South Philadelphia continued the urban fabric of the old city, merging with the Swedish settlement as is evident in such street names as Christian—not for the religion but for the Swedish king—and in a few surviving structures. The area became the entry point for many immigrants in the nineteenth century and is still known as the center of the Italian American community. The Italian Market on 9th Street at Washington Street remains a thriving open-air market with permanent retailers—D’Angelo's for sausage and exotic meats, DiBruno's and Claudio's for ethnic cheeses. Ethnic Philadelphia's great celebration is the Mummer's Parade, held on New Year's Day. It began its present format in 1901 and has traditionally taken place on Broad Street with most of the marchers drawn from the neighborhoods along “Two Street” as 2nd Street is called. Ueland and Junker's Mummer's Museum (1975) at 2nd and Washington streets made an effort to capture the flamboyance—but missed the glitter, the hot pinks, and other vibrant colors.
Writing Credits
If SAH Archipedia has been useful to you, please consider supporting it.
SAH Archipedia tells the story of the United States through its buildings, landscapes, and cities. This freely available resource empowers the public with authoritative knowledge that deepens their understanding and appreciation of the built environment. But the Society of Architectural Historians, which created SAH Archipedia with University of Virginia Press, needs your support to maintain the high-caliber research, writing, photography, cartography, editing, design, and programming that make SAH Archipedia a trusted online resource available to all who value the history of place, heritage tourism, and learning.