Streetcars named desirable: historical society highlights Philadelphia tradition

by MEREDITH SONDERSKOV

Joel Spivak, co-author of Philadelphia Trolleys, will give a lively, illustrated lecture on the fascinating history of the streetcars whose tracks crisscrossed the city for nearly a century. Sponsored by the Chestnut Hill Historical Society, Spivak’s presentation will be on Wednesday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 pm at the Chestnut Hill Branch of the Free Library.

“You should be able to live in Philadelphia without owning a car. There was a time when you could travel all over the city on public transit — cheaply, comfortably and conveniently,” said Spivak, an architect by profession, a community activist and trolley historian by choice.

“All over the world, trolleys and light rail are making a major comeback. So what did Philadelphia do? We sold a whole batch of our old trolley cars to San Francisco in the 1990s. They’ve refurbished them and put them into service. Now they’re more crowded than the famous cable cars. Philadelphia just doesn’t seem to get it.”

Spivak’s enthusiasm for trolleys goes back to his childhood in West Philadelphia, when they were the main mode of transport and he and his friends could travel all over the city for free. His other interests are varied, from neighborhood preservation and beautification projects in Queens Village and South Philadelphia to organizing “The Philadelphia Row House Olympics,” a citywide competition of street games. 

In 1992, Spivak designed and built “Monument to the Trolley” at 4th and Bainbridge as part of the 100th anniversary of the first electric streetcar in Philadelphia. He was also a pioneering force behind TrolleyFest ’95, “an event that reminded people of the days when the cars that ruled the roads of Philadelphia were trolley cars.” From 1993 to 2001, while Spivak served as chairperson of the Philadelphia Trolley Coalition, he went to neighborhoods with a slide show to educate young people about the golden days of Philadelphia public transit. In 1998 he received a “Best in American Living Award for Excellence” from the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

The Chestnut Hill Historical Society will sponsor two more lectures this winter. On Jan. 19, Joan Saverino will expand on the history of the Italian families in Chestnut Hill and on Feb. 23, Liz Jarvis will show newly discovered “vintage” photos and illustrations including some from her recent book, Chestnut Hill Revisited, 1854 to 1954 as a window into Chestnut Hill’s unique past.