Treasure
Philly!
BG&E
cultural
resources
Right: Aerial view of Broad, Germantown, and Erie. 7/16/1939.
Photo: Dallin Aerial Surveys.
honoring history
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The intersection of Broad, Germantown, and Erie is a distinct landscape physically defined by its meeting of major thoroughfares, commercial density, and diverse architecture. Once referred to as Philadelphia’s Times Square, the area remains one of North Philadelphia’s busiest transit hubs. Several residential neighborhoods radiate out from the intersection. The neighborhoods of Nicetown, Tioga, and Hunting Park all border BG&E. The people that established and live in these neighborhoods, with their unique histories, character and cultures, have shaped the location into the dynamic, charismatic place it is today.
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During group story circles, individual neighborhood walks, and oral history interviews, the Broad, Germantown, and Erie community was clear—there was a positive story about the neighborhood that had not been told. A story of care, community building, self-determination, and self-reliance. A story of long-gone beloved businesses and local legends beginning to fade. But a story that is still visible, if one knows where to look.
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The map below represents a growing list of cultural resources identified by BG&E community members. Continue scrolling to learn more about some of the resources that shape the area's past, present, and future.
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Something missing?
Please get in touch to add more to this story. Treasure Philly! and Historical Commission staff are still conducting field survey and documentation work at BG&E.
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Email us at preservation@phila.gov to sign up for a neighborhood walk or share a story.
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ZION BAPTIST CHURCH
A community anchor
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Zion Baptist Church, located at the northwest corner of North Broad and Venango Streets in North Philadelphia, is a two-story brick and glass church built in 1973. It is significant as a major ecclesiastical work in the Modern style by Philadelphia’s most prominent Black architect of the post-war period, Walter R. Livingston, Jr. (1922-2011). It is largely unaltered on both the exterior and interior from its 1973 construction.
Zion Baptist Church is also historically significant for its association with the Reverend Leon H. Sullivan (1922-2001), the nationally influential civil rights leader and social activist who led the church from 1950 until his retirement in 1988. Sullivan’s lifelong commitment to racial justice through economic advancement brought the hope of equal opportunity not just to his congregation, but to Philadelphia’s broader African American community and to disadvantaged groups across the country.
In 1972-73, Sullivan himself spearheaded the construction of the present church after a fire destroyed an older church building on site. Sullivan and the Zion Investment Associates (a venture capital company founded by Sullivan and members of the Zion Baptist congregation) raised funds for the rebuilding project and formed their own construction firm, the Progress Construction Company, which partnered with the Daniel J. Keating Company to build the church, creating dozens of jobs for Black laborers in the process. In this way, the church building itself became the physical embodiment of Sullivan’s vision of racial justice through economic advancement. Construction of the $2.5 million, 40,000 square foot building began in 1972 and was completed in September 1973. At the first official service on September 23, Sullivan hailed the church as the “new ship of Zion.”​​​
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Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development.
Photo: Dominic Pasquarella. Courtesy of the Special Collections Research Center. Temple University Libraries. Philadelphia PA.
9/3/1980. Photo: Blanck. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development.
James Frazier Jr., c. 1960-1965. Dr. Don Lee White Collection.
Courtesy of the Gerth Archives and Special Collections, CSU Dominguez Hills.
Do you have additional information about this photograph, or Frazier, that you'd like to share? Please get in touch!
James Frazier Jr. (1940-1985) was an award-winning conductor who led orchestras around the world, including the Leningrad Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Danish State Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the BBC Symphony in London. Locally, his work as Music Director at Zion Baptist Church makes him a significant figure in BG&E’s history.
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Frazier was the son of a Detroit Sanitation Worker who began playing piano at age 5. He studied at the Detroit Conservancy, University of Michigan, and Wayne State University. In 1971, he conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Academy of Music. In 1974-1975, he was the assistant conductor for summer children’s concerts at Robin Hood Dell. He also joined Zion Baptist Church in 1974, where he founded the Cathedral Choir. In 1978, he co-founded the National Afro-American Philharmonic Orchestra with Reverend Leon H. Sullivan. The first all-Black full-sized symphony to play in a major concert hall, the Orchestra made its debut at the Academy of Music.
Upon Frazier's death, Rev. Leon H. Sullivan stated, “He threw himself into his work, especially with young people. He was one of the most innovative and creative young men I have ever met. He had an ability to inspire people, young and old, to greater accomplishments and to reach for the very best. We all regret that he passed so young.”
