The collection of Philadelphiana consists of some 20,000 prints, drawings, photographs, clippings, and other materials documenting the history of the city of Philadelphia from its founding to the present day. The collection has been supplemented over the years by gifts from citizens of the area including John Eckfeld (pictures of the Haddington area), Douglas Macfarlan (Fairmount Park and West Philadelphia), and Charles Mills (Falls of the Schuylkill). The collection also includes the largest collection of photographs documenting the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Fairmount Park: 1,300 silver albumen mounted prints made by the Centennial Photographic Company in sizes ranging from half-stereoviews to 17 x 21 inch photographs. Other major events documented in the collection include the Sesquicenntennial Exhibition of 1926 (24 volumes of photographs) and the Bicenntennial in 1976. Subjects represented in the collection include buildings (businesses, churches, residences, and public institutions), bridges, fire departments and equipment, forts, parks, streets, strikes, trade cards, and views.
