Piecing together the past

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From 1852 to the early 1900s, the Bedford Street Mission stood on the 600 block of Bedford Street, now known as Kater Street in Queen Village. Established by Methodist Episcopalian missionaries to serve the street’s indigent, most of whom were immigrants — Irish, Italian, Russian Jewish — the mission provided food, clothing, shelter and education for children and adults, according to The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. A 1907 black-and-white photo from the society’s archives shows a group of unsmiling children on the stoop of the mission — a permanent artifact of poverty that gripped the neighborhood, which is now one of the city’s most sought-after and pricey ZIP codes.

It’s pictures like this that chronicle the city’s vibrant history over the last 300 years, Joan Saverino, the Historical Society’s assistant director of education, said. In an effort to expand the city’s photographic history, the nonprofit in conjunction with the Philadelphia Department of Records, University of Pennsylvania School of Design and the Preservation Alliance is reaching out to South Philly and Greater Northern Liberties residents to launch the free series "Your Place & Mine."

The South Philly events take place Oct. 17 and Nov. 3 at Weccacoe Playground, Fourth and Catharine streets. The first is a workshop and lecture from 7 to 9 p.m.; the second, a photo fair from 1 to 4 p.m., where residents may bring old and new shots of neighborhood places.

At the Nov. 3 event, images will be scanned on the spot then incorporated in PhilaPlace, a Historical Society history and cultural project as well as the launch of a Web site containing photographs, oral histories via video clips, map layers showing how neighborhoods have morphed and more.

"PhilaPlace is a way to explore a place. We’re looking through the lens at a place as an important way to understand memory, history and culture. We’re drawing on photographs, residents’ memories and other historical documents [for the project]," Saverino, who lives in Mount Airy and is project director, said.

The Historical Society views the fall events in both neighborhoods as a launch for PhilaPlace so people can learn about it and contribute. "We picked South Philly and Greater Northern Liberties because we saw these neighborhoods as really crucial to understanding the history of Philadelphia. They were always immigrant neighborhoods and African-American neighborhoods. Much of the [manufacturing, crafts and textile industry ] that went on in the city started in these neighborhoods. The center of factory life was very much in these two neighborhoods," Saverino said.

Though no particular dates are required, historical photos are of strong interest and shots of places and people are preferred, Saverino said. "We’re interested in how the neighborhood has changed over time," she said. Residents are free to bring as many snapshots as they want, but are limited to three for scanning. "People’s memories are tied to a place. We all have special places that hold memories and some of those places are not still there. We’re inviting people to bring old photos of a place that is special to them," Saverino said.

In addition to explaining what PhilaPlace is about, the October workshop will consist of each partner sharing information about their own neighborhood history project. Department of Records Commissioner and South Philly native Joan Decker will discuss her department’s project that launched earlier this year with more than 50,000 images on www.phillyhistory.org. Dating back to the 1800s, the photos were culled from the city’s vast archives.

In addition, the Greater Preservation Alliance will discuss practical ways to preserve family homes and Amy Hillier, a University of Pennsylvania professor with the Department of City and Regional Planning in the School of Design, will discuss her project, "Mapping the DuBois Philadelphia Negro Project." In 1899, W.E.B. DuBois published the book "The Philadelphia Negro," based on a census study of the Old Seventh Ward conducted in 1896. The part of Philadelphia DuBois studied includes Rittenhouse Square and Washington Square West, places that at the turn of the century were home to more blacks of all classes than any other part of Philadelphia. Hillier is making a visual representation of DuBois’ book, part of which consists of a Web site and board game.

Since both are involved in recording the city’s history, Saverino and Decker’s paths cross often, so when the former mentioned the PhilaPlace project to the latter, Decker offered to partner up. "I think it will be a lot of fun for everybody so I hope we get a terrific turnout," Decker said.

Nov. 3, all the partners will return with information on their projects, and the Historical Society will give tips on preserving old photographs. In addition, Decker’s department is supplying scanning equipment along with a couple of videographers who will interview photo owners to capture "what memory [the photo] evokes," Saverino said. "Not only will we have a photo, but a personal touch — what it meant to that person, their family or their neighbors."

PhilaPlace began with a grant when the Historical Society put in a request with the Heritage Philadelphia Program proposing trolley tours highlighting historical aspects of South Philly neighborhoods, starting in Queen Village.

Queen Village Neighbors Association provided input for the tour and, when it came time to host the PhilaPlace events, the Historical Society reached out to the group, who provided the Weccacoe space, David O’Donnell, QVNA board member and founder of the association’s Historical Preservation Committee, said.

"QVNA is very active in documenting and preserving our local history and researching it. The Historical Society had worked with us in the past [on the trolley tours] and when this grant came up, they were in touch with us," O’Donnell told the Review.

The free trolley tours occurred in May 2006 as a pilot project and all who took the tours were invited to partake in focus groups.

"The feedback we got was that they loved the tours," Saverino said. "We decided the way to go was to develop a Web site since we’re not in the trolley business."

With South Philly and Greater Northern Liberties as pilots, Saverino and Decker believe PhilaPlace has the potential to expand to all neighborhoods in the city. "Oh certainly with all the rich history in Philadelphia neighborhoods," Decker said of future projects.