ZION educational annex
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The Zion Educational Annex is a two-story Gothic Revival-style church with an attached three-story Sunday School. It is located across the street from the Zion Baptist Church (3600 N Broad St). The Zion Educational Annex was designed by Carl P. Berger and completed in 1912, then altered and expanded by architect Horace W. Castor in 1929. Originally home to the Trinity Reformed Church, this building was purchased by the Zion Baptist congregation in 1969.
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The Educational Annex actively served the Zion Baptist congregation’s mission of community outreach and support. Under Rev. Sullivan's leadership, the Annex functioned as a community center. It hosted a range of full-time weekday programs including health services, a tutorial program, cultural activities, adult education, services for working mothers, and recreation.
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This building is currently under construction. In 2026, it will reopen as the Rev. Leon H. Sullivan Community Impact Center.
For more information about the Center, click here to visit Called to Serve CDC's website.
Zion Educational Annex. 12/15/2021. Zion Baptist Church and Annex National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Photo: Kevin McMahon.
Currently vacant land, in the early 1900s, 3625-3629 North Broad Street was the home of Broad Street Casino Theater. In 1922, the theater was purchased by new owners, who demolished it and then erected the Broad Street Arcade. Taking advantage of the fact that the parcel stretches from North Broad Street to Germantown Avenue, the Broad Street Arcade featured storefronts on both streets. The Arcade was a significant shopping destination in the thriving mid to late twentieth century Broad, Germantown, & Erie commercial corridor.
BROAD STREET ARCADE
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5/14/1959. Photo: Bender. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.
December 2023. Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development.
5/14/1959. Photo: Bender. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.
Neighbors recall visiting many stores in and near the Broad Street Arcade, such as the Pansy Shop, clothing shops, and the Arcade Pet Shop. They also remember the Arcade burning down, leaving the vacant lot that exists today. Memories of the Broad Street Arcade often inspire discussions about other businesses which shape the community’s past and present.
Legacy Businesses
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Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. December 2023.
Photo: Treasure Philly! survey, 2024.
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. December 2023.
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. December 2023.
Long-time BG&E businesses - including King of Pizza, Dwight's Southern Barbecue II, and Shirley's for Kids - contribute to the commercial corridor's distinctive character.
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Germantown Ave Firehouse
December 2023. Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development.
Architect George I. Lovatt Jr. designed this mid-century modern firehouse, built in 1957 and occupied by Engine 30. The firehouse was demolished in 2024.
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. December 2023.
National Register of Historic Places Nomination by Elizabeth R. Mintz. 1984.
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. December 2023.
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The Beury Building
A Philadelphia Landmark
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An important architectural resource at BG&E, the Beury Building was designed by Architect William L. Lee and is named for Charles Ezra Beury, a prominent former leader of banks and businesses.
The Beury Building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, as well as the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.
Philadelphia Historical Commission archive.
Philadelphia Historical Commission archive.
Philadelphia Historical Commission archive.
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“In an area characterized by elegant rowhouses, the Beury Building stands as an important North Philadelphia landmark, unusual in its scale and character. Towering fourteen stories above its neighbors, this imposing Art Deco office tower displays a sophistication in styling rarely seen in this location, comparable to that of the most progressive center city office buildings. Constructed in 1926, the Beury Building, originally known as the National Bank of North Philadelphia, embodies an era of local pride which gave rise to numerous business ventures, continued northward residential development and the expansion of Temple University, all focused along the North Broad Street corridor.”
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- Elizabeth R. Mintz, “Beury Building,” National Register of Historic Places Nomination, Nov. 20, 1984.
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Ruth harper's modeling and charm school
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. December 2023.
Photo: Shannon Garrison. 10/25/23.
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. December 2023.
Trace Gibson, “Ruth Harper: Extending Charm, Talents to Effect Change in Harrisburg,” Philadelphia Tribune, Dec. 12, 1978. Clipping courtesy of the Philadelphia Tribune, Philadelphia PA.
The building at 1427 W Erie Ave is significant due to its association with Ruth DeLoach B. Harper (1927-2006). It was home to Ruth Harper’s Modeling and Charm School (1963-2004) as well as Harper's office when she served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (elected 1976, retired 1992). She represented the 196th legislative district in North Philadelphia.
