Places Philadelphia

Birch’s Views of Philadelphia, 1800

Centre Square Water Works, Frederick Graff, Sr. Plans, 1799

1830 plan for the Pine Street Sewer

Plan of Pine Street Sewer, 1830

Fairmount Water Works, by W. H. Bartlett, 1839. This engraving from an 1839 painting by William Bartlett shows the porch added to the Engine House about 1835 and the two gazebos built at the same time, all added to welcome visitors to the Water Works and a new saloon, or restaurant, in the Engine House. The powerful jet of water rising from the fountain in the South Garden, fed by a dedicated pipe under the full pressure of the reservoir, was depicted against the green foliage on the west slope of Faire Mount, near the east end of the Colossus. A barge is making its way downstream through the canal, headed under the Colossus to the busy port city of Philadelphia.

Fairmount Water Works, W.H. Bartlett, 1839

“Fairmount Waterworks. From the forebay.” (From nature & on stone G. Lehman; Published by C.G. Childs & G. Lehman, 1833. Free Library of Philadelphia, Print & Picture Collection)

Fairmount Water Works from the forebay, 1833

Fourth of July in Centre Square, John Lewis Krimmel, ca. 1812. The wooden statue in the fountain, “Allegory of the Schuylkill River (Water Nymph and Bittern)”, was carved in 1809 by Philadelphia sculptor William Rush.

Fourth of July, Centre Square, ca. 1812

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

Black and white photo showing a wooden truss bridge over a creek

Wood truss drawbridge, Orthodox Street over Frankford Creek, rebuilt 1899

Black and white photo of square archways over a bridge

Bridge Street Draw, view through bridge, July 26, 1897

Black and white photo of a low bridge over a creek

Bridge Street Draw, July 26, 1897

Black and white photo of a man checking his watch in front of a creek with construction around it

Bridge Street Draw looking north, ca. 1896

Bridge Street Draw. Southwest side of bridge. April 19, 1896. [Detail].