More about Fitler Square

Located five blocks east of the Schuylkill River, this half-acre park lies on the edge of the Center City shopping district, and just a few blocks southwest of Rittenhouse Square.

Though the Fitler Square neighborhood is an easy walk from one of the city's most lively commercial areas, a glance west along Pine Street, the Square's southern border, reveals the silver ribbon of the Schuylkill River and the brooding red brick towers of the University of Pennsylvania campus beyond. In fact, a fifteen-minute walk brings a visitor from a bench in the park to the heart of this world-famous institution.

The Square is nearly encircled by single-family homes, and provides the focal point for a moderately affluent neighborhood that includes several fine restaurants and a wide variety of shops and small businesses.

During the day the Square offers an enticing meeting place for young children and their parents, while in the evening the Square invites strollers of all ages to stop and chat. And it's the Square's hospitality that accounts for so much of its charm.

An addition to the natural beauty of the Square is the collection of animal statuary within its modern wrought-iron fence. These include the Grizzly Bear (1983) sculpted by Eric Berg at the west end of the Square, a Family of Turtles (1989) also by Berg near the southwest entrance, and the Ram (1982) sculpted by Gerd Hesness that greets visitors from the eastern end.

And dominating the center of the Square stands a Victorian-era fountain that flows most of the year.

 

A compliment to the Square's visual beauty is its nearly bucolic quiet, where the songs of birds and the music of practicing instruments are often louder than the sounds of infrequent passing traffic. So it is unremarkable that its neighbors regard the Square as a sanctuary.

The Heart of the Neighborhood
A venerable institution that has become the site for a variety of neighborhood activities is Trinity Memorial Church, and its associated Trinity Center for Urban Life. In addition to its spiritual mission, the Church and Center provide facilities for a children's day-care center, the Wintershelter for homeless men, musical concerts and recitals, and the location for the local polling station.

 

 

Schuylkill River Park: Fitler Square's Neighbor
Three blocks west of the Square begins Schuylkill River Park, among the newest of Philadelphia's parks. Stretching along the eastern bank of the Schuylkill River, when completed it will provide a bucolic foot-and-bike path along the river leading to the back entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and entrance into Fairmount Park.

The southern end of the park, between Lombard and Spruce, is dedicated to a variety of activities. Here visitors will find a children's playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, a softball field, a dog-run, and a large neighborhood garden.

 

The view across the river is dominated by the imposing buildings of the University of Pennsylvania. Most recognizable among them are the towering walls of Franklin Field, for nearly a century the home of Penn's football team, and for nearly twenty years the home field for the Philadelphia Eagles professional football team.

North along the river stands the imposing building for the US Post Office, and further north, the classically elegant facade of 30th Street Station, one of Philadelphia's two major railroad stations. Finally, perched at the top of a hill are the yellow walls and russet peaks of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Schuylkill River Park is an exquisite compliment to Fitler Square, providing opportunities for sports activities, the delights of the gardens of flowers and vegetables, and a scenic panorama.

newspaper article: The Dream of Schuylkill River Park
(October, 1959)