Kensington, Philadelphia

Playground in the neighborhood of Kensington, Philadelphia. Note the factories in the background, one of which has been recently converted into the Coral Streets Art House, low-income housing for artists.

Kensington is a neighborhood in the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is between the Lower Northeast section of Philadelphia and North Philadelphia. Not to be confused with the former Kensington District, now commonly referred to as Fishtown, the area modernly referred to as "Kensington" is more of a section of smaller sub-neighborhoods than a clearly defined area. As such, there are disputes among locals as to the boundaries of the area. Generally-accepted boundaries are the triangular area bounded by Erie Avenue to the north, Front Street (and sometimes Fifth Street) to the West and Trenton Avenue to the East. While others say it's bounded by Kensington Avenue to north, Aramingo Avenue to the south, Lehigh Avenue to the west, and Castor Avenue to east. Within these boundaries, sub-neighborhoods include Harrowgate, Lower Kensington, West Kensington and Fishtown. Due to colloquial changes in the boundaries of the area since the Act of Consolidation, 1854, no clear definition is possible. The Greater Kensington area of the city roughly coincides with the former Kensington District, Richmond District, Aramingo Borough and Northern Liberties Township. Since incorporation into the City of Philadelphia (see Act of Consolidation, 1854), these areas have evolved over time to include portions of the modern "Kensington". The area is just a couple of miles northeast of Center City and just to the West of the Port Richmond neighborhood.

Kensington is home to a large population of Irish Americans, Hispanic Americans, mainly Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, African Americans, Italian Americans, and Polish Americans.

In the nineteenth century, Kensington was one of the leading centers of the textile industry, particularly in carpet manufacture. McNeil Laboratories began with the purchase of a pharmacy in the area in 1879 by the company's namesake.

Deindustrialization eventually took its hold on the neighborhood in the 1950s, leading to a significant population loss, high unemployment, economic decline, and the abandoning of homes in the neighborhood. However, some sections of the neighborhood have been revitalized in recent years, especially those near Frankford Avenue, Kensington's neighbor North of Lehigh Avenue, and Fishtown, an area of Kensington where many Shad fisheries were located, another traditionally working class neighborhood which has seen rents increase. While most of the large manufacturers have left, the area has many small shops and large renovated factories and warehouses for newer artisans to set up shop.

The U.S. Postal Service designates Kensington as ZIP codes 19125 (Kensington Station) and 19134 (Richmond Station). Adjacent neighborhoods are Northern Liberties, Fishtown, Port Richmond, Juniata, and Frankford.

Kensington is noted as the childhood home of fictional Cold Case character Lily Rush.

Government and infrastructure

The United States Post Office operates the Kensington Post Office at 4614 Stiles Avenue.

The intersection of Kensington and Allegheny Avenues (commonly referred to by Philadelphians as "K & A") is a major transportation and retail hub in the neighborhood, as it is served by the Frankford Elevated portion of the Market-Frankford Line which, running on top of Kensington Avenue, dominates the intersection. SEPTA bus routes 3 (on Kensington Avenue, running underneath the "El") and 60 on Allegheny Avenue, with route 5 nearby on Frankford Avenue, also serve the K & A area.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

The School District of Philadelphia operates public schools. Schools in Kensington include Kensington High School Complex, Jules E. Mastbaum Vocational Technical High School, Ascension of Our Lord Parish School, and John H. Webster Elementary School.

Public libraries

The Free Library of Philadelphia operates the McPherson Square Branch at 601 East Indiana Avenue.

The Kensington Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia is at 104 W Dauphin St, Philadelphia, PA 19133

Crime

The intersection of Kensington Avenue and Somerset Street was listed number one in a 2007 list of the city's top ten recreational drug corners according to an article by Philadelphia Weekly reporter Steve Volk.

In 2010, three victims were found strangled. The killer is referred to by the media as "The Kensington Strangler." A "person of interest" in the case was arrested in January 2011.

Movies

The film fictional character Rocky Balboa lived in Kensington, therefore it was the main area used in the 1976 film, Rocky. Parts of Fighting Back, Shooter, and Twelve Monkeys were filmed there, as well.

External links

• Encyclopaedia Kensingtoniana [1]
• New Kensington Community Development Corporation
• Frankford Avenue Arts
• [2]
• [3]
• Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby
• http://www.impactservices.org