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.
The Media Inn is in the background, along with a directional sign atop the traffic signal, from the Keystone Auto club: "Baltimore 89, Oxford 37, Philadelphia 13."
A bus marked "Media" and automobiles are in the background, along with a directional sign from the Keystone Auto Club, atop the traffic signal: "Providence Road: Chester 5, Wallingford 1, Newtown Square 7."
This house was on the site of the current (2019) Media Borough government complex. Donated by Miss Mary H. MacIntyre in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Plumley. Fred was the Miller family chauffeur for 40 years; he died on September 23, 1947.
This house was on the site of the current (2019) Media Borough government complex. Donated by Miss Mary H. MacIntyre in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Plumley. Fred was the Miller family chauffeur for 40 years; he died on September 23, 1947. MacIntyre's caption, from a letter to Frank Lees dated July 23, 1993: "A greenhouse that was on the property. That's my mother and dad, and another aunt and uncle, standing there by it. The Monroe Street end of the property was used for flower and vegetable gardens. The gardener's name was Fred Kent. He lived in a house somewhere in Media."
This house was on the site of the current (2019) Media Borough government complex. Donated by Miss Mary H. MacIntyre in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Plumley. Fred was the Miller family chauffeur for 40 years; he died on September 23, 1947. MacIntyre's caption, from a letter to Frank Lees dated July 23, 1993: "The Millers always had a large country car which my uncle used to drive them to Maine every summer, etc. And then they had a small car that he used for short drives around town."
This house was on the site of the current (2019) Media Borough government complex. Donated by Miss Mary H. MacIntyre in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Plumley. Fred was the Miller family chauffeur for 40 years; he died on September 23, 1947. MacIntyre's caption, from a letter to Frank Lees dated July 23, 1993: "Shows the south side of the chauffeur's house with my uncle cutting grass. Miss Miller was very fond of my uncle. She had it in her will that if she died before my uncle and aunt they could have stayed in that house in the property until they died. Although my aunt and uncle were younger than Miss Miller, they predeceased her.
This house was on the site of the current (2019) Media Borough government complex. Donated by Miss Mary H. MacIntyre in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Plumley. Fred was the Miller family chauffeur for 40 years; he died on September 23, 1947. MacIntyre's caption, from a letter to Frank Lees dated July 23, 1993: "The garages and shed, and the Negro caretaker lived in the part nearest Monroe Street. His name was Sam, and then Warren Reed came in later years.
Frank Lees identifies the following: On right end, George Major, standing next to his sister Lillian Major Baker. Standing, 7th from left, Stanley T. Hibberd. First man kneeling, on right, is Gleave L. Baker.
