Good luck everyone

Good luck finishing your projects

recent re-Development

Recent city redevelopment plan for Germantown area
Redeveloping Germantown is again a part of the city plans. Here is the plan, I will let you decide on its merits for yourselves.

MOBILIZING TO REVIVE GERMANTOWN AVE. AFTER YEARS OF STRUGGLE, ORGANIZERS OF THE EFFORT SAY THINGS ARE FINALLY STARTING TO HAPPEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
Fixing Germantown Ave, while keeping conscious of its historic significance.

Historic Burial Ground is Brought Back from the Dead
Although in North Philly, this project demonstrates the blending of historical preservation with taking back the neighborhood.

Others

Once choice areas falling to decay
Germantown's fortunes continue to decline rapidly in the 1980's-90's

Germantown youth club making waves
About the reinvigoration of the Boys and Girls Club of Germantown

Black Artists: Painted into a Corner? Some say Racism and Ignorance still Limit Options in the Galleries.
Is there Racism in Art galleries?

Germantown church balances mission with longevity
Recent article about a Germantown church, mentions suffering from economy

gangs/crime

GANG MEMBERS HEAD FOR POCONOS
Gangs in the northwest sent on retreat-read for problem of gangs in Germantown

6 shot in Germantown; Injures not serious
Germantown still isn't perfect, read this article and notice how mundane and non-sensational it reports the shootings, would have been different if they had occurred elsewhere in Philadelphia?

racism in art?

BLACK ARTISTS: PAINTED INTO A CORNER? SOME SAY RACISM AND IGNORANCE STILL LIMIT OPTIONS IN THE GALLERIES

urban archives photos

These photos are from the Urban Archives, previews are available online, e-mail the urban archives for high resolution copies

Ruby Cutts picks up litter around the Johnson House at the corner of Germantown Avenue and Washington Lane, which was once the home of a Quaker family and a stop on the Underground Railroad.


Once a town pump but no longer in use it stands at one corner of the old [Concord] school house.


Midway May market in Germantown

Oxford Street and Germantown Avenue in North Philadelphia. There is a street sign for Germantown Avenue and two pedestrians walking in front of the building. The smokestack on the building has the word "Gretz" painted on it. In image P089002 and African-American boy walks by a sign advertising Gretz Beer.

Slavery Protests

Germantown Anti-Slavery Protest

Article about the first anti slavery protest by quakers

Area residents mark slaves' freedom
House adopts Myers' Juneteenth resolution
Articles about Freedom Day (Juneteenth)

tourism

MORE RAPID PHILLY FANS IN A PHLASH, DRIVER OFFERS PLEASANT VIEWS OF THE CITY
The dichotomy of tourist-delphia and Philadelphia

Germantown's rich history overlooked
Article about attracting tourists to Germantown-while warning them of the community problem

Learn Philly's history
Tribune Tour of germantown

9 Communities added to 'Classic Towns' list
Germantown is among those that have been added to this list of suburban destinations.

police

Three Types of Black Policemen Are Playing On the Rizzo Team Here
Somewhat humorous editorial about the attitudes of black policemen

NAACP Enters Suit Against Rizzo
Lawsuit about racism in the police department (Rizzo is police chief at this time)

Clergy Group Urges Rizzo to Halt Police Brutality
Police Chief Rizzo was notorious for his strict "law and order" approach to the police department of Philadelphia.

Nutter's frisk plan: Nutty - or gutty?
Nutter likens his plan to post- 9/11 security measures at airports, which are annoying and intrusive. We're asked to sacrifice a little liberty for some safety.

1969-Gang Violence at Home, Nixon in Washington
A calendar of civil rights activities
note at end of october (top of next column) Whites bused in from germantown to another area

Schools

% of black teachers on the decline - And studies show it's bad for black students
Partly mechanics on why less black teachers in Philly schools

Protesters call schools 'racist' - Want more black teachers
similar article on racial problems

Germantown High becomes Talent school
The reorganization of Germantown High to help with academics

NEEDED: FRIENDS IN THE 'BURBS
unique cooperative program designed to help Germantown Schools

FORCED BUSING, SUBURBS OUT OF DESEG CASE
Schools are still a battleground

DESEGREGATION NOT ALL BLACK & WHITE
interesting take on the way Philadelphia desegregates schools

THEY GIVE POOR GRADE TO
Complaint on way black students are treated in "white" schools

Modern hate groups

A NEW WAY OF HATE - 'White nationalists' exploit different methods, like new media. And they don't litter.
Something to think about as you approach race relations and community engagement

Haiku and soul / edited by Lamont B. Steptoe, poet-in-residence.

