Work Sights: Industrial Philadelphia, 1890-1950

by Philip Scranton, Walter Licht

oblong hardcover with dust jacket

279 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1986

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book! Provides a history of the rise and decline of Philadelphia industry. The book is divided into three sections: the first explores small-scale production and piecework, including the advent of the sweatshop; the second, mid-scale handiwork and manufacturing of everything from saddles to hats; the third covers the large factories that supported entire neighborhoods, like the Baldwin Locomotive factory which once employed 18,000 Philadelphians.

The real appeal of this book to me, however, was the photos. Hundreds of high-quality, meticulously labeled photos from the Temple University and City of Philadelphia archives accompany the text. The careful captioning means that it is possible to recognize familiar neighborhoods, get to know some of the huge, decrepit buildings you may always have wondered about, and use Google Streetview to "visit" the current locations of many photos. If you are like me, expect to spend hours engrossed in that particular activity.

A great read for anyone interested in Philadelphia's history outside of the Liberty Bell, and anyone wishing to chart the Industrial Revolution's effect on a major American city.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

What could have been just another photo history turns out to be an in-depth, illustrated discourse on the industrial revolution in an American city. Running the gamut from forgotten storefront manufacturers to internationally recognized brands with 100+ acre industrial parks, the author doesn't just cover the bald facts of names and dates, he contextualizes everything with social and political background. The case studies on the Schoenhut Toy Piano company, The Disston Saw Works, and the Stetson Company in particular are fascinating.