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    Philadelphia: Historic Exteriors and Interiors
    Philadelphia: Historic Exteriors and Interiors
    Philadelphia: Historic Exteriors and Interiors
    Ebook180 pages23 minutes

    Philadelphia: Historic Exteriors and Interiors

    By Gus Spector

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    About this ebook

    Philadelphia: Historic Exteriors and Interiors is a celebration of the city's architectural legacy. Vintage postcards document both the interiors and exteriors of some of Philadelphia's oldest and most well-known structures, including grandiose department stores, elegant restaurants, and the original terminal of the Philadelphia International Airport. From laborers toiling in their overheated factories to the elegance of a Center City ballroom or presidential suite, and from the whacky comic opera stage to the legitimate theater, the postcards featured in this volume allow readers to experience the nostalgia of Philadelphia in years past.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateDec 13, 2006
    ISBN9781439634448
    Philadelphia: Historic Exteriors and Interiors
    Author

    Gus Spector

    Gus Spector, a native of Philadelphia, is a graduate of South Philadelphia High School and Temple University. Spector is a member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia, and the American Philatelic Society. He is the author of Philadelphia: Historic Exteriors and Interiors and Center City Philadelphia.

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      Book preview

      Philadelphia - Gus Spector

      interests.

      INTRODUCTION

      In producing a book composed almost exclusively of illustrated postcards it would be remiss not to include a short history of the postcard in the United States. The following is borrowed in part from John McClintock’s classic Postcard Primer.

      Private mailing cards began the postcard craze, and they spanned from 1898 to 1901. On May 19, 1898, an act of Congress permitted private publishers to print and sell cards that bore the inscription private mailing card. The postage required for these cards was a whopping 1¢. Writing was not permitted on the address side, although some publishers left a small border on the view side of the card for a short message.

      Hence the postcard era was born (1901—1907). This heralded the emergence of the real-photo postcard. Black-and-white photographs were printed on heavy paper stock with postcard backs. Itinerant photographers captured real-time street scenes and the flavor of life throughout Philadelphia. Writing was still not permitted on the address side.

      The divided-back era spanned from 1907 to 1914. A printed vertical line down the middle of the reverse side of the postcard now allowed the address to be written on the right side and a message on the left. Many of the postcards in this book are from the period of time spanning 1898 through 1914.

      The white-border era came next (1915—1930). The commonest and most plentiful postcards were printed during this time. A white border framing the view meant less ink expended by the printer.

      The linen era spanned from 1930 to 1944. These cards were printed on paper with a high rag content. Although important historical events were recorded on linen postcards, many of the cards appeared cheap, flashy, and gaudy.

      Finally came the photochrome era (1945 to present). Such postcards can be distinguished by their glossy chrome sheen.

      In this volume I have attempted to avoid the duplication of the more common views seen in other books, and have focused on some of the unusual. Wherever possible, I have tried to link the exterior and interior views of the same subject to better illustrate the saga of old Philadelphia.

      Ah, yes! quipped W. C. Fields. Last week, I went to Philadelphia, but it was closed. Once the East Coast’s leading industrial city, Philadelphia gained, after the dawn of the 20th century, the unenviable reputation of having morphed into a sleepy old town. In spite of its busy river ports, blossoming industries, and growth and development into a city of working-class homes, it was still regarded as a place where the sidewalks were rolled up at dusk. W. C. Fields also scoffed, I once spent a year in Philadelphia, I think it was on a Sunday. This 1907 postcard typified the attitude of the times. However, as will be seen, Philadelphia was more than just a sleepy old town.

      One

      PHILADELPHIA’S FAMOUS STORES

      Built in 1894 and seen here just after 1900, Gimbel’s Department Store was a complex of buildings merged into one main Market Street store. Gimbel’s introduced many department store firsts. In 1949, a metal charge-a-plate, a forerunner of the modern credit card, enabled shoppers to shop without cash. The store had its own radio station, WIP. In 1945, the Slinky debuted in the Gimbel’s toy department. All 400 Slinkys were sold out within 90 minutes.

      Seen here is a glimpse of Gimbel’s well-stocked grocery department as it was in 1904. The grocery specialized in delicious preserves and other gourmet items.

      A panoramic view of the first-floor aisle revealed Gimbel’s well-lit countertops overflowing with merchandise. An in-house crank-up telephone was used to converse with the store manager and other members of the sales force.

      John Wanamaker, businessman, clergyman, philanthropist, and postmaster general of the United States, was author of the phrase the customer is always right. His new department store opened in 1911, designed in the Italian Renaissance style by Daniel Burnham. Twelve stories high with

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