LibGuides: Philadelphia Art, Architecture + Design (2018): Historical Research

Books and articles are great sources for historical information. Search DragonSearch below to find full-text articles, books, and ebooks. Tip: search words as a phrase by placing them in quotes (for example, "Fairmount Park").

The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia
Get started with your research by reading essays from this authoritative reference source.
Philly History
Find historical photos and maps by date, neighborhood, address, or keyword.
West Philadelphia Community History Center
Presenting history as an ongoing collection of connected ideas and narratives.
Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Search the Digital Library and Subject Guides for images, maps, and more.
Historical Images of Philadelphia
Search the Digital Collections of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Phila Place
Connect stories to places across time in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.
Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network
Find thousands of old maps, property atlases, surveys, and more.
Philadelphia Neighborhoods: Histories, Plans and Futures
"creates a web presentation of the full content of 86 neighborhood planning surveys prepared and published by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission between 1946 and 1990. These reports contain descriptions of current conditions of housing stock; population trends; property turnover; public transportation; community activity. Recommendations are made for future action."

Other city universities have created guides for Philadelphia research.

Penn Libraries has a Philadelphia History and Philadelphia Studies guides.
Temple University's Urban Archives documents the development of the region.
The TriCollege Libraries has a guide to the Philadelphia Region.

1876 Centennial

Centennial Exhibition (1876)
Read an overview of the events with images and links to related material.
Books on the Centennial
Browse print and electronic books about the Philadelphia exhibition.
Centennial Exhibition Buildings Map
Zoom in to see the geographic coverage and location of each building.
Centennial Campus Projects
Find information on buildings, pavilions and more from Philadelphia Architects + Buildings.
Centennial Exhibition Collection
View the Free Library's unique collection of scrapbooks, maps, and ephemera of the exhibition.