Shorpy | Old Photos - Comments

NY Steam

Timz — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 23:30:49 +0000

In reply to Downtown: 1962:

The smokestack at left is on the New York Steam Company plant on the west corner of Water St and Burling Slip/John St. The original Edison plant was on the west side of Pearl St, a block away; the plaque is now at the corner of Pearl and Fulton.

In the lower left corner, Pearl St has recently been cut through to a widened Water St. The bus is pointed at old Pearl St.

Just coming into view left of center: must be 60 Broad St under construction.

Stuck In Time

ErikDavid — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:26:28 +0000

In reply to B&O Depot: 1959:

If not for the cars, this photo looks as if it could have been taken in the 1910's.

No longer standing

Marchbanks — Sun, 31 May 2026 20:36:52 +0000

In reply to B&O Depot: 1959:

After the B&O ceased passenger service at Philadelphia in 1958, the station suffered a catastrophic fire in 1962 and was demolished as a consequence in 1963.

The Disappearing Railroad Blues

jsmakbkr — Sun, 31 May 2026 20:27:57 +0000

In reply to B&O Depot: 1959:

This 1959 picture would have been taken from the edge of the Chestnut Street Bridge over the Schuylkill River. While the main intercity rail tracks are on the western side of that river, the B&O's own lines were on the eastern side. The need for the station arose from the B&O's extension of its own rails from Baltimore to Philly, and its obsolescence (in 1958) was caused by the end of the company's passenger service north of Baltimore.

What's new?

Sgt McG — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:06:00 +0000

In reply to Welcome Truckers: 1959:

What were these buildings replaced with?

[Check the Street View below -- it was replaced with nothing. -- Dave]

Starting with a bang

GrahamClayton — Mon, 25 May 2026 10:54:06 +0000

In reply to Six and the City: 1928:

Total DeSoto sales for the first year of production, which commences in mid-1928, was just over 81,000, which eclipsed the previous marks set by Graham-Paige (1928), Pontiac (1926) and Chrysler (1924). By the end of 1928, DeSoto had a dealer network of 1,500.

The Series K was powered by an inline 6-cylinder engine producing 55hp, and remained unchanged for 1930. It was replaced in May 1930 by the Series CK.

Companion car

GrahamClayton — Mon, 25 May 2026 10:20:52 +0000

In reply to Ready for Takeoff: 1927:

The Falcon-Knight was created to fill the marketing gap between the Whippet and the Willys-Knight, with prices around the $1,000 mark - the pictured coupe sold for $995. Production began in early 1927 and ended in late 1928, although it is believed that a few remaining cars were assembled from parts on hand in January 1929, making a grand total of just over 11,000 Falcon-Knights built. Falcon Motors Corporation was quietly absorbed back into Willys-Overland, with the plant producing Willys bodies.

Parking for trucks

Ceejay — Sun, 24 May 2026 10:59:00 +0000

In reply to Welcome Truckers: 1959:

One of my cousins was a truck driver. Once I asked him whether it was true that truckers knew the best places to eat. He said they usually just ate where it was easy to park.

The Weight of History at 3rd & Arch

toddshultz — Fri, 22 May 2026 20:25:44 +0000

In reply to Welcome Truckers: 1959:

I’ve never had the chance to visit Philly myself, but I’ve been a long-time fan of the photos posted here. It’s always haunting to see these shots from 1959—knowing the building was just sitting there vacant, waiting for the wrecking ball, despite that incredible cornice and detail. It’s crazy to see how much of our city history vanished during those 'urban renewal' years. We’re really lucky that people like Cervin Robinson were out there documenting these buildings before they were gone for good. Thanks for sharing this one, Dave!

Signs Of The Times

Brooks — Fri, 22 May 2026 12:30:30 +0000

In reply to Welcome Truckers: 1959:

Their ubiquity makes them all but invisible to someone who never learned to drive, but I just noticed that the design and fonts of the "ONE WAY" and "NO PARKING ANY TIME" signs haven't changed in all these years.

Keep off the grass?

louJudson — Thu, 21 May 2026 20:20:06 +0000

In reply to Fulladelphia: 1959:

I imagine that little sign says "Keep off the grass" (or curb your dog).

Looks like a used car lot in the back!

Rumpp

davidk — Thu, 21 May 2026 20:11:33 +0000

In reply to Fulladelphia: 1959:

The second p is silent.

Things to come?

StefanJ — Thu, 21 May 2026 16:12:35 +0000

In reply to Fulladelphia: 1959:

Automobil eat Arch Street? And others, too?

Independent Photography

perpster — Thu, 21 May 2026 11:35:50 +0000

In reply to Fulladelphia: 1959:

This photo looks like it might have been taken from the top of Independence Hall.

Around the Corner

pauldowns — Wed, 20 May 2026 20:59:00 +0000

In reply to Arch Street: 1959:

The sign in the window of 523 references Carpenter's Machinery Company, located on North Third Street. In 1986, when I started my woodworking company, Carpenters was still in business on Third. I bought my first bandsaw there, and it's still operating in my shop 40 years later. Third Street used to have a cluster of machinery dealers and industrial suppliers, sadly all gone now except for one: AA Abrasives, at No. 121. It's still a nice street if you like hipster retail and dining.

