50 Things I Love About Philly In No Order Particularly - #41

(Like the title says, this is a list of things I've loved about philly, in the 17 years I've lived in this area. Also, like the title says, they're in no particular order. It's also not an inculsive list. These were just the first fifty that popped into my head. I'm gonna dish one up fresh, weekly. Also, I've started at the "bottom" to keep you tuned in. It's part of my nefarious plan for readership. Mwa-ha-ha-haaaaa.) (Like the title says, this is a list of things I've loved about philly, in the 17 years I've lived in this area. Also, like the title says, they're in no particular order. It's also not an inculsive list. These were just the first fifty that popped into my head. I'm gonna dish one up fresh, weekly. Also, I've started at the "bottom" to keep you tuned in. It's part of my nefarious plan for readership. Mwa-ha-ha-haaaaa.)

The Old Houses In Germantown

Back when I was a financially-challenged student, I didn’t give a real thought as to the esoteric value of my living environment. If it was cheap, I’d consider it.

One of the graduate students in the music school owned a house that he rented out rooms in while he tried to fix it up. His house was in Germantown.

Take Lincoln drive, exit on High street – at least that’s my memory – it might have been called Harvey street on that side of Germantown ave… and follow it up past the high school. That’s where I lived for a few months (yes, right around the time of the Germantown rapist, though I never told Mom that.)

The house itself? Oh, God, what a house. Three story, stone Victorian. Gas pipes still in place for gas lighting. Servants’ staircase. Parlor, dining room, living room, kitchen, tons of bedrooms and at least 2 baths. And it was surrounded by houses just like it (in similar or worse states of disrepair and neglect).

Never mind that I counted the crack-pipes on the way to the bus, that neighborhood was gorgeous. Gorgeous. If you could look beyond the abandonment.

The house across the street will be ever called Miss Haversham’s house to me – it made the house I lived in look small and well maintained. Beautiful. I understand that it still hadn’t been hooked up to running water when I lived there.

I walked a lot through the nooks and crannies of the neighborhood that summer (hey, I never said I was smart). That’s when I found the hidden (to me anyway) paths in Fairmout park and the treasure trove of restored old Germantown houses.

I don’t know if it’s still the case, but if you’re looking for a house, don’t care so much about schools or neighborhood safety, look in Germantown. Those old houses… so much potential!

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