This collection focuses mainly on the Media Centennial Celebration, which ran from June 3-10, 1950 and included thousands of participants and attracted tens of thousands of spectators. Besides covering the centennial activities for local newspapers, Zimmerman took many photographs of local business, churches, and community organizations for inclusion in a souvenir book sold during the events. (The page number of these photographs, in this publication, are noted in each item’s description). To view a selection of Centennial photos by Zimmerman, click here. For an overview of the Centennial activities, click here.
A smaller but fascinating group of aerial photographs of Media and other nearby Delaware County, Pennsylvania communities, taken in 1950, show how much open space existed in the area at the time, and how quickly that land was being bought up and built up as part of the post-World War II housing boom.
Thanks to Adeline Cianella, for scanning most of the 750+ negatives and choosing appropriate subjects for each image; also to Matt Lake, for kicking off the project with a few dozen scans of his own. Most of the photographer's captions were minimal, so thanks also to Adam Levine, who edited each image and fleshed out the descriptions by perusing the Centennial souvenir book along with captions of published photos and newspaper articles describing the events, from both online databases and MHAC’s own scrapbooks and newspaper collection.
Identifier
Francis F. Zimmerman Photograph Collection
Spatial Coverage
Media, Pennsylvania and surrounding municipalities in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
"Airbrushed copy negative. Made for owner Sadir Elias's ad" in the Centennial Book 106. This building still (2020 ) stands, occupying the front and side yard of a much older Victorian twin that looms behind it.
New Board officers. Left to right: Norman Yarnall, Edwin E. Lippincott 2d (Theodore Lippincott), Robert M. Shellenberger, Jr., Samuel M. Blumberg, Jr., L. Benjamin Palmer, and John E. Houtman (Gus D. Houtman, Jr.). Names from the Chester Times, May 13, 1949. In parentheses are misidentifications used in the caption of this photo in the Centennial Book, page 40.)
Left to right: Sam Blumberg, president, congratulating Media police chief Malcolm H. Laughead, Wilbur Duncan, Allen Fisher. Laughead received the 1949 Distinguished Award at the organizations third annual dinner, held at Howard Johnson's. (Chester Times, January 20, 1950)
Sam Blumberg presenting plaque to Media police chief Malcolm Laughead, Carley Outlander seated. Laughead received the 1949 Distinguished Award at the organization's third annual dinner, held at Howard Johnson's. (Chester Times, January 20, 1950)
Caption from Chester Times, March 30, 1950, page 5: "Media Jaycees at Work: Burgess J. Fred Schultz [with paintbrush] stencils first house number in Media Junior Chamber of Commerce curb stenciling project, one of the Jaycees' civic improvement projects for the centennial year. At left is Robert M. Shellenberger, chairman of the curb painting committee, with William VanLeer (stooping) and Donald MacMillan (standing) inspecting the Schultz job." Numbers were three inches high, in black paint on a background of "Traffic Zone" white. Sherwin-Williams seems to have supplied the paint and the caps.
