The History Thread

[giovanni sasso]

close, fitler square is at pine between 23rd & 24th.

there's still a supermarket at grays ferry & south, but it's been called south square market for my 6+ years in the neighborhood.

on horse troughs, i cannot answer honestly.

[lbphilly]

Originally Posted by giovanni sasso

close, fitler square is at pine between 23rd & 24th.

there's still a supermarket at grays ferry & south, but it's been called south square market for my 6+ years in the neighborhood.

on horse troughs, i cannot answer honestly.

I believe that the Catherine Thorn fountain at the 23rd/South/Grays Ferry triangle was intended to water horses. See

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lblanchard/160222013/

I thought I had a photo with the cherry trees blooming, but I can't find it right now.

Dogfaceboy, I think the South Square Supermarket (visible in background) has had a number of names over the years.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by giovanni sasso

there's still a supermarket at grays ferry & south, but it's been called south square market for my 6+ years in the neighborhood.

And it seems it's been a supermarket since ~1950, when it was converted from the Avon movie theater to a Food Fair.

http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org...445E576C196B72

There's pics of both on the PAB site, but it requires a $40/year subscription to see beyond the thumbnails - a subscription I heartily recommend.

[lee]

Here's a picture from the 1930s of the triangle and fountain. http://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoAr...?ImageId=15252

You can see a beer sign on the left -- must have been Kelley's, the Grace forerunner.

I find the old pictures of the neighborhood striking for two reasons: They truely illustrate a vibrancy that I didn't quite understand before, and they show that the trash problems started many, many years ago.

[lbphilly]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

And it seems it's been a supermarket since ~1950, when it was converted from the Avon movie theater to a Food Fair.

http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org...445E576C196B72

There's pics of both on the PAB site, but it requires a $40/year subscription to see beyond the thumbnails - a subscription I heartily recommend.

I'm trying to remember where I rummaged, but somewhere I saw an old map showing a food market at the corner and a small theater (the Avon) next to it. The one photo at the PAB site, showing a small shoppe next to the Avon entrance, would seem to support that.

FYI, I put my fuzzy digital photos of the 19c atlas up on Flickr:

West, 16/17 St to 23rd Street
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lblanch...n/photostream/

Complete, Broad to 23rd Street
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lblanch...n/photostream/

East, to about 20/21 street
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lblanch...n/photostream/

[whiteboardmedia]

Hi history people -

The 2200 and 2300 blocks of Madison Square (as part of our attempts at restoration) formed a historical documentation committee a few months back. We've collected some neat stuff about the blocks, but also the neighborhood in general. We'll put it all online when we've got some time.

Thought this picture might interest everyone (woodcut of Madison Square from 1872 when the houses were built).

[mr. snrub]

while people are posting cool pics from other sites, this one is kind of interesting, showing pumpkin's predecessor as of 1935...

[cleanman]

where the rug store is now , there used to be a drugstore, a mom and pop operation, next to it on the left, was a haberdashery, run by a man name sam bortknik, i think that is how you spelled it, we had all boys in my family, he was able to dress us all, just for winter and summer, when there were only 2 seasons in the year

[cleanman]

Originally Posted by lee

Here's a picture from the 1930s of the triangle and fountain. http://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoAr...?ImageId=15252

You can see a beer sign on the left -- must have been Kelley's, the Grace forerunner.

I find the old pictures of the neighborhood striking for two reasons: They truely illustrate a vibrancy that I didn't quite understand before, and they show that the trash problems started many, many years ago.

lee i hate to be a stickler, but it was spelled KELLY'S, i ought to know ,it was one of the few places i could get a drink in the morning!!!, oh boy when i was younger!!

[dogfaceboy]

Originally Posted by lee

Here's a picture from the 1930s of the triangle and fountain. http://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoAr...?ImageId=15252

You can see a beer sign on the left -- must have been Kelley's, the Grace forerunner.

I find the old pictures of the neighborhood striking for two reasons: They truely illustrate a vibrancy that I didn't quite understand before, and they show that the trash problems started many, many years ago.

Thats a great shot Lee.

It's pretty much how I remember it there in the 50's.

We would always see horses watering and for small kids to pet the horses was quite a treat.

Thanks!