Item Info

Creation Date: 5/15/1965
Historic Street Address: 520 Chestnut Street (Independence Hall)
Media Type: Photographic Negatives
Source: Print and Picture Collection
Notes:

Image taken by Philadelphia Evening Bulletin photographer Charles T. Higgins.  Notes on the negative's envelope read:  "May 15, 1965; air shot Independence Mall in color"

Construction activities for Independence Mall began in 1947, to include the three blocks north of Independence Hall (seen in the foreground of this image), bound by 5^th and 6^th Streets. The Mall officially opened to the public in 1956, work having been completed on Block One (Chestnut to Market Streets) and one third of Block Two (Market to Arch Streets).  This 1965 aerial view, looking north from Independence Hall, shows the remaining two-thirds of Block Two cleared for construction.  The National Park Service eventually took ownership and operation of the completed Mall in 1974.  The area’s formal name is Independence National Historical Park (INHP), but it is still most often referred to as Independence Mall.

Geocode Latitude: Geocode Longitude:-75.149732
Geocode Latitude:39.949531

Creator Name: Higgins, Charles - Photographer