Filling in what went before

I haven't added to the blog in almost 2 weeks -- not a good thing to do with a new blog. I've been busy working on a related project: the Powelton History Interactive Map. With the help of Keith Roeckle, I've been putting up tons of census and biographical information on Powelton residents -- mostly those living here between 1860 and 1930. By clicking on houses shown on the map, you can pull up whatever information I have gleamed from census data and the web. The link is: http://poweltonvillage.org/interactivemap/ . It is still quite incomplete, but has information for about 200 addresses. This past week I have worked hard on the 200 block of 34th St. (between Race St. and Powelton Ave.). The east side of this block was largely demolished in the 1970s. It is now the site of two of Drexel's dormitories: Kelly hall and the brand new Millennium Hall. Take a look - it includes photos (courtesy of the Drexel Archives) of some of the lost buildings. The west side of the block was the home of many interesting Powelton characters and is now largely filled with small fraternity houses. A good place to start the tour is the Riebenack mansion, now Drexel's Ross Commons.