The I. Frank Lees Collection forms the backbone of the collections of the Media Historic Archives Commission, and is its reason for being. MHAC--an official arm of the Media, Pennsylvania government--was created to administer a collection of photographs and other material which I. Frank Lees (1919-1999), a lifelong resident, donated to the borough in 1981. The collection contains roughly 15,000 items, including the more than 1,800 photographs which are presented here. More photographs from this collection, and from other collections donated after Lees' death in 1999, will be added to this site in the future.
THANKS TO
- Chris Welc, for scanning more than 1,000 photographs in the photograph folders that Frank Lees had created. and for creating the first version of the Excel spreadsheet that became the basis of the catalog records on this site.
- Adam Levine scanned hundreds more photographs, fleshed out the photograph descriptions, and created the final metadata now attached to each image.
- Media Borough Council approved the purchase of a new computer and scanners for MHAC, and funded the creation and upkeep of this website.
Spatial Coverage
Media, Pennsylvania and vicinity, as well as other locations (including the Panama Canal Zone) related to Media people.
Shows bridge carrying Orange Street over the tracks, and steps on the north side of the tracks that once allowed pedestrian access on that side. Sign reads: "Caution! Do not walk nor trespass on the Railroad."
Photograph stamped on the reverse: The General Crushed Stone Co., 408-9 Franklin Bank Bldg., Philadelphia, PA. The workmen are probably spreading crushed stone provided by this company. Handwritten number on reverse: 10907, possibly negative number.
View includes Storey's Unpainted [Furniture] and Media Republican Club on right or south side, and the modern Delaware County National Bank building and Sunoco Station on the north side.
First Presbyterian Church is the prominent building in this photograph. Only the trolley tracks are cleared of snow. P-01276, P-01277 and P-01278 are mounted on identical boards, with identical handwriting in the captions, so they were all probably taken at the same time.
