This photo of Krewstown Road is part of the photo collection the Northeast Philadelphia History Network is trying to acquire. (Image courtesy of the Bruce Conner Collection)

Nearly two years after the passing of Bruce Connor, friends and fellow members of the Northeast Philadelphia History Network are working to acquire his extensive picture postcard collection.

NEPHN members Jack McCarthy and Fred Moore announced over the weekend plans to raise funds to secure the collection of “some 341 unique and important historic images of Northeast Philadelphia.” continue reading »

Plaques honoring the five new Hall of Fame members line a wall in Holy Family’s Education & Technology Center. Photo/Shannon McDonald

More than 200 people opted to spend a sunny Sunday indoors for what, for many, was an emotional Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

“The average Philadelphian probably doesn’t think of ‘Northeast Philadelphia’ and ‘history’ in the same sentence,” Hall of Fame project director Jack McCarthy said as he took the microphone inside Holy Family University’s Education and Technology Center.

Since 2009, that’s what the Hall of Fame ceremonies have aimed to do – get people thinking about the Northeast’s history and how its major players have impacted not just the region, but the city, and even beyond the country. Some of the 2012 inductees have had a global impact. continue reading »

Bruce Conner helps lead a meeting of the Northeast Philadelphia History Network last March, when the group split from the Historical Society of Frankford.

Bruce Conner passed away last week following a car accident late last month. In the passage below, his friend and fellow historian, Jack McCarthy, remembers Bruce.

The Northeast Philadelphia history community suffered a major loss with the recent death of local historian Bruce Conner. Bruce had been in a coma following an auto accident in late February and died on March 9th. The accident occurred as he was driving home from one of the many local history meetings he regularly attended.

continue reading »

Northeast Philadelphia History Network members discuss ways to enhance the organization's meetings.

In keeping with the beginning of community meeting season, attendees at last night’s Northeast Philadelphia History Network meeting discussed ways to freshen up the network and carry it into the future.

The group, which in March, separated from the Historical Society of Frankford amidst Jack McCarthy’s resignation as archivist of the Frankford group, met in Rhawnhurst’s Pelbano Rec Center to share thoughts about where to take the NEPHN.

“[The network] is still defining itself,” said Lou Iatarola, who spearheads Tacony history research and serves with the Tacony Civic Association. “To me, it’s a very rewarding group on a number of levels.” continue reading »

Many people, including various neighborhood organization leaders, came out to the Center for Northeast Philadelphia History meeting.

Jack McCarthy, archivist for the Historical Society of Frankford, announced at last night’s meeting of the Center for Northeast Philadelphia History that he’ll resign from his post with the Frankford-based organization, effective in one month.

This announcement, which was the first order of business at the meeting, prompted Fred Moore (a local historian who also serves as the Holmesburg Civic Association president) to propose the Center for Northeast Philadelphia History “divest ourselves from the Historical Society of Frankford.” continue reading »

City Councilwoman Joan Krajewski (l) examines the wall of inductees to the Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame. Photo by Christopher Wink.

The Northeast welcomed the first inductees into its hall of fame yesterday, celebrating more than 300 years of accomplishments in our region.

More than 100 guests, honorees and elected officials gathered in Holy Family University‘s John M. Perzel building to formally honor the first eight Northeast Philadelphians to be included in the Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame — something its creators plan to make an annual event.

“A [Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame] is long overdue,” State Rep. Dennis O’Brien said in his address to the events attendees.
continue reading »