Society Hill (Philadelphia)
Society Hill is a neighborhood in the district of Center City Philadelphia. The neighborhood, which comprises roughly the area between Walnut Street to the north, South Street to the south, Front Street to the east and 8th Street in the west, is home to the largest concentration of architecture from the 18th and early 19th century, in the United States today is still to be found. Similar to Beacon Hill in Boston, Society Hill has the charming character of a neighborhood in the cobbled streets of terraced houses made of bricks are lined in Federal and Georgian style.
History
The district is named after the Society of Free Traders created in the 18th century, which was located on Front Street, on the hill above Dock Creek. In close proximity to both the Delaware River as well as the most important public buildings of Philadelphia, such as Independence Hall, the neighborhood was soon one of the most populous areas of the city.
Several market halls, taverns and churches were built next to the brick houses of the wealthy citizens of Philadelphia.
In the 19th century the city expanded westward, and Society Hill lost its importance. Until the 1950s, the houses were divided, but then began the administrations of city, state and federal government, one of the first rehabilitation programs, with the aim of preserving historic buildings. While some buildings were torn down in the 19th century, most of the historic houses came to by commercially available acquisition individuals who could restore the exterior facades. To reinforce the impression of the colonial era, equipped the new owners of their houses with replicas of furniture from the 18th century. Empty Ruins and broken homes have been replaced by parks, pedestrian paths and modern buildings such as the Society Hill Towers high-rise buildings, a project by the architect IM Pei. Louis Sauer designed dozens of townhouse projects for the area around Society Hill, including Waverly Court and Penn 's Landing Square.
Among the historic buildings in Society Hill, the Society Hill Synagogue, which was in 1829, built as a Baptist church of Philadelphia architect Thomas U. Walter, one of the architects of the United States Capitol in Washington DC, as well as the Church of St. Peter Episcopal Church, the 1758-1761 was built by Robert Smith.
Education
For the education of the residents of Society Hill public schools from the School District of Philadelphia are responsible, up to the eighth school year, General George A. McCall School, and from the ninth to the twelfth grade Furness High School.