It was one of William Penn's original gridded streets from the 1680s, although named Sassafras Street then.

[1] Race and Arch streets are listed by their original names, "Sassafras" and "Mulberry," on the map in Birch's Views of Philadelphia, published in 1800.

[2] The name "Race Street" was originally a nickname given to the street, since the street was used for horse racing in Philadelphia in the early 1800s.

The name became official some time in the mid-1850s.

From east in Center City near the Delaware River to west near the Schuylkill River: Drexel University Campus, from 32nd to 34th Streets: