View looking northwest at the north side of the 1200 block of Chestnut Street showing the Chestnut Street Theater built in 1863 after designs by John Crump. Includes signs for Allen's furniture store (i.e., Joseph Allen, cabinet maker, 1209 Chestnut) and a concert hall north of the theater building. All of the properties have awnings shading the street level, except for the theater, which has street lamps lining the sidewalk and a broadside advertising "E.L. Davenport's Theatre...A Dream of Life" near the entrance. Also includes trolley tracks, pedestrians on the sidewalks, and a few horse-drawn carts and coaches travelling in the street., Title from photographer's manuscript note on verso., Manuscript notes in red pen appear on mount., Manuscript note in red pen on verso: Mrs. Mihesell Vane 11/3/63 270/10.00 (3), Yellow mount with rounded corners., Davenport managed the theater from 1869-1873. "A Dream of Life" played there un 1872., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Bell began his photographic career in 1848 working for his brother-in-law's daguerreotype studio in Philadelphia and thereafter was associated with many commercial studios as partner or sole proprietor. He served as the chief photographer for the U.S. Army Medical Museum in 1865 and replaced Timothy O'Sullivan on George M. Wheeler's survey of the territories west of the 100th meridian in 1872. He returned to Philadelphia, went into business with his future son-in-law William Rau in 1875, and was active in the photography community until his death in 1910.
Creator
Bell, William, 1830-1910
Date
[ca. 1872]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereo - Bell - Theaters and halls [P.9189.2]
