Philly - Germantown

**JohnUSCG** · April 14th, 2009, 05:56 PM

Anyone from the Germantown area of Philly able to tell me about East Clapier St?
My father grew up on E. Clapier and used to tell me lots of stories about the neighborhood. I have several pictures of him as a little guy (8-10yrs old) sittin on a pony. He explained to me that there used to be a guy who would come around to the homes in the area and take a picture of the kids on a pony for .10. He actually grew up on one side of the street and when he was 12...they moved across the street because they had an indoor bathroom! My father was born in 1933. I have always wondered what E. Clapier street is like now. Bad neighborhood? He once took me there when I was a teenager and showed me the street....it still looked nice to me back then (in the 80's)

Anyone familiar with the street?

**caa2003** · April 14th, 2009, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by JohnUSCG

Anyone from the Germantown area of Philly able to tell me about East Clapier St?
My father grew up on E. Clapier and used to tell me lots of stories about the neighborhood. I have several pictures of him as a little guy (8-10yrs old) sittin on a pony. He explained to me that there used to be a guy who would come around to the homes in the area and take a picture of the kids on a pony for .10. He actually grew up on one side of the street and when he was 12...they moved across the street because they had an indoor bathroom! My father was born in 1933. I have always wondered what E. Clapier street is like now. Bad neighborhood? He once took me there when I was a teenager and showed me the street....it still looked nice to me back then (in the 80's)

Anyone familiar with the street?

Hi! I grew up in Germantown and my parents still live there. The neighborhood as a whole really isn't that great (at the last job interview I had the guy couldn't get over the fact that I grew up there) and I never really got to know the neighborhood in the 20 years I lived there before I moved in with my boyfriend. I did street view the street and it looks like its in the heart of Germantown and I see its near La Salle which I hear isn't a great neighborhood.

My parents live on the border of Germantown, right off of Wissahickon Avenue and my grandmother lives on W. Clapier Street (which is also right off Wissahickon Ave) The area where my parents live really isn't that bad but it still isn't great. The other night one of their neighbors was chasing someone down the driveway because he was in their car rummaging around.

I hope that helps some and as I said I never really went out around Germantown but looking where it is located on the map it looks like it might not be great. Sorry if that isn't what you wanted to hear

**JohnUSCG** · April 14th, 2009, 10:00 PM

No, I understand that places change over time. I was simply curious if anyone was familiar with the neighborhood and what it was like now. Thanks so much for sharing with me.

John

**caa2003** · April 14th, 2009, 10:29 PM

No problem, it is actually a shame how some parts of the neighborhood are so run down. There are these big beautiful 3 story houses and maybe every third one is actually taken care of, the rest are run down.

**andrewjs18** · April 15th, 2009, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by caa2003

My parents live on the border of Germantown, right off of Wissahickon Avenue and my grandmother lives on W. Clapier Street (which is also right off Wissahickon Ave) The area where my parents live really isn't that bad but it still isn't great.

I hope that helps some and as I said I never really went out around Germantown but looking where it is located on the map it looks like it might not be great. Sorry if that isn't what you wanted to hear

That's because everyone near your parents house knows your Dad. =P