View showing the Falstaff Hotel, formerly the Washington Tavern, established in 1790 on Sixth and Carpenter (i.e. Jayne) streets between Market and Chestnut streets. Hotel renamed in reference to a sign designed by John Archibald Woodside depicting actor William Warren (hotel owner) in the character of Falstaff adorning the inn in the 1820s-1830s. Inn used for legal proceedings and as a meeting-space for societies. Also shows a partial view of the adjacent Gray's Brewery (24 S. Sixth). Brewery operated by Gray family 1772-1866, including George W. Gray who served as proprietor 1850-1866., Title, date, and photographer's imprint from Poulson inscription on mount., Originally part of a series of eleven scrapbooks compiled by Philadelphia antiquarian Charles A. Poulson in the late 1850s entitled "Illustrations of Philadelphia" volume 2, page 41. The scrapbooks contained approximately 120 photographs by Philadelphia painter and pioneer photographer Richards of 18th-century public, commercial, and residential buildings in the city of Philadelphia commissioned by Poulson to document the vanishing architectural landscape, Reproduced in Kenneth Finkel's Nineteenth-century photography in Philadelphia (New York: Dover Publications Inc., 1980), entry # 72., See J. Thomas Scharff's and Thompson Westcott's History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884 (Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1884), vol. 2, p. 984 for history of hotel., See J. Thomas Scharff's and Thompson Westcott's History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884 (Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1884), vol. 3, p. 2278-2279 for history of brewery., Retrospective conversion record: original entry, edited., Select link below for a digital image., Reaccessioned as 8339.F.40.
Creator
Richards, F. De B. (Frederick De Bourg), photographer
Date
June 1857
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department photo - Richards - Hotels, Inns, Taverns - F [(2)2526.F.41(Poulson)], http://www.brynmawr.edu/iconog/rcd/8339f40d72.jpg