Southwark, Philadelphia

Southwark was once called the Southwark District. It is a part of old Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States. Today, it is a neighborhood in South Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The name Southwark was chosen because it is south of old Philadelphia. It is named after the area called Southwark in Surrey, England, which is south of London. This shows how many places in the United States got their names from towns in England.

History

Southwark is one of the oldest English settlements in Philadelphia County. It was the first district founded by settlers there because it was part of the old Swedish colony of New Sweden. The government created the district of Southwark in 1762 to help build streets. Later, it had its own police force. A famous shipbuilder, Joshua Humphreys, built some of the first ships for the United States Navy there. In 1854, Southwark became part of the city of Philadelphia.

Today, only a few places still carry the name "Southwark", like a post office and a restaurant. Part of this area is now called Queen Village, and another part is known as Pennsport. The neighborhood remains a diverse community with people from many backgrounds.

Education

People in Southwark go to schools in the School District of Philadelphia. They usually go to Southwark School for grades K-8 and then South Philadelphia High School.

The Vare-Washington School, which is near Southwark and used to be called the George Washington School, also serves some students. These students may go to Furness High School for high school.

"The Swedish Church Southwark with the building of the Frigate Philadelphia," Plate 29 of Birch's Views of Philadelphia (1800)

Southwark School