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Posted in Philadelphia December 22, 2017 by Kim Magaraci

16 Vintage Photos Of Philadelphia’s Streets That Will Take You Back In Time

Philadelphia is a unique city in that you can see its history when you walk around. You’re just as likely to stumble upon (or over…) some cobblestones as you are to find a brand new bike lane, and even our pharmacies and coffee shops are located in 300-year-old buildings. Check out what Philadelphia looked like over the years and see if you can spot the resemblances to our present-day city in these vintage photos.

Can you imagine walking down Philly's streets when they looked like this?

City Hall towered over the city - it was the tallest building in the world until 1908, and the tallest in Philadelphia until 1986.

Did you know that Rittenhouse Square was one of the original five public squares designated by William Penn?

This is a photo of 2nd and Market Street from 1907!

And here's the view from 3rd and Arch, in that same year.

You can see City Hall again in this photo of South Broad Street.

Do you recognize this view? 4th and Walnut looks a little bit different nowadays.

The shops along Market Street (shown here from 10th Street) have changed over the years, but this view is still very familiar.

Here's a neat shot from North Broad Street & Girard Ave.

This is what the west side of Philadelphia looked like from the top of City Hall's tower in 1900.

The 1910 Trolley Strike Riots disrupted life in Philadelphia, as trolley workers fought for fair wages.

But by 1911, trolleys once again ruled the streets.

Here's the Italian Market - well, it doesn't look all that different!

Do you remember the first "Popocalypse" in 1979? It was an honor for Philadelphia to host the Pope!

Here's a photo of Philadelphia during a women's Buddhist chorus parade down the Ben Franklin Parkway in the 1980s.

And finally... do you remember the Sunday Fundays at Eakins Oval in front of the Art Museum? These small pop-up carnivals were a staple of Philadelphia life growing up!

These photos are such a flashback! You might also want to take a look at these 14 Then And Now Photos In Philadelphia That Show Just How Much It Has Changed for another great perspective on past Philly life.

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Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: kmagaraci@onlyinyourstate.com