View showing the U.S. Customhouse (1845 to 1935) at 420 Chestnut Street and the U.S. Post Office (1863 to 1884) at 426-428 Chestnut Street. Customhouse building built in 1824 after the designs of Philadelphia architect William Strickland. View includes the adjacent Philadelphia Bank Building also designed by Strickland in 1836 at 400-408 Chestnut. Building tenanted by Aetna Life Insurance Company; Commonwealth Bank; Wood and Garrett, cotton good manufacturers; Edward Borhek, optician (storefront adorned with large spectacles); and Alfred J. Reach, cigar dealer. Also shows vendor stands near the customhouse and a partial view of advertisements for businesses on the north side of the street. Advertisements include a large showpiece rifle promoting gun dealers, Phillip, Wilson & Co. and a billboard promoting "Wright's Tar Syrup" adorning Kromer's Patent Medicine Depot., Orange mount with rounded corners., Title printed on mount., Digitization funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012.
Creator
Simons, M. P. (Montgomery P.), photographer
Date
ca. 1868
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereo - Simons - Government Buildings [P.8497.4]