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Harper grew up in Savannah, Georgia. After relocating to Philadelphia, she took courses at the Berean Institute, La Salle University, and nearby Zion Baptist Church's Mini University. She also attended Philadelphia's first Black charm school, the Flamingo Finishing and Modeling School at Broad Street and Girard Avenue.
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As a Democratic State Representative, Harper supported the creation of Temple University's Children's Hospital, pushed for school uniform requirements, helped save the Freedom Theater from state control, and fought for the preservation of community landmarks like the North Philadelphia Amtrak Station. She was also a member of the Logan Assistance Corporation, which worked to secure federal aid for Logan, where 957 homes were sinking in the late 1980s.
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At her Modeling and Charm School, Harper taught young women and girls to apply make up, practice self-assuredness, walk with poise, and communicate with charm. At the time of her death, Ruth Harper’s Modeling and Charm School was the longest-running Black charm school in Philadelphia.
Photograph of (left to right) Cecil B. Moore, C. Delores Tucker, and Ruth Harper. 1960s. Photo: John W. Mosley. Courtesy of the Special Collections Research Center. Temple University Libraries. Philadelphia PA.
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Nicetown-Tioga Branch of
the Free Library of Philadelphia
12/10/1959. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.
c. 1959. Architect: Wallace & Warner. Artist: Earle Oakes. Free Library of Philadelphia Print and Picture Collection. Do you have more information about this image? Please get in touch!
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. December 2023.
12/10/1959. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.
From 1925 until the late 1950s, 3720-22 North Broad Street was home to Linton's Lunch. In 1958, the Nicetown-Tioga Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia moved into the structure. Formerly known as the Nicetown Branch, the library previously occupied two other locations: 4015 Germantown Avenue and 1715 Hunting Park Avenue.
In 1961, extensive interior and exterior renovations designed by architects Wallace & Warner transformed the building. During renovations, adult reading rooms were constructed on the ground floor. A children's reading room was built on the balcony level. New vinyl tile floors were added, along with new acoustic tile ceiling and florescent lighting. The architects designed a modern facade with a large plate glass window, polished black granite, ceramic tile trim, and a metal screen covering upper windows.
The library re-opened to the public on April 16, 1961.
cOMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION
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Residents Norflet Bailey and Ucles Radcliffe built a flower box for every house on this block in the late twentieth century. Photo: Treasure Philly! survey, 2024.
Built in the 1890s, this block received citywide praise for its cleanliness and beauty. Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development. December 2023.
Collaborative project developed by COSACOSA art at large, Inc. and the Nicetown-Tioga Improvement Team memorializing Gibson and Hargrave, neighbors who cared for a garden on site in the mid-twentieth century. Photo: Treasure Philly! survey, 2024.
Residents Norflet Bailey and Ucles Radcliffe built a flower box for every house on this block in the late twentieth century. Photo: Treasure Philly! survey, 2024.
During Treasure Philly! storytelling events, neighbors stressed the importance of beautification efforts, from block clean ups to communal creation of gardens and parks.
Entertainment
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The Cadillac Club at 3736 Germantown Avenue hosted a star-studded line up of musicians like Aretha Franklin, Olatunji, and Nina Simone. Benjamin L. Bynum opened the Cadillac Club in 1965 with his wife, Ruth Bynum. Bynum and his family operated numerous jazz and blues venues, including the Starlite Supper Club.
These venues provided an important platform for both touring performers and talented local musicians like Billy Paul, who recorded, “Feelin’ Good at the Cadillac Club,” in 1968. Local legend cites it as the location where Kenny Gamble first met Leon Huff. In the late 1970s, the Cadillac Club became Impulse Discotheque.
Royal Luxe, next to Dwight's
Southern Barbecue II, occupies the former site of the Cadillac Club/Impulse Discotheque.
December 2023.
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Development and Planning.
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​During Treasure Philly! Day, 10/5/24, we asked "What songs, albums, or musicians are on your Broad, Germantown, and Erie playlist?"
Answers included:
Four Tops
Marvin Gaye, "What's Going On"
Temptations
Anything by the Barkays
"I'll Always Love
My Mama"
Teddy Pendergrass
Frankie Beverly, "We Are One"
Todd Rundgren
"Ain't No Stopping Us Now"
James Brown
The Arcade Ballroom is both culturally and architecturally significant. Located at 3650-3654 North Broad Street, the entertainment venue occupied the second floor of the former Northern Central Trust Co. building in the mid- to late twentieth century. Architect Alexander Mackie Adams designed the structure, which was built c. 1922 and featured both residential and commercial space. By the 1950s, the site was home to performances and social events.
