Lawncrest, Philadelphia facts for kids

Lawncrest is a neighborhood located in the "Near" or lower Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its name comes from combining the names of two main communities that form it: Lawndale and Crescentville.

The main postal code for the northern part of Lawncrest (north of Comly Street) is 19111. For the southern part (south of Comly Street), it's 19120. Much of the southern area was once part of the Wentz Farm. Some parts of eastern Crescentville were built on former swamp land, while the western side was built on more solid ground. Rising Sun Avenue is usually seen as the main road through Lawncrest.

History of Lawncrest

People from Sweden and Germany first settled in this area as early as 1638.

The community's history goes back to the 1800s. It was a small German community sometimes called Marburg. During the American Civil War, parts of Crescentville were known as "Grubbtown." Rising Sun Avenue, the main road, was originally a toll road called the Kensington & Oxford Turnpike.

Geography of Lawncrest

Lawncrest stretches from Tacony Creek Park to Tyson Avenue. It is surrounded by several other neighborhoods:

• Fox Chase and Burholme are to the north.
• Oxford Circle/Castor Gardens and Frankford are to the east and southeast.
• Olney and Feltonville are to the south and southwest.
• To the west is Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County.

Getting Around Lawncrest

The Newtown Branch/New York Short Line of the Reading Railroad (now SEPTA/CSX) separates Lawncrest from Montgomery County. Tookany/Tacony Creek also flows through a part of the community.

Two SEPTA Fox Chase Line Regional Rail stations serve Lawncrest:

• Lawndale Station is at Robbins and Newtown Avenues.
• Cheltenham Station is at Martins Mill Road and Hasbrook Avenue.

Several SEPTA bus lines also serve the area. The Route 18 bus travels from Cedarbrook Mall–Olney Terminal up to Fox Chase using Rising Sun Avenue. Routes 19, 24, 26, and 67 buses serve the eastern parts of the neighborhood. These routes connect to the Olney, Frankford, and Fern Rock Transportation Centers. All bus routes also connect to the Broad Street subway and Market-Frankford elevated train lines.

Churches in Lawncrest

There are about twelve Protestant churches in the community. The oldest is Trinity Oxford Church, which was founded in 1698.

St. William's Parish, started in 1920, covers most of the Crescentville area and part of lower Lawndale. The upper part of Lawndale is mainly covered by Presentation B.V.M. Parish, founded in 1890. This parish also serves a large part of southeastern Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.

Hill Creek Apartments

The Hill Creek Apartments were originally known as the Hill Creek Project. This public housing project was built on 23.4 acres of land. It opened in March 1938 during President Franklin Roosevelt's time. It is located on a hill overlooking the Tookany Creek in Northeast Philadelphia at the corner of Rising Sun and Adams Avenues.

The Philadelphia Housing Authority manages the Hill Creek Apartments. It has 334 units of single-family, two-story apartments. These apartments provide housing assistance for families with lower incomes.

Culture in Lawncrest

According to Kathleen McDonough, who grew up in the area, most families had a dad who worked and a mom who stayed home.

Schools in Lawncrest

Lawncrest is part of the School District of Philadelphia. Most teenagers living in Lawncrest attend either Northeast High School or Samuel Fels High School, both public schools.

Two public elementary schools serve the area:

• Ben Franklin Universal Creighton Charter School
• Truebright Science Academy (a charter school for grades 7–12)

The community also has private schools:

• Presentation BVM Parish School
• Cedar Grove Christian Academy (located in the old Lawndale Public School building)

St. William Parish School closed in 2012. It is now the location of MaST II Charter School. Before 1991, students in Lawncrest attended Olney High School.

McDonough also noted that children who went to public schools were known as "publics," and those who attended Catholic schools were called "Catholics." Children usually went to schools in their own communities.

Notable People from Lawncrest

• Frank Bender, a famous artist known for facial reconstruction.
• Bil Keane, the creator of "Family Circus" comic strip.
• Andrea McArdle, the original Annie on Broadway, a singer and actress.
• Matt Ox, a rapper and singer.
• De'Andre Hunter, an NBA basketball player.
• Ryan Bird, a notable resident.