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.
Looking west at bridge over Ridley Creek along Baltimore Pike. Tracks of the Glen Riddle trolley line turn left to cross trestle over Ridley Creek and continue up Elwyn Road. Frank Lees Slide 1565. One of a series of photographs, possibly by same photographer or from same album. Date not certain. Possibly from 5 x 7 inch glass negative
Loking east down to Ridley Creek Valley, from about where Black Horse Tavern once stood. Delaware County Court House is building atop the hill in the background.
Based on research in newspaper archives, this photograph was probably taken by Clyde M. Allam on August 2, 1901, when Theodore Roosevelt, then vice-president of the United States, gave a speech in Colorado Springs, Colorado on the occasion of the state's quartocentenary (25th anniversary of statehood). The building in the background is the Antlers Hotel. To Roosevelt's left is Colorado Governor James B. Orman. [See Colorado Transcript, August 7, 1901, Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection, Colorado State Library) Clyde Allam had previously lived in Ohio, and after Colorado moved to Woodland Avenue in the Bortondale section of Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pa. He was the father of Mark Allam (pictured in P-14013E and other images in the MHAC collection) and Robert Allam (who took a variety of photographs that are now in the MHAC collection, and who donated this and several other glass negatives made by his father).
"Red Ink" photo, series by same photographer named for red ink used for writing descriptions on reverse side of similarly-mounted images. Between Mt. Alverno and Knowlton roads, looking upstream. Chester Creek flows in the valley to the left below the tracks. Address is approximate.
Building erected 1817. Torn down 1965 or after. Gasoline pump also shown. According to the 1909 Mueller Atlas, Plate 30, this building stood on the northeast corner of the intersection of West Chester Pike and Sproul Road. Address is approximate
Caption on reverse: 11-16-44. Gouldey says "One look at this gang and Baldy will be glad he is still in the Pacific." Do you remember "Old Dad" and "Slim" the colored fellows. On a card identifying this picture: Left to right: Slim, Bill Gibson, Bill Hannum, ?, Old Dad, ?, Al Flounders, ?, Earle Cloud. Location uncertain.
Frank Lees caption: Owned by Isaac Briggs, built 1849, Providence Road and Plush Mill Road. Building still stands, as of 2019. Copy of original photo; source not noted
