Our Mission
Callowhill Neighborhood Association, Inc.(CNA) is a 501c3 not-for-profit community organization dedicated to neighborhood improvement. CNA was formed in 2001. We aim to promote a cohesive community of residents, businesses and institutions while retaining the diversity and character of the area. CNA aspires to enhance the quality of life for all members of the community.
Our Boundaries
Our boundaries are from the north side of Vine Street to the south side of Spring Garden Street, and from the east side of Broad Street to the west side of 8th Street.
The Story of Callowhill
In 2000, when residential and business neighbors met to discuss forming a Neighborhood Association, the boundaries were relatively easy to define – Vine to Spring Garden, Broad to 8th. The name took more time. Some liked Trestletown – because of the Reading Viaduct. Some preferred The Loft District. Callowhill was chosen because it locates the neighborhood. It is our main street – the east /west corridor that goes through the heart of Callowhill Neighborhood.
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Did you ever wonder where the name Callowhill came from? When William Penn was laying out the city of Philadelphia in the early 1680s, he named Callowhill Street in honor of his wife, Hannah Callowhill.
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Hannah Callowhill Penn (February 11, 1671 – December 20, 1726) was the second wife of Pennsylvania founder William Penn. When Penn died at age 73 on July 30, 1718, his will gave Hannah Callowhill Penn full control of the colony and his fortune. William Penn’s oldest son by his first marriage, William Penn, Jr., sought to dismiss his father’s will in order to obtain control of the colony. His suit was unsuccessful, and Hannah Penn remained in charge of the colony until she died from a stroke at age 55, Hannah Callowhill Penn is one of the few individuals and the first woman granted the status of Honorary Citizen of the United States, awarded her by Presidential Proclamation by an Act of Congress and signed by Ronald Reagan on November 28, 1984.
On March 19, 2014, the Pennsylvania Commission for Women awarded the first Hannah Callowhill Penn Leadership Awards to honor Pennsylvania women who have been outstanding mentors and role models through their leadership, service and commitment to empowering women and girls in the commonwealth.