Hello.

My husband and I just bought a property on the 1100 block of Dickinson Street in South Philly and keep discovering new questions as we go about trying to renovate. We even found an old store pamphlet (maybe around the 1930s) saying that it was a Health Tex store selling "durrable, sanitary and stylish wall coverings".

The question is: does anyone have any information or recolections about the area; or a web site that could help me research; or know the right office in City Hall to go to find out more.

Thanks for any help. I'm a regular reader of this blog and love all the opinions and personalities and topics that I might not have thought to ponder.

have you try census records at 9th chestnut? in 1920 mygreat great grandmother lived at 1108 dickinson st.next time i go would you like me to look up 1118-1120? http://marie.bravepages.com/images/ph1910ee.gif
this is a map of the area around turn of the century.

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I have legalised robbery. Called it a belief
I have run with the money. And hid like a theif
I have re-written history. With my armies and my crooks
Invented memories. I did burn all the books
M. Knopfler

Good idea, Swifty. The National Archives has census records and a whole lot more. Great map, too.

Junebug, you can find more info at the National Archives Family History Research page.

The Athenaeum's Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Project lets you browse their database by street. Nothing on your block of Dickinson, unfortunately. You could give the PAB folks a call (215-925-2688) or visit them at 6th and Locust (on Washington Square).

Thanks for the info. We've already searched our deed records and looked at neighborhood atlases at the city archives. It is so amazing to look at the neighborhood as it was in 1909! And to see all the cemeterys that used to be in the area.
(Does anyone know where they put the headstones and how they consolidate the bodies when they move cemeterys? It might sound creepy to ask but I've always wondered - even moreso now knowing that we used to overlook one)
We can't wait to get the time to try these new sources! There is so much history here and we love finding it. Thanks again!!

I'm lazily (read: when I get the time or inclination) starting to research our home (circa 1865). I'd like to second that these links are great! I can't wait to check them out!