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Centennial Exhibition of 1876 records, 1871-1881 (inclusive)

Extent:
70.0 cubic feet
Abstract:
Following the end of the American Civil War, Americans began to prepare for the celebration of the nation's 100th birthday in 1876. Various citizens of Philadelphia proposed that this exhibition should be held in this city and a resolution to that effect was adopted by the Select and Common Councils in January 1870. The records of the United States Centennial Commission comprise two records groups at the Philadelphia City Archives. Record Group 230 contains the records of the United States Centennial Commission, and Record Group 231 contains the records of the Centennial Board of Finance. Together these comprise the City Archive’s holding on the Centennial Exhibition.

Held at: City of Philadelphia, Department of Records, City Archives [Contact Us]

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Fairmount Park Commission Index to Briefs of Title of Fairmount Park Properties, 1867-1962 (inclusive)

Extent:
25.0 map drawers
Abstract:
These are the briefs of titles which accompany many of the title papers assembled during the 1860s and 1870s. This was when the City of Philadelphia acquired most of the initial properties which comprised Fairmount Park. These briefs were prepared in order for the Fairmount Park Commission to be assured that a good and clean title was assumed by them. In most cases, the briefs cover the entire history of the property from the patent granted by William Penn or his commissioners until the acquisition by the Fairmount Park Commission. Generally, these files contain the various deeds by which the City of Philadelphia acquired property, not only for the main park system surrounding the Schuylkill River and the Wissahickon Creek, but also acquisitions for some of the smaller parks under the Fairmount Park Commission’s jurisdiction.

Held at: City of Philadelphia, Department of Records, City Archives [Contact Us]

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Philadelphia City Planning Commission surveys conducted with New Deal Federal Work-Relief funds records, 1933-1939 (inclusive)

Extent:
156.0 cubic feet
Abstract:
The Philadelphia City Planning Commission had barely come into existence (April 1929) when the stock market crashed, marking the onset of the Great Depression. The PCPC requested federal funding, made possible through President Roosevelt’s New Deal work relief programs, to subsidize general administrative costs of PCPC and support the continuation of work on a master plan for the city of Philadelphia which had already begun. The agency also proposed to conduct a survey of central Philadelphia which would help address the problems of decaying older neighborhoods. From 1933 to 1939, the Commission employed hundreds of architects, engineers, social workers, and other professional and clerical staff in efforts to analyze the physical, economic, and social conditions of the city and to address these problems through a combined program of research, planning, and public advocacy. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission Survey files (Record Group (RG) 145-50) consist of 156 cubic feet of...(see more)

Held at: City of Philadelphia, Department of Records, City Archives [Contact Us]

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Records of the Sesqui-Centennial Association, 1920-1931 (inclusive)

Extent:
40.0 cubic feet
Abstract:
The Sesqui-Centennial Exhibition Association was the organization which planned and administered the major international exposition held in Philadelphia from May 30 through November 30, 1926, in honor of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Thirty foreign nations participated in the event which attracted seven million visitors. Participation lagged behind expectations, however, and financial problems dogged the project from beginning to end. The Association passed into receivership in 1927 and several years passed before the claims of the organization's many creditors were resolved in U.S. district court. The official records of the Sesqui-Centennial Exhibition Association at the Philadelphia City Archives represent the largest extant body of material concerning this event. They consist of approximately 40 cubic feet of holdings dating from 1920 through 1931. The records are primarily made up of the files of the administrative...(see more)

Held at: City of Philadelphia, Department of Records, City Archives [Contact Us]