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| Rhawnhurst | |
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| Neighborhood of Philadelphia | |
The intersection of Rhawn Street and Castor Avenue in Rhawnhurst
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| Country |  United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Philadelphia County |
| City | Philadelphia |
| ZIP code | 19111 |
| Area code(s) | Area code 215 |
Rhawnhurst is a residential neighborhood in the Northeast section of Philadelphia, named for George and William Rhawn by area real estate developers. Roughly bordered by Cottman Avenue to the south, Pennway Street to the west, the Pennypack Creek to the north, and Roosevelt Boulevard to the east, Rhawnhurst encompasses zip codes 19152 and part of zip code 19111. The geographic center of Rhawnhurst is at the intersection of Castor Avenue and Rhawn Street. Mail to Rhawnhurst residents is delivered by Fox Chase Station for 19111 and by Bustleton Station for 19152.
By 1940, development in Philadelphia had almost reached Cottman Avenue, but large areas of the Northeast, including Rhawnhurst, were still farmland. Though much development had taken place in neighboring Mayfair, the area between Pennypack Park and Cottman Avenue west of the Roosevelt Boulevard had not been subdivided. The baby boom after World War II caused a demand for housing that continued into the 1960s. The new housing stock was built in the open areas of Northeast Philadelphia. Most homes in Rhawnhurst are twins, along with some ranchers and duplexes, largely built by local home builder A.P. Orleans.
The two major modes of transportation in Rhawnhurst are private car and public transportation. Major roads include Cottman Avenue (PA 73), Bustleton Avenue (PA 532), Castor Avenue, Rhawn Street, and the Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. 1). The intersection of Cottman Avenue and the Roosevelt Boulevard is one of the most dangerous in the city; recently red light cameras were installed there to reduce traffic violations. (In a ranking done by State Farm Insurance in 2001, 2 of the 10 most dangerous intersections in the U.S. were on the Roosevelt Boulevard.) Several SEPTA bus lines serve Rhawnhurst, with connections to the Market-Frankford Line elevated train (the "El"), the Broad Street Subway, and regional rail lines.
Rhawnhurst is home to people of several faiths. The Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord is the only Roman Catholic church in Rhawnhurst. Major Protestant churches include Redemption Lutheran Church,1929 the Rhawnhurst Baptist Church, All Saints Episcopal Church, the Rhawnhurst Presbyterian Church,1929 and Philadelphia First Church of the Nazarene. There are several synagogues and Jewish congregations in Rhawnhurst including Ahavas Torah, Beth Medrash Harav, B'nai Israel – Ohev Zedek, The Lubavitcher Center, Ner Zedek Ezrath Israel, and Congregation Mesilat Yesharim.
The major recreation attraction in Rhawnhurst is Pennypack Park, one of the largest urban parks in the U.S., and the northern border of the neighborhood. Bradford Park, a smaller park popular as a dog park is located near the Roosevelt Mall. The Pelbano Recreation Center (colloquially called "Solly" because of its location on Solly Avenue), is a playground operated by the City of Philadelphia. Other recreational destinations include the Northeast Regional Library.
