Jacob Myers & Sons Photograph Album, 1906-1912
80 photographs in 1 album
The Jacob Myers & Sons photograph album contains 80 photographs taken between 1906 and 1912 of various structures including large private residences, institutional buildings, and city dwellings that were built or renovated by prominent Philadelphia-based construction company Jacob Myers & Sons. The album (30 x 22.5 cm) is hard-bound with a green leather cover and includes photographs showcasing a number of construction projects in various stages of completion. The photographs appear to cover a period of time from 1906 to 1912. No clear identifications are provided regarding who produced the album, however there are indications that the locations represented are primarily in eastern Pennsylvania and that they relate to jobs performed by Jacob Myers & Sons.
The album may possibly have been used as a company sample book by Jacob Myers & Sons in order to attract new customers. In one photograph on pg. 41, there is visible signage indicating that work was being done by "Jacob Myers & Sons, Builders." A sequence of photographs on pgs. 47-75 also shows the construction of Drown Hall at Lehigh University, a project that Myers was known to have bid on in August of 1906. The construction of Drown Hall is documented extensively with photographs taken every few months from foundation to completion. Extensive renovation of an unidentified farmhouse is also photographed from start to finish over a three-month period. Another building shown on pg. 15 has been identified as "Dolobran," the home of Clement Griscom in Haverford, Pennsylvania. While there is no confirmation that Myers ever worked on this house, he was known to have been very active in residential building in that area around the time when Dolobran underwent a major renovation.