Walnut Street West/West Philadelphia Branch
Historical Images of Philadelphia Free Library Departments and Branches
Item Info
Media Type: Photographic Prints
Source: Print and Picture Collection
Notes:
The West Philadelphia Branch of Philadelphia Public Library, located at 40th and Ludlow Streets, became a branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia on January 1, 1896. In May of 1901, the branch moved to the Hamilton School Building, at 4105-09 Chestnut Street.
On June 26, 1906, the branch moved into the first of the Andrew Carnegie-funded branches, located at 40th and Walnut Streets. In 1960, the branch was remodeled, including moving the 40th Street public entrance to Walnut Street, as seen in this 1960 close-up of the new entrance. (Ironically, the entrance was moved back to 40th Street again, in the late 1990s.)
The branch was renamed the Walnut Street West Branch sometime in the 1970s. Located near the University of Pennsylvania, the branch serves the West Philadelphia communities of University City and Spruce Hill.
Creation Year: ca. 1960
Geocode Latitude: Geocode Longitude:-75.202584
Geocode Latitude:39.954112