Manayunk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA February 10, 2006
Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA February 10, 2006

Manayunk is a neighborhood in the northwestern section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States with postal ZIP code 19127. Located on the banks of the Schuylkill River, it contains the first canal begun in the United States (although not the first completed due to budget problems)[citation needed]. The name comes from the language of the Lenape Indians (who were later renamed the Delaware Indians by Europeans). The Lenape referred to the Schuylkill River as "Manaiung" in papers between William Penn and the Lenape In 1686, a name that was later altered and adopted as the town's name. Manaiung is the Lenape word for river which literally translates as "place to drink".[1][2]

Although historically a working class community, in recent years the neighborhood has been substantially gentrified[citation needed]. Today's residents are mostly middle to upper middle class.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] History

Map of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania highlighting Manayunk Borough prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854
Map of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania highlighting Manayunk Borough prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854
Manayunk Main Street Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location: Roughly bounded by Reading RR, Flat Rock Dam, Schuylkill River, and Lot 4025 Main St.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Architect: Multiple
Architectural style(s): Classical Revival, Late Victorian
Added to NRHP: March 18, 1983
NRHP Reference#: 83002274[3]
Governing body: Local

Manayunk was originally a community in Roxborough Township, Philadelphia County situated near the Schuylkill River, south of the Wissahickon Creek. The land that would become Manayunk was first bought from William Penn in 1685-1686 and transferred by several parties to the family of William Levering. A large part of that land was then sold to his son, Jacob Levering in 1716. Soon Levering built the first house in Manayunk, on the north side of Green Lane, west of Silverwood Street. The growing town was known as Flat Rock in 1810, from a peculiar flat rock lying on the lower side of the bridge. This was subsequently called Flat Rock Bridge. The Bridge was part of the Flat Rock Turnpike connecting Roxborough Township with Merion Township.

The settlement got its nineteenth-century identity from the construction of the dam, canal and locks there by the Schuylkill Navigation Company. The Manayunk section was finished at the end of 1818. Since the water-power was extensive, the Navigation Company sought lessees of the power for use in mills and factories. In 1819 Capt. John Towers opened the first mill to use the canal's water power. After that, purchases of water-power and the erection of mills and factories increased greatly. The area became important as a manufacturing village. Manayunk was populated by a mix of German, Irish and Polish immigrants as well as numerous African Americans.

The inhabitants became dissatisfied with the name Flat Rock and held meetings on the subject. On one such an occasion in 1824, Greek revivalists wanted to call it Udoravia ("place by the water"), but this was later overturned in favor of the Lenape word for river mëneyung or manaiung ("where we go to drink").[citation needed] For ease of spelling the "i" was changed to a "y" and the "g" to a "k". On June 11, 1840 Manayunk was incorporated as a borough. It was no longer considered part of the "Township or Borough of Rocks" (Roxborough).

The borough would last only 14 years. Manayunk and the rest of the boroughs, townships, and districts comprising Philadelphia County were disbanded and merged into the City of Philadelphia, through the Act of Consolidation, 1854. Although Manayunk was no longer a separate entity, the community maintained its small-town charm and became one of the city's many unique neighborhoods.[neutrality disputed]

Near the end of the American Civil War, a Canonicus-class monitor was launched as USS Manayunk. However, when she was commissioned four years later, the ship was renamed to USS Ajax by the prominent Philadelphian Secretary of the Navy Adolph E. Borie.

Manayunk continued to be one of the manufacturing centers of the city for the next 100 years. In the 1980s, Manayunk suffered from the decline of manufacturing jobs. It had many empty storefronts along Main Street, its primary commercial district. In the 1990s, Manayunk's revitalization began with the opening of several upscale restaurants on Main Street. These were backed by developers who promoted the neighborhood as a place to visit.

Manayunk retained its small-town charm with its small 2 and 3-story row homes, cobblestone paving, and hilly streets. Many who visited decided to stay and renovate the small row homes characteristic of the area. Increasing demand for housing in the area has led to the conversion of former mills into loft apartments, and replacement of empty storefronts and mom-and-pop stores with upscale shops. In 2004, a new condominium tower was built on part of Venice Island. In 2005 there were plans to build more condominium towers to replace the closed soap and paper factories. Manayunk has become a popular nightlife destination for college students and business commuters due in part to the many bars and restaurants in the area, a fact that emphasizes the historical meaning of the borough's name.

Main Street continues on to Umbria Street when heading north. Umbria Street was once known as Washington Street. The name was changed to reflect a large influx of Italian immigrants at the beginning of the 20th century. Italian American heritage is still evident on storefront signage along the southern side of the neighborhood, such as the well-known Consolo's Bakery on Umbria.

[edit] Manayunk Wall (Landmark)

The "Manayunk Wall" is an inclined street, comprising all of Levering Street and a few blocks of Lyceum Avenue, that is a part of the Philadelphia International Championship, an annual one day bicycle race. The "wall" begins at Main Street in Manayunk and most years ends at Pechin Street in Roxborough.

[edit] Transportation

The SEPTA R6 Norristown ex-Reading Railroad rail line runs through Manayunk, partly along an elevated structure above Cresson Street. The Manayunk train station is located on this elevated section. The other end of the R6 line used to have a stop in Manayunk before the line was cut back to its current terminus in Cynwyd. This line used the landmark Manayunk bridge, a concrete railroad viaduct built by the Pennsylvania Railroad which spans the Schuylkill River. Manayunk Bridge is an icon of Manayunk.

[edit] References

Philadelphia Portal
  1. ^ Nickels, Thom Images of America :ManayunkArcadia Publishing 2001, ISBN 978-0-7385-0511-4
  2. ^ Chapter 3 - Part II, Vol. II - Watson's Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, 1857
  3. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 40°03′58″N, 75°11′5″W

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Neighborhoods of the Northwest Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Andorra • Beggarstown • Chestnut Hill • East Falls • Germantown • Manayunk • Morton • Mount Airy • Roxborough • Upper Roxborough • Wissahickon • Wister
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Incorporated District, Boroughs, and Townships in the County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854
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