Germantown Historical Society, Philadelphia

09/13/2022

Check out Concord School House and Upper Burying Ground in this vintage photo from GHS!

09/04/2022

Back to School Special - The NW Local Paper

"In honor of the arrival of the new school year, it is a great time to reflect on the history of some of the schools in our area, many of which have survived for generations. We do so with this photo montage showing some of the schools, and highlighting their connections to our history and community."

Looking back on Germantown's long tradition of learning

08/24/2022

Shown here is a page from one of the scrapbooks in the collections of the Germantown Historical Society showing the The Hood Cemetery also known as the Lower Burial Ground, at 4901 Germantown Avenue. The photographs show the Cemetery as it appeared around 1900. Forty-one Revolutionary War soldiers are buried here, as well as those from the War of 1812 and the Civil War. The iconic stone entrance to the Hood Cemetery was donated by William Hood in 1847. He is buried in the Cemetery, and it bears his name in honor of his donation.

07/29/2022

Nominations are Open for the 2023 Hall of Fame - We are in the planning stages for 2023 and are seeking nominations for new inductees.

The Hall of Fame celebrates the achievements of individuals who have contributed to the rich cultural history and community of our beloved "Old German Township" (Germantown, Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill). Our honorees embody the extraordinary skills and talents that significantly contribute to the civic, educational, and artistic fabric of our community.

Please consider nominating someone today!
Deadline for Submission 9/1/2022
Click on the link to make your nomination: https://bit.ly/3Sc4ra7

07/02/2022

"Busting Blockbusting" - German Township history article from the Archivist/Librarian at the Germantown Historical Society, Philadelphia in the The Local

Read the Article Here: https://nwlocalpaper.com/busting-blockbusting

06/07/2022

Hall of Fame Auction Highlight: Private Dinner for Nine at "Springbank"
Enjoy a catered dinner for nine guests in the dining room of "Springbank" - a remarkable house in what is now Mount Airy with a colorful history of phases of construction and ownership. The original house dates back to circa 1730 and was expanded upon over the years, including by architect Frank Furness circa 1880.
Learn more and BID at the Hall of Fame! Get your Tickets - https://bit.ly/3NsdSzH

Photo: Germantown Historical Society, Philadelphia

05/30/2022

Photos from Historic Germantown's post

04/15/2022

110 years ago on April 15, 1912 the RMS Titanic, a British passenger liner operated by the White Star Line, sank in the North Atlantic Ocean after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, UK, to New York City.

A number of Philadelphians lost their lives that day, but some survived, including a wealthy woman from Germantown.

"Charlotte Cardeza filed the single largest claim for loss of property against the White Star Line...she eventually received $8,750..."

You can read about her background as well as see a listing of the items that she filed a claim for from the White Star Line (published Spring 1998). https://bit.ly/3xCCbWi

And for more on the Titanic and Charlotte with photos of their original suites and other places on the ship, check out this article from the NW Local from 2021: https://bit.ly/3JJ0p3B

03/22/2022

The Slave in the Parsonage: An 18th Century Fight for Freedom - The German Society of Pennsylvania

From the German Society of Pennsylvania: https://www.germansociety.org/classes/the-slave-in-the-parsonage-an-18th-century-fight-for-freedom/

On April 21st, the Rev. Dr. Deborah Rahn Clemens will offer a presentation about the life of Gideon Moor, an enslaved laborer owned by a pastor in Montgomery County. When the pastor died, his wife stated in her will that Gideon Moor and his family were set free- but the manumission was contested by....

02/28/2022

The Roots of Educational Inequality: Philadelphia's Germantown High School

We hope you will join us!
https://bit.ly/3vp8l6Q

How has class, race & space intersected with political economy in urban education to create unequally resourced schools within one district

02/04/2022

When the houses of Pelham were built in the 1890s, one feature of the houses is that they received steam heat from a steam plant, which was located on the south side of Hortter Street between Pelham Road and the railroad tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad’s line to Chestnut Hill- now SEPTA’s Chestnut Hill West line. Shown is the interior of the plant as it appeared around the turn of the 20th century. It is unclear how long the plant remained in operation; by the 1970s, it was in a state of ruin. The lot of the old steam plant was subdivided in the mid-1980s, and houses at 350-362 West Hortter Street were then built there.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

