Tucked away in the upper corner of West Philadelphia lies the urban hamlet Overbrook. Though probably best known to folks outside the neighborhood for either the high school, the train station or The School For The Blind, the neighborhood is one of Philadelphia's hidden surprises.

Gorgeous (and pricey) stone homes line beautiful, curving tree-lined streets. Neatly appointed lanes of brick rowhomes hug the gentle slopes of the neighborhood's many hills.

Unlike much of the city, the faces of its residents span the length and breadth of humanity. Astronauts and movie stars have walked its blocks. Its streets are quiet and its avenues are alive. It reflects some of that charm most people don't associate with Philadelphia and, in some places, a bit of the same patina that makes this city what it is.

The general neighborhood is a agglomeration of smaller places - Overbrook Park or Overbrook Farms - but generally the feel stays the same from one street to the next. It feels like home.

This here is a sampling of Overbrook.

BEGIN

–Steve Ives
phillytrax@aol.com