Market Street,originally known asHigh Street,is a major east–west highway and street inPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania, United States. The street is signed asPennsylvania Route 3between 38th Street (U.S. Route 13) and 15th Street (PA 611). A short portion of the road continues west from Cobbs Creek Parkway (63rd Street) toDelaware County,adjacent to Philadelphia. The street also serves as the dividing line for the "north" and "south" sides of the city. All north-south addresses in the city start at zero at Market Street.
 13th and Market Streets east ofCity HallinCenter City Philadelphia | |
| Owner | SR 2004 fromFront StreettoPhiladelphia City Hall PA 3between 38th Street (US 13) and 15th Street (PA 611) inCenter City Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| Maintained by | PennDOTandCity of Philadelphia |
| Length | 6.5 mi (10.5 km)[1] |
| Coordinates | 39°57′10″N75°09′57″W/ 39.95266°N 75.16575°W |
| West end | PA 3inMillbourne |
| Major junctions |  US 13/PA 3inUniversity City I-76in University City PA 611inCenter City |
| East end | Front StreetinPenn's Landing |
| North | Arch Street |
| South | Chestnut Street |
| Construction | |
| Commissioned | 1682 |
High Street was the familiar name of the principal street in nearly every English town at the time Philadelphia was founded. But if Philadelphia was indebted to England for the name of High Street, nearly every American town is, in turn, indebted to Philadelphia for its Market Street. Long before the city was laid out or settled, Philadelphia's founder,William Penn,had planned that markets would be held regularly on the 100-foot (30 m) wide High Street.
The city's first market stalls were situated in the center of the thoroughfare starting at Front Street and proceeding west eventually to 8th Street. The stalls soon became covered and were not taken down as planned. Later, additional covered sheds appeared west ofCenter Squareas the city expanded westward. The street began to be called Market Street around 1800. The road's new name was made official by an ordinance in 1858, coincidentally just a year before the market sheds were ordered removed.
Market Street has been called the most historic highway in the United States because of the various historic sites along its eastern section. Many ofBenjamin Franklin's activities were centered along Market Street. His house was located near the intersection of Fourth Street, and he may have performed his famous kite-flying experiment near Third and Market Streets.[2]
Over a period of two weeks in June 1776,Thomas Jeffersonwrote theDeclaration of Independencein a boarding house, known as the Graff or Declaration House, once located at 700 Market Street at the corner of 7th and Market streets.
The mansion ofRobert Morris,financier of theAmerican Revolution,was located near 6th and Market Streets. This house, known as thePresident's House,was used byGeorge WashingtonandJohn Adamsas their residence during their terms aspresidentprior to the completion of theWhite Housein 1800. The house was located on the site of the northern part of the present-dayLiberty Bell Center.Around 1795,Theophilus Cazenovelived on Market Street.[3]Several important finance and publishing firsts also occurred along Market Street between Second and Fourth Streets during the 18th century. Market Street is still one of the principal locations of business and commerce in Philadelphia.
Route
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Market Street runs fromMillbournetoFront StreetinCenter City, Philadelphia.At Front Street, a bridge overInterstate 95brings traffic fromPenn's Landing,on the western bank of theDelaware River,onto westbound Market Street. Market Street runs one way, eastbound, between 20th Street and 15th Street, with westbound traffic diverted onto JFK Boulevard.
As of 2023, the entire length of Market Street is part of Philadelphia'sHigh Injury Network,the small fraction of city streets on which the majority of traffic deaths and serious injuries occur.[4]Market Street includes a two-way protectedbike lanebetween 15th and 20th Streets and painted bike lanes between 34th and 63rd Streets.
Market Street is interrupted between 15th Street and Juniper Street byPhiladelphia City Hall,and so technically does not intersect withBroad Street.A pedestrian-only path continues Market Street across the City Hall block. Between 12th Street and roughly 20th Street, Market Street is heavily commercial, with office skyscrapers rising on both sides. In the past, there was a connection to Camden, New Jersey by ferry.[5]
The street continues westward, crossing over theSchuylkill Rivervia theMarket Street Bridge,into and throughUniversity CityandWest Philadelphia.SEPTA'sMarket–Frankford Lineruns along Market Street, as asubwayeast of 44th Street and as an elevated line above Market Street, west of there.
Landmarks
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Independence National Historical Park,home toIndependence Hall,Liberty Bell,andNational Constitution Center,is located at 5th and Market Streets in the heart of Philadelphia'sOld Citysection. The location, where theSecond Continental Congressformed theContinental Armyand signed theDeclaration of Independence,is the birthplace of theUnited Statesas a sovereign nation.[6]
East of the intersection of Front and Market Streets is an entrance toPenn's Landingon theDelaware River.
