Fishtown, Philadelphia

Fishtown was the center of Philadelphia's Irish-American community; now it is more an upscale hipster neighborhood. Located immediately northeast of Center City, its borders are somewhat disputed, but are roughly defined by the Delaware River, Frankford Avenue, York and Girard Ave. It is named for its former role as the center of the fishing industry in Philadelphia, though an apocryphal local legend traces the name to Charles Dickens who purportedly visited the neighborhood in March 1842.

Originally inhabited by members of the Lenni Lenape Native American Nation (the Delaware American Indian Tribe), the first European settlers were British shipbuilders. Within a few generations they were vastly outnumbered by German immigrants, then Polish immigrants, and then Irish immigrants. These people are being replaced by a more educated and monied demographic. Property values have risen in recent years, and it is fast replacing the former "artsy" neighborhood of Northern Liberties as the place to be for artists and musicians.

External links

• Fishtown.us: A community forum for Fishtowners or those who love Fishtown
• An article about Fishtown from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 51 - Fishtown