Antoinette Taylor, 58, has lived within the same five-block radius her entire life. She quickly recalls cherished memories of Sunday dinners, summers at the shore, neighborhood friendships and a time when children could walk into one another’s homes without even knocking.
For generations, her family’s story unfolded within St. Nick’s Parish. Homes stayed in the family, recipes were passed down alongside traditions, and neighbors became extended relatives.
South Philadelphia is changing rapidly. Sometimes, all we need is a moment to remember the families, traditions and neighborhoods that shaped us.
Taylor’s maternal grandmother, Kay Canonica, was one of six children born in Italy in 1913. When she immigrated to Philadelphia, she didn’t speak a word of English. Determined to succeed, she taught herself the language so well that, years later, few people realized English was her second language.
Her maternal grandfather, Domenic Petrella, was one of five children raised in South Philadelphia near Gerritt and Wilder streets.
“My grandfather went to the same exact grade school that I, my brother and my mother went to,” Taylor said.
That school was James Wilson Public School at 12th and Wharton. Built in 1908, it later became Annunciation after being purchased by the Archdiocese in 1948. Today, the building has been transformed into Wharton Street Lofts.
In those days, women who weren’t married by their early 20s were often considered “old maids.” But Kay and Domenic did things on their own timeline. Kay was 22 and Domenic was 27 when they married in 1935. The newlyweds briefly lived with family near 10th and Morris before settling into a home that would become the heart of the family’s story.
The House on Gerritt Street
Kay and Domenic eventually moved into what Taylor simply calls “the house on Gerritt Street.”
Those sturdy walls witnessed decades of Sunday gravy, birthday celebrations, backyard barbecues, holiday gatherings and everyday moments that became lifelong memories.
Taylor’s mother, Antoinette, and her siblings were raised there. Later, when Taylor and her brother Ralph (named after their father) were children, they walked there after school every day for lunch.
Taylor’s father, Ralph, was Philadelphia born and raised, though his family lineage stretched back to Ireland generations earlier. The Taylors belonged to Epiphany Parish.
Ralph and Antoinette
Taylor loves telling the story of how her parents met.
For her mother’s 16th birthday party, Kay suggested that one of the cousins invite a few young men. At the time, Antoinette mostly socialized with girls. Uncle Tony came through, convincing Ralph to attend by promising plenty of food and a good time.
There was just one catch.
Ralph belonged to Epiphany Parish, while Antoinette was from St. Nick’s.
“Dating someone from a different parish was like someone from Wisconsin moving to Philadelphia,” Taylor said with a laugh.
While dating outside your parish wasn’t exactly frowned upon, it was considered “traveling.”
The couple dated on and off before Ralph was drafted during peacetime. While he completed his military service, the two became pen pals. When he returned home, they resumed their relationship, eventually marrying and remaining closely connected to Kay and the rest of their extended South Philadelphia family. Ralph and Antoinette moved to S. Clarion Street in 1971.
Keeping the House in the Family
After Kay and Domenic passed away, the Gerritt Street house didn’t sit empty.
Taylor’s uncle (her mother’s brother) had become disabled and was bedridden by his 50s. There was never any debate about what should happen next.
“He got the house,” Taylor said. “There were no questions asked.”
There was no lengthy legal battle or family dispute. If someone in the family needed a place to live, they received it.
“That’s family,” Taylor said.
For many South Philadelphia families, that tradition was simply understood. If a sibling needed a home, the family home became theirs.
Over the years, Taylor’s family has paid inheritance tax on the Gerritt Street house at least three different times. Today, her brother and his wife live there, while Taylor continues living in the house on S. Clarion Street where she grew up.
“I’ve been in this house since 1971,” she said. “My brother and I lived here until he got married. I think South Philly is unique because a lot of people don’t leave their childhood homes until they’re married.”
Taylor also spent 15 years caring for her mother. Before that, she cared for her grandmother and her uncle until they passed away.
Today, her immediate family consists of just Taylor and her brother, Ralph.
She also misses another kind of family. The neighborhood.
During the 1970s, children filled the block from one end to the other. There was always someone outside to play with, someone’s steps to sit on, or someone’s living room to wander into without knocking. Every home felt like an extension of your own.
“It is a different Philly,” Taylor said. “It doesn’t have the same neighborhood vibe because people have moved away or passed away. The South Philly close-knit family dynamic is slowly disappearing.”
Still, the stories remain.
Every row home has a history. Many have sheltered generations of the same family, serving as the backdrop for countless meals, celebrations, hardships and milestones.
Behind every front door is a legacy waiting to be told.
What was your South Philly childhood like?