01/31/2022

Given the snowfall we received last weekend, it seems appropriate to show a snowy scene from the past. Shown is the “Sparrow Jack” house at the northwest corner of Germantown Avenue and Upsal Street as it appeared in the late 19th century. Though the photograph is undated, it may have been taken of the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1888, as the lack of trolley wires in the photo- which were installed in the mid-1890s- suggests the photo was taken before then.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

01/24/2022

This rather cold and desolate view of the “other” Walnut Lane Bridge- that spanning the Monoshone Creek/ Paper Mill Run and Lincoln Drive- captures the essence of this time of year perfectly. The date of construction of this bridge is unclear, but it was likely built by around 1880. However, by the arrival of the Great Depression, the bridge had been allowed to decay unchecked for years, and it became clear that a new bridge was in order. However, the Depression had drained the City of its financial resources, and the bridge remained closed for approximately 15 years before a new one was opened to traffic in 1951. Unfortunately, the superstructure quickly started to show signs of failure, and a new one was built in 1990. This photograph facing north on Lincoln Drive taken by local historian Edwin C. Jellett shows the old Walnut Lane Bridge as it appeared circa 1910.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

01/03/2022

There is nothing like a pop of color to ring in the New Year! This detail shot was taken in 1989, of a 1956 Pontiac convertible on display- complete with burger, side of fries, and 16-ounce Coke- at the Germantown Lions Club’s antique auto show and flea market, held at what was then the Philadelphia College of Textiles, now a part of Jefferson University.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

12/31/2021

This photograph taken around 1985 of 4300 Germantown Avenue is one of a series of photographs taken in association with a Philadelphia Redevelopment Corporation project, and includes photos of buildings slated for rehabilitation along Germantown Avenue in Nicetown. For comparison, a recent photo obtained from Google Street Views is also included. The building is now the home of the Nicetown Community Development Corporation. Note that the back portion has been removed, presumably during renovation.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

12/27/2021

Just around the corner from the Bruner Livery Stable (featured in last week’s Throwback Thursday post) was George Weiss’ coal office and yard, shown as it and the surrounding buildings appeared around the turn of the 20th century at the approximate location of 5715 Germantown Avenue. The photograph illustrates the high value of real estate along and in proximity to Germantown Avenue. As Germantown Avenue underwent a period of intense (re)development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, gaps between earlier houses were often filled in with commercial development. However, creating a solid wall of buildings would run the risk of cutting off access to rear portions of properties- those behind the stores on Germantown Avenue. Weiss- or a previous owner- used the solution of keeping an open alley to the rear of his property for access, while simultaneously building a second story over the alley.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

12/24/2021

Though undated (and reversed!), this view taken from a daguerreotype shows the Bruner Livery Stable on the unit block of East Price Street. According to Philadelphia city directories of the 1860s, Henry Bruner had his hotel right around the corner, on Germantown Avenue, and lived a couple blocks down Price Street, at number 207 (renumbered 316 in the mid-1890s). The signage visible on the building includes a directional sign (visible on the wall, to the left of “STABLE”) for Germantown Avenue, and “TEMPERANCE… GERMANTOWN” and “RALLY FOR OUR COUNTRY” on the picket fence visible immediately above the carriage, the latter perhaps being in association with the Civil War.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

12/20/2021

Even in the early 1900s, portions of the old German Township, which now includes the Philadelphia neighborhoods of Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill, were quite rural. Particularly on the east side of our area towards Stenton Avenue, there were large open, undeveloped tracts of land, though not necessarily unused. One such tract was that of Thomas Meehan’s Nursery, which was located on the east side of Chew Avenue between the approximate locations of the rights of way of Vernon Road and East Sharpnack Street, and over to the railroad tracks of SEPTA’s Chestnut Hill East line. Shown is the Nursery as printed in a 1902 Meehan’s Nursery publication. Though the exact perspective shown is unclear, it was likely taken from the vicinity of Chew Avenue facing towards the railroad tracks. Similar open space was also located immediately north- the area now considered a part of Sedgwick Farms was also open and undeveloped. By 1920, much of the areas described above would be developed with residential construction.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

