Columbus Boulevard (Philadelphia)
| Location | Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| South end | Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia |
| Major junctions |
 I-95 (Delaware Expressway) in South PhiladelphiaWashington Avenue in South Philadelphia |
| North end | Spring Garden Street / Delaware Avenue in Center City Philadelphia |
Columbus Boulevard is a major north-south thoroughfare in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is famous for being the location of the Penn's Landing area and is generally parallel with Interstate 95 south of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The road extends south towards Pattison Avenue and is home to many big box retailers between Snyder Avenue and Oregon Avenue. Historically, it was called Delaware Avenue, until being renamed in 1992. Use of the name Columbus Boulevard is not universal among older Philadelphians, many of which still refer to it as Delaware Avenue.[1] Some older maps of Philadelphia show this route as once being part of Pennsylvania Route 291.
History
The boulevard was originally a "major freshwater port" which has recently seen revitalization with the increase in tourism and the start of casino businesses in the 2000s.[2] The boulevard was dedicated in 1992 as the Italian Americans persuaded city hall to rename the portion of Delaware Avenue in the South Philadelphia area on the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus sailing to America.[3] The Christopher Columbus monument which is 106 feet tall was dedicated in the same year.[3]
Major attractions along this route include the Independence Seaport Museum, Penn's Landing, and the Philadelphia waterfront with Camden, New Jersey.[4]
References
- ↑ Harry Kyriakodis. "Delaware Avenue (Columbus Boulevard)".
- ↑ Lauren McCutcheon, Carrie Havranek. Frommer's Philadelphia and the Amish Country.
- 1 2 Harry G. Kyriakodis. Philadelphia's Lost Waterfront.
- ↑ Richard A. Sauers. Guide to Civil War Philadelphia.