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Tacony Creek Park Maps, Plans and Drawings, 1950-1975 (bulk) 1903-1983 (inclusive)

Extent:
3.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Located in the northeastern region of Philadelphia, Tacony Creek Park is a long and narrow park comprising approximately 300 acres of land along Tacony Creek- roughly half of which is designated natural lands. Established by city ordinance in 1915, this park runs from the Tookany Park corridor in Montgomery County and is bounded on the south by Frankford Creek. Tacony Creek Park operates a number of recreational facilities as an integral part of the community, and has also been home to the Juniata Golf Course since 1930. Within Tacony Creek Park exists miles of recreational trails, and is home to one of the few urban meadows in the Philadelphia area.

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

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Loudoun Mansion Recovery Collection, c. 1900s

Extent:
10.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Sarah Logan Wister Starr (1873-1956) was a prominent philanthropist and member of Philadelphia society throughout the early 20th Century. A descendant of the wealthy and well-known Wister and Logan families, she became a public figure throughout the region for her humanitarian activities. Starr served as State Vice-Chairman of the World War I- era National League for Women’s Services and from 1921 to 1941 as President of the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. The correspondence in this collection is primarily concerned with her public service activity during World War II. During the 1940s and 1950s, Sarah Logan Wister Starr obtained permission to utilize Loudoun Mansion as the meeting place for the Women’s Permanent Emergency Association of Germantown. This organization was formed by her grandmother in the 1870s and revived by Starr in approximately 1940 as an effort to unite local women and provide clothing and knitted material to the Allied troops. The WPEA aligned...(see more)

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

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Reference collection, 1874-2000 (bulk) 1690-2010 (inclusive)

Extent:
86.0 linear feet
Abstract:
In the early part of the nineteenth century, Philadelphia City Council took action to protect the purity of public water. This involved the acquisition of property on the banks of the Schuylkill River in order to eliminate polluting waste that had previously been generated by various industrial sites along the river. The City’s newly acquired property was dedicated to the health and enjoyment of the citizens of Philadelphia, and became known as Fairmount Park. The Fairmount Park Commission (FPC) was established by Act of the Assembly, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, March 26, 1867. Over the course of this organization’s history (1867 to 2010) the FPC continued to acquire land for the people of Philadelphia, and operated with a single continuous mission: to preserve and protect its open space; provide opportunities for recreation; maintain the landscapes and structures, streams and woodlands that exist within the Fairmount Park System. This collection contains various materials that...(see more)

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

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Photographic Prints, circa 1855-circa 2012

Extent:
52.0 linear feet
Abstract:
One of the United States' largest and oldest municipally-operated park systems, Fairmount Park encompasses 9,200 acres and includes sixty three neighborhood and regional parks. The formation, growth, maintenance and enjoyment of Fairmount Park has produced one of the longest-standing examples of city and citizen cooperation. This collection contains a multitude of images of the Fairmount Park system created between 1855 and 2000 in a variety of formats.

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

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Newspaper Collection, 1854-1972

Extent:
36.0 containers
Abstract:
In the early part of the nineteenth century, Philadelphia City Council took action to protect the purity of public water. This involved the acquisition of property on the banks of the Schuylkill River in order to eliminate polluting waste that had previously been generated by various industrial sites along the river. The City’s newly acquired property was dedicated to the health and enjoyment of the citizens of Philadelphia, and became known as Fairmount Park. The Fairmount Park Commission (FPC) was established by Act of the Assembly, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, March 26, 1867. Over the course of this organization’s history (1867 to 2010) the FPC continued to acquire land for the people of Philadelphia, and operated with a single continuous mission: to preserve and protect its open space; provide opportunities for recreation; maintain the landscapes and structures, streams and woodlands that exist within the Fairmount Park System. This collection contains newspaper clippings from...(see more)

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

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Fairmount Park Maps, Plans and Drawings collection, 1684-2010

Extent:
98.0 linear feet
Abstract:
Items in this collection relate to East and West Fairmount Park, the original components of what has become the vast Fairmount Park system. Unique in its composition, these areas not only contain naturalist landscapes, but they are also home to a truly diverse set of historic and functional structures. In addition to a vast trail system and traditional recreational facilities (such as swimming pools and baseball diamonds), these parks are also home to an array of 18th and 19th century historic houses, the nation's first zoo, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the imposing Fairmount Water Works, and Philadelphia's iconic Boathouse Row.

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

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Centennial Exhibition Plans and Drawings Collection, circa 1876

Extent:
1000.0 linear feet
Abstract:
The Centennial Exhibition, officially designated the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures and Products of the Soil and Mine, marked the first World’s Fair to be held in the United States. While it was an international event, the theme of the fair was clearly American as the impetus to hold the event was the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the achievement of American independence. Operating from May 10th to November 10th, 1876, the fair hosted over ten million visitors- or roughly 1/5 of the population of the United States at the time. Thirty seven international countries participated in the event, along with 26 states. The Exhibition promoted international commerce, and was a place where one could view a large number of diverse products in one location. Visitors could easily walk from an exhibit on Japanese art, to one of products produced by West Virginians. It was an excellent opportunity for all, particularly Americans removed the...(see more)

Held at: Fairmount Park Historic Resource Archives [Contact Us]

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