At 2nd and Market is the historicChrist Church,once the tallest building inNorth America.
Philadelphia television stationWTXF-TV 29(FOX) is located at Market Street and 4th Street. A ground-level studio with a window overlooks the street. On the same location are the headquarters forAudacyand94 WIP.
Adjacent to Independence Mall is theNational Museum of American Jewish History,which relocated to that location in 2010 and occupies the spot once held byCBS 3andKYW Newsradio 1060.
TheFashion District Philadelphiashopping mall is located on Market Street between 9th and 12th Streets, andPennsylvania Convention Centeris adjacent to it.
Reading Terminal,the former grand railroad station for theReading Railroadis located on the northeastern corner of 12th and Market streets. It now serves as the grand entrance to thePennsylvania Convention Center.
ThePSFS Building,the firstInternational Stylebuilding in the U.S., is at Market and 12th streets.
Philadelphia City Hallstands atop Market Street's intersection with Broad Street. Commuters can access theMarket–Frankford Line,Broad Street Line,Subway Surface Lines,andSuburban Stationthrough the 15th Street Headhouse and other access points across fromPhiladelphia City Hall.
One Liberty Place,formerly Philadelphia's tallest building, is located at the southeast corner of 17th and Market Streets. In June 2007, it was surpassed in height by theComcast Center,located a block to the north.
June 5th Memorial Parkis located at 22nd and Market Street in remembrance of the six people who lost their lives as a result of the collapse of a Salvation Army Thrift Store.[7]The one story building collapsed while full of shoppers due to negligent demolition of the building next door.[8]Fourteen others were injured when trapped under the rubble.[9]
30th Street Station,located at 30th and Market streets, is one of the nation's busiest passenber rail stations, and a majorAmtrak,intercity,SEPTA Regional Rail,andNJ Transitcommuter trains.
In theUniversity Citysection of Philadelphia, Market Street crosses through the campuses ofDrexel UniversityandUniversity City Science Center.As a result, the section of Market Street along University City is also signed "Avenue of Technology".
In popular culture
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- 1933:The lyrics to theBing Crosbysong "Down the Old Ox Road" reference "Market Street in Philly";
- 2005 to 2012:Market Street and the neon sign atPenn's Landingare featured in the opening the television showIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphia;and
- 2008:The lyrics to theZOXsong "The Wait, Part II" reference, "They took down all the yellow lights at Market Street and 4th."
Other names
edit- Market Eastfrom Juniper Street at the west to 6th Street (Independence Mall West) at the east. The Market East area has served as one of Philadelphia's retail hubs since at least the early 19th century, when groups of merchants, farmers, and fishermen set up shops and stalls along Market Street, then known as High Street, west of theIndependence Hallarea.
- Market West from 15th Street to 30th Street. This area plays host commercial office space, with numerous skyscrapers, includingOne Liberty Place,Commerce Square,2000 Market Street,and theBNY Mellon Center.
- Avenue of Technology(from34th Streetto38th Street). This section of Market Street was distinguished by "turquoise-and-black lightpost banners." The area is home to many technology-related institutions.[10]
- Pennsylvania Route 3from thePhiladelphia City Hallat 15th Street to38th Street
References
edit- ^"Market Street"(Map).Google Maps.RetrievedJuly 14,2018.
- ^Woods, Michael (May 27, 2002)."Franklin didn't actually discover electricity".Pittsburgh Post Gazette.Pittsburgh Post Gazette.RetrievedMay 21,2016.
- ^Full text of "Cazenove journal, 1794: a record of the journey of Theophilus Cazenove through New Jersey and Pennsylvania"
- ^"Story Map Series".phl.maps.arcgis.RetrievedFebruary 8,2024.
- ^Nepa, Stephen."Ferries".Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.
- ^"Independence National Historical Park".RetrievedSeptember 18,2011.
- ^"June 5th Memorial".
- ^Bob Warner (November 14, 2013)."OSHA: Deadly collapse was 'preventable'".The Philadelphia Inquirer.RetrievedApril 7,2023.
- ^"13 Victims Treated At 3 Hospitals After Center City Building Collapse".CBS News Philadelphia.RetrievedJune 6,2013.
- ^"Avenue Of Technology Works On Role APort of TechnologyBuilding Will Be a Central Feature of the Market St. Corridor ".Archived fromthe originalon July 14, 2014.
External links
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- Market Street, from Front Streetfrom 1840 byJohn Caspar Wildvia theWorld Digital Library
- The High Street MarketfromThe City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania North America: as it appeared in the Year 1800 consisting of Twenty Eight Plates,by William Russell Birch and Thomas Birch, 1800.
