Architecture  

Academic

Commercial

Industrial

Landscape

Public

Religious

Residential

Architectural Research Resources at the Philadelphia City Archives

Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Database

Philadelphia Historical Commission Database of Designated Properties in the City of Philadelphia

• Academic Architecture 
  • Erdman Hall, Dormitories for Bryn Mawr College - The Louis I. Kahn Collection
  • Founder's Garden, Temple University -The George Patton Collection
  • Johnny Ring Court, Temple University - The George Patton Collection
  • Locust Walk, University of Pennsylvania - The George Patton Collection
  • Main Building, Drexel University 
  • Pennsylvania Academy of Art
  • Perelman Quad - University of Pennsylvania
  • Philadelphia College of Art - Louis I. Kahn Collection - unbuilt
  • Philadelphia University Architectural History
  • Richards Medical Research Laboratories, University of Pennsylvania - The Louis I. Kahn Collection
  • University of Pennsylvania Library - Frank Furness Collection
  • University of Pennsylvania Library Building Restoration - The Frank Furness Collection
  • University of Pennsylvania Library Building Restoration - Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates
  • University of Pennsylvania School of Architecture - The Paul Philippe Cret Collection
• Commercial Architecture
  • Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Philadelphia Terminal - The Frank Furness Collection
  • Bell Atlantic Tower
  • Commerce Square
  • Independence Blue Cross Tower
  • First Bank of the United States
  • First Union Building - 123 South Broad Street
  • Guarantee Trust and Safe Deposit Company Building - Frank Furness Collection
  • King's Views of Philadelphia - Commercial Architecture 
  • King's Views of Philadelphia - Commercial Architecture of Germantown 
  • King's Views of Philadelphia - Industrial Architecture 
  • Mellon Bank Center
  • National Bank of the Republic - The Frank Furness Collection
  • One Library Place
  • PSFS Building
  • Provident Life Bank - The Frank Furness Collection
  • Ritz-Carlton (Girard Trust Building)
  • Second Bank of the United States
  • Skyscrapers of Philadelphia
  • Two Liberty Place
  • Wanamaker Building
• Industrial Architecture, Textile Mills
  • Bromley and Sons - Historic American Building Survey
  • Dobson Mills - Historic American Building Survey
  • Germantown Dye Works - Historic American Building Survey
  • Hinckley Knitting Mills - Historic American Building Survey
  • Shur's Lane Mill - Historic American Building Survey
  • Stetson - Historic American Building Survey

