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.
Caption on reverse: Concordville, Pa. "The Village," looking westward, from Chester Road. Frank Lees notation indicates this is at the intersection of Baltimore Pike and Concord Road.
Back of card reads: "Thirty minutes by R.R. from Philadelphia. Media and Vicinity. Photographed by Samuel McMullin, Landscape Photographer, No. 1128 South Ninth Street, Philadelphia. Taken by request of James R. Cummins, Residence, Media, Penna."
Back of card reads: "Thirty minutes by R.R. from Philadelphia. Media and Vicinity. Photographed by Samuel McMullin, Landscape Photographer, No. 1128 South Ninth Street, Philadelphia. Taken by request of James R. Cummins, Residence, Media, Penna."
Caption also calls this the Victoria Plush Mill Bridge. This view is looking west into Nether Providence A trolley is shown alongside the bridge. Copy of original photo; source not noted.
The 1882 and 1892 atlases of Delaware County show W. C. Brodhead's Livery stables at this location. The 1910 atlas shows this livery business as Doak's.
"Red Ink" photo, series by same photographer named for red ink used for writing descriptions on reverse side of similarly-mounted images. Location uncertain. Same as P-08012B, except wider crop.
"Red Ink" photo, series by same photographer named for red ink used for writing descriptions on reverse side of similarly-mounted images. Location uncertain. This photo was entered in The John Wanamaker Exhibition of Photographs by Amateurs, February 1908. Same as P08012A, except more tightly cropped and with a border.
The title and date are from Frank Lee's writing on envelope. The original photograph had no identification on reverse other than an indication of the lens or film used, and a notation: "Taken against the sun." Address is approximate. Probably Dr. William T. W. Dickeson photograph.
In the old vernacular, a pond and a dam were synonymous. Palmer's Dam was located on Ridley Creek just north of Baltimore Pike, upstream of the Media Water Works. Copy of original photo; source not noted
Slide marked 'Duplicate," unsure of orientation. Image may be flipped. Looking toward B & railroad bridge from near Pine Street Bridge. Address is approximate.
