Lehigh Avenue and Hancock Street, Philadelphia PA 19133
(south side between Hancock & Mutter Streets)
© Carmen A. Weber, Irving
Kosmin, and Muriel Kirkpatrick, Workshop of the World (Oliver
Evans Press, 1990).
This mill resembles many of
the others along Lehigh Avenue; it has been associated
with a number of different operations, until recently,
all concerned with the textile industry. In 1875 Wilson
Childe's wagon works were situated here, a typical
industry in this area at that time. 1
Later, on this
location, Baist's atlas depicted a carpet factory,
although the 1891 Hexamer insurance map showed S.
Whittle, Nottingham Mills, a hosiery factory. In 1887 the
Develon name was first associated with the carpet mill,
the name Victoria appeared later. 2
From 1910 through
1918 the name continued but it was operated by the sons
of the previous owner. 3
By 1922 the operations changed completely and the Wilmar
Manufacturing Company's peanut butter factory was
depicted at this corner. 4
Previously Wilmar
had been at 3rd and York where twenty employees produced
canned and preserved goods. 5
In 1940, having
moved to Lehigh Avenue, the company employed eighteen
persons, but the number dropped to thirteen in
1943. 6
Wilmar was still
there in 1956, 7
but today the
Flame Heating and Plumbing Supply Company occupies the
premises.
The building is brick, of five story construction,
although the lower two stories have been stuccoed,
including all the windows. The upper windows and frames
are of wood, with twelve-over-twelve panes. A one-story
rear attachment carries a square brick smokestack.
1 Hopkins,
1875.
2 Bromley, 1887; and Hexamer
and Son, 1891.
3 The Philadelphia Commercial
Museum, p. 23; and William H. Boyd's Son, 1918, p.
355.
4 Bromley,
1922.
5 Department of Labor and
Industry, Pennsylvania, 1916, p. 1368.
6 Chamber of Commerce and Board
of Trade, Philadelphia, p. 16.
7 Department of Labor and
Industry, Pennsylvania, 1956, p. 799.
Update May
2007 (by
Torben Jenk):
Converted to multi-tenant
commercial and office use. Windows have been replaced
with single pane glazing.