• Landscape Architecture
  • Art and Architecture of the Wissahickon Valley 
  • Clark Park - The George Patton Collection
  • Fairmount Park History
  • Founder's Gate - Temple University
  • Franklin Square
  • Friends of the Wissahickon - preservation, restoration, Valley Green Inn, etc.
  • Lindbergh Playground
  • Locust Walk - University of Pennsylvania
  • Logan Square
  • Penn Square - The Paul Philippe Cret Collection
  • Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts - The Frank Furness Collection  - Broad and Cheery Streets
  • Philadelphia Armory - 32nd St. and Lancaster Ave. 
  • Philadelphia Art Alliance - The Paul Philippe Cret Collection
  • Philadelphia Parkway Study -The Paul Philippe Cret Collection
  • Rittenhouse Square - The Paul Philippe Cret Collection 
  • Rittenhouse Square Renovation - The George Patton Collection 
  • The Spruce Hill Community Renewal Plan
  • Strafford Park - The George Patton Collection
  • Washington Square
• Public Architecture 
  • Academy of Music - Historic American Building Survey
  • Ben Franklin Bridge Lighting Project
  • Centennial Exhibition of 1876
  • City Hall Image Archive
  • City Hall - Philadelphia Building Index
  • Clean, Green, Machine: Philadelphia's Fairmount Water Works, 1800-1860
  • King's Views of Philadelphia - Public Architecture 
  • Independence Hall Association
  • Independence Hall Virtual Tour
  • Philadelphia Athenaeum - Historic American Building Survey
  • Rodin Museum - The Paul Philippe Cret Collection
  • Union League of Philadelphia - Historic American Building Survey
  • Vine Street Expressway - George Patton Collection
• Religious Architecture
  • Church of the Holy Trinity, Protestant Episcopal, Historic American Building Survey
  • Dominican Mother House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection - unbuilt 
  • King's Views of Philadelphia - Religious Architecture of Germantown 
  • King's Views of Philadelphia - Religious Architecture 
  • Mikveh Israel Synagogue - The Louis I. Kahn Collection - unbuilt
  • St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal Church, Locust St. - Historic American Building Survey
  • St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church - Historic American Building Survey
  • St. Stephan's Protestant Episcopal Church - Historic American Building Survey
  • West Arch Street Presbyterian Church - Historic American Building Survey
• Residential Architecture
  • Awbury Arboretum Housing Development for the ILGWU - unbuilt
  • Bartram, John House and Garden - Historic American Building Survey
  • Belmont Mansion
  • Belmont Mansion - Historic American Building Survey
  • Boathouse Row
  • Brown Residence
  • Cedar Grove Mansion
  • Chamounix Mansion
  • Cliveden - Historic American Building Survey
  • Cliveden of the Historic Trust - 6401 Germantown Avenue
  • Community Design Collaborative - includes portfolio of projects
  • Comparative Study of Philadelphia Rowhouses
  • Deshler-Morris House - Historic American Building Survey
  • Ehle House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection - unbuilt
  • Elfreth's Alley - Historic American Buildings Survey
  • Esherick House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection - Chestnut Hill
  • Wilson Eyre designed Center City houses
  • Fairmount Park Residences (Philadelphia Museum of Art)
  • Fisher House - Great Buildings
  • Fisher House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection
  • Fleisher House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection  - unbuilt
  • Frank Furness - Residential Architecture
  • Fruchter House - Louis I. Kahn Collection - unbuilt
  • Genel House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection
  • Hatfield House
  • Johnson House, Germantown - Historic American Buildings Survey
  • King's Views of Philadelphia - Residential Architecture in Center City 
  • King's Views of Philadelphia - Residential Architecture beyond Center City
  • Korman House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection
  • Laurel Hill Mansion
  • Lemon Hill Mansion
  • Mill Creek Project - The Louis I. Kahn Collection
  • Mount Pleasant Mansion
  • Ormiston Mansion
  • Oser House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection
  • Philadelphia Suburban Homes - includes Chestnut Hill and Germantown, arranged by architect
  • Pine Ford Acres - The Louis I. Kahn Collection
  • Roche House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection
  • Rockland House
  • Samuel Shipley house, "Windon" - The Frank Furness Collection
  • Stenton - Historic American Buildings Survey
  • Strawberry Mansion
  • Strawberry Mansion - Historic American Buildings Survey
  • Sweetbriar Mansion
  • Tompkins House - The Louis I. Kahn Collection - unbuilt
  • Upsula - Historic American Buildings Survey
  • Vanna Venturi House
  • Woodford Mansion
  • Woodford Mansion - Historic American Buildings Survey

 Artists and Art Associations

Art Associations

• Greater Norristown Art League
• Pennsylvania Council of the Arts
• Philadelphia Arts Bank, University of the Arts
• The Philadelphia Sketch Club

