Wandering around Point Breeze, we noticed a series of houses that don’t fit in with the rest of the neighborhood. The houses on Castle Ave., a smaller street between Morris and Moore Sts., seem more appropriate for West Philly than the streets of Point Breeze, a neighborhood full of typical Philadelphia row houses. The “Castle” houses are twins with full porches, and they have stone or mock stone facades and mansard roofs.

Looking west toward 15th St.

Many don't look like they're in great shape

As it turns out, there is one additional block of Castle Ave., right on the other side of Broad St. On the 1400 block, the only homes are on the south side, and on the 1300 block, unique “Castle” homes are on the north side and standard Philadelphia row houses are on the south side. The houses on the 1300 block look to be better maintained, in general.

Looking west, on the 1300 block of Castle Ave.

More “Castle” houses can be found behind the homes on Castle Ave., on the northern side of the 1400 block of Moore and the southern side of the 1300 block of Morris. We’ve done some digging and can’t figure out why there are only two blocks of Castle Ave., and why the houses on Castle are so radically different from the other houses in either neighborhood. Is Castle Ave. a remnant of a long forgotten street? An experiment gone wrong? Infill where some large building once stood? The work of a West Philly developer who accidentally bought huge lots in South Philly? We’re at a loss here folks, any ideas?