1217-1221 Chesnut Street Branch
Historical Images of Philadelphia Free Library Departments and Branches
Item Info
Item No: pdcf00002
Title: 1217-1221 Chesnut Street Branch
Additional Title: Exterior view of the 1217-1221 Chestnut Street Branch, ca. 1900
Historic Street Address:
1217-1221 Chestnut Street
Media Type: Albumen Prints
Source: Print and Picture Collection
Notes:
In 1895, the library moved from its first location in City Hall to this rented building, formerly the old Concert Hall, and occupied the upper floors. At a later time, when this photograph was taken, the library had been expanded to also occupy the left hand half of the first floor, its cellar, and a low first-floor mezzanine. Cellar: Public Documents Dept.; 1st floor: Children's Dept. and part of the Catalogue Dept.; 1st Mezzanine: Blind Dept. and part of the Catalogue Dept.
By 1910, the rent was $22,000 per year. The quarters were condemned as unsafe to carry the necessary load, and the Free Library then moved to 13th & Locust Street.
Creation Year: ca. 1900
Geocode Latitude: Geocode Longitude:-75.161040
Geocode Latitude:39.950803
Creator Name: Rau, William Herman, 1855-1920 - Photographer