . Point Breeze and South Street particularly served as Philadelphia's " Harlem " during the first half of the 20th century. The first police station and fire station staffed by African Americans were located on South Street. Famous South Philadelphians include opera contralto Marian Anderson and musicians Kenny Gamble and Chubby Checker . The Odunde Festival, arguably

15494-498: Was planned at the parkway's end point of Penrose Avenue, which was viewed by city planners to be the significant southern gateway to the City. The 1926 square was never developed. In 2002, the City of Philadelphia legislated boundaries of the Sports Complex Special Service District . The residential communities defined included Marconi Plaza. The Special District established an overlay providing

15621-672: Was the Passyunk Branch, and the Santore Branch was the Southwark Branch. South Street has long been considered the border between South Philadelphia proper and Center City. It originally ran east and west (although traffic is now routed east one-way). Many bars, nightspots, shops and restaurants are located along this neon-lit hotspot, with occasional live music venues (including the Theatre of Living Arts ) along

15748-767: Was the beginning of the Good Roads Movement . . The main British building, also known as St. George's Hall or the English Commission Building, survived at its original site as Fairmount Park offices until it was demolished in 1961. 26 of the 37 U.S. states constructed buildings along States Drive in the exhibition grounds. Only three such state houses are still extant: the Ohio House at its original location in Fairmount Park,

15875-473: Was the longest nave ever introduced into an exhibition building up to that time. On both sides of the nave were avenues 100 ft (30 m) in width and 1,832 ft (558 m) in length. Aisles 48 ft (15 m) wide were located between the nave and the side avenues, and smaller aisles 24 ft (7.3 m) in width were on the outer sides of the building. The exterior of the building featured four towers, each 75 ft (23 m) high, at each of

16002-503: Was the show case for the state of the art industrial technology that was being produced at the time. The United States of America alone took up two-thirds of the exhibit space in the building. One of the major attractions on display in the building was the Corliss Centennial Steam Engine that ran power to all the machinery in the building as well as other parts of the world's fair. The 1,400 horsepower engine

16129-570: Was transformed into a multimodel road with protected bike lanes and pedestrial crossings. The span of Washington Avenue west of Broad Street underwent repaving and minor changes to bike lanes. As of 2016 two Taiwanese airlines, China Airlines and EVA Air , provide private bus services to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for customers based in the Philadelphia area. These bus services stop in South Philadelphia. The Italian-American Mafia family known as

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