Queen Village

Queen Village is a historic neighborhood in South Philadelphia, bordered by Society Hill, Bella Vista, and Pennsport. Originally part of “New Sweden” and later renamed Southwark, it is Philadelphia’s oldest residential neighborhood, dating back to the 17th century. The area developed as a hub for shipbuilding, blacksmithing, and textile industries, attracting waves of Jewish, Irish, Italian, and Polish immigrants. It was also home to a significant free Black community, anchored by Mother Bethel AME Church.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Queen Village thrived as a diverse working-class neighborhood, but post-World War II suburbanization and the construction of I-95 led to economic decline and urban decay. The neighborhood saw significant blight, with high-rise housing projects exacerbating crime and poverty. However, a civic movement in the 1970s helped revitalize the area, preventing the construction of the Crosstown Expressway and fostering the redevelopment of South Street into a vibrant commercial corridor.

Today, Queen Village is a thriving, affluent community known for its historic charm, lively South Street-Head House District, and strong neighborhood associations. With high median home values and a mix of historic preservation and modern development, it remains one of Philadelphia’s most desirable places to live.