The Parks of Kensington

There were three parks that I visited in Kensington as a child. They were all important to me and my friends, as they represented some of the only grass and trees in our neighborhood. One of the most important for me was McPherson Square. It had great hills we could use for sledding in the winter. Mainly it was close enough that we could walk to it.

With time, some of these parks changed and not for the better. That is especially true for McPherson Square. Still, we older folks have our memories, and we can access those better times. We can bring back the times we visited the library, sledded down a hill being missed by cars as we ended up in the streets, and in the summer rolling down a grassed-filled slope. More than one of my friends ended up in the back end of parked cars.

The pictures I have included some of the tough times and the good times. Tell us your enjoyable time stories.

McPherson Square Branch of the Free Library 1917

Two civic groups are requesting round-the-clock police patrols at McPherson Square due to its use as a drug hangout. 1974.

Run down condition of McPherson Sq library 1974. It got a new name Needle Park. 

A flock of pidgeons in Harrowgate Square 1977

Photographs depict area residents who enjoy gathering in Harrowgate Square. 1977
Harrowgate Square 1937

Penn Treaty Park 1951. It is in Fishtown, but that area was once part of Kensington.