Academy Gardens, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Academy Gardens is a neighborhood located in the The Northeast
section of Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It is located on the eastern side of the Far Northeast. Its approximate boundaries are Pennypack Park
, Grant Avenue, the John F. Byrne Golf Course, and Holme Avenue. Originally farm land, it was part of the holdings of Thomas Holme
, surveyor for Pennsylvania's founder, William Penn
.
Academy Gardens was settled in earnest by veterans of World War II
during the dramatic expansion of the Northeast. Many of the homes were inexpensive "starter homes" that were largely unfinished to constrain cost. These homes have been extensively remodeled over the years and now largely belie their humble origins.
Penn-Academy and Crispin Gardens are the local youth sports organizations. There is little industry but a fair amount of retail trade in the neighborhood, mainly along Willits Road and Holme Avenue. Former prominent residents include Thomas Holme and William J. McBride Jr., now Lord William of the Principality of Sealand.
Northeast Philadelphia
Northeast Philadelphia, nicknamed Northeast Philly, the Northeast and the Great Northeast, is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to the 2000 Census, the Northeast has a sizable percentage of the city's 1.547 million people — a population of between 300,000 and 450,000,...
section of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located on the eastern side of the Far Northeast. Its approximate boundaries are Pennypack Park
Pennypack Park
Pennypack Park is a municipal park, part of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park system, in Northeast Philadelphia in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Established in 1905 by ordinance of the City of Philadelphia, it includes about of woodlands, meadows and wetlands. The Pennypack Creek runs through the...
, Grant Avenue, the John F. Byrne Golf Course, and Holme Avenue. Originally farm land, it was part of the holdings of Thomas Holme
Thomas Holme
Thomas Holme was the first Surveyor General of Pennsylvania to actually serve, in which capacity he laid out the original plan for the city of Philadelphia.-Life:...
, surveyor for Pennsylvania's founder, William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
.
Academy Gardens was settled in earnest by veterans of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
during the dramatic expansion of the Northeast. Many of the homes were inexpensive "starter homes" that were largely unfinished to constrain cost. These homes have been extensively remodeled over the years and now largely belie their humble origins.
Penn-Academy and Crispin Gardens are the local youth sports organizations. There is little industry but a fair amount of retail trade in the neighborhood, mainly along Willits Road and Holme Avenue. Former prominent residents include Thomas Holme and William J. McBride Jr., now Lord William of the Principality of Sealand.