When the Reverend Louis Washburn arrived at Christ Church in 1907 parish offices were attached to the church. He felt strongly that a separate building needed to be constructed to provide for the needs of the community as well as the parish. This would also create a fire barrier for…
Read More
The Reverend Louis Cope Washburn, Christ Church’s well -loved rector from 1907-1937 was born in a coal mining area of Coatesville, Pennsylvania giving him an early sense of community deprivation. After attending St. Stephen’s college in NY, Trinity College, CT and the Berkeley Divinity School, he worked in both Pennsylvania…
Read More
The neighborhood was filled with immigrants living in tenements that were crowded and unsanitary. Rev. Washburn built a staff to help with the problems of the community, appointing a parish visitor in 1908. For 21 years, Helen Cowell visited families and tried to address their needs. (Photo from 1913.)
In 1911 the first two floors of Neighborhood House were constructed as seen through the garden path and by 1912 Neighborhood House was serving as a community center. Programs for men, women and children were implemented without regard to religious affiliation including Sunday school sessions, lunch programs, basketball teams and…
Read More
As part of the overall project, American Street was also widened to further protect the Church from fire.
With the building of Neighborhood House, Christ Church undertook a comprehensive census and social survey of its community. The resulting 1915 report identified the demographics of the neighborhood and the challenges the residents faced. View the report.
During the early years there four basketball teams practicing and playing in the gym. There was a girls’ league as well, the GFS (Girls Friendly Society).
“The Lunch Room averages to seat over 150 persons each weekday. A well-served luncheon is thus provided at cost prices to the working women of the neighborhood. The women have the opportunity to buy stamps, which are cashed and used for vacations or emergencies.”
“Fresh air outings were given by the Church to over 200 persons during the summer of 1914 at the shore, country and in the boys’ camp at Sea Isle City. A day’s excursion is given the entire Sunday School and other days’ outings for the Mothers’ Meeting, Girls’ Friendly Society,…
Read More
The extent of the programs at Neighborhood House necessitated an upward expansion. The final two floors of Neighborhood House were completed in the early 1920s, providing a gymnasium on the upper floor and roof access.
“Left to right is my Aunt Henrietta Washburn. She was the eldest of Louis Cope Washburn’s children. Aunt Helen was the second child and quite a force of nature! Her birthday was April Fool’s Day, a day we always remember her on. Of course my great-grandfather is to the right.…
Read More
The small corner building which now forms the northernmost end of Neighborhood House was built in the early 1930s as a residence for the sexton, Harvey Mertz.
Rev. Washburn was well-loved in the community, known for his harmonica. The list of groups started or encouraged by the Rector ranged from the church school (which included a correspondence group and home department for shut-ins) to youth groups, Mothers’ Meeting, choir, and a Men’s Club.
The Church’s outreach work became even more critical in subsequent depression years as other private and governmental funds were exhausted. Shown here are neighbors lining up to receive one of 125 loaves of bread distributed daily starting in 1929. Clothing, shoes, groceries and holiday food baskets were also distributed.
Helen Washburn offered her services a teacher in her father’s new parish, building up the educational program by bringing in children from the surrounding streets. She worked with their parents, public school teachers, and stood by those who faced the juvenile court system. Christ Church appointed her its first Director…
Read More
The Sunday school grew significantly and in 1932 Helen Washburn reported having 676 students, most of whom were not Episcopalian but Russian Orthodox. She formed a Student Council responsible for school activities including a newsletter.
The Church’s parish visitor (1910-1933) recounted stories of aid given in the form of food, clothing, coal, hospital care and rent.
Work on the building provided needed jobs in these difficult years. This tub set was installed in 1933 by Louis J. Volpe. Written in pencil on the wall: “This work kept two men from starving during the Depression.” (Click the magnifying glass to open the full image.)
Washburn was instrumental in the founding of the East Central Social Agency in 1932 which coordinated relief efforts for the area reaching from Delaware Avenue to Broad Street, and Market Street north to Girard Avenue. He also served as vice president of the Episcopal City Mission. During WW I he served…
Read More
In 1941, members of the Younger Communicants’ Guild staged H.M.S Pinafore at Neighborhood House, under the direction of John Toms, tenor soloist with the choir and a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The two night production was a rousing success. The School for Industrial Arts built the stage sets.
Even as the country prepared for war, the work of Neighborhood House continued. Boys from the parish joined a machine shop class to learn about automotive engineering. A workshop was constructed at the south end of the 3rd floor gym, equipped with a Ford truck donated by Henry Ford himself.
During World War II, Neighborhood House served as an air raid shelter and a site for USO events. As early as November 1941, 20 members of the parish served in the Armed Forces, including Lt. Anna Wurts. That number would grow in later months.
Different groups organized annual fairs during the 1950s. This 1952 “International Carnival” promises tables representing different countries, a good meal, and “continuous entertainment,” all for the benefit of the G.F.S., the Girls Friendly Society.
In the years following the war, a group of ladies put together Wednesday (and later, Thursday) lunches for working men. This allowed them to get a good, quick meal, and also attend the church’s mid-week services during Lent. The meals were famous for the homemade desserts made by the committee…
Read More
Neighborhood House was home to many gatherings, dinners, special events, and fundraisers. We don’t have more context on this photo — it’s a mystery of sorts — but we see ladies in Neighborhood House at tables with dolls and stuffed animals, just the sort of “bazaar” that took place here…
Read More
Basketball games continued in the fourth floor gym and children of the congregation bowled in the one lane bowling alley in the basement where the “little kids” set up the pins for the older ones. Also in the basement was a pool table, an early boxing ring, juke box and…
Read More
Singing City Rehearses at Old Christ Church Neighborhood House “In 1973, I was thrilled to be accepted into Philadelphia’s Singing City as its youngest member. Under the direction of founder, Dr. Elaine Brown, only the second woman in history to conduct the Philadelphia Orchestra, Singing City blended 100 volunteer voices…
Read More
In the early 1960s, a group of enterprising women figured that if Betsy Ross, who attended Christ Church, sewed for the benefit of the nation, then they, too, could sew for the benefit of their church. Thus was born a tradition of creating fine “Betsy Ross Dolls” for the benefit…
Read More
Neighborhood House serves as a central place for the social life of the parish. Shown here are a “Cookie Exchange” (2003) and a parish Mardi Gras celebration (2006).
In 2009, Christ Church undertook a major renovation of Neighborhood House, unifying Washburn House with the main building through the current atrium.
The building once more functions as a vibrant community center with a performing arts space occupying the old gymnasium. Community groups meet here on a daily basis and, of course, Neighborhood House serves as the offices of Christ Church and Christ Church Preservation Trust .
Your donations help preserve the Neighborhood House and ensure it remains a pillar of Old City Philadelphia for generations to come. Use your smartphone camera and this QR code to find our donation page.