Complete 19th & 20th Century
Atlases
of
Philadelphia Neighborhoods

These so-called "ward atlases" or "real estate atlases," published from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, provide a wealth of information about specific neighborhoods, blocks, and even individual lots. Many list property owners for larger parcels, and details about industrial buildings can include the size in stories as well as the materials of construction. These atlases have been a primary source for my research into the underground streams of the city, those that were incorporated into the sewer system and piped beneath the city's streets.

I have photographed many atlas pages for my research at the Free Library of Philadelphia Map Collection, and still use these images in my research and presentaions. However, the two atlases included here are property of myself and the Philadelphia Water Department, and were scanned using a roll-through scanner similar to the type many repro shops use to make blueprints. This method is far superior, as it captures the map images flat and in one piece. We hope to scan more atlases in the future, which I will add to this page as they are completed.