Phillip B. Wallace Collection of Photographs (Historical Society of Pennsylvania)

This digital collection was created as part of 100 Years of the Ben Franklin Bridge, a project that explores the construction of the bridge, its opening in 1926, and the reactions to the bridge from stakeholders in Philadelphia and Camden.

Curated by graduate student Dante Requena, this digital collection consists of photographs of the bridge with a focus on construction, demolition, and labor. These images were sourced from the Phillip B. Wallace Collection of Photographs housed at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and are published here for educational purposes with the permission of the HSP.

Relatedly, Dante's collaborator Jacob Merkord curated images of the bridge from Camden Special Collections at Paul Robeson Library at Rutgers and from the Historic St. George's Museum and Archives in Philadelphia. See the Benjamin Franklin Bridge Photos collection for images curated by Jacob.

Phila. Demolition - 7th Floor Wilbur Building
Phila. Demolition - 7th Floor Wilbur Building
March 31, 1924
Photos of Old City Demolition to make way for the bridge
Aero-Directly Over Bridge
Aero-Directly Over Bridge
September 15, 1924
Birds eye view of the stucture supports being connected.
Aero-Looking From Camden to Phila.
Aero-Looking From Camden to Phila.
September 16, 1924
Birds eye view of the stucture supports being connected.
Aerial View Philadelphia and Camden
Aerial View Philadelphia and Camden
March 24, 1924
Birds eye view of the stucture supports being connected.
Span Looking NE from Philadelphia
Span Looking NE from Philadelphia
April 23, 1925
Image of Bridge nearing completion
General View of Span Looking NW
General View of Span Looking NW
April 23, 1925
Image of Bridge nearing completion
Delaware Bridge Model
Delaware Bridge Model
December 2, 1922
3-D Bridge Model
Architect's Drawing for Pylons at Phila. End of Bridge
Architect's Drawing for Pylons at Phila. End of Bridge
June 25, 1925
Proposed Drawing for Pylons
Camden Demolition from Front St East
Camden Demolition from Front St East
March 31, 1924
Demolition in Camden for the Bridge
Camden Demoltion - East from 2nd St.
Camden Demoltion - East from 2nd St.
May 26, 1924
Demolition in Camden for the Bridge
Phila. Demolition Northeast from 3rd St.
Phila. Demolition Northeast from 3rd St.
May 26, 1924
Demolition of Old City for the Bridge
N Front St Looking SE Showing Demolition Progress
N Front St Looking SE Showing Demolition Progress
April 27, 1922
Photo from the Bridge looking at the demolition on Front St.
Demolition - Philadelphia Fourth St. Looking West
Demolition - Philadelphia Fourth St. Looking West
March 14, 1924
Photos of Old City Demolition to make way for the bridge
Demolition Philadelphia Section "B"
Demolition Philadelphia Section "B"
March 7, 1924
Aerial shot of demolition projects in old city Philadelphia
Excavation & St. Augustine Church Phila. West of 4th St Looking Northeast
Excavation & St. Augustine Church Phila. West of 4th St Looking Northeast
October 27, 1924
Photo showing the St. Augustine Church and the demonlition and excavation process.
Cable Strand Test for Bridge over Delaware River Phila. PA.
Cable Strand Test for Bridge over Delaware River Phila. PA.
October 5, 1923
Cables being tested for installation.
Large Blast Stone Mountain Quarry
Large Blast Stone Mountain Quarry
October 4, 1924
Photo of Granite Excavation and the Quarry workers in Georgia
Camden Granite Storage & Approach Pier Work Looking East from Delaware Ave.
Camden Granite Storage & Approach Pier Work Looking East from Delaware Ave.
October 24, 1924
Photo of the granite Storage in Camden at the foot of the Bridge.
Point of Pile Driven and Jetted to Refusal and Withdrawn form Examination Pier No. 3 North Camden Approach
Point of Pile Driven and Jetted to Refusal and Withdrawn form Examination Pier No. 3 North Camden Approach
November 24, 1924
Photo of a Piling that was pushed until bending
Ratchets for Adjusting Strands at Main Towers
Ratchets for Adjusting Strands at Main Towers
November 24, 1924
Image of a ratchet used in one of the cables on the main towers.
Working Chamber Caisson "B"
Working Chamber Caisson "B"
September 22, 1922
Workers under ground clearing space for the Caisson
Official Crossing on Footbridge
Official Crossing on Footbridge
August 8, 1924
Engineering Inspection crossing the footbridge.
Foot Bridges Looking East from Cross Walk at Middle of Center Span
Foot Bridges Looking East from Cross Walk at Middle of Center Span
September 8, 1924
Photo of the footbridge
South Cable Looking East from Tower A
South Cable Looking East from Tower A
October 13, 1924
Photo of the footbridge
Foot Bridges Looking East on Foot Walk from Middle of Center Span
Foot Bridges Looking East on Foot Walk from Middle of Center Span
September 8, 1924
Photo of the footbridge
Official Crossing on Footbridge
Official Crossing on Footbridge
August 8, 1924
Engineering Inspection crossing the footbridge.
Suspended Structure Looking West From Camden End of Main Span
Suspended Structure Looking West From Camden End of Main Span
July 30, 1925
Approach Photo from Camden
Phila. Approach Roadway Slab Looking Northeast from 4th St
Phila. Approach Roadway Slab Looking Northeast from 4th St
September 9, 1925
Approach Photo from Philadelphia
Phila Approach Looking East From 4th St
Phila Approach Looking East From 4th St
July 23, 1925
Approach Photo from Philadelphia
Philadelphia Anchorage Looking Northwest
Philadelphia Anchorage Looking Northwest
September 27, 1923
Photo of the Anchorage Point in Philadelphia
Camden Anchorage Looking West
Camden Anchorage Looking West
February 28, 1924
Photo of the Anchorage Point in Camden
Camden Anchorage Site from Bairds Pier
Camden Anchorage Site from Bairds Pier
September 8, 1922
Photo of the Anchorage Point in Camden
Phila Anchorage Site from Peir II
Phila Anchorage Site from Peir II
September 14, 1922
Photo of the Anchorage Point in Philadelphia
Camden Anchorage Site from Bairds Pier
Camden Anchorage Site from Bairds Pier
April 14, 1922
Photo of the Anchorage Point in Philadelphia
South Caisson Phila Anchorage Looking East
South Caisson Phila Anchorage Looking East
December 14, 1922
Photo of the Anchorage Point in Camden
Plan of Farrand & Sharp's Proposed Bridge
Plan of Farrand & Sharp's Proposed Bridge
1813 - 1818
Rendering of an early 19th-century proposed plan for a bridge that would span part of the Delaware River from Camden to Windmill Island, opposite Philadelphia (Windmill Island was removed via dredging in the 1890s and no longer exists). Formally proposed in 1818, this bridge was never actually built. Another century passed before work on a bridge connecting Camden and Philadelphia actually started. This rendering may have been originally created as early as 1813, according to the information published by the Free Library of Philadelphia, where a copy of this rendering appears in the Castner Scrapbook.

Visit 100 Years of the Ben Franklin Bridge to learn more about the construction of the bridge and what it meant to Camden and Philadelphia residents.