= Broad Street Run1 ×
Basically Southern Route ×
Brotherly Sisterly2 Recreation ×
Buildings…Some Remain ×
Broad Street Rabbit-holes ×
Broad Street Rumination3,4
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
1: https://www.broadstreetrun.com/
3: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_Street_(Philadelphia)
4: https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/broad-street/
Author’s Note: This Broad Street Rumination is a bit of Philly history. With the references and links, you can explore as many Broad Street rabbit holes as you like.
Go down to Table of Contents
Prologue
I grew up in Cheltenham Township, PA, located on the northwestern border of Philadelphia. Because my parents worked in the city, I was a frequent traveler to, from, and on the Philadelphia Transportation Company’s (now SEPTA) Broad Street Line5.
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
5: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_Street_Line
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">#: #</p–>I would start my trip by walking (of course, uphill both ways) from my home to the corner of Old York Road and Chelten Hills Drive, where I’d wait for the #55 bus. When it arrived, I dropped my token into the fare box and asked the driver for a transfer. That transfer allowed me to continue my trip for free on the subway at the Olney Transportation Center.
For me, the subway was the best part of the journey—I’d ride in the first car, standing by the front window to watch the driver, observe the track signals, and enjoy the speed of the train (perhaps hinting at future runner instincts?).
• Pre-race • Mile 1 • Mile 2 •
• Mile 3 • Mile 4 • Mile 5 •
Pre-race
On the morning of the run—before I even reached the Olney gear check area—my race down memory lane began. I drove by the former locations of the Open Hearth6, Martin’s Aquariuma, Oak Lane Diner7,8, Roy Rogers9, Rodeo Ben’s10,11 (yes, actual Western gear was sold here; today it is a plumber’s store owned by my friend Mike Ingram12) and Hot Shoppes13.
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
7: https://disappearingamerica.weebly.com/oaklane-diner.html
8: https://whyy.org/articles/philly-oak-lane-diner-housing-development/
9: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Rogers_Restaurants
10: https://philadelphiacracksmeup.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-rootin-tootin-life-of-rodeo-ben.html
11: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70929967/bernard-lichtenstein
12: https://www.ingrams.co/why-ingrams/2745871
13: https://dinerhunter.com/2011/03/08/hot-shoppes-philadelphia-pa
Just north and east of the starting line stands the Albert Einstein Medical Center. This institution began in 1864 as the Jewish Hospital for the Aged, Infirmed and Destitute14. It was here that I received my first x‑rays for broken bones and stitches on my right knee (from running into the back of my Radio Flyer wagon); the scar is still visible.
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
14: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein_Healthcare_Network
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">#: #</p–>In the 1960s, residents of Cheltenham knew that serious medical care should be received at Einstein because Abington was not yet “a real hospital.” Now both facilities are part of the Jefferson Health System15.
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
15: https://www.jeffersonhealth.org/home
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">#: #</p–>At the Broad and Fisher starting line, on the southeast corner, stands the former office of my Aunt Amy and Uncle Dr. Leonard Malamut16,17. He served in WWII under George Patton and later was the medical supervisor of the Altaussee, Austria Salt Mines18—one of many European caves that once held art stolen by the Germans. He was interviewed for the book The Rape of Europab and film (on which the movie Monuments Men was based). An “old-style doctor” who knew all his patients as individuals, he maintained copious notes; his patients included at least one US Senator and a US District Court Judge. In addition, he was a passionate poet, botanist, photographer, ornithologist, astronomer, and more. Amy worked side by side with him throughout his career. I was fortunate to share many celebrations with them—one of my most cherished aunt/uncle combinations.
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
16: https://surfacefragments.blogspot.com/2011/05/art-belongs-to-humanity-looted-nazi-art.html
17: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-story-monuments-men-180949569/
18: https://www.aaa.si.edu/blog/2014/03/monuments-men-inside-the-mines
Mile 1: And the race begins…
Within the first mile, there is or was:
Toddle House19 – where my family would always stop for brunch after services at Rodeph Shalom (located at approximately BSR mile 4.7).
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
19: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toddle_House
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">#: #</p–>S & H Green Stamp20 store – where we could redeem filled stamp books (collected from grocery store marketing) for merchandise. The stamps were distributed per dollar spent at stores like Penn Fruit21 (many of its recognizable curved roof structures still exist in the Delaware Valley, such as at Holy Redeemer in the Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center) and Food Fair / Pantry Pride22.
