Logan Square

The Logan Square neighborhood includes the area north of Market Street, south of Spring Garden Street, west of Broad Street, and east of the Schuylkill River. Key landmark buildings surround Logan Square including the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute, and the Roman Catholic Cathedral-Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. Nearby Fairmount Park offers Logan Square residents an outdoor retreat from the city limits with miles of creeks and trails for hiking and biking.

Logan Square History

Originally Logan Square was known as Northwest Square, one of the original five squares on William Penn’s 1682 plan for Philadelphia. It was used both as a burial ground and for public executions. In 1825, the Square was renamed Logan Square after James Logan, William Penn’s secretary and mayor of Philadelphia from 1722 to 1723. Today it is known as Logan Circle ever since a traffic circle was created on the Square as part of the development of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.