Walter Rice sits on his couch as his three cats dash around his living room. He openly talks about the high and low points of living in Feltonville which has been his home since June 2003.
Although Rice has only lived in the neighborhood for seven years, his family has long roots in the area.
“This was the family neighborhood two generations ago,” Rice said.
The neighborhood used to be primarily white and Jewish when Rice’s grandparents first lived in the area, but through the years its diversity has increased.
Although many white families moved from the area as the population changed, many members of Rice’s family still lives reside in Feltonville. Rice lives two blocks away from his grandmother who never left the area.
Rice’s parents live in Northeast Philadelphia, but him and his sister both moved back to be close to the church and family.
“My generation seems to be doing the return” Rice said.
Rice works as a technology consultant and works mainly with libraries, churches and museums where he helps them get their archived documents online. Much of his work can be seen on the Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network, which helps map out the geography of Philadelphia and its history. His work can be seen at http://www.philageohistory.org/geohistory/index.cfm
He has been a member of the Wyoming Avenue Baptist Church his whole life. He chairs the Board of Deacons, helps lead Sunday morning worship, does work with the youth and manages the Web site and all historical data about the church.
One of Rice’s main reasons for moving back to Feltonville was so that he could play an active role with the church.
“I’m very much committed to the idea of church being local,” Rice said.
Although Rice has only lived in the neighborhood for seven years, his family has long roots in the area.
“This was the family neighborhood two generations ago,” Rice said.
The neighborhood used to be primarily white and Jewish when Rice’s grandparents first lived in the area, but through the years its diversity has increased.
Although many white families moved from the area as the population changed, many members of Rice’s family still lives reside in Feltonville. Rice lives two blocks away from his grandmother who never left the area.
Rice’s parents live in Northeast Philadelphia, but him and his sister both moved back to be close to the church and family.
“My generation seems to be doing the return” Rice said.
Rice works as a technology consultant and works mainly with libraries, churches and museums where he helps them get their archived documents online. Much of his work can be seen on the Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network, which helps map out the geography of Philadelphia and its history. His work can be seen at http://www.philageohistory.org/geohistory/index.cfm
He has been a member of the Wyoming Avenue Baptist Church his whole life. He chairs the Board of Deacons, helps lead Sunday morning worship, does work with the youth and manages the Web site and all historical data about the church.
One of Rice’s main reasons for moving back to Feltonville was so that he could play an active role with the church.
“I’m very much committed to the idea of church being local,” Rice said.
Rebecca Hale and Patrick McCloskey, Group 22, Feltonville
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