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Irvine Auditorium at Penn

Item Info

Item No: pdch00080
Title: Irvine Auditorium at Penn
Historic Street Address: 3401 Spruce Street
Media Type: Glass Plate Negatives
Source: Print and Picture Collection
Notes:

Image taken by Philadelphia Evening Bulletin photographer Charles T. Higgins.  Notes on the negative's envelope read:  "Irvine Auditorium at Penn, June 1928"

This June 1928 image shows the front facade of the octagonal-shaped Irvine Auditorium, at the University of Pennsylvania.  Construction began in 1926, and sources differ about when the building was completed and/or formally opened (December 1928?  May 1929?), but its earliest uses for publicly-attended events date from the time of this photograph, June 1928.  Funds for the project came from a bequest in the will of Penn alumnus and former City Treasurer for Philadelphia William B. Irvine. The building was designed in the French Gothic style by the architecture firm of Horace Trumbauer. Since opening, Irvine Auditorium has served as the premier event space at Penn for concerts, films, guest speakers, ceremonies, etc. 


Creation Year: 1928
Geocode Latitude: Geocode Longitude:-75.192597
Geocode Latitude:39.950466

Creator Name: Higgins, Charles - Photographer