Artists

• Scott Aikens
• Joe Brenman sculptor
• Mary Cassatt -Art Cyclopedia
• Nick Cassway
• Clay Studio - ceramics
• Cathleen Cohen books of illustrated poetry
• Carol Cole sculptor
• Fred Danziger
• Larry Day
• Charles Demuth 
• Thomas Eakins - Art Cyclopedia
• Roberta Fallon and Libby Rosof, Sculptors
• Diane Hark Art
• Glenn Daniel Harren Fine Art
• Eric Hokanson
• Scott Jackson, Painter
• Lois M. Johnson printmaker
• Brinah Bank Kessler pastels and oil paintings
• Elizabeth A. Kinzie - Welcome to art lovers
• Diane Maurer
• Beth Minear rug weaver
• Eadweard Muybridge
• Chris Nissen - American Landscapes
• Ellis Augustus Oliver (1873-1937)
• Maxfield Parrish
• Charles Willson Peale
• Brian Petro mixed media photography
• Horace Pippin
• Yoram Ra'anan painter
• Joseph Sackman photographer
• David Shevlino Fine Art
• Craig Stover
• Elyah Succot paintings, lithographs
• Jeff Thomsen painter
• Benjamin West
• Fern Wayne Designs fabric and clothing design
• Lorna Weinberger painter
• Andrew Wyeth
• James Wyeth
• N.C. Wyeth
• Yitschak Ben Yehuda lithographs, ketubas
• Yohe Fine Art

Associations

• AIA - Philadelphia 
• American Academy of Pediatrics Pennsylvania Chapter
• American Board of Allergy and Immunology
• American Society for Information Science/Delaware Valley
• The American Women's Heritage Society, Inc.
• Beckmann Center for the History of Chemistry
• Ben Franklin Technology Center of Southeastern Pennsylvania
• Center for East Asian Studies
• Center for Judaic Studies
• Center for the Study of the History of Nursing
• Committee of Seventy
• Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children
• Delaware Valley Child Care Council
• Delaware Valley Geriatrics Society
• Delaware Valley Grantmakers
• Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center
• Devereux Foundation
• Diabetes Education and Research Center
• Eastern Orthopedic Association
• Eastern Technology Council
• Forty Plus of Philadelphia
• The Friends of the Delaware Canal
• Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia
• Geographical Society of Philadelphia
• Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition
• Greenspace Alliance
• Green Valleys Association
• Health Sciences Libraries Consortium
• Hepatitis B Foundation
• Historic Philadelphia, Inc.
• Housing Association of Delaware Valley
• IVC of Philadelphia
• Institute for the Study of Civic Values
• Inter-Faith Working Group
• International House of Philadelphia
• The Leeway Foundation
• Liberty Resources, Inc.
• Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania
• MidAtlantic Employers' Association
• Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
• National Association of Women Business Owners - Greater Philadelphia Chapter
• National Board of Medical Examiners Website
• Nonprofit Technology Resources
• Pennsylvania Economy League. Eastern Division
• Pennsylvania Environmental Council
• Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
• Pennsylvania Humanities Council
• Pennsylvania NOW
• Pennsylvania Resources Council
• Pew Center for Civic Journalism
• Pew Charitable Trusts
• Philabundance
• Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
• The Philadelphia Foundation
• Philadelphia Leadership Foundation
• Philadelphia Psychiatric Society
• Police Athletic League of Philadelphia
• Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
• Preservation Pennsylvania
• Red Clay Valley Association
• Reinvestment Fund
• Salvation Army, Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Division
• Savoy Company
• SCRUB - Society Created to Reduce Urban Blight
• Special Libraries Association, Philadelphia Chapter
• Taller Puertorriqueno
• John Templeton Foundation
• Victorian Society in America
• Water Resources Education Network
• William Penn Foundation
• Workforce 2000
• The Working Wardrobe
• World Affairs Council of Philadelphia

Centennial, International Exhibition of 1876

Colleges/Universities

• Community College of Philadelphia
• Drexel University
• Holy Family University
• La Salle University
• Moore College of Art and Design
• Pennsylvania College of Optometry
• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Temple University
• Thomas Jefferson University
• St. Joseph's University
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of the Arts
• University of the Sciences in Philadelphia

Counties, Suburban

• Bucks County - PA
• Burlington County - NJ
• Camden County, NJ
• Chester County, PA
• Delaware County - PA
• Gloucester County, NJ
• Montgomery County - PA