The look of the street is very typical of Philadelphia commercial architecture in the 19th century. If you want to see good examples of that style, unpolluted by modern additions, go to Cincinnati. I was just there last week and much of the Over The Rhine neighborhood still looks like this.

Tic Tac Toe

NewYearBaby — Wed, 20 May 2026 18:39:00 +0000

In reply to Air Dried Beef: 1958:

... three Mercs in a row

McCardle & Cooney

KAP — Wed, 20 May 2026 14:26:15 +0000

In reply to Arch Street: 1959:

The pipes, valves and fittings supplier is still in business today:

https://www.cooneybrothers.com/resources/roller/cooney-brothers-celebrat...

See It Now

Commishbob — Tue, 19 May 2026 14:11:00 +0000

In reply to Arch Street: 1959:

This block is now the home of the National Constitution Center. I'll keep my political comments on this to myself.

Another Great Convertible

Vonderbees — Tue, 19 May 2026 12:18:48 +0000

In reply to Arch Street: 1959:

No mistaking the one and only 1957 Chevrolet out front!

Rambunctious beginning, quiet ending

Notcom — Tue, 19 May 2026 00:41:00 +0000

In reply to Arch Street: 1959:

My searching eye was immediately drawn to 527, the tallest-kid-in-class of the group.

It had an inauspicious start: during construction for the Collins Co. (a paper company) in 1881 it assaulted its neighbor:

After that it seems to have settled down, and relations with the neighbors, if maybe not on the level of besties, nevertheless managed to stay out of the papers. Eventually it came to be acquired by Tinkler and Co, a maker of ~~urinals~~ floor coverings, whose name seems to grace the window in the picture seen here.

Love That Chrysler Convertible on the Left

Vonderbees — Sun, 17 May 2026 18:54:00 +0000

In reply to Air Dried Beef: 1958:

It's either a '57 or '58 (rear ends are virtually identical). I've always thought the Chryslers from this era were some of the best looking cars of their time.

[It's a 1957 New Yorker. Taillight lenses on the '58s were much shorter. -- Dave ]

Well, We're Waiting ...

Commishbob — Sun, 17 May 2026 14:47:00 +0000

In reply to Air Dried Beef: 1958:

... for the car folks to jump in here with a rundown of the autos parked out front. Even I can ID that sweet Chrysler ragtop on the left.

The Last Little Warehouse in Philly

Dave — Sat, 16 May 2026 22:34:00 +0000

In reply to Air Dried Beef: 1958:

This warehouse was built in the latter part of the 18th century on the Delaware River wharves. At earliest record it was owned by merchant Paul Beck and was under the tenancy of E. Beck and Philip Care (1796). The building was later the headquarters of Baugh & Sons Company, manufacturers of bone meal fertilizer since 1817. It served in this capacity from 1860 to 1954. By 1967 this had become the last surviving 18th century warehouse on the Philadelphia waterfront. In that year it was demolished for the right-of-way of the Delaware Expressway. -- Historic American Buildings Survey No. PA-1188

Size Checker?

426hemi — Thu, 14 May 2026 18:29:32 +0000

In reply to Ferry Terminal: 1906:

These platforms may have been used to verify the dimensions of horse-drawn carriages to ensure compliance with the ferry company’s size requirements, similar to the cabin baggage size-check stations commonly found at airports today.

Platforms

r0gald — Wed, 13 May 2026 19:55:50 +0000

In reply to Ferry Terminal: 1906:

The carriage would drive over them - notice the sloped/worn one in the foreground - and then the passengers could use the railings to more easily disembark (or embark by forming a que on the wooden area).

Structures in the middle?

pennsylvaniaproud — Wed, 13 May 2026 13:30:09 +0000

In reply to Ferry Terminal: 1906:

Hoof and boot scrapers maybe. King size.

Terminal Platforms - Another idea

bobstothfang — Wed, 13 May 2026 12:19:01 +0000

In reply to Ferry Terminal: 1906:

As previously mentioned a Hitching Post for horses seems to make sense.
However they also seem to be the right height for the typical tail gates on the horse drawn wagons. Could they be used to somehow facilitate loading/unloading of wagons?

Terminal platforms

louJudson — Mon, 11 May 2026 20:30:57 +0000

In reply to Ferry Terminal: 1906:

What are those platforms in the open space?

Purpose

Hawk777 — Mon, 11 May 2026 04:19:00 +0000

In reply to Ferry Terminal: 1906:

Trying to imagine what the two platforms in the center of the image are ... the rails seem to be where horses are tied but the structure in the middle of the rails is ... ?

Church no more

TundraKing2014 — Fri, 08 May 2026 17:50:08 +0000

In reply to Chacon: 1943:

Looks like they lost the RR and the church.