| Starting
Point: |
Three
watercolor sketches by Taylor ca. 1861 with general locations |
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North
side of Market Street between 17th and 18th Street |
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South
side of Arch Street between 20th and 21st Street |
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South
side of Arch Street between 21st and 22nd Street |
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| Goal: |
Develop narratives about the life spand of the buildings
depicted in the sketches by researching the building’s owners,
inhabitants, and construction/demolition dates.
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|
Step 1. |
Determining
Building Locations and General Descriptions |
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Visited
Free Library of Pennsylvania Map Collection to examine ward maps. |
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Examined Hexamer and Locher Fire Insurance Atlas of 1860 to determine
addresses and building descriptions of properties.
|
| |
Examined
Bromley 1875 and Hexamer 1887 and 1915 fire insurance atlases to understand
the development of the area and building. |
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|
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Determined addresses by converting historic street names to contemporary
ones.
| Current |
1853 |
| Market Street |
High Street |
| Arch Street |
Mulberry Street |
| 17th Street |
Schuylkill 6th |
| 18th Street |
Schuylkill 5th |
| 20th Street |
Schuylkill 3rd |
| 21st Street |
Schuylkill 2nd |
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| Step
2. |
Focusing
Our Research |
| |
1725
Market Street listed on maps as Pottery. Property becomes focal point
of research. |
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Continued
research for 1723 and 1727 Market Street to supplement understanding
of the block |
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Based
on similar appearance of buildings on Arch Street blocks, surmised
that construction dates for homes on each block must be approximately
same. Selected one building from each block of Arch Street as focus
of research: 2008 Arch Street and 2116 Arch Street. |
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| Step
3. |
Determining
Construction and Demolition Dates of Properties |
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Obtained registry number for all properties at Philadelphia City
Hall, Department of Records and Map Room.
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Conducted a chain of title at the Philadelphia City Archives, which
included grantor/ grantee indexes, transfer sheets, and deeds.
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Examined 3rd District Surveys at Philadelphia City Archives.
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Researched
Fire Insurance Surveys at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. |
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| Step
4. |
Identifting
Building Occupants |
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Researched
City and Business Directories at from 1809-1890 at: |
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- Library Company of Philadelphia
- Free Library of Philadelphia
- Van Pelt Library, University of Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia City Archives
- Historical Society of Pennsylvania
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| Step
5. |
Resarching
Philadelphia History |
| |
Researched history of trade at Van Pelt Library, University of
Pennsylvania and Library Company of Philadelphia.
|
| |
Researched
the history of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Van Pelt Library,
University of Pennsylvania. |
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| Step
6. |
Illustrating
Our Findings |
| |
Researched the Castner Scrapbook collection at the Free Library
of Philadelpia Prints and Picture Collection.
|
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Researched trade catalogs at the Library Company of Philadelphia
Print Department.
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Researched Pennsylvania Railroad Company images at the Philadelphia
City Archives.
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Photographed
and digitally enhanced fire insurance maps. |
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See
individual building timelines for citations, images, and sources.
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| Repositories |
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Free
Library of Philadelphia
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 686-5322
http://www.library.phila.gov/ |
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Historical
Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 732-6200
http://www.hsp.org/ |
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Library
Company of Philadelphia
1314 Locust Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
(215) 546-3181
http://www.librarycompany.org/ |
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Philadelphia
Department of Records
City Hall
Room 154
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 686-2260
http://www.phila.gov/records |
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Van
Pelt Library
University of Pennsylvania
3420 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-7555
http://www.library.upenn.edu/vanpelt/ |
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