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Record Hops hosted by Harold “Sonny” Hopson aka “The Mighty Burner” drew thousands of young people to the Arcade Ballroom on Sunday evenings in the 1960s and 1970s. A popular DJ at WHAT and WHPL-TV, Hopson was also an activist in the Civil Rights movement. He energetically promoted local music on the airwaves and at venues like the Uptown Theater in North Philadelphia and the Arena in West Philadelphia. BG&E residents remember his catch phrases, including "Make no mis-take-a, Jake-a."
Sonny Hopson During Radio Show. 1/10/1970. Photo: Owens. Courtesy of the Special Collections Research Center. Temple University Libraries. Philadelphia PA.
The arrow marking the entrance to the former Arcade Ballroom is still visible on Erie Avenue, just west of North Broad Street. December 2023.
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development.
The Venango Ballroom is a significant site in the constellation of local and citywide entertainment venues active in the mid to late twentieth century. The Ballroom hosted dances, weddings, performances, and community events, such as the 1963 African-Asian Bazaar.
A popular social space for Black Philadelphians, a 1962 public conflict over the Venango Ballroom illuminates mid-twentieth century racial tension in the BG&E area. Neighbor and Republican Committeewoman Mrs. Betty Gross led neighbors and police in an effort to revoke the venue’s permit, charging that Venango Ballroom patrons engaged in disorderly conduct. During the ensuing permit dispute, Owner Al Berkhoff argued that efforts to shut down the Ballroom were rooted in racial prejudice. Neighbors and other venue operators organized to support Berkhoff and the Venango Ballroom, which ultimately remained open.
“Muslim Bazaar at Venango Ballroom,” Philadelphia Tribune, Jan. 12, 1963. Clipping courtesy of the Philadelphia Tribune, Philadelphia PA.
“Board’s Refusal of Venango Ballroom Permit Triggers Meet,” Philadelphia Tribune, Nov. 17, 1962. Clipping courtesy of the Philadelphia Tribune, Philadelphia PA.
In the 1950s, the Strand Theater screened films and regularly hosted events like the Philadelphia Inquirer Cooking School, also known as the Cooking Show. During each Cooking Show, for the price of admission, women watched both the theater’s feature film and a one-hour cooking demonstration.
Home economists from Philadelphia Gas Works demonstrated recipes, highlighting brand-name products and showing their audience how to use new gas-powered appliances. They were joined by Deborah Adams, who led the Philadelphia Inquirer "Features for Women" and hosted popular television programming on WFIL-TV.
Cooking show advertisements printed in the Inquirer provided readers with lists of items used during each event, mixing ingredients like Jell-o Coconut Cream Pudding, Morton Salt, and Sunkist Lemons with household items like Clorox and Kiwi Shoe Polish. These advertisements also featured photographs of gas ranges, clothes dryers, and garbage disposals used by show hosts alongside enthusiastic descriptions of their functions. The Cooking Show at the Strand Theater provides a local glimpse at rising consumption nationwide in the post-war years, while highlighting the importance of women’s labor and buying power.
In 1961, the Strand Theater was demolished to make way for the parking lot that is still in use at Germantown Ave and Venango St.
8/29/1960. Photo: Blanck. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.
3/14/1961. Photo: Blanck, R. Carollo. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.
1/25/1962. Photo: Widdop. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.
8/29/1960. Photo: Blanck. Photo courtesy of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.
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3800 Block of Germantown Avenue
December 2023.
Photo: Grace Sweetman/ Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development.
In interviews, neighbors recalled a vibrant constellation of Black-owned businesses and institutions on this block in the late twentieth century.
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Do you have memories or information about this block you'd like to share?
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G.A. Dentzel carousel factory
The G.A. Dentzel Carousel Company operated a factory on Germantown Avenue around the turn of the twentieth century.
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You can visit one of Dentzel's famous carousels at the Please Touch Museum.
Dentzel Carousel at Please Touch Museum. March 21, 2012.
Source: Smallbones, Wikimedia Commons.
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Sun Ray Drugs
Sun Ray Drugs, North Broad Street, 1971.
Photo: Parker & Mullikin. Free Library of Philadelphia Print and Picture Collection.
Architect Armand Carroll designed this mid-century modern commercial property, built in 1953.