Cornerspotter is a Curbed Philly feature in which we show you a historical image of the city and you identify it. Here's the answer to this week's puzzler.
As it was in the 1850s:
And as it is now:
Well, this was bound to happen. Our photo this week was identified by someone who owns a book—West Philadelphia: University City to 52nd Street—in which the photo appears. Congratulations to Bruce W. McCullough, who has an excellent memory for images in books he owns. He offers us this quirky fact: "My home in the Cedar Park neighborhood was first owned by Penn Engineering Professor Henry W. Spangler from when it was built in 1892 until his death in 1911. His widow continued to live there until at least the 1940 census."
Professor Spangler served in the Navy during the Spanish-American War and authored many books, including Notes on Thermodynamics and Elements of Steam Engineering. Could he have foreseen a winning Cornerspotter would live in his home in the 21st century? Surely not.