City - Philadelphia PA - The market on Dock St 1908 Photograph by Mike Savad

City - Philadelphia PA - The market on Dock St 1908

by Mike Savad

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Title

City - Philadelphia PA - The market on Dock St 1908

Artist

Mike Savad

Medium

Photograph - Colorized Photo

Description

Colorized photo from 1908
Original Title: Dock Street
Photographer: Detroit Publishing
Location: 116 Dock Street, Philadelphia, PA

This is the Dock Street market, in its day they were the central wholesale produce market from 1870 to 1959. Where it was then relocated to the Food distribution center in South Philadelphia.

This market was located in Society hill, it was three blocks long and ran from Sansom St to Spruce St., between Third and Front Streets. The market was busiest between midnight and eight in the morning. Trucks would come to be loaded and offloaded, which mostly happened at night. They sold produce, fruit, veggies and what I can only assume, booze?

What is interesting about this street is that its the only street that's bent. Almost all other streets sit on a grid, but this one is curved. Originally this street was a creek, this was back in the 1700's. In those days it was used for sewage and tanning, they dumped trash as well and it simply stank. It would often wash up into town on the streets as well. So they decided to cover it up, and it eventually became this street.

However when it was a waterway, many boats would dock along it, and that's how it got its name, Dock creek, and at one point they thought it would become a permanent dock. The Native Indians used this area for their canoes, to them it was called Coocaconoon.

If you look carefully, there is a sign "John H Simon", just to the right of that you'll see a cage. In the old days, late 1890's up until 1950's, a baby would be put into that cage that hangs out the window. They believed the fresh air would do them good, and the cool air would toughen them up. It's amazing that this weird invention was so popular and lasted for so long. Today they don't do this, but they do make one for cats.

Today this street is just a curved road with the same cobblestone. The buildings were removed when this area became very urban and slum like. Today its just a very bumpy street, don't visit it if you have a stomach virus.