Growth of Frankford Continuous Since 1860

Creek Has Played Frankford Boasts Wide-Open Spaces Major Role in Story of Development The modern boundaries of
Frankford, according to Frank T. Wilson, executive director of the (illustrated on Picture Page) Northeast Philadelphia Chamber The growth of population -In of Commerce, are Frankford Frankford has been steady - since Creek on the south and east, to 1860, when the Twenty-third Ward the line of Bridesburg; Castor had 23,985 Inhabitants. From 1860 Avenue on the west and Cheltenham Avenue on the north. to 190 the population has more Frankford embraces 2051 than doubled, according to statistics acres. The population averages compiled by the Philadelphia Hous24.6 persons per acre, showing a ing Association. In 1890 Frankford's population lack of congestion. jumped to 35,294 and 111 1920 it was 38,823. From that year to 1930 the givefi in a paper written by the late biggest Increase In population took Thomas Creighton, who was an auplace, and it was one of the four- thority on the history of this secteen wards in the city which showed tion. An excerpt from this paper, an increase over the previous which was written in 1916, tells a census. story of the old bridge, which was The Twenty-third Ward's popu- replaced by a more modern struclation in 1930. was 49,355, indicating ture soon after the. electric trolleys a steady growth In Industrial, and came Into existence. It reads: real estate activity I comparison 'In order to accommodate more to the previous decade. people, the old - horse cars were used Frankford Creek played an im- In the rear of the dummies as trailportant part In 'the developmebt of ers, and the roof was utilized also. Prankford. The stream now - is - no A spiral stairway made of light Iron longer navigable, but plans are - was hooked on the rear end of the under way foi Its improvement. The car as a means of access. This ladCivil Works Administration is em- der was patented by Thomas Castor, ploylhg nearly a thousand men on a of Frankford. For the comfort of project to remove the horseshoe those riding on the top of the trailer bend In the creek and prevent an awning was placed over the seats. floods. The stream also will be made These seats were always occupied In navigable for barges and small fair weather, as they afforded the craft. passenger a splendid view of the Many 'of the old family names country on , the way to the city. which were connected with Frank- When the cars reached the covered ford's early history are still in ex- bridge at Frankford Creek, there istence. A few of them are Comly, was a rush and a roar, with a ratCorson, Neff, Deal, Overington, Yar tling of planks, and there was very nall, Whitlock, Shallcross, Worrell, little' room 'between the awning Bukes, -Mendenhall, Whitaker, frame and the roof of the bridge." Smedley, Webster, Welch, Rowland, Some of Leaders Garsed, Gillingham, Sidebotham, Some of the civic leaders In Lucas, Horrocks -and Castor. Frankford today are: Once an Indian Village Frank T. Wilson, executive direcIt is interesting to note that most tor of the Northeast Philadelphia of the old families are traced back Chamber of Commerce, a man who on the maternal side, showing that has done much in the interest of in the early days a great number Frankford for many years; Jesse of men from different sections mar- R. Purnell, 4737 Oakdale Street; James A. Edgar, 1208 Dyre Street; ried Frankford women. What is probably the proudest James A. Dunn, 5131 --Milnor Street, Possession of Frankford today is its president of the Frankford BusiHistorical Society, 1505 Orthodox ness Men's Association; Ellwood W. Street,wI'iich is' stored With records Galindo, 1223. Allengrove Street; and relics tracing Frankford's his- Harry A. Moul, consulting municitory to the beginning. It was the pal engineer for the Northeast first community historical society in Philadelphia Chapiber of ComPhiladelphia, according to Dr. John mere; Clement B. Webster, 4832 C. Mendenhall, vice -presidex'tof the Penn Street; president of the Hissociety. It was organized in 1905 by 'torical Society of Frankford; Charles C. Davis, 4525 Primrose Charles C. Castor. A famous Frankford landmark is Road, president of the Northeast the house at' 4276 Orchard Street, Philadelphia - Chamber of Comnow owned by Margaret M. Holme. merce; William H - Hunter, 88, of This home was the first to receive 1125 Arrott Street, one of the olda