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Fitler Square Philadelphia – A Hidden Oasis.
Fitler Square is a few blocks away from Rittenhouse Square. It is at the corner of Pine Street and 23rd Street. It is a small but beautiful public square. The square is named after former Philadelphia Mayor Edwin Henry Fitler. He was the 75th Mayor of the city of Philadelphia (1887 to 1891) and also served as the President of the Board of Trustees of the Thomas Jefferson Medical College.
Fitler Square like Rittenhouse Square is also the name of the neighborhood. It borders the neighborhood of Rittenhouse Square and goes all the way to the Schuylkill River. The Schuylkill River Park and parts of the Schuylkill River Trail are contained within the neighborhood of Fitler Square.
The main attraction of the park is a Victorian-era water fountain. Right next to the fountain, there is an area where you can sit, relax and enjoy the sights and sounds. The square also has a few things that kids will enjoy like the three turtles and also sculptures of a grizzly bear and a ram.
There is a very nice restaurant at the corner of 23rd and Pine named Cotoletta Filter Square. This restaurant is very popular with the local residents.
I really enjoy watching the sunset from this Square. If you stand near the fountain, you can see the evening sunlight reflect off of the old row houses along Pine Street and Panama Street.
How to get to Fitler Square?
- Fitler Square is an easy 5 minute walk from the Schuylkill River Park and a 10 minute walk from Rittenhouse Square. When walking from Rittenhouse Square, I normally take Delancey Pl. Delancey is a quiet street and is full of historic houses. If you walk from the Schuylkill River Park, you should take Panama Street from 25th to 24th Street. It is one of the narrowest streets in the city of Philadelphia (pedestrian only).
- There is also a bus stop at the corner of 23rd and Pine (Route 12).
Filter Square Farmers’ Market
Just like the Rittenhouse Square Farmers’ Market, Fitler Square also has a Saturday Farmers’ Market. Some of the popular vendors are Dock Street Brewery, Mitchell & Mitchell Wines and Nilaa Coffee. The Fitler Square Farmers’ Market is organized by a non-profit organization called The Food Trust. The Farmers’ Market typically is open on Saturday’s from 9 AM to 2 PM.
Schuylkill River Park, Schuylkill River Trail and Schuylkill Banks
There is the Schuylkill River Park, the Schuylkill River Trail and the Schuylkill Banks (all three of these entities are connected to each other). All three are within a five to ten minute walk from the 30th Street Station, Fitler Square and Rittenhouse Square. The whole are is one of the most popular places to hang out for residents of Center City and University City residents of Philadelphia.
Schuylkill River Park
Schuylkill River Park is a land owned by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation. The park has a beautiful and spacious recreational riverside green space. You can have picnics here and enjoy beautiful views of Center City Philadelphia and the Schuylkill River.
Within the Schuylkill River Park, there is an enclosed space for little and big dogs (known as Little Dog Run and Big Dog Run). There is also a separate area for the River Park Community Garden, a playground for children (Markward Playground), a baseball field (Taney Baseball Field) and a basketball court.
Schuylkill River Trail
The Schuylkill River Trail is a trail that is set along the banks of the Schuylkill River. Parts of the trail are already complete and the overall trail will be about 140 miles long when completed. The most popular stretch of the trail in Philadelphia starts from the Schuylkill River Park and goes all the way up to Oaks, which is a suburb of Philadelphia (Near the town of King of Prussia). This stretch is about 25 miles long. You can walk, bicycle or run.
I try to walk the stretch from the Schuylkill River Park to the Strawberry Mansion Bridge about twice a month. It is about 5 miles long. In my view it is the best part of the trail within the Philadelphia city limits for walkers and joggers. Along the way you will see the FMC Building, 30th Street Station, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Boathouse Row, Kelly Drive, Glendinning Rock Garden and Fairmount Park. This section of the trail is also very safe.
Schuylkill Banks
The City of Philadelphia has tasked the Schuylkill River Development Corporation (a Non-Profit Organization) with reviving the banks of the Schuylkill River from the Fairmount Dam area (where the historic boathouses are) all the way to the Delaware River. There is a long way to go before this can become a reality, but we can already see significant progress.
There is now a boardwalk along the side of the Schuylkill River from Locust Street to South Street Bridge. You can access this boardwalk from the Schuylkill River Park (There is a bridge over the railroad tracks). You can walk, run or bike on the boardwalk also. The view Center City Philadelphia from the top of the South Street Bridge is one of the best views of the city. The sunsets are spectacular.
Have you been to Fitler Square or the Schuylkill River Park?
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