Browse Items (26 total)

Background

Originally known as the Lehigh Avenue Branch Library, this was the third library built with funds from Andrew Carnegie to serve the communities of Central North Philadelphia, Fairhill, St. Edwards/Hartranft, and West Kensington.…

At the intersection of Broad and Lehigh, the Philadelphia Phillies used to play in a stadium named the Baker Bowl. Currently, this site is a gas station, but it has a rich history that has not lost its significance over the years. The Baker Bowl was…

In 1845 a man by the name of Daniel Gaston became the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Cohocksink on Germantown and Huntington Avenues. Gaston was known for his “untiring zeal” which persisted until passed away in April of 1865. Rev.…

The Hardwick and Magee Company was a carpet manufacturer for almost 150 years in Philadelphia, with a portion of its time located and headquartered at Lehigh Avenue and 7th Street. Founded in 1837, Hardwick and Magee was one of the earlier…

The Keystone Theatre, once located at Lehigh Avenue and 11th Street, was one of the many playhouses, theatres and entertainment attractions along Lehigh Avenue during the turn of last century. Designed by architect Albert E. Westover, the Keystone…

For many years, 2713 Germantown Avenue was home to many theatres (under an array of names). The building was designed by Philadelphia architect A.E. Westover. The theater first opened as the Amusement Parlor in 1912, showing silent movies with live…

Once a dramatic backdrop to the Baker Bowl, The Ford Motor company constructed this 10 storey building that is still standing today at the intersection of North Broad and Lehigh Avenue. The structure was completed in 1914 with its 500,000 sqft of…

In the 1960s during the Vietnam War, Thomas Edison High School lost 54 students in Vietnam, the highest number of casualties to the war from any high school in the United States. These losses had an immense impact on the student body and former…

The Julia de Burgos Elementary School sits on what used to be the site of a lace factory. The factory was built in 1880 to produce carpets for the Horner Brother Carpet Company. It was purchased once more (in 1894) before it was incorporated under…

Although this building is no longer part of the active railroad station, it has a history of connecting people dating back to the late 19th century. It was built in 1881 as a replacement for the Pennsylvania Reading Railroad’s Centennial Station,…