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.
Card includes photographs of Media Presbyterian Church, Borough Hall, Media High School, and R.M.S. Media, a British steamship. Dr. Walter Engard Wentz Jr. married Elizabeth Hoopes Mackey on September 24, 1932 (See Chester Times, Sept. 26, 1932). She was born ca. 1909, and is probably the Baby Macky shown in Appleton photographs AP-5903 and AP-5904. For the grown-up Mrs. Wentz, see also P-12013.
About 1000 people visited Tyler Arboretum as a kind of pilgrimage to the home of Minshall Painter, one of the Borough's founders and the man who gave Media its name. This house is one of the newer structures on the property. Free bus rides to and from the arboretum were provided.
Patty Highfield, Miss Greater Media, with an unidentified Shriner. Donald G. Shook, owner of the Media News, is seated in the bottom center of the photo.
Left to right, seated behind bunting: Mrs. Crosby L. Smith, Nan Dutton, Walter N. Hagerman (with LuLu Potentate hat), Frederick Brumble, and Patty Highfield, Miss Greater Media. Frank Lees is seated in the lower right corner. Patty married Fred Brumble on February 14, 1953. According to the wedding announcement in the Chester Times on February 17, 1953, her full name was Margaret Patricia Highfield.
Roy (Leroy G.) Cougle, in the outfit of the Artisans Mutual Order of Protection. He is probably the man in the center, but the caption gives no indication.
