Brief History of Pennsport
Horace Furness High School is located in the neighborhood of Pennsport in South Philadelphia along the Delaware River waterfront. The neighborhood has traditionally been home to white, blue-collar workers. Pennsport has a large Irish-Catholic population and has been the home of many Mummer clubhouses, which have become symbol of the community for over a century. At the turn of the twentieth century, Pennsport was a popular location for Jewish and Italian immigrants in addition to Irish immigrants. Later, Russian and Polish immigrants made Pennsport their home and more recently a new wave of Asian immigrant have entered the area. Historically, trolleys were the main source of transportation connecting the neighborhood to the rest of the city. Today, the area is accessible by SEPTA buses running on Front Street, Moyamensing Avenue, and Washington Avenue. The population of Pennsport is 74,766. The median household income in the neighborhood is greater than the Philadelphia median at $45,322.
Horace Furness High School is located in the neighborhood of Pennsport in South Philadelphia along the Delaware River waterfront. The neighborhood has traditionally been home to white, blue-collar workers. Pennsport has a large Irish-Catholic population and has been the home of many Mummer clubhouses, which have become symbol of the community for over a century. At the turn of the twentieth century, Pennsport was a popular location for Jewish and Italian immigrants in addition to Irish immigrants. Later, Russian and Polish immigrants made Pennsport their home and more recently a new wave of Asian immigrant have entered the area. Historically, trolleys were the main source of transportation connecting the neighborhood to the rest of the city. Today, the area is accessible by SEPTA buses running on Front Street, Moyamensing Avenue, and Washington Avenue. The population of Pennsport is 74,766. The median household income in the neighborhood is greater than the Philadelphia median at $45,322.
Present Day
Furness High School physically has a dominant presence. One can easily spot the school as they drive over the Walt Witman Bridge. It towers over the surrounding buildings. Furness takes up the entire block of Third Street to Gallway Street. Teachers use the streets along the sides of the school, Mifflin and McKean Street, to describe the location of their classrooms within the building.