12/06/2021

This photograph was taken around 1930, of 5275-5277 Germantown Avenue, of the Clarkson-Watson House. The building is an example of one which has had many different purposes, including the home of the Bank of Germantown, an antiques store (as visible on the left), the Siefken meat market (apparently closed, at right), and the Costume Museum of the Germantown Historical Society (which would open in 1971 and has long since closed). The building is now the home of the Cheshire Law Group.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

12/03/2021

The period between around 1960 and 1970 is very much under-documented in terms of materials housed at the Archives and Museum of the Germantown Historical Society. One photo from the collections dating from this period is that of the Shippen-Blair House, also known as “The Laurens," at 6043 Germantown Avenue as the house appeared in 1962. At the time, the house was the home of a stationery store at left, and of Rittenhouse Records, at right. East Walnut Lane is visible at the far left. Do any of you have any recollections of the stores? Perhaps you bought the latest album there? Please let us know about it! And we are always looking for photographs documenting the history of our area- if you have any old photographs of our area and would like to donate them to the GHS to help document our history, please let us know about them. Thanks!

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

11/29/2021

Germantown Avenue has been a main thoroughfare in Northwest Philadelphia for over 325 years, and provided a vital link between the City of Philadelphia and cities to our north and west, including Allentown, Bethlehem, and Reading. As a result, many of the 18th- and 19th-century businesses along the Avenue were oriented towards travelers and transportation, with stables, blacksmith shops, inns, and taverns all providing goods and services for the (sometimes very weary) traveler. Some lasted into the 20th century, such as the Tulpohocken Boarding Stables, shown business appeared around 1900. The business stood on the east side of Germantown Avenue south of Washington Lane, and it is unclear as to how long it remained in operation. Note the misspelling of the name “Tulpehocken,” which shows up frequently misspelled the same way in period publications.

Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and healthful holiday.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

11/26/2021

In celebration of the arrival of Thanksgiving, here is a photograph taken during a 1903 Thanksgiving at the Germantown Boys’ Parlors Association on West Penn Street, later to become the Germantown Boys’ Club. Shown are members of the Association’s “Boot Black Chorus” which put on a Thanksgiving show that year. With them are teacher Jennie C. Powers (left) and pianist Jennie H. C. Davis.

Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and healthful holiday.


The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ . It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home.

11/23/2021

Though many of the mills in our area were located along the Wissahickon and Wingohocking creeks, others existed in areas located further way from sources available for natural water power. With the development of the steam engine, mills no longer needed to be constructed immediately adjacent to natural sources of water to obtain power. As a result, many were constructed on higher ground. George Bronson’s Eagle Mill was one such example. Built in the mid-19th century at 406-416 Mechanic Street, the mill is shown as it appeared around 1880. On maps and in Philadelphia city directories, the mill was listed variously as a textile mill, and as a saw mill later on.

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!

11/08/2021

Have you thought about Google “street views” as a research tool to have a better understanding of our local history? Google has been making its “street views” available for our area for almost 15 years, and it is an invaluable resource for those researching the history of area buildings and businesses, and for those in the preservation field wanting to know how buildings have been altered. This series of images were taken as “screen grabs” of Google “street views” of 5141 Germantown Avenue, the building on the northeast corner of Collom Street. In just 10 years, the market occupying the first floor has had four names. In 2011, the market was the Nayali Market. By 2012, it had been renamed as the Progressive Food Market. By 2014, it had been renamed again, as the Germantown Deli and Grocery. Finally, by 2018, it had been renamed as the Zapata Deli. Presumably, most of these name changes reflect changes in ownership and may also be connected to alterations to the interior of the building to suit the needs of the different owners of the market. Whatever the case, this series of photos illustrate how invaluable Google “street views” has become as a research and preservation tool.

11/01/2021

This Monday Mashup post features an undated photograph taken of an unknown street, presumably in our area. One possibility is that the main (and rather muddy-looking!) street visible in the photograph is Chew Avenue, and that the photo was taken facing down from around Hortter Street, with the rowhouses visible on the right being those on the 200 block of East Montana Street. If so, this would explain the well-kept row of trees visible along the street at the left, as Thomas Meehan’s nurseries would have existed on the adjacent property. Do you know of any other locations which this photograph might show? Please let us know about them, as we would love to positively identify this photo!

The photograph shown here and thousands of others are available online at https://germantown.pastperfectonline.com/ It’s a great way to spend some time reliving Germantown memories at home!