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.
Frank Lees caption: Left to right, standing: ?, Jim Loughrin, Willis Glen, Joseph Krug, Frank Ferguson. Seated: Esther Bell, ?, Mr. D'Ignazio. Envelope includes 35 mm negative strip with four other photos.
Label on truck door reads: Borough of Media, Plant No. 1, Permit No. 699, T.W. 22460. The truck is an International Fleetstar 210, with a Cobey garbage hopper mounted on the chassis. An oversized copy of his print is stored in Misc. Photos Box 2
This was the last time the MHS band marched down state street. Shortly after, the high school was closed, with the students transferred to the new Penncrest High School in Middletown Township. This photograph is probably a print made from a slide, probably taken by David Jefferis.
Left to right: Front: Jack Kelly, Greg Lavery, John Brown, Garrett Mullen, Bill Davis, Walter Griscom, Bill Campbell. Back row: Mike Wescott, Dave Brown, Walter Bosler, Gerald Mathews (or Matheus), Ditty Mathues, Patty Ahearn, Cliff Miller, Fred Griscom. On reverse: On reverse: “Izzy Kaufman,” and “Elmer Lukens, Compliments of MBB Team.” Two copies, stored in Flat File 2.
