From Van Stone: Democrat Candidate For PA State Rep 190th Legislative District 2020- My Fight For The Neighborhood Of West Park (Historical Community Site Territory) And The Origins Of West Park For Life Family Story! Series. Part 4?

From Van Stone: Democrat Candidate For PA State Rep 190th Legislative District 2020- My Fight For The Neighborhood Of West Park (Historical Community Site Territory) And The Origins Of West Park For Life Family Story! Series. Part 4?

Over the years, I have been piecing together the accurate details of West Park history. Facts are that, I really grew up on a farm, a country farm, that was about 5 or 6 miles from the inner city. The original City of Philadelphia territory was only from Penn’s Landing to 28^th Street, Market Street to Spruce Street.   

The whole area of West Park was farm area sitting above the Schuylkill River. But no one ever told me this, not even my parents. So, when I was about age 7, I investigated the whole thing by myself and learned that this is why there were rural areas, backwoods, live wild animals such as deer and raccoons, and even horses running out of and into the woods just behind the West Park projects, in my backyard. 

We lived in an urban area and rural area all together at West Park apartments complex. 

I knew that it was important to know this stuff, but I just never realized how valuable knowing stuff about West Park was.

West Park, also known as the “Forgotten West Park,” is located from the city blocks of 42^nd    Street to 49^th Street, Powelton Avenue and Market Street to Haverford Avenue. 

Many people inaccurately thought that the projects complex is located from 44^th Street to 46^th Street, Powelton Avenue and Market Street to Haverford Avenue. 

The city blocks of 46^th Street to 49^th Street, Market Street to Haverford Avenue located in the shared demographic shift of both West Park neighborhood of Philadelphia is too the location in what is now the Mill Creek neighborhood (in the South Mill Creek section of Mill Creek) of Philadelphia.

The Mill Creek neighborhood is east and north of West Park. And there are 2 popular and active sections of the Mill Creek neighborhood. They are West Mill Creek and East Mill Creek. 

And it has become tradition that residents of West Mill Creek and East Mill Creek, sometimes separately and sometimes all together, have rivaled their West Park neighbors. 

Interestingly, sometimes East Mill Creek would be gang war rivals and sports competition rivals of West Mill Creek too. As for West Park tenants, the residents therein often rivaled one another sometimes also.  

To be continued...