A book containing poems written by Germantown High School students
available in the Library's Contemporary Culture Collection for use in Library only

urban archives listing one

This posting is a list of items that can be found in Temple's Urban Archives. I should have provided enough information for you to locate these items, you can ask the attendant for help. You can also view this post which has the information as well.

Germantown Community Council

URB 39

Box 4

folder 1

This folder is about speciic incidents in Germantown (abandoned buildings, nuisances, development problems), about halfway through folder is a letter dated may 3, 1962 that describes development issues as they relate to historic sites, specifically Johnson House

Box 10

folder 9

Halfway through is a letter from Mrs. Phillips, in my opinion a racist landlord

Followed by those that disapprove at putting a library in prime retail space (think about the same for historic sites)

Folder 12

At the end of folder is a petition to stop the urban renewal projects in order to retool urban planning

Folder 15

2^nd document “What is the used house program” followed by its implications in Germantown—“used house” was a way to decentralize public housing

box 12

folder 1

2^nd document about the start of integration in Germantown

folder 14

halfway through a pamphlet for the “Consumer Party” a new 3^rd (mostly black) political party

also halfway through are documents about h creation of a “Black Caucus” of the Germantown Community Council and a defense of the school board after increased riots and tensions in Public Schools

folder 16

documents about what to do in case of riot

and a document marked “Confidential” about race issues within the Council itself

folder 18

a document describing the climate of “institutional racism” how to diagnose and combat it

box 13

folder 24

clippings about vandalism in mount airy and how to better use the police

also near front are questionnaires about crime and police in Germantown given to the leaders of various other community groups, there are even more in the form of typed interview transcripts in the center of folder labeled “Public Safety Committee”

folder 25

even more of the questionnaires, I suggest you randomly take a few and peruse

box 39 folder 129

a proposal for financial support of a summer volunteer program (including helping colonial Germantown) something to peruse for reference

the rest of the folder contains site reports of what was done at each site

Box 56

13 Germantown Historic buildings

17 Last document is letter about complaints against police

Box 60

3 GCC Research Files, Black Power and History

I suggest looking through the entire folder, but espically articles by Philadelphia CORE, Wister Community Soul Press,

Interesting files about Racism on a national and international level

14 GCC Research Files, Racism, Christianity
15 GCC Research Files, Racism, Communications and Speech
16 GCC Research Files, Racism, Economy
17 GCC Research Files, Racism, Education
18 GCC Research Files, Racism, Foreign Policy
19 GCC Research Files, Racism, Housing
20 GCC Research Files, Racism, Welfare

Pamphlets are organized slightly different than the Germantown Community Council Records

In brackets you see [box, folder]

On the form put “General Pamphlet Collection” box …

Box 364

BAD MONEY AFTER GOOD: Change in mortgage lending patterns in Lower Germantown, by Bill Callahan. 1975. 30 pp. [364-17]

What Red-lining exactly is and how it effects “lower germantown” (bounded by Wissahickon, Roberts, and Chelten Ave, Chestnut Hill East RR)

Box 320

CENTRAL GERMANTOWN URBAN RENEWAL AREA: Final Project Report, Part I. Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. December 1966. Revised August 1967. Variously paged. [320-4]

Pg. 212-3…6 Description of needs for “clearance” of blocks of Germantown and other parts of the renewal plan

Box 24

GERMANTOWN, A PLANNING STUDY. By Henry Churchill for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. 1956. 102 pp. Appendices and maps. [24-16]
Later section involves many interviews with leaders of different neighborhood groups—note time of piece is 1956 (in the middle of white flight)

Box 87
GERMANTOWN AND MOUNT AIRY, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: COMMUNITY SURVEY. Conducted and edited by Marvin H. Eckardt. Revised to September 1964. 20 pp. [87-5] The feelings of different community groups on how they feel the neighborhood should be changed, and also a response to the city’s urban renewal plans

Box 572
GERMANTOWN AND OLD PHILADELPHIA. No date. Unpaged. [572-4]

Tourism guidebook of “Olde Germantown” in the early 1900s.

