Kensington

Anthony Palmer founded Kensington in the early 1730s. He used money from selling the Hope Farm estate. He bought the Fairman Estate. This was along the Delaware River in Northern Liberties Township. This land became Kensington. He sold plots to shipwrights and German fishermen. The original area is now Fishtown. Kensington became a working-class center. Fishermen and shipbuilders worked there. In the early 1800s it transitioned to iron and steel manufacturing. By the mid-1800s Kensington led the textile industry. Especially carpet manufacturing. This area housed many factories. Kensington had a large Irish Catholic community. It was also the site of the Philadelphia nativist riots. The K&A Gang an Irish American organized crime network was born here. Deindustrialization hit Kensington in the 1950s. This caused population loss unemployment and abandoned homes. Some areas have been revitalized. Kensington is known for its open-air drug market. This existed since the 1970s. Vacant buildings made it easy for drug storage sale and use. Its location away from Center City made it convenient. The Market-Frankford Line and Interstate 95 made access easy. In 2024 Mayor Cherelle Parker proposed a plan to address the drug market. The plan shifted spending to increased law enforcement. Lower Kensington experienced gentrification. Property values rose. Young professionals moved in. Kensington has many parks and playgrounds. Harrowgate Park McPherson Square and Hope Park are some examples. Many community gardens exist. Kensington has seen protests. One protest was against the Somerset Station SEPTA closure. Another concerned a supervised injection site. Community development corporations work to improve Kensington. These include Impact Services HACE and New Kensington CDC. The Kensington Post Office operates at 1602 Frankford Avenue. SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line and City Buses serve Kensington. Public schools include Kensington High School Complex. There are also charter schools. In 2011 three Catholic schools closed. The Free Library of Philadelphia operates branches here. Kensington has seen a lot of crime and gang activity. It was the birthplace of the K&A Gang. The drug trade increased. Heroin fentanyl and crack became common. Many people experienced drug addiction and homelessness. The area gained national attention for its drug scene. The intersection of Kensington and Allegheny Avenues is a major transportation hub. Many notable people are from Kensington. This includes Amos Lee and Eddie Alvarez. Kensington is a neighborhood with a rich and complex history. It has faced challenges but also shows resilience. It’s a place of contrasts with a vibrant culture and determined community.