© Edwin T. Freedley, Philadelphia and its Manufactures (1867), p. 378.
Cresswell Ironworks, c.1870
2250 Cherry Street, Philadelphia PA 19102
© Helene Schenck & Michael
Parrington, Workshop of the World (Oliver Evans Press,
1990).
The firm of S.J. Cresswell
Ironworks began in 1835 and continued in business until
1969. In a Philadelphia city directory of 1849, the firm
was listed as a brass and iron founder, and stove maker,
at 252 Sassafras (now Race) Street. In subsequent city
directories, it moved steadily westward, to 814-16 Race
Street in 1860 and 1865, and finally to the 23rd and
Cherry location by 1873. (Previously, this location was
the site of a tannery and machine shop.) In 1873, the
company also still retained the 8th and Race Streets
space. In 1883, S.J. Cresswell had two cupola furnaces
and employed 85 people, and made architectural
ironwork. 1
By 1885, the firm had holdings stretching along 23rd
Street from south of Cherry nearly to Race Street. The
two cupolas were in a foundry building on the northeast
corner of 23rd and Cherry Streets. The machine shop
adjoined to the south with the pattern shop on the second
floor. A bridge at the second story level linked the
foundry proper to the fitting-up shop across Cherry
Street. Next to it was a one-story frame shed where
the castings were cleaned. Three-story brick workers'
houses extended along an alley parallel to and north of
Cherry Street.
A new building was added to the complex between the
foundry and Race Street in 1939, replacing the workers'
houses. It also served as a machine shop. The
casting shed burned in 1950, and the firm ceased its
casting operations.
Today the former fitting-up shop and cleaning shed on the
southeast corner of 23rd and Cherry Streets, and the
former machine shop north of the site of the casting shed
(now a parking lot) still exist and are offered for rent
as office or warehouse space. Manhole covers made by S.J.
Cresswell Ironworks can still be seen on the streets all
over Center City. 2
1 Lorin Blodget,
Census
of Manufactures of Philadelphia (Philadelphia,1883) p. 139.
2 McElroy's Philadelphia
Directory (see 1849, 1860, and 1865); also, Gopsill's
Philadelphia Directory for 1873; and the following maps:
Hexamer and Locher 1857, Hexamer General Survey #1952 (1885),
"Architectural Iron Works, Sam J.
Creswell," Baist 1895, Bromley 1908,
and Franklin 1939; also interview between Michael
Parrington and Herbert Bernstein on February 3, 1989.
Update May
2007 (by
Harry Kyriakodis):
The main building is still standing, but the small
machine shop has been demolished for additional
parking.