Fairmount Park Commission 1870 topographical surveys
Scope and Contents
This collection contains 41 preliminary topographic surveys created by Fairmount Park Commission engineers from 1868 to 1870. A particular strength of the collection is showing the natural features of Fairmount Park ground prior to park development.
Dates
- c. 1870
Creator
- Fairmount Park Commission (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the Archives with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is open for research.
Biographical / Historical
In 1868, John C. Cresson, Chief Engineer of the Fairmount Park Commission, sent out six engineering parties to draft 140 preliminary topographical surveys of the park grounds. The surveying parties worked in separate sections of the park, creating surveys “with such exactness as will make all the sections fit each other when they come to be united in one general plan.” The surveys show the position of natural objects (“the position of every tree, and rock, and stream”), as well as the elevations of the park’s surfaces.
The data obtained from the surveys was used for the creation of maps and construction plans, including the design and creation of park roads that would “give easy access to all interesting objects” in the park “without injury to the natural scenery.”
Extent
41 Sheets (2 folders)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Partial set of preliminary topographic surveys used as the basis for Fairmount Park construction plans and maps.
Arrangement
Arranged sequentially by sheet number.
Creator
- Fairmount Park Commission (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Organization)
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Fairmount Park Commission 1870 topographical surveys
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Matthew Lipovac
- Date
- 2024 August 2
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Fairmount Park Historic Resources Archive Repository
1515 Arch Street, 10th Floor
Philadelphia Pennsylvania 19102 United States
215-683-0211
theresa.stuhlman@phila.gov