Scene showing predominantly African American construction workers laying down railroad tracks near a block of rowhouses at Front and Arch Streets in Philadelphia. The men are surrounded by piled planks, buckets, and construction debris. Many of the workers have stopped to pose, including a white man, possibly a foreman. In the left, two men continue to work and consult near steps by a curved railing. The half completed tracks, bridge platform, a billboard, factory buildings, and water tower are visible in the background. Constructed under the auspices of the City of Philadelphia's Department of City Transit (later Transit Operations and Planning Division) between 1915 and 1922, the Frankford Elevated Railway consisted of a two track structure six miles in length that extended north over the roadway of Front Street, Kensington Avenue and Frankford Avenue between Arch and Bridge Streets. Operated under lease to the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company (later South Eastern Public Transportation Authority or SEPTA), the line opened November 5, 1922., Title supplied by cataloger., Purchase 1989., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022., Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Date
[September 6, 1922]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department photos - unidentified - Construction [P.9260.419]
View showing street construction by the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company of the Market Street Subway in a shallow pit on the 2100 block of Market Street. The construction workers include white and African American men. Also shows cityscape, trollies traveling in the street, spectators, and construction equipment., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inscribed in negative: 7-22-04., Inscribed in negative: 563., Gift of Steven Dorfman, 2013., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
Date
[July 22, 1904]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department photo - unidentified - Construction [P.2013.6.7]
View showing street construction by the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company of the Market Street Subway on the 700 block of Market Street. Shows the very active street with several trolleys, horse-drawn vehicles, and men and women pedestrians hurrying on the street near the sidewalk mobbed with people. African American construction workers work under a "Danger" sign. Nearby, a man carries a sign advertising "Dr. Hyman" who "will fix your teeth." Several businesses line the street, including Lit Brothers department store (701-739 Market); "Dr. Wyeth's Painless Modern Dentistry" covered with signage; Hanscom's, grocery and lunch room (734 Market); Hertfelder's, tailor and clothiers; Wick Narrow Fabric Co.; and Asam Brothers, wall paper., Title from manuscript note on verso., Date inscribed in negative., Inscribed in negative: 4396., Purchase 1989., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022., Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Date
September 25, 1907
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department photo - unidentified - Construction [P.9260.375]