Information AboutWynnefield |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT WYNNEFIELD, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA | |
| neighborhoods in philadelphia | |
| united states communities with african american majority populations | |
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Wynnefield is a predominantly African-American , Middle Class Neighborhood in West Philadelphia . Its borders are 53rd Street at Jefferson to the south, Philadelphia's Fairmount Park to the east, City Line Ave. (commonly referred to as "City Line") to the north and the AMTRAK "Main Line" tracks to the west. Surrounding neighborhoods include Bala Cynwyd to the north, Wynnefield Heights to the east, Parkside to the south, and Overbrook to the west. Its main commercial arteries are North 54th Street, Bryn Mawr Avenue (2200 block), and City Avenue. It is the home of St. Joseph's University , a Catholic Jesuit University of some 7000 students and the television station WPHL-TV (MY PHL 17). It also has a number of connections to the Motion Picture Industry . Wynnefield is the childhood home of Actor Will Smith , Film Producer Lee Daniels ( Monster's Ball and The Woodsman ), Film Director Charles Stone III , Politico and former Big Brother Reality-TV contestant Will Mega and Documentary filmmaker Tigre Hill. As of 2006, the neighborhood is undergoing some changes due to the expansion of St. Joseph's University, and many students and residents of non-African descent are moving into Wynnefield, continuing to make the neighborhood a diverse community. Furthermore, efforts are being made to rid the southern portion of Wynnefield of drugs, crime, litter, vacant homes that are affecting the overall community. History Like the nearby suburban community of Wynnewood , Wynnefield takes its name from William Penn 's physician, Thomas Wynne , who built his home "Wynnestay" at 52nd Street and Woodbine Avenue in 1690 . It has previously been known as Balwynne Park or Woodside Park, that portion of which is now the separate community of Wynnefield Heights . Woodside Park was the name of an amusement park constructed by the city's Fairmount Park Transportation Company that operated from 1897 to 1955 . During this time through the mid 1960s Wynnefield was a predominately Jewish-American community until the arrival of African-Americans . After the arrival of this group Wynnefield was referred to as a 'Black suburb' by some people. Around the mid 1980s the community became victim of the crack epidemic creating a surge in violent crimes throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and even today in its southern portion primarily. Much of the modern development of Wynnefield is thanks to the influence of the late Ms. Katie B. Jackson, born 1929 . Known as "Queen of Wynnefield", in 1975 she founded the Wynnefield Academy, a private, co-educational PK-4 elementary school. The Katie B. Jackson Development Corporation and Katie B. Jackson Senior Citizens Complex bear her name. It is also well known that Wynnefield has a lot of playgrounds, in which actor Will Smith used to "spend most of his days shooting some b-ball outside of the school". EDUCATION Colleges and universities Saint Joseph's University is located in Wynnefield. Primary and secondary schools Public schools Wynnefield is served by the School District Of Philadelphia . Elementary schools:
Middle schools: In addition, The Laboratory Charter School of Communications and Languages is an area Charter School . Private schools
Public libraries Free Library Of Philadelphia operates the Wynnefield Branch {Link without Title} . CHURCHES
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