225 N. 34^th Street

223 and 225 N. 34^th St. (on the left) during the construction

of Kelly Hall. Photo courtesy of Drexel University Archives.

The History of the Building

1895 Bromley Atlas shows this double.

1969: The houses on the east side of the 200 block of 34^th St. were slated for condemnation and demolition by an agreement between the Powelton Village Homeowners Association and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. (see Powelton Quarterly, vol 1(1); pp 1 &3.)

For many years 223 and 225 N. 34^th St. were tennis courts for Drexel University.

2009: 223 and 225 became the site of Drexel’s Millennium Hall dormitory.

Previous Residents of 225 N. 34^th Street

1900:

George E Fort 73 Cloth merchant; born in N.J.; owned free of a mortgage

Sarah C Fort 60(?) married 50 years [?], four children; parents born in Alabama

Geo E Fort 42 Cloth merchant; single

Harry C Fort 37 Cloth merchant; single

Alice Mellon 32 Chambermaid, born in Ireland

Kate Gallagher 24 Cook; born in Ireland

(ED 578, 3B)

In the 1895 Directory, they lived at 221 N 34^th.

1910:

Selig Presser 41 Ladies tailor; born in Austria immigrated in 1882, naturalized citizen; owned with a mortgage

Helena E Presser 42 Married 19 years, 6 children; born in Austria

Samuel A Presser 17 Manager in tailor business

Augusta S Presser 14

Ethel B Presser 11

Lillian Presser 8

Regina Presser 6

Evelyn Presser 4

Fannie P Glass 30 Cook; married; born in Russia, speaks Yiddish; immigrated in 1909

Pauline Glass 20 Chambermaid; born in Austria; immigrated in 1904

(ED 533, 5B-6A)

In 1900, they lived at 40 and 42 S. 17^th St. He was a ladies tailor. Their year of immigration is listed as 1881. They had two servants who were born in Austria.

1903: He applied for naturalization. He was living at 38-42 S. 17^th St. His application was supported by Davis Presser of 917 N. Hancock St., Philadelphia.

1911 Passport Application: Selig Presser gives his place of birth as Gorlice, Galicia, Austria. He was 5'5" tall and had a moustache. In the same year, he opened an account at the Rosenbaum Bank for the purchase of a ticket from the Rosenbaum Steamship Co.. It was an “ethnic” bank that was mainly established for German Jewish immigrants.

1920:

Selig Presser 51 Tailor with own business; born in Austria, immigrated 1889, naturalized as citizen in 1898; owned without a mortgage

Ella Presser 49 Born in Austria, immigrated 1889

Samuel Presser 27 Hosiery salesman

Susie Presser 24

Ethel Presser 21 Stenographer for a life insurance co.

Lillian Presser 18

Regina Presser 16

Evelyn Presser 13

(ED 688 3B)

<227 N 34th 223 N 34th>

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Revised 8/6/2011