Fairmount’s borders are somewhat disputed, but most commonly it seems that it is defined by Fairmount Avenue to the south, Poplar Street to the north, the Schuylkill River to the west, and Corinthian or 19th Streets to the east. Fairmount is in the Philadelphia Postal Code 19130. It is often called the Art Museum Area – appropriately due to its proximity to several museums, including the Philadelphia Art Museum, and its dominant presence in the Fairmount neighborhood.
Fairmount Philadelphia 19130
Named after the hill that the Art Museum now sits (Faire Mount), the Fairmount neighborhood also sits nicely on a hill, just north of Philadelphia’s other Center City residents. It has the distinction of having been William Penn’s first choice where he originally decided to build his own home manor.
Penn thought that the rolling hills of Fairmount would be good for growing grapes and changed his mind when he concluded the weather might be too harsh for the crop. Instead, Fairmount stayed in a quiet, rural area just outside of the Philadelphia City limit.
Fairmount Rental Investment Market
Now Fairmount is one of Philadelphia’s most desired neighborhoods by home buyers. The residents live immediately near the dramatic Art Museum, the Schuylkill River, Boat House Row, the Waterworks, Kelly Drive, and the Parkway – all of which give Fairmount a unique and unparalleled dramatic beauty, unlike any other in Philadelphia.
The homes tend to be well cared for, on clean, tree-lined friendly neighborhood streets. A popular area with Home Buyers; but there are always Fairmount Houses for Sale – so no fear of getting boxed out. And the Fairmount neighborhood is stable and its houses will continue to hold their values.
Fairmount Neighborhood
Boat House Row and Kelly Drive Located at 1 Boathouse Row, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Boathouse Row is a series of 15 buildings, on the Schuylkill River, primarily dedicated to Philadelphia’s rowing clubs. In 1979, the buildings were outlined with their famous lights, giving them a Christmas village look. When people think of Philadelphia, they think of pictures they’ve seen of Boathouse Row.
Boat House Row is Fairmount’s front door, which is what makes it so attractive to Home Buyers. The dramatic, picturesque setting of Boathouse Row, and the Schuylkill River is important to the country’s rowing community, and several regattas are held here in Philadelphia.
Lloyd Hall
Lloyd Hall doubles as a Recreation Community Center, for Fairmount and also as the only public row house, at Boathouse Row. If you own a home in Fairmount this is a great resource. With an inside basketball court, cafe, and public restrooms, Built-in 1998, Lloyd Hall was built to enhance the experience and activities of Boat House Row and the recreational users of Kelly Drive.
Lloyd Hall and the area that surrounds it is centrally located at the start of Boat House Row, making it an ideal space to meet, before starting on Kelly Drive. With its restrooms (accessible from the outside and inside of the building), concession stand, and bike and roller blade rentals it quickly has become a fixture.
Kelly Drive
Located at 10 Kelly Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Kelly Drive is an easy walk for anyone living in Fairmount and is a big part of the neighborhood. Also for all of Philadelphia; whether you own a home in Fairmount or not. The road of Kelly Drive is beautiful as it follows the Schuylkill River, which cuts through the woods and rocks of the area.
Kelly Drive begins at the face of Fairmount and connects Chestnut Hill and Mt Airy to the Center City area of Philadelphia. All of Kelly Drive has incredible views, including where it starts, near the Art Museum and Boathouse Row. Kelly Drive also refers to the bike, jogging, and walking path that runs between it and the Schuylkill River.
The path travels up Kelly Drive, to Falls Bridge and comes back to the Art Museum by West River Drive. The path has incredible views of the Schuykill, of sculptures, geese, rowers, and the natural rock formations of that area of Philadelphia.
Eastern State Penitentiary
Located at 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Standing in the center of Fairmount, like a castle overlooking the neighboring houses, is the Eastern State Penitentiary. Built in 1829, by the Quakers as a place to reform prisoners and closed in 1972. Eastern State Penitentiary housed inmates Slick Willie Sutton and Al Capone.
Now Eastern State Penitentiary operates tours and one of the country’s known haunted houses, known as Terror Behind The Walls. The natural eeriness of the decaying building and its rusting cells, not to mention its painful history make it the perfect place for a haunted house.
Fairmount Schools
Fairmount is part of the City of Philadelphia School System.
