Queen Village is bordered by the Bella Vista, Pennsport and Society Hill neighborhoods.
It is bounded by the south side of Lombard Street to the north side of Washington Avenue and the east side of 6th Street to the Delaware River piers. Much of the business district (known as the South Street Headhouse District) lay within Queen Village's boundaries. [†]
Long before William Penn and the founding of Philadelphia, Swedish settlers arrived in 1638 at a place the local Lenni Lenape Indian tribe called Wiccaco, which means "pleasant place."
The early Swedes established Fort Christina (now Wilmington, Delaware) and settled along the river as far north as present day Trenton, New Jersey. Their leader, Governor Johan Pritz, declared the area New Sweden. These early colonists maintained good relations with the Indians, showing exceptional friendliness and respect to their neighbors.
William Penn decided to change the name of "Wiccaco" to Southwark, after a similarly situated neighborhood on the south bank of the Thames in London.
In the late 1970's, Southwark was renamed Queen Village after Queen Christina of Sweden, to recognize her role in promoting the original settlements.
The neighborhood is home to Weccacoe Playgound, Bainbridge Green, Mario Lanza Park and the Shot Tower Recreation Center.
† em>Queen Village Neighbors Association, www,qvna.org, accessed December, 2021.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Street Names
2nd Street South • 3rd Street South • 4th Street South • 5th Street South • 6th Street South • Bainbridge Street • Carpenter Street • Catherine Street • Christian Street • Fairhill Street South • Fitzwater Street • Front Street South • Fulton Street • Gaskill Street • Hall Street • Kenilworth Street • Lombard Street • Monroe Street • Moyamensing Avenue East • Passyunk Avenue East • Pemberton Street • Queen Street • Randolph Street South • Reese Street South • Salter Street • South Street • Washington Avenue