The “Black Bottom” archeological excavation site at the Community Education Center near 35th and Lancaster (Photos by Tony West).

The archeological exploration of the oldest urban area in West Philly wrapped up on Nov. 17 at the Community Education Center (CEC). The dig revealed traces of the suburb of Greenville, where highways from Lancaster and Chester met rail lines on flat ground at the Market St. bridge across the Schuylkill River. Parts of Greenville, including the excavation site, became known as the “Black Bottom” after 1915.

The Black Bottom was a mostly African American community situated between 32nd and 40th Streets near Market, a neighborhood between what is now the Penn and Drexel campuses to the south and the Powelton and Mantua neighborhoods to the north that was razed over time to make way for “urban renewal” beginning in the 1960s. The area later became what is now considered University City.

Heritage West: West Philadelphia Community Archeology Project, led by Penn Anthropology Professors Meg Kassabaum and Sarah Linn, has been conducting archaeological digs in area since 2019. The project included close study of historical archives of the area, followed by a ground-penetrating radar survey. The team also collected oral histories of the neighborhood from members of the Black Bottom Tribe organization and the Lancaster Ave. 21st Century Business Association.

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Photo courtesy of Fairmount Park Conservancy.

This month, Fairmount Park Conservancy will host three public tours in West and East Fairmount Park that highlight Philadelphia’s history, including one on Philadelphia’s role in the Underground Railroad. The tours will include hikes and interactive conversations with experts in the neighborhoods’ past.

Walking in William Still’s Steps: Guided Hike and Community Conversation will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7, followed by Discover Strawberry Mansion: Neighborhood and East Park Walking Tour on October 22. The series will conclude on October 28 with Parkside Past, Parkside Present: Neighborhood and Centennial District Walking Tour.

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A Pennsylvania Historical Marker was recently installed outside of Hakim’s Bookstore, the oldest operating Black-owned bookstore in the state and perhaps on the East Coast, according to the University City Historical Society which advocated for the marker in partnership with the Enterprise Center.

Founded in 1959 by Dawud Hakim, the bookstore has been at 210 South 52nd Street for over 60 years, providing books, education, and the space for Black learning and cultural exchange. A ceremony to dedicate the historical marker was held on September 23 at the bookstore.

“This was a great day. My family and I want to thank all who braved the wind and rain to be a part of our celebration,” Yvonne Blake, Dawud Hakim’s daughter who is now managing the business, posted on Facebook. “My father devoted his life to making a difference by educating and mentoring so many. While he is no longer here physically his spirit lives on in his bookstore and in our hearts.”

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For more than 200 years, the 3500 block of Lancaster Avenue has been home to community centers, art spaces, theaters, and residences. The area includes evidence of some of the earliest houses built in West Philadelphia during the 1850s, and a new community archeology project aims to recover forgotten stories of the residents of the historic Black Bottom neighborhood before they were displaced in the 1960s when their homes were demolished to make way for what would become “University City.”

The “Heritage West: The West Philadelphia Community Archaeology Project” is a partnership between several community organizations and institutions, including HopePHL, the Black Bottom Tribe Association, the Community Education Center (CEC), University City Arts League, University of Pennsylvania, and Penn Museum. Using archaeological investigation, archival research, oral histories, and state-of-the-art technology, Heritage West team members are working together to unearth and preserve untold—or erased—histories dating from the 19th century to the present.

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The Penn Museum’s outdoor summer concert series that shines the spotlight on local bands, like the West Philadelphia Orchestra, returns as “Garden Jams” on Wednesday, July 5.

Every Wednesday evening in July, guests can enjoy cocktails in a hidden garden oasis (just off of South St.), live bands, food trucks, and exclusive after-hours access to the Penn Museum galleries, including a new exhibition, Ancient Food & Flavor. Each event begins at 5 p.m. (Note: Concerts are held indoors during inclement weather).

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The area that will be covered by the “Spruce Hill Historic District.”

UPDATE: The meeting was postponed from June 7 to June 27 due to the smoke pollution in Philadelphia caused by the Canadian wildfires. 

Community members are invited to learn more about the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) proposal to make a large part of its neighborhood, from roughly Ludlow Street in the north to Woodland Avenue in the south and 46th Street in the west to 40th in the east, a historic district recognized by the city. A panel discussion and Q and A will take place on Tuesday, June 27 starting at 7 p.m. at Resurrection Church (42nd and Pine).

The “Spruce Hill Historic District” would provide an added layer of protection of historic structures amid a building boom in the area. Designation could also regulate exterior changes to existing buildings like masonry and window replacement.

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