Do you have a question about the history of West Philadelphia? Send it to us and we'll try to answer it, right on this page. If you have anything to correct or add to our answers, we'd like to know that, too--let us know. Remember to check back often -- you never know what you'll learn.

I am researching the history of the Ailanthus tree in America. Your article on The Woodlands says that William Hamilton is credited as the first person to plant ailanthus in this country. Would you please tell me the source of this information?

There may be other sources that I used to compile the list of Hamilton introductions, but this is the most recent "authority."

• Spongberg, S. A., 1990. A Reunion of Trees, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MS, 270 pp.

This book claims, that in 1784, Hamilton introduced ginkgo, Acer platanoides, and tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) to The Woodlands, his garden near Philadelphia (the tree of heaven had first been planted in Europe by Miller at the Chelsea Physic Garden in 1751). Tree of heaven is now a major weed tree for eastern North America, and is "The Tree" that grew in Brooklyn.

These would all be materials he was sending home from his English trip. There are plenty of references to these shipments in his letters which are at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, but have never been published.  He also is using common names and the mixed nomenclature in use at the time.

Also, these may be be possible confirmations, but I don't have access to them handy.  If anyone does and finds pertinent info, would appreciate the feed back:

• Illick JS, Brouse EF. 1926. The Ailanthus tree in Pennsylvania. Penn. Dep. Forests Waters Bull. 38. 29 pp.
• Swingle WT. 1916. "The early European history and the botanical name of the tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima." J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 6:490-498.

-Michael Hardy

You can read more about the botany of the Ailanthus tree at
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Ailanthus_altissima

-Robin Dougherty

In 1918, there was an Atlantic Refining Company gas station at the corner of 40th St. and Walnut St., right in front of (what was) the Christian Science Church.  A Burger King now stands on the site as well as some other shops.  Would you be able to help me find out more about this station?  I want to know when it was demolished and what it was replaced with.  I want to know how the gas station site changed from 1918 to the date of  the building of theBurger King.  Pictures of the site would be great too.  Could you assist me with this research?  Do you have Sanborn maps, city directories or other sources that would help in this research?

I don't know much more about the station at 40th and Walnut than what you outlined in your message. UCHS's collection includes a 1904 Hexamer Atlas updated to 1921 that shows the station. The image below shows a small section of the map that includes the station. Walnut Street runs along the top edge of the map, 40th Street runs along the right edge.(answer continues below atlas image...)

There is a photo of the station taken around 1918 on page 157 of the book The Gas Station in America, by John A. Jakle and Keith A. Sculle (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994). Jakle and Sculle call the station "perhaps the most elaborate gasoline station ever constructed."

Our records don't show when the station was demolished or what replaced it. The site is about to be developed again, though.  Robert Redford has announced plans to build a Sundance Cinema complex there, scheduled to open sometime in 2000.

Some other places that you might try are:

• Historical Society of Pennsylvania--They have a lot of insurance atlases and city directories that could help you track the development of the site.  They also have an extensive collection of photographs and scrapbooks that might include that corner.
• Urban Archives at Temple University--Similar collection to what's at HSP. I think they also have the photo archive of one of the now-defunct Philadelphia daily papers.
• City Archives--You should be able to track the chain of title for the site in city records, telling you of ownership and building changes.
• University Archive at University of Pennsylvania--The site is at the edge of campus, so ther might be something.
• Daily Pennsylvanian--Penn's student newspaper.  They may have noted the opening and/or closing of the station and other developments at the site. Their photo archive might also have something.

-Tim Wood