Girard Estate, named after the richest man in the country at that time, Stephen Girard, is a neighborhood in South Philadelphia. The community stretches from Passyunk Avenue to Oregon Avenue and from Broad Street to 21st Street. Stephen Girard landed in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War and soon afterward built his ideal home, which he called “Gentilhommiere”. When Girard died in 1831, he left most of his $6 million estate to the city of Philadelphia, and as stated in his will, the city must build a college for poor white boys in his name and must also never sell his house. The city of Philadelphia did not sell the house, but instead rented it out as separate houses until 1950, when the city was given permission to sell all 481 homes within the estate. The community’s rich heritage and historic buildings made it a perfect setting for Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky II, in which Rocky purchases a house on Lambert Street. Today Girard Estate’s close proximity to the hustle and bustle of Center City, as well as its rich heritage, provide a family oriented environment with a unique history.

RESOURCES 

Gentilhommiere Building website

Philly Skyline article on Girard Estate

South Philly Review on Girard Estate