mortgage from the first building est residents, whose ancestor, John and loan association in the United Comly, bought land in Frankford States, organized in Frankford at from - William Penn; Carolie W. Thomas Sidebotham's Inn on Janu- Smedley, 4661 Penn Street, 'sereary 3, 1831. Records of the first tary of the Historical Soaity of shareholders of this association are Frankford; - Mrs. John Sonneborn, in the possession of the historical 5019- Penn Street, on the -BOrd of society. In later years the inn was City Management of the Y W. C. A. known as the Park- Hotel, and is and an active member - - of the Frankford Branch. still 'in exi$teuee Mrs. S. Thornton, president 'or the I'Ji. ,said Fratikord was an excellent hunting region in the days Women"a Auxiliary of Frankford when it- was an Indian village. -Hospital.; Mrs. Herman Blum, 4651 Deer were plentiful. In recent years Leiper Street, active in women's evidence of this was shown by the clubs; Mrs. Clement B. Webster, discovery of arrow heads and bones 4832 Penn Street, chairman and active leader of Dison the old Whitaker estate on Cedar trict Frankford the NortheastNeeBranch of the Hill. While Frankford today has many dlework -Guild; Robgrt W. MConnew middle class homes and more nell, 1221 Wakeling Street, - foriper pretentious ones in its outlying sec- President of the Frankford High tions, many of the old frame houses School Fathers Association; George e.re still standing. Most of these A. Snook, 1217 Wakeling Street, first are in the lower end and east of principal of the Frankford High Frankford Avenue. Dr. Mendenhall School, and Frank L. Cloud, pressaid that this older section still ent principal; James T. Nulty, maintains some of the appearance Frankford Avenue and Church Street, - former State Senator from of a hundred and fifty years ago. the Eighth District; Dr. Joseph J. Many Home Owners Toland, Jr., 4605 Leiper Street, forFrankford has a high average of mer commander Frankford Post, No. home ownership-64.1 per cent. This 211, American Legion; Gerald J. is - one of the highest percentages McDermody, 1233 Kenwyn Street, in the city. Of the 12,018 homes assistant superintendent of mails of there, 7710 are owned by the resi- -Philadelphia; - John J. Clabby, 5200 Castor Road; and "Nate" Swope, 81, dents. Frankford's average family is Harrison Street east of - Frankford Avenue, who has lived In Frankfour persons. Out of the total population 24,232 ford all his life. are male and 25,123 female. There are 47,383 white residence and 1449 Negroes. It has a high percentage of native-born white residents39,523. - The assessed valuation In Frankford in 1932 was $58,024,725. From 1921 to 1930, inclusive, $36,220,245 was spent in new construction. Frankford - is not exclusively a residential district. it is a city within a-city, having a good industrial section as well. It has 218 shops, factories, mills, foundries and other industrial establishments. It has two or' the finest commu.= nity banks in - Philadelphia, the Second National and the Frankford Trust Company. It has forty-three office buildings. Some of the civic organizatiOns which play' an important part in the life of Frankford today are the Historical Society of Frankford, the Fran9d High School Fathers Association, the first organization of Its kind in the country, after which many other fathers' associations were modeled; the Frankford - 'Grocers Association, the .Frankford Taxpayers and Business Men's Association, in existence for more than - fOrty years; the Frankford Checker Club, one of the principal 'social clubs of the section; the Exchange Club of Frankford, the Frankford - Hospital, the Frankford Day Nursery, and the Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Transortation Traced - - The history of transportation in Frankford has been an Interesting one.1 According to records preserved by the Historical Society of Frankford, the only transit facilities to and from this place until 1830 were stage coaches. In 1832 the Phila- delphia and Trenton Railroad was incorporated and this line conveyed the people of Frankford to the city for a short time by cars pulled by horses. From 1858 to 1863 horse cars were used. They in turn gave way to the dummies, which were used until 1893, when the first electric trolleys were introduced. An interesting account of the old dummies, and a covered wooden -bridge which spanned the Frankford Creek at Kensington Avenue, is