Devil's Pocket, Philadelphia
| Devil's Pocket | |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood of Philadelphia | |
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In the background: The Naval Square Development, which borders and dwarfs the Devil's Pocket (unseen in this image). | |
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| Country |
 United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Philadelphia County |
| City | Philadelphia |
| Area code(s) | Area code 215 |
Devil's Pocket is a three-square-block neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The neighborhood borders are Christian Street, Taney Street, Grays Ferry Avenue, and the wall of the Naval Square development (on the grounds of the former U.S. Naval Home/Asylum). The neighborhood consists of rowhouses tucked near an industrial landscape near banks of the Schuylkill River. It has historically been heavily Irish-American. Like the neighborhoods to its north and east, "The Pocket" (as locals traditionally refer to it) has seen investment, rehabilitation, and gentrification, and an accompanying dilution of the Irish-American populace. Despite the increase in gentrification, however, there remains a substantial Irish population.
The term "Devil's Pocket" is said to have originated with a local priest saying the neighborhood kids were so bad they would steal a chain out of the devil's pocket. Others say the street layout created a pocket neighborhood set back from main roads, and the people here were so rough it became known as the Devil's Pocket.
The 1983 novel God's Pocket by Pete Dexter and the 2014 film adaptation are set in the fictional South Philadelphia neighborhood of God's Pocket, which is based on the actual Devil's Pocket.
Effects of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia 2017 Expansion Plans
According to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's plan to expand into the Schuylkill neighborhood, sources say it is likely that the Devil's Pocket neighborhood will be absorbed into its neighboring community due to the vast nature of the project as it is likely going to make Devil's Pocket indistinguishable from its neighbor.[1]
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Coordinates: 39°56′33″N 75°11′10″W / 39.942493°N 75.18609°W