GERMANTOWN, THE CITY WITHIN A CITY. No date. Unpaged. [572-5]

Year unknown document describes a booming Germantown at the time of massive highway construction in Philadelphia (good comparison to later pieces about what Germantown has become)

Box 116
GERMANTOWN HOUSING PROJECT. Philadelphia Housing Authority. ca. 1940. 5 pp. [437-10]

Housing and neighborhood conditions: opinions and attitudes of the residents. Department of Public Health of Philadelphia. 1955. 72 pp. [116-6]

Pg 45 onward Description of how people in Germantown like the neighborhood they live in, percentages of complaints etc.

Box 544
GERMANTOWN LEADERSHIP AREA PROGRAM SUMMARY REPORT. Prepared by Germantown Settlement. 1956. 35 pp. [544-8]

Documents the formation of a council to help stop the blight of Germantown, note in 1950’s much of this would be white

Box 411
GERMANTOWN PICTORIAL. Fleu and Fetterolf, Inc. 1937. 48 pp. [411-10]

Pictures of Germantown from 1937, and a short history of the area

Homes and Community 411-7

Document describes the advantages of creating an integrated neighborhood

Box 520

[520-6] A MARKET ANALYSIS OF THE GERMANTOWN AREA. 1962.
Good analysis of the challenges facing Germantown development and how the locals want to change it

Box 538

THE NEGRO'S CHALLENGE TO THE PHILADELPHIA COMMUNITY by Joseph T. Kirkland. 1963. 6 pp. [538-9]

Document explaining unfairness against the Negro in America

Box 465

A NEIGHBORHOOD ACTS: AN EXPERIMENT IN COOPERATIVE NEIGHBORHOOD REHABILITATION. Germantown Settlement. 1957. 16 pp. [465-3] Contents: Includes mimeo draft, 1956.

Look at how to encourage the people of Germantown to reengage themselves in their own community

Box 647
RETAIL TRADE. GERMANTOWN AVENUE. Prepared for National Urban Development Services by Hammer, Siler, George Associates. 1975. 19 pp. [647-13]

Box 290
THE SECOND BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN; in Greater Philadelphia Magazine , September, 1967. 10 pp. [290-2]

Magazine article about the battle over urban renewal (I have copy)

Box 152

THIS WE BELIEVE ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. A statement of principle adopted by The Church Community Relations Council (Pelham -Germantown). No date. 4 pp. [152-1]

Short blurb about how to use the integration of Germantown to the advantage of the area, prevent blockbusting, and keep the standard of living high

Urban Archives

For those of you who have not ever had the opportunity to search through archives, here are a few instructions

notes can only be taken in PENCIL or on a computer
all other items must be left in a locker

When you arrive you will be asked to fill out a form
put on the form the title of the collection, the URB number and part, and the boxes you want to the archivist
they will retrieve the boxes for you
each box will have a number of folders in it, take out ONE AT A TIME the folder you wish to use, and try to keep the documents in order within the folder (trust me these are often meticulously put in order)
remember that the documents are at least 30 years old and somewhat fragile, so be extremely DELICATE in handling them

Also look at the titles of other folders, read other documents than the ones I have given you, you never know what you might find.

Good luck

Countryman, Matthew J. Up South: Civil Rights and Black Power in Philadelphia

Note: several copies of this book are available in the reserve section of paley library, and a copy in the urban archives.
other copies are probably available thru ez borrow, or possibly FLP

Mount Airy

Cliveden is actually located just north of Germantown in the Mt. Airy section of philadelphia (the two are often intertwined-many articles can describe both areas)

these two books (both available at Paley or thru ezborrow if the paley copies are unavailable) are about a family's move to the area and education the public school
Stalvey, Lois Mark. The Education of a WASP.
Stalvey, Lois Mark. Three to Get Ready: The Education of a White Family in Inner City Schools.

LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR . . . E. MT. AIRY GROUP HAS BEEN THERE 20 YEARS TO MAKE INTEGRATION WORK

Article about the East Mount Airy Neighbor Association

QUIET STREET IS PULLED INTO SQUATTER DISPUTE
Homeless activists occupy vacant house.

MT. AIRY STANDOFF WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S A PROTEST AND NOBODY MUCH COMES (EXCEPT THE PROTESTER)?

References article before about vacant house, there isn't much fanfare.

Phila.'s 'prettiest street' - The distinction goes to East Gowen Avenue, according to Victorian Homes magazine, which makes its case in this month's issue. A look at Philadelphia's 'prettiest street'
On the other hand, most prettiest street is in Mt. Airy

Saving Wyck

Saving Wyck

Gross Clinic Bounce

Students at Penn created this to help understand a art/historic issue.


Also look at this funny little animation about technology

A BATTLE OF BRUSHES & BROOMS \ SO ARMED, VOLUNTEERS MAKE A STAND AGAINST \ DECAY ON GERMANTOWN AVENUE

A BATTLE OF BRUSHES & BROOMS \ SO ARMED, VOLUNTEERS MAKE A STAND AGAINST \ DECAY ON GERMANTOWN AVENUE
A massive cleanup in Germantown in 1997. Look at the bottom for a reference to Cliveden. It involved several sitting and former Presidents of the United States

old book on germantown

This book was published in 1889 and has some older history on Concord School, Cliveden (an entire section as Chew House), and Wyck, unfortunately there is nothing on the Maxwell Mansion.
It is a fully digitized google book, available in PDF format as well.
http://books.google.com/books?id=beIIDPiM-5YC&source=gbs_navlinks_starget=_blank

other sources

I will be providing you with a lot of references for your projects, but if you want something that I didn't provide, Dana Dorman (a former public history student) has a list of resources on her blog. Dana Dorman's blog

Germantown red-line

UNITED THEY LEND

Philadelphia Daily News (PA) - Tuesday, June 10, 1986

Keep in mind that many of the locations you are visiting are in former "red-line" areas, areas where banks would not lend money at all, or made it extremely difficult. I include this as a description of the ingenuity of Germantown-and other "disadvantaged" areas of Philadelphia.

Germantown Preservation Efforts early 1900's

Old Howell Homestead Has Been Remodeled. Colonial Beauty of Historic Germantown Mansion is Retained-Something of Its History
Philadelphia Inquirer, published as The Philadelphia Inquirer; Date: 08-19-1901; Volume: 145; Issue: 50;Page: 8

This article is a short piece about preserving another old Germantown House.

The Fall of the "Barracks" History of the Old School Building Razed in Germantown
Philadelphia Inquirer, published as The Philadelphia Inquirer; Date: 09-10-1889; Volume: 121; Issue: 62; Page: 3;

In the 1830's private schools still existed in the Germantown area. This one is an example of sometimes happens to old buildings (article from 1880's).

Germantown History Pageant

“To Take Part in Pageant of Old Germantown Pageant Will Review Germantown History Women's Organization” Philadelphia Inquirer, published as The Philadelphia Inquirer; Date: 06-02-1922; Volume: 186; Issue: 153; Page: 2;

This article is an interesting thing about the people of Germantown performing their own history in the 1920’s. It is the smallest of overviews but has some interesting quaint imagery associated with it. Also note the location of the pageant: Germantown Cricket Club.

welcome

Hey
Here you will find a series of articles, books, and Urban Archives listings related to your Germantown projects. The majority of the ones here are about troubles that are and have historically faced the Germantown area of Philadelphia, mostly in the last 100 years.

Germantown was once a separate city, but was eventually incorporated into Philadelphia. The area is centered at the intersection of Germantown Ave and Chelten Ave, but extends from approximately Cliveden down to the railroads and the Roosevelt Expressway. It is an "umbrella" neighborhood, there are several sub-neighborhoods within it.

Feel free to contact me with any questions, my e-mail is tuc31970@temple.edu, or corner me in class.