Whitman, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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]

Contents 1 Demographics 2 Origin of the name 3 Famous residents 4 Major landmarks 5 Architecture 6 State Senate district 7 State House district 8 City Council district 9 Ward 10 Police district 11 Civic groups and townwatches 12 Schools 13 References

Demographics

According to the 2000 Census, Whitman has 26,300 inhabitants (combined with Queen Village and Southwark). 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. It has a large Catholic Italian American population and very large Irish American population as well.

Origin of the name

When the neighborhood was declared an urban-renewal area in the mid-1950s, the nearby Walt Whitman Bridge also was being constructed. It was only logical, then, to lend the poet's name to the neighborhood as well.

Famous 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.

Major landmarks

• Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 2329 S. Third St., which is more than 100 years old.
• Mifflin Square, Fifth and Wolf Streets.
• Whitman Library, 200 Snyder Ave.
• Whitman Plaza shopping center, Fourth Street and Oregon Avenue.

Architecture

Mostly two-bedroom rowhomes that later were expanded to include extra rooms; most are constructed from brick.

State Senate district

First, Larry Farnese (D)

State House district

184th, William Keller (D)

City Council district

First, Frank DiCicco (D)

Ward

39th

Police district

Fourth

Civic groups and townwatches

Whitman Town Watch, Whitman Council

Schools

• George Sharswood Elementary, 2300 S. Second St.
• John H. Taggart Elementary, 400 Porter St.
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 2329 S. Third St.

References

Neighborhoods of the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Bella Vista Central South Philadelphia Devil's Pocket Dickinson Narrows East Passyunk Crossing FDR Park Girard Estate Grays Ferry Greenwich Hawthorne Italian Market Lower Moyamensing Marconi Plaza Moyamensing Newbold Packer Park Passyunk Square Pennsport Point Breeze Queen Village Schuykill Southwark Southwest Center City Sports Complex Tasker West Passyunk Wharton Whitman Wilson Park Center City North Philadelphia Northwest Philadelphia Northeast Philadelphia South Philadelphia Southwest Philadelphia West Philadelphia