WCGN – West Central Germantown Neighbors

Welcome to West Central Germantown, a neighborhood situated within one of the oldest settlements in Pennsylvania and located in the northwest section of Philadelphia.

West Central Germantown Neighbors (WCGN) is an all-volunteer association dedicated to maintaining and improving the quality of life in a diverse neighborhood. WCGN works to limit expansion of institutional uses and supports historic preservation. Members initiate and encourage group projects to maintain a safe and beautiful place to live, including a garden on the grounds of the Tulpehocken Train Station. We are proud of the creativity and inclusiveness of the neighborhood culture, and sponsor social events to strengthen community bonds.

WCGN is an Unincorporated Nonprofit Association under the Pennsylvania Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Law. To view WCGN’s bylaws, click here.


Important WCGN Community Meeting
Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 7:30
Zoom link here. No registration required.

Meeting ID: 856 0669 623
Passcode: 543428

Please mark your calendar for WCGN’s Spring Meeting.

The main item on the agenda will be a presentation by the History and Heritage Committee recommending that WCGN pursue nominating the Tulpehocken Station Historic District to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. (It is currently on the national register only, which affords it less protection.) Guest speakers will include Paul Steinke from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, Kim Chantry from the Philadelphia Historical Commission, and Mark Brack from the Powelton Village Civic Association.

The agenda will also include calling for a vote to pursue incorporation for the Association.


Spring Workday at the Garden
Tulpehocken Train Station
Saturday, March 30, 9:00 – 12:00

Next time you’re at Tulpehocken Station, check out the new flower bed borders made of branches! The expanded beds will be planted with more native wildflowers.

To make way for these, we will be removing sod, some of which is invaded by Lesser Celandine. We’ll then be laying down cardboard and covering it with a layer of ground-up leaves. Hope to see you there!


Philly Spring Cleanup
Saturday, April 6, 2024, 10 AM – 1 PM

Volunteers will meet at the green space behind Christ Church & St Michaels (corner of Tulpehocken and McCallum) to organize teams. If you arrive late and no one is there, please proceed to one of the areas listed below and look for volunteers.
WCGN will supply trash bags. Please bring your own gloves and trash pickers.

We will be working on the following streets:
• Corner of McCallum and Washington to Germantown Ave, then making a right.
• Corner of McCallum and Washington to Wayne Ave, then making a left.
No registration is necessary, please just show up!

In case of inclement weather, monitor:
https://www.phila.gov/programs/philly-spring-cleanup/


Below are our latest “News” posts—click on title for full post and active links.

“Train” Trip to Harrisburg

This past Monday, 50 Save the Train advocates, including PA State Senators Art Haywood & Nikil Saval, travelled on the 7:25 Amtrak train to Harrisburg. At the state capitol we rallied with Representatives Tarik Kahn, & Stephen Kinsey, advocating for the state too fund safe, reliable public transportation for all of Pennsylvania – and especially […]

Winter Community Meeting

WCGN held its annual Winter Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 31 via Zoom. Topics discussed included the risk of Chestnut Hill West Line closure and formation of the Save the Train coalition that is pushing to get SEPTA the funding they need. Topics also included a presentation by Seth Lieberman asking for support for a […]

Mark Frazier Lloyd Lecture

In March of 2014, the historian Mark Frazier Lloyd delivered a fascinating and information-packed lecture and slide show called “Enterprise Unleashed: Tulpehocken Street 1808-1852,” and it happens that the lecture was recorded by Jeff Smith. The original file is not to be found, but the video may be viewed on YouTube, and it is definitely […]


Thank You!


newsletter Button

Sign up for our free Online Newsletter.