I spent a happy hour trying to find this spot on Google Maps so I could see what it looks like today. I'm not satisfied I found the exact street, but I believe it's Race Street or North Front Street or maybe even Quarry Street. It doesn't look like those old buildings are there. Here's as close as I got:
Found in "The Plot Genie Index" by Wycliffe A. Hill. Published by Ernest E. Gagnon, 1934.
If you'd like a bigger and cleaner version of the photograph, here it is.
-Click to enlarge photos-
It really neat to see the differences! I lived in Philadelphia for a short time, but I definitely wouldn't've been able to pinpoint the street at all.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely like the "old" view the best.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you pretty much got it -- that's Race Street, around the 200 block, looking east. Not so picturesque now, but you only have to go a block or two west on Race now to find the same sorts of buildings that are show in the original (delightful) photo. If you've ever seen the Travolta movie Blow Out, the street view of his apartment building is similar to this also. Terrific find and excellent Google mapping.
ReplyDeleteStreetview rephotography! Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteMy husband say this is a more precise location (check out the fire escape on the right)... [IMG]http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/vv59/moonshadow74/racestphilly.jpg[/IMG]
ReplyDeleteHere's the location...
39°57'14.08" N 75°08'34.75" W
I've just spent an embarassing amount of time trying to find any of these buildings in old pictures, mostly on phillyhistory.org -- I've come to the conclusion that it is definitely on Race street. Specifically, I believe this was taken slightly west of the intersections of Race and Front St. (but not N. Front Street). There's a giant brick wall, and rt 95 in the way now, so you're unlikely to recreate the view. I think, though, that this is the spot, but the elevation is about 20 feet too high, because of rt. 95... http://goo.gl/maps/4ZYp
ReplyDeleteBecause I can't leave well enough alone, I've also just found this picture at the Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2011635125/ It is VERY close to the old-timey picture.
ReplyDeleteMore searching on google maps, seems to indicate that the red building in this picture is the one I've found here: http://goo.gl/maps/yZSr although the intersection has changed quite a bit in the last 20 years.