The Manayunk Neighborhood of Philadelphia has a Rich Immigrant History

Manayunk is a neighborhood situated in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia. Once its own entity, it has been considered part of Philadelphia since 1854 through a law known as the Act of Consideration. The name of the area comes from the Lenape (Delaware) Indian word "manaiung'', which means "river'' or, more literally, "place to drink.'' William Penn purchased this piece of land from the Lenapes during the 18th century.

Manayunk sits near the Schuylkill River, just south of the Wissahickon Creek. The first person to build a home in the area, originally known as Flat Rock, was the son of Richard Levering, the man who had purchased the land from Penn. The town really grew, however, with the construction of a dam, canal, and locks by the Schuylkill Navigation Company. The canal provided water power for mills and other businesses and once it was in place, the Manayunk neighborhood began to grow in leaps and bounds and soon became a prosperous manufacturing area.

During much of the 19th century, Manayunk contributed to Philadelphia's reputation as the leading industrial city in the United States. Immigrants arrived in droves to work at the mills and other plants in the area. They came mostly from England, Ireland, Poland, Italy, and Germany. In addition, many of the city's African-Americans settled in the Manayunk area and were employed in the factories there. The melting pot of residents made Manayunk a very culturally diverse area, a tradition which still continues today and is made evident by the many signs in different languages that line Main Street and other parts of the community.

In the 1990s, the hilly neighborhood of Manayunk enjoyed a regentrification of sorts after a decade or more of blight caused by the closure of mills and manufacturing plants. The process of reinvigorating the area began with the opening of some upscale restaurants. More followed and, today, the area is known as an excellent night life location where young adults enjoy bar hopping and visiting nightclubs and comedy venues. A total of about 30 eateries line both sides of Main Street. Aside from new establishments, still present are some of the best small ethnic eateries in the city, started by those same immigrants who arrived more than 100 years ago and carried on through the decades by family members.

Shopping in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia is also a favorite pastime. Art galleries and home furnishing stores are quite popular as are boutique-type shops selling unique apparel. The shopping district stays quite busy on weekends, especially during the summer season.

In addition, each year the neighborhood residents help to organize the Manayunk Arts Festival, the largest outdoor arts and crafts festival in the Delaware Valley, generally attracting some 250 artists and artisans as well as more than a quarter-of-a-million guests. The art portion of the festival is juried and includes some of the best regional and local artists in the Philadelphia area. This family-oriented event also offers children's activities and sidewalk food offerings presented by local restaurateurs.

Manayunk is also know for its "wall'', an incredibly steep stretch of road that is difficult to navigate in the snow but is an important part of an annual bike race where participants are made to challenge this tough stretch of road.