Bustleton, Philadelphia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bustleton
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| Country |  United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Philadelphia County |
| City | Philadelphia |
| Area code(s) | 215, 267, and 445 |
Bustleton is a neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, United States. It is located in the "Far Northeast" part of the city. Bustleton sits north of Rhawnhurst and Fox Chase. It is south of Somerton.
The area is bordered by Roosevelt Boulevard to the east. The city boundary is to the west. Red Lion Road is to the north, and Pennypack Park is to the south. The center of Bustleton is where Grant Avenue and Bustleton Avenue (PA-532) meet. The entire neighborhood is within the 19115 ZIP code.
Long ago, Bustleton was centered around the Bustleton Tavern. This local bar opened even before the American Revolution. Pennypack Park is a large park system. Many mills and factories used to be located there. Bustleton was a busy trading hub. Farmers would bring their goods to sell using horses and buggies. They also used small streams and rivers to move their products. One old waterway, Paul's Run, connected the Bustleton Tavern all the way to the Delaware River.
Bustleton was once part of a separate area called Lower Dublin Township. This township was in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. In 1854, a law called the Act of Consolidation, 1854 made it part of the City of Philadelphia.
Bustleton is home to some very old churches. The Lower Dublin Baptist Church is one of the oldest churches in America. Many important Americans and Revolutionary War soldiers are buried there. Another church is the Protestant Episcopal Church of Saint Luke The Beloved Physician. It is the only church in Philadelphia designed by the famous architect Richard Upjohn. This church is on Welsh Road. It has a burial ground for veterans from the Civil War to today. It was officially opened on August 30, 1861.
The Roman Catholic Church of Maternity, Blessed Virgin Mary was built in 1870. It is on Old Bustleton Ave near Pennypack Park. This large church was very important for many Catholic churches in Northeast Philadelphia. Saint Katherine Drexel, a famous saint, attended Mass in this old church.
One of the first schools here was called Bustleton Academy. It was also known as The academy at Bustelton. This school is different from the older Lower Dublin Academy, which is in the Holmesburg area.
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Bustleton Today
Today, Bustleton is mostly a place where people live. It has big shopping areas along Roosevelt Boulevard, Bustleton Avenue, Grant Avenue, and Red Lion Road. There are very few factories or industrial businesses here.
Recent information from the US Census Bureau shows that Bustleton is becoming more diverse. Many different groups of immigrants live here. You can see signs, billboards, and newspapers in Russian. This is because many people from Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet Republics have moved here.
Who Lives in Bustleton?
In 2000, Bustleton had over 31,000 people living there. Many residents were older, with almost 27% being 65 or older. This is much higher than the national average. The average age in Bustleton was 46.8 years old.
Most people in Bustleton were white, but the number of Asian residents was higher than the national average. Many people in Bustleton spoke a language other than English at home.
Bustleton is a safe community. Less than 10% of people lived below the poverty line. Many adults had at least a high school diploma. One in four adults had a college degree.
Many Police Officers and Firefighters live in Bustleton. By 2022, many people from the former Soviet Union lived in the neighborhood. In 1987, many Jewish people also lived here.
Getting Around Bustleton
Public transportation in Bustleton is provided by SEPTA. You can use several bus routes, like 19, 58, 67, and 88. There are also regional train lines nearby, including the West Trenton Line and Fox Chase Line.
Major roads in Bustleton include Welsh Road, Verree Road, Red Lion Road (PA 63), Bustleton Avenue (PA 532), Grant Avenue, and Krewstown Road. The Roosevelt Boulevard is also a very important road.
Some intersections in Bustleton are known for having many accidents. Roosevelt Boulevard at Grant Avenue and at Red Lion Road are two examples. After many complaints, cameras were installed at these intersections. These cameras record license plates of cars that run red lights. This program has now spread to many other intersections in Philadelphia.
To the east of Bustleton is the Northeast Philadelphia Airport. This airport was built during World War II.
Homes in Bustleton
In 2000, there were over 13,700 homes in Bustleton. About 62% of these homes were owned by the people living in them. The rest were rented. Very few homes were empty.
The average value of a single-family home in 2000 was about $120,000. By 2007, new single homes were selling for much more, between $350,000 and $500,000. Older homes were valued between $200,000 and $350,000.
You won't find "row homes" in Bustleton. However, there are many apartment buildings and condominiums. A lot of homes are "twin homes," which are two homes built side-by-side.
Schools in Bustleton
Public Schools
The School District of Philadelphia serves the Bustleton area. The main public elementary schools are Joseph J. Greenberg Elementary (which teaches grades K-8) and Anne Frank Elementary (grades K-5). Most students from Anne Frank Elementary go on to C.C.A. Baldi Middle School (grades 6-8). The main public high school is George Washington High School. It is located on Bustleton Avenue.
Anne Frank Elementary opened in 1961 as Bustleton Elementary School. It was renamed in 1987 after Anne Frank. The school board chose to rename a school that didn't have a person's name. It was likely the first school in the U.S. named after Anne Frank.
Private and Religious Schools
The Roman Catholic parish of Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary has a large elementary school. There are no Catholic high schools directly in Bustleton. However, many students attend nearby schools like Archbishop Ryan High School, Father Judge High School (for boys), St. Hubert's High School (for girls), or Bishop McDevitt High School.
Politz Hebrew Academy and Lehigh Christian Academy both serve students from Pre-K to 8th grade. The Politz School uses buildings that were once the Jacobs and Fayette Public Schools. The Fayette School building is very old, dating back to 1854. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Students can also attend other private or charter schools in Bustleton or the surrounding area. There are no colleges or universities in the neighborhood itself.
Public Libraries
The Free Library of Philadelphia has a branch called the Bustleton Branch. It is located at 10199 Bustleton Avenue, near George Washington High School.
Community Groups
The Greater Bustleton Civic League is a neighborhood group. It helps with issues like zoning (how land can be used). It has been serving the area for over sixty years.
Youth sports are organized by the Bustleton Bengals. Their home field is at Robert Hayes Memorial Playground. This playground is named after a police officer who lived in the area and was killed. Locals often call the park "Conwell Playground" or "Five Diamonds" because it has five baseball fields.
Businesses in Bustleton
In 2005, Bustleton had almost 600 businesses. These businesses employed nearly 9,000 people. Many of these businesses were in Health and Social Services. This reflects the large number of older residents. There were also many retail stores.
Bustleton is home to the main office of the American Heritage Federal Credit Union. This is one of the largest credit unions in Pennsylvania.
Famous Person from Bustleton
- John Robbins was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was from Bustleton.
