Philadelphia, PA: 1835-1928 Baldwin Locomotive Plant

If you are here because of "Chicago, IL: B&OCT's Forest Hill Yard and Freight House," then you need to go there.

(Satellite, see satellite image below)

Baldwin started as a Jewler, but opened a machine shop in 1825. He started building this location in 1835 to expand his locomotive production. [railroad]

In 1906, Baldwin started building a replacement plant in Eddystone, PA.

Tony Verrecchio posted three photos with the comment: "So you say your family worked on the RR yea mine too great grandpop GIUSEPPE VERRECCHIA worked here as a crane operator I just retired after 37 years as a LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER."

1, cropped
[Looking West with Broad Street in the foreground and Spring Garden Street along the right side.]

2
[This marker is evidently in the northwest corner of the Matthias Baldwin Park. [explorepahistory_marker]]

3

Satellite plus Paint (source)

The three rectangles north of the City Hall Square were part of the Baldwin plant.

1898/98 Philadelphia Quad @ 62,500

explorepahistory_image, Credit: From Scharf, Thomas J., and Thompson Westcott, History of Philadelphia. 1609-1884. Philadelphia. L.H. Everts and Co., 1884. 3 vol., Accessible Archives
"Located on Broad Street just a few blocks north of Philadelphia’s City Hall since 1835, the Baldwin Locomotive Works employed more than 3,200 men by 1897 and that year manufactured 501 locomotives. At its peak the Baldwin plant filled seven city blocks and occupied portions of five more."

It looks like many of the buildings in the above image have been replaced.

BaldwinParkPhilly [This webpage is an excellent history of the plant and well worth a click.]
"Baldwin Locomotive Works at Broad and Spring Garden Streets around 1901, looking west. The corner of Broad and Spring Garden Streets is at lower right. By 1922 the factory buildings had extended to 19th and Hamilton and occupied 3/4 of what will become Matthias Baldwin Park.
By 1922 there was also a satellite campus stretching from 26th to 28th Streets along the Callowhill Cut."

History's Mirror posted
The 1908 panorama of the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, captured by the Detroit Publishing Company, offers a stunning view of one of the most significant industrial complexes of its time. Composed of two 8x10 inch glass negatives, the image showcases the vast scale and intricate operations of the facility, which was a global leader in locomotive manufacturing. The Baldwin Locomotive Works, founded in the early 19th century, played a crucial role in the development of the railroad industry, producing thousands of steam locomotives that powered transportation across the United States and beyond. The photograph captures the bustling activity of the factory, with workers, machinery, and partially assembled locomotives visible throughout the scene. The image serves as a testament to the ingenuity and industrial might of early 20th-century America, highlighting Philadelphia's central role in the nation's economic and technological progress. This panorama is a valuable historical record, preserving the legacy of an era when railroads were the lifeblood of industry and commerce.