19th century life in South Philadelphia’s marshland
This collection of images illustrated Maurice F. Egan's article, "A Day in the Ma'sh," published in Scribner's Monthly, Volume 22, Issue 3, July 1881. This area of the city was also sometimes referred to as "the Neck."
The Neck, or the “Ma’sh,” was a swampy area of mostly pig farmers situated near the current location of the Sports Complex in South Philadelphia. After decades of significant conflict between the residents of the area and the City of Philadelphia, the remaining shanties were razed in the mid-1950s. John Vidumsky’s terrific article on the last days of the old Ma’sh can be found at Hidden City Philadelphia.