Genealogy

• African American Genealogy Group
• Bucks County Historical Society
• Chadds Ford Historical Society
• Chester County Historical Society
• Delaware County Historical Society
• Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania
• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• Jewish Genealogical Society of Philadelphia
• Manayunk Family Tree Links - Devoted to Family Tree Sites from Manayunk Families
• Pennsylvania Civil War Records
• Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center
• Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center
• Philadelphia Genealogy - A good introduction to Philadelphia Genealogical resources
• Political Graveyard - Philadelphia County
• Presbyterian Historical Society
• Sons of the American Revolution - Philadelphia-Continental Chapter
• Swedish Colonial Society

Government

• Mayors of Philadelphia - 1691-2000
• Philadelphia Historic Street Index - Database of Philadelphia street name changes
• Philadelphia Street Index - Information based on the 1990 census
• Philadelphia Code and Charter
• Phila.gov - city@your service
• Redlining in Philadelphia - Housing discrimination from the Great Depression to the 1960s

Maps:

• 1752, Philadelphia and Parts Adjacent
• 1849, Map of railroad line commencing at a point on the West-Philadelphia R.R.
• 1852-62, Maps of the City of Philadelphia (Girard Ave to McKean Street between the Rivers only)
• 1854, Philadelphia City and County Consolidation Map
• 1855, Philadelphia Ward Map
• 1856, Route of a proposed railroad from Powelton, West Phila.. to the Phila.; gas works and thence to the river Delaware
• 1857, Bird's Eye View of Philadelphia
• 1857, Street map of Philadelphia and vicinity showing proposed railroads
• 1870, Bird's Eye View of Philadelphia 
• 1872, Bird's Eye View of Philadelphia 
• 1875, Philadelphia Ward Map
• 1876, Bird's Eye View of Philadelphia
• 1886, Bird's Eye View of Philadelphia 
• 1896, Atlas of Lower Merion, Montgomery County includes the Wynnfield and Overbrook sections of Philadelphia 
• 1899, Philadelphia Ward Map
• 1908, Bird's Eye View of Philadelphia 
• 1914, Philadelphia Ward Map
• 1926, Bird's Eye View of Philadelphia and Environs 
• 1940, Philadelphia Census Tract Maps
  • Northeast Philadelphia
  • North and Northwest Philadelphia
  • Center City, South, West and Southwest Philadelphia
• 1950, Philadelphia Census Tract Map
• 1960, Philadelphia Census Tract Map
• 1970, Philadelphia Census Tract Map
• 1980, Philadelphia Census Tract Map
• 1990, Philadelphia Census Tract Map
• City of Philadelphia Zoning Maps

Museums/Galleries

• Galleries
  • Arthur Ross Gallery
  • Artists House
  • Fabric Workshop and Museum
  • Gallery 911
  • Hahn Gallery
  • More Gallery
  • MYX Gallery
  • Newman Galleries
  • Northern Liberties Art Association
  • October Gallery
  • Old Church Cultural Center School of Art Gallery
  • Manayunk Art Center
  • Painted Bride Art Center
  • Paley Design Center, Philadelphia University
  • Perkins Center for the Arts
  • The Print Center
• Museums
  • Academy of Natural Sciences
  • African-American Museum in Philadelphia
  • American-Swedish Historical Foundation
  • Athenaeum of Philadelphia
  • Atwater Kent Museum
  • The Barnes Foundation
  • Brandywine River Museum
  • Chemical Heritage Foundation
  • College of Physicians of Philadelphia
  • David Library of the American Revolution
  • Fleisher Art Memorial
  • Institute of Contemporary Art
  • Library Company of Philadelphia
  • Moore College of Art, Goldie Paley Gallery/Levy Gallery for the Arts
  • National Museum of American Jewish History
  • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
  • Pennsylvania Federation of Museums
  • Philadelphia Museum of Art
  • Polish American Cultural Center
  • Rosenbach Museum
  • Rodin Museum

Neighborhoods:

