Logan Square, or Logan Circle, is a neighborhood in Center City Philadelphia. It is located in the area surrounding Logan Square, one of the original five parks as designed by William Penn. The Square was originally known as Northwest Square. Before 1823, the Square was used as a burial ground and as a location for public executions. In 1825, the Square was renamed Logan Square after James Logan, a scholar, statesman, and William Penn’s secretary. In the 19th century, the city of Philadelphia extended to the west and the area surrounding Logan Square began to be developed. Soon factories and Italianate rowhomes began to populate the Logan Square area. With the new influx of immigrants to Philadelphia came a great number of Catholics, who chose to settle near the Square and build the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. In 1918, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway was built around the Square, connecting Broad Street and Kelly Drive. In order to build the Parkway, 1,300 residential, commercial and industrial buildings in the Logan Square area were destroyed, causing a substantial reduction of the local population. In the later half of the 20th century, many of the older buildings in the neighborhood were again destroyed to make way for modern structures. Today the Square is a vibrant neighborhood with many cultural attractions.
RESOURCES
Logan Square Neighborhood Association
PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia's Future