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.
According to the Chester Times, the club performed a minstrel show in March 1934 and March 1936, in the Media High School auditorium. This may not be the cast of that particular performance, but judging from the costumes (especially the two men in blackface at either side of the group) this was certainly a minstrel show. The club existed, according to mentions in the newspaper, from the early 1930s until at least 1955.
Photograph of lithograph. An original copy of this image is part of the Samuel Hazard scrapbook and ephemera Ms. Coll. 1257, at the University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Frank Lees caption: “The railroad from Philadelphia reached Media in October 1854 and was continued to West Chester in 1858, This station, not being the first, was built in 1881. Due to lack of upkeep this beautiful Victorian station was torn and replaced by a one store brick structure. The first month of operation of the new railroad, 25,000 passengers used the trains to and return from Philadelphia. This scene, circa 1900, shows folks awaiting a train to West Chester. The bridge carries Orange Street over the tracks and was replaced two years ago.” Unsure when the preceding note was written. This is a copy of an original photo; source not noted
This view is before the station was expanded and before the covered stairway on the north side of the tracks was built. Compare to AP-4113. Copy of original photo; source not noted
Looking southwest from bridge carrying Orange Street over the tracks. The station appears either to be under renovation or demolition. Copy of original photo; source not noted
Frank Lees caption: Media Railroad Station, built 1881 by the then Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad. Copy of original photo; source not noted
Caption on front: District 266 Rotary International, Chalfonte Haddon Hall, Atlantic City, April 1957. On reverse: Clockwise from front: J. H. Tipping (turned to face camera), Mr. and Mrs. Paul Clark. Bill Vivian, Helen and Gunnar Jorgensen, Mrs. Vivian, Mrs. J. N. Rigby,
Title on reverse: "Lila's Second Grade Class, 1920". Lila was the wife of Mark Allam, who probably donated this picture. Two sets of identifications; these were compiled into one set. The boy in the bottom right, whose name is misspelled, is Lew Krausse, who pitched briefly for the Philadelphia Athletics and later became a manager in the Phillies farm system, according to Wikipedia. His son, Lew Krausse Jr., had a longer major league career.
Men and vehicles are posed on side of building. Caption on reverse (probably left to right): Harvey Spankenberg, "Doodle" Brooks, "Whitey" Grant, Leroy Hawthorne, Charlie Rossiter
(Probably left to right). Front row: Conrad "Connie" Brown, Fats Baldwin, Henry Schuhardt, Miller Young, Pete Baldwin, Bill Snyder. Middle row: Lefty Johnson, Reds Larkin, Frank Baldwin, Lefty McCullough, Lefty Paige. Back row: Ivan Malseed, Ray Worrall, Ernie Yarnall, Francis "Bub" Malseed, Charles Williams, Tom Singleton. This was identified as the 1941 Media team, but this is incorrect. The H. Walker Yarnall trophy, shown in the photo, was a memorial award (presented to the league championship team) established after the death of Henry Walker Yarnall, who was league vice-president at the time of his death in 1947. Media won the trophy that year, and in 1954, but this photograph (based in newspaper research comparing box scores to the names listed above) is most likely showing the 1947 team. For same team in uniform, see P-15029.
