Along Passyunk Avenue, just south of the cherished Italian Market, a strip that holds its place in Philadelphia history, there are no buildings listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. The folks in the Passyunk Square Civic Association are looking to change that.

Currently, the group is organizing a sort of watch list to identify properties in the PSCA boundaries, which stretch between 6th & Broad, Washington & Tasker, that offer a significant historical value worthy of earning a place on the historic register. You'd have to not be from the Philly area or lived with the old hippie who lives in the woods at the frisbee golf course in Fairmount Park to have not heard of the Italian Market. But what are some historical buildings nearby in Passyunk Sqaure? Possible candidates, according to the PSCA, include schools, churches, cemeteries, or sites with social significance, as the building itself does not need to be architecturally significant if something important occurred there.

“We are still developing our watch list and want to reach out to some of the private property owners before publishing such a list,” said Karin Morris, of the PSCA. “Obviously public buildings like schools, churches, and some municipal buildings are ones that might make the list.”

Morris also pointed to the former Armory building at 1221 S. Broad St. that was constructed in 1886 and demolished this fall to make way for a six-story building with 50 apartments.

This is great attempt from a civic organization to strengthen the identity of its neighborhood. Can you all think of any other neighborhoods that are lacking in officially registered historical properties, but bursting with sites that could be added to the list? Are there any in your neighborhood that you wish were protected?