Kingsessing
The Kingsessing area was first settled by the Lenni Lenape natives as it was in close proximity to the Schuylkill River. During the mid-1600s, Swedish migrants settled the township, naming it “a place where there is a meadow.” This carried through the decades, becoming a neighborhood known for large estates and gardens. Today, Kingsessing
A BRIEF HISTORY OF KINGSESSING:
The Neighborhood Today
Pieces of the past are still visible today throughout Kingsessing and Southwest Philadelphia, giving it a rich and varied character, and many elements to build upon.
Bartram Village
Bartram Village sits on a 22-acre wooded site in the Kingsessing Neighborhood of Southwest Philadelphia. Bartram Village was built in 1942 to house workers in the defense industry. The site was turned into public housing after World War II, offering 500 units among 41 residential units, providing much-needed low-income housing in the city.
Over the years, Bartram Village has faced numerous rehabilitation challenges that have hindered its residents' ability to thrive. The Bartram Choice Implementation Grant allows for a robust housing redevelopment plan that expands residents' right to choice.
Defining the Bartram Choice Neighborhood
The Bartram Choice neighborhood boundary spans from the Schuylkill River west to Springfield Avenue and from 67th Street north to the Woodlands Cemetery, along the edge of University City. The boundary includes several long-established institutions, as well as schools, civic, non-profit, and religious organizations. The boundary was defined with the intention of bringing these organizations together to share conversations around community issues and refine programs and services to better meet the needs of all neighborhood residents.
