Items

Historic resources from our archives - images, maps, documents, and more.

Play Ball! Meet the 1960 PWD Softball Team

Photograph of Roberts Mill on Wingohocking Creek in Germantown, built in the late 17th century. (Photograph by J. C. Browne, 1871. Castner Collection/Free Library of Philadelphia)

Roberts Mill, Wingohocking Creek, 1871

Aqueduct carrying sewer over Creishem Creek, in the Wissahickon Valley, 1892

Cresheim Aqueduct

A hand-pumped fire engine made in Philadelphia in 1792. Water was stored in the copper lined wooden boxes, and two men (one pumping on each handle) forced the water up through the pipe on top, into a hose. (It can be assumed that a bucket brigade was used to keep the boxes filled.)

Hand-pumped fire engine, 1792

Fire axes and fire buckets were standard fire-fighting equipment in the 18th century. The buckets carried water; the axes were used to break into burning buildings. The speaking trumpet at the bottom was used to communicate with firefighters at the scene.

Fire equipment, late 18th century

Thomas Meehan

Thomas Meehan, city councilman

Wingohocking Sewer outfall into Frankford Creek

PWD's Jason Cruz holds a striped bass

PWD’s Jay Cruz with a striped bass

An otter at the Fairmount Fishcam in 2005

Otter at Fairmount Water Works fishcam, 2005

Photo of a bearded man on a boat holding an American shad

PWD’s Joe Perillo holds an American shad near the Fairmount Fishway

Photo of four men standing on the banks of the Schuylkill River on the last day of the Schuylkill Interceptor, December 20, 1956

Last gasp of the Schuylkill Interceptor, December 20, 1956

A man in glasses listening to the street through stethoscopes (2012.002.0043)

Listening for leaks