Community Corner

Historical Photo Location Revealed

Then and now: How the area captured in a 1945 photo looks today.

Our readers were right: was taken in 1945 at .

In the 1945 photo (viewable in the gallery to the right), the building in the bottom left of the screen is the where currently resides; to the right are the buildings occupied by and . Montgomery Avenue is on the left; behind the pictured parking lot is the area where now stands.

Suburban Square has existed since 1928, and it's known as one of the earliest shopping centers in the United States. Strawbridge & Clothier opened there in 1930 (now ).

Find out what's happening in Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Monday's photo, provided to Patch by the Lower Merion Historical Society, was taken from the Times building, looking toward St. James Place. Store signs visible in the photo include:

  • Jerrehian: Broadloom, Domestic, Antique, Modern
  • Llewellyn
  • Keystone Automobile Club
  • Chocolates Shellenbergers Tea Room
  • Elsa Low, Inc.

We had six correct guesses this round, from Patch users Michael, Kurt Gutzler, Jack Kerr, Craig Whitney, Randi, and Beege Marshall. Jack Kerr even noted that the photo was taken from the Times building.

Find out what's happening in Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In her comment, Beege Marshall shared a few memories from Suburban Square back in the day:

Oh my, my.......were any of you all born by then ? I was born only a couple of years after this and my family lived in Ardmore. Then we moved to Wynnewood by 1950. Then Cynwyd, then Rosemont.

[...]

Wow......my dentist was in the Times building Jack Kerr called it ....;o(

Think Seidenerg's has been there forever. Good items. My grandparents even bought there it's been in Suburban Suare that long.

And back then you couldn't miss if looking for an item for a gentleman in the Strawbridge's Men's Shop. So sad when it closed.

Thanks to everyone for their guesses! We'll post a new photo challenge on Monday.


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