Items

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

Second Bank of Pennsylvania, South Second Street, Philadelphia

A section of wooden water pipe, long out of service, removed from a Philadelphia street in 1901. It had been installed about 1801.

Wooden Water Pipe, removed from Market Street, December 6, 1901

Benjamin Henry Latrobe, portrait by Filippo Costaggini, 1880

Portrait of Benjamin Henry Latrobe

Centre Square Engine House, location of one of two steam engines used in the city’s original water system. Engraving by Birch.

Centre Square Engine House, ca. 1807

Bethlehem Water Works, 2011

Vue du Bosquet des trois Fontaines (View of the Grove of the Three Fountains), at Versailles. Painting by Jean Cotelle (the Younger, (c) Réunion des musées nationaux. Used with permission.

Vue du Bosquet des trois Fontaines, 1689-91

A Roman aqueduct in Segovia, Spain, 2006

Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain

This Philadelphia street scene, with dogs facing off with pigs for a pile of tasty garbage, was captured by artist Augustus Kollner in 1844, but would have been very familiar to 18th-century Philadelphians.

“Town street scavengers from life,” Kollner, 1844

Southeast Corner of Third and Market Streets, Philadelphia

Southeast Corner of Third and Market, Philadelphia

Benjamin Franklin was concerned for years about the health of Philadelphia, especially about the unhealthiness of the city’s wells. He left money in his will to provide a clean water supply from outside the built up part of the city. He also helped found the first fire company in Philadelphia.

Benjamin Franklin, the Fireman

Norman Lofton inspects sewer at Ditman and Sheffield, 1987

Sewer crawler Clarence Baskerville checks tunnel for leaks. He has faced the dangers of working in sewers for past three years, 1971