Northeast: Five Places You Might Not Know

Philadelphia is known for its many neighborhoods, but the Northeast in particular is home to quite a few unique businesses and landmarks. The following is a list of five places you might not know in the vast area that lies to the northeast of Center City.

1. The “Welcome to Northeast Philadelphia” sign (above), located on an overpass on Harbison Avenue, greets visitors to the neighborhood in red, white and blue, an homage to the city’s historical background. The sign marks the entrance to – or exit from, depending where you’re headed – the neighborhood, which spans 10,455 square miles and is home to 528,810 people, according to 2010 Census data.

2. The Northeast is home to the country’s oldest Holocaust Museum, the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center. Founded in 1961 by Yaakov Riz, the museum houses hundreds of artifacts from the war and the camps. There is an extensive library filled with hundreds of books and videos with survivor testimonies. It is located in Suite 210 inside the Klein Jewish Community Center.

3. How many times have you driven past the Capital Auto Auction on Interstate 95? Dozens of cars are sold there each week to the highest bidder. The business also participates in Cars for Breast Cancer, where people can donate old vehicles and proceeds from any sales go to promote breast cancer research and awareness.

4. On Haldeman Avenue, between Bustleton and Red Lion roads, sits a famous home. This home is famous because it was made over by the ABC-TV show “Extreme Home Makeover” in 2006. Its brown façade stands apart from the other houses on the block. It has been on the market since March 2013, and is listed for $449,000.

5. The original Philly Pretzel Factory began here on Frankford Avenue. Open daily at 1 a.m., it has been serving up soft pretzels since 1998. On April 26, it offered free pretzels to everyone because it was National Pretzel Day. Philadelphia is known for its soft pretzels, and this is where one major supplier got its start.

– Text and images by Ean Dunn and Steve Foltz