Fairmount, or the Art Museum district is considered one of Philadelphia’s premiere neighborhoods. Often paired with the Spring Garden neighborhood, the area was historically a home for prominent businessmen, but also diverse, as it houses Eastern State Penitentiary (and previously, many of the prison’s workers), and formerly Baldwin Locomotive Works and many breweries, opened in the nineteenth century by many of the city’s German immigrants. Girard College, a school for boys founded in the mid-19th century, also borders the area and influenced the character and residents of the neighborhood. Spring Garden houses many mansions and more ornate houses that were built for executives and managers, while working-class row homes line the streets of Fairmount.
Today, people flock to the area for the gorgeous historic architecture and the fabulous location.
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Fairmount Park is one of the premiere urban green spaces in the US. Actually made up of 63 parks and administered by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, Fairmount Park is often said to be the Central Park of Philadelphia. Fairmount Park proper is sub-divided into several sections itself. The South Park area, near the Fairmount Water Works, is one of the most accessible to the Fairmount/Spring Garden Area. This green space affords you a gorgeous view of the Schuylkill river, including rowers from the nearby boathouses, and plenty of wedding parties being photographed in the summer! The historic Water Works themselves are an architectural gem. Built between 1812 and 1815, they once pumped water from the river up to reservoirs on top of the nearby hills, including Fairmount, for use by residents, and supplied water to the entire City of Philadelphia until 1909.
The “faire mount” in the name of the neighborhood refers to the hill that currently houses the Philadelphia Art Museum (think of those Rocky steps and how much effort it takes to get to the museum’s entrance!). Originally, William Penn meant to build his estate home in that location, which affords a beautiful view of what is now Center City. Penn never did build that house, but county estates were built on Lemon Hill and near Belmont Plateau.
You’d never know it today, but Fairmount was originally outside of the Philadelphia city limits, in what was then Penn Township. Like all of Philadelphia County, Fairmount and Spring Garden were folded into the City of Philadelphia with the Act of Consolidation in 1854. A mere one and a half miles separate City Hall from the Art Museum, down the gorgeous Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which is favorably compared with beautiful boulevards in world class cities, like the Champs Elysee in Paris. This makes Center City a very easy commute, by trolley, bus, bike path, or even foot. In fact, many residents of the area enjoy commute times of less than 30 minutes – even less than 15 minutes in many cases.
Of course, you don’t have to leave the neighborhood to enjoy awesome amenities, like cafes, shops and, obviously, museums. The Philadelphia Art Museum’s Perelman Building Pavilion is solidly within the neighborhood, and the Rodin Museum is just a few blocks away, along with the Franklin Institute. Eastern State Penitentiary is now a tourist attraction, giving tours all year long. Their annual Terror Behind the Walls haunted house is considered one of the best haunted houses in the tri-state area!
Fairmount is served by the Bache-Martin school and Laura Wheeler Waring School, though many parents also use local private, parochial and Friends schools.
Fairmount is a great neighborhood that has maintained some of its diversity during its transition. However, in the past 15 years, the price of homes in Fairmount has increased by 300%, as opposed to 50% in the City of Philadelphia as a whole. That means properties usually sell fast, and attract buyers with larger budgets. It takes an experienced realtor to help you find and negotiate your perfect home in Fairmount.
If you have any questions about finding a home in Fairmount, or any other neighborhood, please contact me. And remember: friends don’t let friends buy or sell homes without Agent Lady!
About Agent Lady: Cherise Wynne is a leading real estate agent in Philadelphia, helping home buyers and sellers navigate the City of Brotherly Love, with a special focus on first time home buyers. To chat about getting started with your first time home buying experience, click here.
