Gray's Ferry...historical despite the red police cars!

Growing up in Gray’s Ferry gave all of us unique experiences that are often received with astonishment when others unfamiliar growing up in the city hear about the way we experienced life in our neighborhood. Some of the things I am always proud to talk about are the many varied and colorful characters that comprised the population of Gray’s Ferry. Everyone it seemed has a nickname, and it was not uncommon for the nicknames to pass on to their children and so on. However, Gray’s Ferry, even though the neighborhood was over crowded, congested and often at odds with racial tensions especially in the 1960’s and the 1970’s provided unique experiences for all of us, that are unrivaled by other people that lived in the suburbs of Philadelphia, attended non-Catholic schools and lived in homes that were unattached, not like our familiar rowhomes in South Philadelphia.

Additionally, Gray’s Ferry had many unique aspects that lasted into the 1970’s that were practically obsolete in other places by that time. We had mail delivery twice a day, a morning mail and an afternoon mail. Gray’s Ferry still had many corner stores that specialized in dry goods, foods, confectionary delights, hardware and the corner, “tap-room,” unique perhaps to Philadelphia as far back as the Revolutionary era. Bill’s Bar was across the street from where we grew up and it was never without patronage despite the time of day or the hour! Remember growing up in Gray’s Ferry when per the law, bars were required to remain closed until the polling places closed on Election Days? There were many dry mouths on those days, and outright jubilation when the polls closed and the beer taps flowed in the early evening! Local bars also had food service especially Bill’s…they served crab cakes during Lent or fishcakes to the local population and the bar patrons, all for $.25 cents, priceless. Today a crab cake or fish cake would set you back quite a bit, but with happy memories of Friday’s in Lent, one could eat a crab cake for two bits.

Philadelphia was also unique in the color of police cars that patrolled the neighborhoods, Gray’s Ferry included. They were red! Quite an unusual color for a police car. Contemporary psychologists might infer that such a color would incite a crowd into more violence or civil disobedience. However red those cars might have been, the Philadelphia Police restored order when the red patrol car arrived to settle whatever dispute was happening in Gray’s Ferry.

While the police cars might have been red, the neighborhood was accustomed to the presence of police in cars or on mounted patrol. Growing up in Gray’s Ferry, there were horse troughs intended to quench the thirst of any horse that has a mounted patrolman. As the 1960’s and 1970’s continued, these little remnants of older times slowly disappeared from Gray’s Ferry. Anyone that is old enough to remember kindergarten trips or grade school trips to the firehouse on Gray’s Ferry Avenue will remember the fact that the firehouse had a traditional, “fireman’s pole,” which was used daily until the facility was replaced in the 1980’s with a modern firehouse. Small reminders of the evolution of American life, such as new firehouses replaced antiquated firehouses but removed parts of our Americana, such as the traditional fireman’s pole that was a familiar sight until the late 20th century. Along with my classmates, we were fortunate to hold onto the rope with our teachers and venture to explore the 19th century firehouse on Gray’s Ferry Avenue and experience such an example of living history before it was replaced with a more modern firehouse. The firepole was invented in 1870, and the firehouse on Gray’s Ferry Avenue was the last one in use in the Philadelphia Fire Department, so it is another piece of Gray’s Ferry, “Firsts and Lasts,” relegated to history.

Gray’s Ferry saw many historical events in the nation’s history. During the Revolutionary War, American militia in September, 1777 wreaked havoc on British Redcoats at the pontoon Gray’s Ferry crossing. They protected the flank of Washington’s army, retreating from the Battle of Brandywine enroute to Valley Forge. American snipers kept the British regulars from pursuit of Washington’s retreating army and at Gray’s Ferry kept the British from crossing the Schuylkill River to pursue the Continental Army and de facto were instrumental in saving Washington’s Army from annihilation. Perhaps, some of our ancestors in Gray’s Ferry were part of the skirmish that proved a problem for the British troops.

Gray’s Ferry was the only entrance into the City of Philadelphia from the South, so it was historically important during the American Revolution. While the rowhouses we were familiar with were a century away, the area was farmland and pastures used for grazing. A far cry from the neighborhood we are so familiar with. Settlers in Gray’s Ferry are recorded as early as 1625, mixing with Lenape Indians. Settlers were Irish, Dutch & German and most were craftsmen of various occupations. The future Gray’s Ferry would provide a great deal of industry in the 19th and 20th centuries such as oil refineries, chemical plants, industrial forges and similar heavy industries. It is a pleasant reminder to think that some of the early settlers to Gray’s Ferry remained and their descendants became part of the great contributions of the Industrial Revolution that was very much present in Gray’s Ferry until the conclusion of the Second World War in 1945.

While, “red police cars,” are part of the history and memories of a more turbulent time in Gray’s Ferry the area has seen many positive and historic events from the pre-colonial period to the present day. Washington himself crossed over the Ferry on his way to his presidential inauguration, Jefferson maintained a summer home in Gray’s Ferry during the meeting of the Continental Congress, Franklin visited the area and resided with John Bartram.

The former Naval Asylum on Gray’s Ferry Avenue was the birthplace of the United States Naval Academy. The nation’s first military arsenal was the Schuylkill Arsenal and was located on Gray’s Ferry Avenue until the early 1960’s.

The family of artists, the Peales lived and worked in Gray’s Ferry.

During all of America’s wars from the War of 1812 until Vietnam, the United States military was supplied by uniforms, flags and other articles of clothing from the Schuylkill Arsenal and later the Federal Defense Procurement Center.

Growing up in Gray’s Ferry means a lot more than just, “red police cars!” It means sharing in American history and I for one am thankful that I experienced all of the good, the bad and the indifferent aspects of growing up in Gray’s Ferry!