• Center City 

  • Avenue of the Arts
  • Building Gold Mountain, Philadelphia's Chinatown
  • Center City District
  • Center City Proprietor's Association
  • Center City Residents Association
  • Changing the Heart of the City: Building and Rebuilding Washington Square West
  • Chinatown Development Corporation
  • Elfreth's Alley Association
  • Fitler Square Improvement Association
  • Logan Square Neighborhood Association
  • Old City Civic Association 
  • Old City District
  • Parkway Council Foundation
  • Schuylkill River Development Council
  • South Street West Business Association
  • Washington Square West Civic Association 

• North Philadelphia 
  • Allegheny West Foundation
  • Broad and Olney 
  • Callowhill Neighborhood Association
  • Fairmount - Philadelphia's Art Museum Area
  • Fairmount Civic Association
  • Friends of Orianna Park Square
  • North 22nd Street Business District
  • Northern Liberties  - A Community Bulletin Board
  • Northern Liberties Neighbors Association
  • Northern Living - A Guide to Life Above Spring Garden Street
  • Norris Square Neighborhood Project
  • Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation - West Oak Lane
  • West Oak Lane Housing Book
• Northeast Philadelphia
  • Fishtown - A historical look at Fishtown
  • Fishtown - News and Information
  • Fishtown Neighbors Association
  • Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
  • Holmesburg Civic Association 
  • Lawncrest Community Association
  • Mayfair Community Development Corporation
  • Northwood Civic Association
  • New Kensington Community Development Association
  • Kensington Welfare Rights Union
  • Port Richmond - For current events in Port Richmond
  • Somerton Civic Association
  • Tacony Business Association 
  • Tacony Historical Society
  • Tacony Town Watch
  • Wissinoming Historical Society
• Northwest Philadelphia including Manayunk/Roxborough/East Falls 
  • Central Germantown: a virtual web resource
  • Central Roxborough Civic Association
  • Chestnut Hill Business Association 
  • Chestnut Hill Historical Society 
  • East Mount Airy Neighbors
  • Friends of the Manayunk Canal
  • Germantown Historic District
  • Germantown Historical Society
  • Germantown Jewish Center
  • Germantown Settlement
  • Greater Germantown Housing Development Corporation
  • Jewish Life in Mount Airy
  • Manayunk, Survey of the Residents
  • Manayunk Development Corporation 
  • Manayunk Neighborhood Council
  • Mt. Airy Business Association
  • Northwest Philadelphia - Historic Chestnut Hill, Mount Airy and Germantown
  • Ridge Park Civic Association
  • Rittenhouse Town- ushistory.org
  • Rittenhouse Town
  • Roxborough Development Corporation
  • Tulpehocken Historic District of Germantown
  • West Mount Airy - from Briggs Racially and Ethnically Diverse Urban
  • West Mount Airy Neighbors 
  • Wissahickon Neighbors Civic Association
• South Philadelphia 
  • 18th Street Development Corporation 
  • Bella Vista Town Watch
  • East Passyunk Business District 
  • Fabric Row
  • Jefferson Square
  • Italian Market
  • Jews of South Philadelphia
  • Packer Park Civic Association
  • Passyunk Square Neighborhood Association
  • Queen Village Neighbors Association
  • South of South Neighborhood Association 
  • Wharton Neighbors Civil Association
• Southwest Philadelphia 
  • Historic Bartram's Garden
  • Southwest Community Development Corporation 
• West Philadelphia including University City 
  • Baltimore Avenue in Bloom 
  • City Avenue Area
  • East Parkside Residents Association
  • 40th and Market Business District
  • Fifty-Second Street Business District
  • Garden Court Historic District of University City
  • Haddington Historic District
  • Jewish West Philadelphia/University City
  • Lancaster Avenue Business Association
  • Overbrook Farms Historic District
  • Overbrook Park Civic Association
  • Plan For West Philadelphia
  • Parkside Historic District
  • Powelton Village Civic Association
  • Powelton Historic District of University City 
  • Powelton Village - From Rosenthal's History of University City
  • Powelton Village Preservation Studio 2001
  • Spruce Hill Community Association
  • Squirrel Hill Community Association
  • University City District
  • West Philadelphia - From Rosenthal's History of University City
  • West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb Historic District 
  • Wynnefield Resident's Association