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
20: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%26H_Green_Stamps
Mile 2
In the second mile, there is or was:
Keenan Motors – (now Mercedes-Benz of Doylestown), which sold Mercedes-Benz and Rolls Royce (my rich Aunt Ruth always bought her cars here).
Mama Rosa’s BBQ – delicious but sadly now defunct.
Miles Fisher’s Restaurant23,24 – It served O.T.C.25,26 oyster crackers and horseradish on the table and had delicious chocolate chip ice cream with huge chips for dessert.
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
23: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15449327/miles-w.-fisher
24: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/miles-fishers-restaurant-menu-254357762
25: https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_1329398
26: (Subscription required) https://www.inquirer.com/food/restaurants/otc-oyster-crackers-oyster-house-trenton-cracker-20190327.html
Also notable were:
Buery Building27,28,29 – perhaps as famous for its “Boner 4ever” graffiti (will it survive the renovation?) as for anything else.
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
Zion Baptist Church30, founded by Leon H. Sullivan31,32 – a significant historical figure.
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30: https://www.zionbaptphilly.org/
Fun fact:
In 1971, Sullivan joined the General Motors Board of Directors, becoming the first African-American on the board of a major corporation. While there, he lobbied for GM and other large corporations to withdraw from South Africa while apartheid was still in effect. (On a related note, I once met both his granddaughter and his daughter, thanks to a connection through my cousin.)
Mile 3
Before the third mile, there is or was:
North Philadelphia Station35 – where you could catch a train to New York City.
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
35: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Philadelphia_station
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">#: #</p–>Joe Frazier’s Cloverlay Gym36 – now a furniture store.
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
36: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Frazier%27s_Gym
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">#: #</p–>Botany 500 Building37 on Lehigh Avenue – Originally a Ford Motor Company assembly plant (among other uses), it once stood directly north of the Phillies’ Baker Bowl in the 1930s. Its upper stories offer a commanding view of the city—ideal for an apartment house. When Philadelphia was a thriving garment center, the International Ladies Garment Workers Union38 had offices across the street.
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
38: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Ladies_Garment_Workers_Union
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">##: #</p–>Fun fact:
On Lehigh Avenue, eight blocks west of the Botany 500 Building once stood Shibe Park / Connie Mack Stadium39, home at times to the Philadelphia Athletics40 (Kansas City / Oakland / Las Vegas) and the Philadelphia Phillies.
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
39: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibe_Park
40: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_Athletics
41: n/a
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Mile 4
In the fourth mile, there is or was:
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
42: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratz_College
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">#: #</p–>Uptown Theater43,44 – which, to my recollection, has been both renovated and trashed multiple times.
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
43: https://philadelphiauptowntheater.org/
44: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown_Theater_(Philadelphia)
Temple University45 – It has been amazing to see the growth and transformation of this university; the pep band always provides high-energy race music as we pass.
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
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Mile 5
In the fifth mile, there is or was:
The Blue Horizon46 – Voted by The Ring magazine as the number-one boxing venue in the world.
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
46: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Horizon
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">#: #</p–>The Met47
SEE LINK URL and COLLAPSE
47: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Opera_House_(Philadelphia)
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">#: #</p–>SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
48: https://hiddencityphila.org/2017/04/north-broad-rising/
49: https://billypenn.com/2022/04/04/divine-lorraine-luxury-apartments-hotel-north-broad-transition/
<!–p class="has-small-font-size" style="text-indent: -1em;padding-left: 1em">##: #</p–>Rodeph Shalom50,51 – Established in 1795, it is the oldest Ashkenazic synagogue in the Western Hemisphere. It was here, in 1970, that I had my Bar Mitzvah.
SEE LINK URL’S and COLLAPSE
50: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congregation_Rodeph_Shalom_(Philadelphia)
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Halfway to the finish line… maybe more to come.
Author’s Note: So far, putting this Rumination together took waaaaaaaay longer than it will for me to run the race.
–OKhen “Positively spelt (UK edition)” or “Positively spelled (US English edition)” or “Deletreado positivamente (US Spanish edition)”
Fine Print
¶Text by Kenneth Olsho (Ólshó), CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. ¶Gratefully published: Facebook Shawmont Running Club, Shawmont Running Club website.
Shawmont Running Club 