Prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854, this neighborhood was part of Moyamensing Township.
 Moyamensing was originally chartered by the Dutch governor Alexander d'Hinoyossa, and in 1684, William Penn confirmed the title.

The neighborhood began taking shape after the Civil War.
In 1870, it was predominantly an Irish American community; however, the neighborhood was in a transitional period, and by 1920, a majority of its residents were African Americans.
 It continued to experience significant in-migration from the south prior to, during, and immediately after World War II.
It remained a solid working-class neighborhood for most of the first half of the twentieth century.

In the 1960s a crosstown expressway running along South Street was planned.
This would have created a barrier between center city and the neighborhoods to the south.
 The result was widespread abandonment of properties in SWCC and the decay of the South Street business corridor.
 The loss of jobs and residents caused the neighborhood to decline as buildings were abandoned and left to deteriorate.

The Marian Anderson House, Franklin Hose Company No.
28, William S. Peirce School, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Freight Shed, Royal Theater, St. Anthony de Padua Parish School, Edwin M. Stanton School, and Tindley Temple United Methodist Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Prior to the Act of Consolidation, 1854, this neighborhood was part of Moyamensing Township.  Moyamensing was originally chartered by the Dutch governor Alexander d'Hinoyossa, and in 1684, William Penn confirmed the title.
The neighborhood began taking shape after the Civil War. In 1870, it was predominantly an Irish American community; however, the neighborhood was in a transitional period, and by 1920, a majority of its residents were African Americans.  It continued to experience significant in-migration from the south prior to, during, and immediately after World War II. It remained a solid working-class neighborhood for most of the first half of the twentieth century.
In the 1960s a crosstown expressway running along South Street was planned. This would have created a barrier between center city and the neighborhoods to the south.  The result was widespread abandonment of properties in SWCC and the decay of the South Street business corridor.  The loss of jobs and residents caused the neighborhood to decline as buildings were abandoned and left to deteriorate.
The Marian Anderson House, Franklin Hose Company No. 28, William S. Peirce School, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Freight Shed, Royal Theater, St. Anthony de Padua Parish School, Edwin M. Stanton School, and Tindley Temple United Methodist Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Southwest Center City, Philadelphia