Awbury Park and Recreation Center: History - Including plans, correspondence, City Parks Association report, ordinances and deed information. Topographical Survey of Awbury Arboretum by Thomas W. Sears, Landscape Architect, 200ft to 1inch scale, undated. Shows portion owned by City Parks Association and the City of Philadelphia, including Fairmount Park Commission portion.City Parks Association Annual Report and description of Awbury Arboretum, 1953. Memo, 1954. Summary financial statement, 1953. Letter from Frederic R. Mann, 1953. Extract from agreement between City Parks Association and Caroline E. Cope, 1916. Ordinances, 1919-1920. Narratives and transcript of “Men and Things” column. Transcript of deed, 1936. Streetline plan (blueprint), extension to Stenton Ave., 1926. Plan of arboretum with property ownership of lots. By Harrison, Mertz and Emlen, 1924. (Two copies).Clipping: Mrs. Caroline Cope Lewis obituary. Letter from William Draper Lewis to Emory McMichael, 1934. Letter regarding property boundary and custody from Norman W. Garrett to Robert Crawford, 1955 (two copies), 1916-1986

File — Drawer: 1-2

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The History Files collection contains research materials documenting parks, sites, structures, organizations, events, and individuals associated with the Fairmount Park System and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. This collection compiles materials from diverse sources over time rather than representing the records of a single office or individual. Typical materials include correspondence, deeds, leases, newspaper clippings, photocopies of published articles and book excerpts, research notes, reports, maps, plans, images, ephemera, meeting minutes, and agreements. The collection documents historically significant events including the 1876 Centennial Exposition, the Battle of Germantown, early auto racing, and ecological improvements along the Schuylkill River. Primary source materials range from a 1690 property deed signed by William Penn to 21st-century lease agreements. The bulk of materials date from the 1960s to the 1990s. This is an active collection with materials added on an ongoing basis.