Photo album with marbelized cover and 40 plastic sleeves. 12 contain photos and notes related to Lancaster's Bicentennial celebration. Handwritten on card on first page: "June 10, 1992/ These documents from the City Safe were taken to The Conservation Centre for Art, Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia for restoration and preservation. Here are before and after pictures of
a. The Lancaster Corporation Book, 1742
b. The Charter of the City of Lancaster, 1742
c. The Plot Plan of the City of Lancaster, (?)
...Jarvis "(signature)
On page 14, handwritten on a card: "This was the metal box in which the Charter was stored until someone framed it and exposed it to the light."
On page 19: "This is the Plot Plan which needs to be studied. It has the drawing of gentleman X on the reverse side. Who drew this?"
Chapters: THE OLD COUNTRY - homeland,Germans from Russia // GOING TO AMERICA - the decision to leave, leaving home, the voyage // PORTS OF ENTRY - Germans in colonial America, landing, finding a place to live, first impressions // A NEW LIFE - farming and homesteading, adventures in the west, artisans and laborers, factories and mines, women's work, the union movement // PUTTING DOWN ROOTS - communities, family, religion, schools, the world wars // PART OF AMERICA - German americans today, preserving the heritage, the Mair family // GERMAN AMERICAN TIMELINE
Summary
The German American Family Album traces the growth of that community from the first German to reach the New World in the year 1000 (his name was Tyrker and he was a companion of the Scandinavian seafarer Leif Eriksson) to the 7 million German Americans in this country today. In their own words--from diary entries, letters, interviews, and personal reflections--and with photographs and clippings culled from family archives and the press of the day, we learn of their life in the old country, of the decision to leave home, the often wretched trip to America, and the new life they found once they got here. Their three-centuries-long history of achievement in the United States is a moving and inspirational story. To see it and hear it through the eyes of the immigrant is an experience that makes history personal and immediate. [from Amazon.com]
Black and white photo of President James Buchanan and his 7 cabinet members. Buchanan stands in center with his left hand resting on the left page of a large open book.
Black and white photo of Old City Hall, with adjoining Masonic Lodge building.
City Hall is a three-story, five-bay, Georgian brick building and the Masonic Lodge to the west is a 2-story brick building with six shuttered windows above open arcades (old market stalls) at ground level. Open-air market sheds are seen at the rear (north).
There are three entrance doors into City Hall at this time. A pedimented entrance door is centered on the south wall and is flanked by shuttered windows, two on each side. A sign that says in part "READING ROOM" hangs from a window on the third floor. There is also a lamp attached to the side of the building next to this sign. There are two window dormers projecting from the roof and a deck with balustrade on the roof top.
The gable end of the building faces east (to the right) and at street level, has two doors flanking a central shuttered window. The left door is surmounted with a sign: "POST OFFICE". Above the 3-bay fenestration is a rosette window.
There is iron fencing along the west side of building and both sides are lined with nine tree sapling with protective enclosures. Projecting into W. King St.. perhaps from the building opposite the Masonic Lodge, is a roofed, open air market stall or ??. A vertical sign at its corner reads: "SADDLES."
The photo is mounted in an oak frame with a carved foliate patterns around the perimeter.
This photo is also pictured in Jack Loose's book The Heritage of Lancaster on pages 57 & 88. He dates the photo circa 1860, after the courthouse on the square was razed (in 1853) and the newer market sheds of 1854 near the rear of the building.
Small marks overall, including several short scratches along the bottom that may have occurred during development. The dark areas of the photo take on a silvery-blue-gold hue when looked at from a certain angle.
Some pieces of the frame are missing, at the upper and lower right corners, and about 2.5 inches up from the lower right corner.
Large black and white photograph of Lancaster City street scene in winter, looking from East King St. across Penn Square and down West King St., into distance. Photo is mounted on a dark gray mounting board, all vertically oriented and framed in a black-painted oak frame with old glass.
Unpaved street extends from bottom left to upper right, depicting numerous people and horse-drawn vehicles, several trade signs and two flagpoles at right. Prominent businesses are John G. Shenk boot and shoe manufacturer and New Depot on right (North side of E. King St.) and a clothing store on south side. What is Centre Square (now Penn Square) has a throng of mounted men gathered in front of the building on far left side. The trade sign hanging above the News Depot sign appears to be a trunk which may be the business of Emanuel Schaeffer (maker of saddles and trunks, etc.). Above trunk sign is the sign of William Cooper's Red Lion Inn at 20 W. King St. (later 35-37). Across the street on W. King are two long signs extending out into the street. They are the businesses of Henry G. Lipp (tin and sheet iron ware manufactory) at 20 W. King St. and F. Smith's hat and cap store farther down.
Photographer likely took this photo from the same vantage point on the north side of East King St. as the photo P02.20.2.
(Written by Wendall Zercher.)
Provenance
Seller states he purchased photos from a woman who lived on Marietta Ave. Based on his description, this appears to be the home of Mary Louise Webster, 1029 Marietta Ave., who donated to us a collection of items relating to Rohrer's Liquor store (G.01.49.1-17). It is very likely that these photos also come out of the Rohrer Family and may even have been hung in the liquor store on the square due to their size and subject. (Wendell Zercher)
Silvering along some edges; acidic mounting board. Original softwood boards used as backboards were removed and disposed of due to acid burning. Photo was printed with what appears to have been a damaged negative; a lone of probable emulsion loss extends 2.5 inches up from middle of bottom and there is loss of image at bottom right corner. Mounting board is stained below lower left corner of photo.
Large black and white photograph of Lancaster City street scene in winter, looking east on East King Street, mounted on a dark gray mounting board, all vertically oriented and framed in a black-painted oak frame with old glass.
Unpaved streets have snow on the ground. Multiple horses with buggies, wagons and carriages are seen, Especially in front of a hotel/inn sign on north side of street(Leopold?Hotel). Street extends from lower right corner of photo to upper left. Sprecher's agricultural implements store is in lower left foreground. Two ladies in hoop skirts stand at streetlamp at corner of first intersection (likely Duke St.). At the SE corner can be seen the trade signs of Christian Widmyer (cabinetwares) and Ringwalt. Tree in foreground extends across much of photo. Cupola (of Lancaster Alms House?) rises above buildings in distance.
Photographer likely took this photo from the same vantage point on the north side of East King St. as the photo P.O2.20.01.
(Written by Wendell Zercher.)
Provenance
See write-up for P.02.20.01.
Date Range
1860s late
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 5
Storage Cabinet
Unit 43
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Object Name
Photograph
Height (cm)
44.45
Height (ft)
1.4583333333
Height (in)
17.5
Width (cm)
35.56
Width (ft)
1.1666666667
Width (in)
14
Dimension Details
Framed: 30.25" high x 27" wide
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2002-05-24
Condition Notes
Silvering along some edges; acidic and brittle mounting board. Original softwood boards used as backboards were removed and disposed of due to acid burning. 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down on left side are large repaired break in matboard.
Photograph of Harriet Lane. Harriet Lane in studio photo facing 3/4 front to her right. Head turned front. Hands clasped at front, holding white handkerchief. Hair braided at sides, wrapped at back. Wearing silk gown, medium colored, with white collar. Mounted in an American 1850 scoop picture frame with a rustic tree branch motif.
Photograph on display in Wheatland is a digital reproduction. Original photgraph moved to archives for conservation purposes.
To be removed from frame and stored in archival safe folder.
Object ID
W.1989.082.001
Notes
Original photograph removed from frame on 27 July 2009 - placed in archival storage for conservation purposes. (East Attic, flat files). Photograph and frame both bear the number 89.82.
