Take a trip back in time to when Philadelphia was the "Workshop of the World" and the city manufactured everything from lace to locomotives. The 20 year period beginning in 1890 was a dynamic period of growth for Philadelphia with the city's population rising by over half-a-million. The meet the demand for all of these new arrivals, builders and developers were busy cranking out new houses in every corner of the city. Over 130,000 new houses were built in the city during this boom period. Luckily we have a fairly comprehensive visual record of the city from this era in the form of Real Photo Postcards. These were used by builders and homeowners alike to show off their new dwellings. It's a great opportunity to see the city as it once looked. When these houses were still new and the streets and filled with children playing in the street.
