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Widow Maloby’s Tavern
(1765-1890s)
Located at 700 S. Front St., the tavern was owned by Thomas Maloby until his death in 1765 when his widow took over ownership. The business continued thorugh the end of the next century. Now a residential building, the property is listed under the United States’ National Register of Historic Places.
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
(1801-1995)
The Navy Yard, 5100 S. Broad St., was one of the Navy’s oldest ship-building yards, building one of the largest battleships ever built, the USS Wisconsin, along with overhauling or converting more than 1,200 vessels. It was based at Federal Street along the Delaware River in 1801 before relocating to its last spot in 1875. The Navy closed the site in 1995, eliminating 4,000 workers. It is now the home to corporate businesses,such as Urban Outfitters and Tasty Baking Co. headquarters.
Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot
(1800-1999)
Established in 1800, the Schuylkill Arsenal, Grays Ferry and Washington avenues, a supply house for guns, ammunition, clothing and textile materials during the War of 1812, needed more production room for World War I. It moved to 2724 S. 20th St. between 1918 and ‘22 and was soon renamed Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot, but continued to assist with military uniforms through the Korean War. Food, medicine and medical supplies were added to its tasks when the Defense Personnel Support Center, later named Defense Supply Center, moved to the site in ’65. The center closed in ’99. The space, now called Quartermaster Plaza, houses retail stores, such as Home Depot, PetSmart and Staples.
Moyamensing Prison
(1835-1968)
Demolished in 1968, the 133-year-old prison that once incarcerated Edgar Allen Poe and Al Capone, closed in ’63. The site now is home to Acme, 1400 E. Passyunk Ave.
Lafayette Cemetery
(1839-1946)
Capitolo Playground, 900 Federal St., was built on the former site of Lafayette Cemetery, founded in January 1839 and named for Gen. Marquis de Lafayette. Once the final resting place of thousands, the site was condemned and became the site of the multi-million dollar playground project, starting in 1947.
St. Mary Magdalen De Pazzi Church
(1852-2000)
Bishop John Neumann formed St. Mary Magdalen De Pazzi Church, 714 Montrose St., in 1852 to fullfil the religious demands Italians in an Irish-dominated faith. Mario Lanza is believed to have sang “Ave Maria” there at age 19. In 2000, St. Mary Magdalen and St. Paul’s merged and St. Mary Magdalen church became a worship site.
Institute for Colored Youth
(1863-1902)
Philanthropist Richard Humphreys founded the Institute for Colored Youth in 1837 to provide free education for qualified young persons. Relocating to 915 Bainbridge St. (then Shipen St.) in 1863, the present-day Cheyney University still takes pride in giving quality higher education.
Washington Avenue Steamship Landing and Immigration Station
(1873-1915)
Built by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Washington Avenue waterfront station became an immediate home to waves of immigrants, mainly English and Irish, who landed in Philadelphia by way of steamship. Today, the transportation hub has been replaced with various ethnic restaurants and stores.
Ridgway Library
(1878-1980s)
Construction of the Ridgway Library, 901 S. Broad St., the fourth home of the Library Company of Philadelphia, that Benjamin Franklin founded in 1731, was completed in 1878. The space, which the Free Library of Philadelphia occupied since 1944 and purchased by ’60, was abandonded by the ’80s. The building was restored and became home to the Philadelphia High School of Creative and Performing Arts in ’97.
Palumbo Restaurant
(1884-1994)
Established in 1884 as a boarding house for Italian workers, Frank Palumbo transformed the establishment into an iconic South Philly entertainment complex and restaurant. Mario Lanza, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Frankie Avalon and Sammy Davis Jr. are some of the acts who performed at Palumbo’s Restaurant, Eighth and Catharine streets, that burned down in 1994.
Verdi Hall
(1905-1920s)
Founded and managed by the Giannini family, Verdi Hall, 713 Christian St., showcased the top Italian performers until the late 1920s. It was converted into a neighborhood movie theatre and since then, has been demolished.
Fante-Leone Pool
(1905-2004)
Built in 1905 as a recreational space for immigrant workers, the Montrose and Darien streets pool is the oldest public pool in the city. The pool was renamed in ’90 to honor local leaders Dominic Fante and Anthony Leone. As a result of budget cuts, it was closed in 2004, with plans to be transformed into housing, but soon those were abandoned. Today, the space has picked up new plans for housing development.
Broadway Theatre
(1913-1971)
Opened in 1913, the vaudeville theater was once South Philly’s largest theater, with 2,183 seats. It closed in early 1970, and was demolished in 1971 for a drive-through restaurant, but the site now houses a Walgreens, 2014 S. Broad St.
Royal Theater
(1920-1970)
Built in 1919, the neo-Georgian Royal Theater, 1524-34 South St., which seated 1,100 patrons, began serving the African American community the following year. The theater become an important starting-point for the Negro Motion Picture Operators Union. It closed in ’70, but was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Municipal/JFK Stadium
(1926-1992)
Opened in 1926 to showcase the Sesquicentennial International Exposition events, the Municipal Stadium, 3601 S. Broad St., which hosted Philadelphia Eagles and Army-Navy games, was renamed John F. Kennedy (JFK) Stadium in ’64 to honor the president, who was assassinated the previous year. The facility was demolished in ’92. The Wells Fargo Center, opened at the same spot in ’96.
Jewish Education Center No. 2/Stiffel Senior Center
(1928-2011)
In 1928, the Jewish Education Center No. 2, 604 W. Porter St., was known for providing Hebrew classes and recreational activities for the Jewish community. When the building damaged by a fire in ’85, the center continued to provide services for the Jewish communiy, as well as the neighborhood, when Stiffels provided recovery funds. It was renamed Jacob and Esther Stiffel Senior Center in their honor, but it was forced to close last year because of operation and maintenance expenses.
Mount Sinai Hospital
(1939-1998)
Mount Sinai Hosptial, Fourth and Reed streets, an 11-floor hospital, was constructed between 1921 and ’39. Housing 170 beds and employing about 500 workers until its closing, the building was renovated and turned into condominiums in 2005.
Aquarama Aquarium Theater of the Sea
(1962-1969)
Aquarama, 3300 S. Broad St. advertised as Philly’s marine wonderland, enjoyed a grand, if brief, seven-year stint. Access to the 10-acre park’s more than 50 fishtanks and attractions that included whales and porpoises cost $1 for children and $2 for adults. Today, the area is occupied by CVS Pharmacy and Wills Eye Surgery Center.
Spectrum
(1967-2009)
Ed Snider opened the indoor sports complex at 11th Street and Pattison Avenue, in 1967, just 16 months after conceptualizing the idea. Hosting the Flyers and Sixers until ’96 and a variety of concerts, the arena changed names several times in its lifespan, and closed in October 2009. Demolished was in ‘10, and Xfinity Live! now occupies the site.
Veterans Stadium
(1971-2003)
Known as The Vet, Veterans Stadium, a circular venue for the Phillies and Eagles with astroturf and a seating capacity of 65,000, broke ground in October 1967, and opened for the Phillies home opener four years later. During its operation, it hosted 17 Army-Navy games, three World Series two Major League All-Star games and two National Football Conference Championships. The stadium was demolished in 2004.
-Katie Armstrong, Samantha Byles, Bobby Kittredge and Amanda L. Snyder
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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