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.
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Marching band.
View looking southeast on State Street from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Media Armory. Franklin Fire Co. No. 1, Chester, Penna.
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Ladies Auxiliary, Garretford-Drexel Hill Fire Co.
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Upper Darby Township Fire Dept.
View looking southeast on State Street from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Media Armory. Baton twirler and marching band.
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Media Armory. Unidentified fire company.
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Honor guard, majorettes and baton twirlers, marching band.
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Fire company with honor guard and fire engines.
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Honor guard and marching band.
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Ambulance of Franklin Rescue Squad, Chester, Pa.
View looking southeast on State Street from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Ladies Auxiliary, Reliance Hook & Ladder Co., Boothwyn, Pa.
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Lenni Heights Fire Co. No. 1 with fire engine
View looking southeast on State Street, toward Media Armory, from elevated vantage point near the northeast corner of State Street and Jackson Street. Bagpipers' brigade.
View from street level of south side of State Street, looking southeast toward Monroe Street. Unidentified fire company, with Media Garage, Media Theatre and other businesses.
View from street level of south side of State Street, looking southeast toward Monroe Street. Unidentified fire company, with Media Garage and other businesses.
View from street level of south side of State Street, looking southeast toward Monroe Street. Unidentified fire company led by boy on bicycle, with Media Garage, Media Theatre and other businesses.
Oversized photo of banquet at Arcadia Café . This is probably the restaurant opened in 1915, in Philadelphia's Widener Building on Penn Square, by Fritz Pflug--hence, the "Friends of Fritz." See "Restaurants," The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/restaurants/
Frank Lees caption: "The Delaware County Prison on the northeast corner of Second and Orange Streets. This prison building was built In 1850 at the same time the Court House was built. It housed offices of the sheriff and warden as well as living quarters for the warden. In later years a residence was built, shown at the right of the prison building, for the warden. That house later became the juvenile home. There was a gallows in the jail yard. The prison was torn down in July of 1952."
