Angora

Did you ever imagine a neighborhood named after Ankara before it was even Ankara? Right here in Philadelphia, Angora has just such a story. Angora was founded in 1863 by the Callaghan brothers, Robert and George. They named it after the Turkish city, then known as Angora, decades before it became Ankara. Angora, Philadelphia initially boasted a textile mill owned by the Callaghan brothers. Later, a yarn mill and a glass factory joined the industrial landscape. The neighborhood developed slowly. Homes primarily sprung up along Baltimore Avenue and in a former grove called Sherwood Forest between 1900 and 1920. The median sale price for homes in Angora last month was a surprisingly low $107,045. Imagine snapping up a piece of history at that price. Angora’s heart beats around 58th Street and Baltimore Avenue. Here, the Media/Wawa Line’s Angora Commuter Rail Station, bus routes 46 and “G”, and the Route 34 trolley line converge. This transportation hub makes Angora incredibly accessible. It’s a stark contrast to its early days as a sparsely populated area with a surrounding woodland. Although now a part of the bustling city, Angora retains a unique charm. It offers a glimpse into Philadelphia’s industrial past, a time when cricket matches at the Sherwood Cricket Club were a popular pastime. Today, Angora is a densely urban neighborhood with a mix of renters and owners residing in primarily small to medium-sized townhomes and apartments. Interestingly, a significant portion of Angora’s housing stock dates back to before 1939, giving it a historic feel. Did you know that nearly 35% of Angora residents commute to work via public transport? Despite this, the average commute time in Angora is longer than most neighborhoods in America, with 12.7% of commuters traveling over an hour each way. Angora is a neighborhood of contrasts. It offers affordable housing, convenient public transportation, and a rich history. But it also grapples with long commute times and a high poverty rate. This makes Angora a truly unique and complex neighborhood. It’s a place where the past and present intersect, creating a tapestry of urban life that is both challenging and captivating.