Product Description

By the mid nineteenth century Philadelphia was a well-established American cultural center that played a large part in the independence and establishment of this great country. The city has met and overcome social and economic adversity through the centuries. Philadelphia has increased in size and established a diverse collection of institutions to become the vital cultural center that it is today.
Historic Photos of Philadelphia captures this journey through still photography from the finest archives of local, state, and private collections. From the Civil War and the Depression, to the building of a modern metropolis, Historic Photos of Philadelphia follows life, government, education, and events throughout the city's history.
The volume captures unique and rare scenes through the original lens of hundreds of historic photographs. Published in striking black and white, the images communicate historic events and everyday life of two centuries of people building a unique and prosperous city.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #103081 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 206 pages

Review
An elegant coffee-table book with little known facts and beautiful black and white snapshots. --Where Philadelphia

With fact-filled photo captions and chapter introductions by author Laura Beardsley, 'Historic Photos of Philadelphia' rediscovers the fascinating past of the 'City of Brotherly Love.' --The Post Living

About the Author
Laura E. Beardsley earned a master of the arts in public history from Rutgers University-Camden. She is the former Director of Graphics and Research Services for the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Previously, she worked as a park ranger and interpretive specialist at Independence National Historical Park. For the past two years, Laura has pursued a career as a freelance researcher and consultant. Having lived inside Philadelphia for twenty years, she now resides in the quiet town of Drexel Hill.

Customer Reviews

A beautiful photographic record of Philadelphia's history
This book, which is part of Turner Publishing's "Historic Photos of..." series, is a beautiful, coffee table-sized (10"x10") pictorial account of Philadelphia. The black and white photographs date back 1839 with the inclusion of the oldest known photograph in the United States. The photos are arranged into six major time periods which cover the early days of the city and beyond, developments in business and politics, highlights of work and play, challenges and changes, conflict and war, and finally, rebirth to recent times (up to 1989).

Each of the six chapters begins with a one-page text overview of that era, but the main body of the book is pictures, pictures, and more pictures! Almost 200 photographs are included, each one featured on its own page and accompanied by a concise yet detailed description further illuminating that time period. Philly's famous city hall, with its statue of William Penn adorning the top (and which, by both law and tradition, was the highest building in the city until the arrival of Liberty Place in the 1980s), is frequently featured, as are the surrounding Broad and Market Streets. There are also various photographs highlighting the many famous Philadelphia department stores, including Gimbel's, Lit Brothers, Strawbridge & Clothier, and John Wannamakers. Finally, any book about Philadelphia is likely to be rich in our country's history, and this one is no exception, most notably evidenced by the two-page spread depicting the opening ceremonies for the nation's centennial.

I was born in Philadelphia and grew up in the area, so this book provided a wonderful trip down memory lane for me. It would make a perfect gift for anyone who has a connection to this amazing historical city; highly recommended!