Benjamin R. Evans painted hundreds of views of Philadelphia in the mid- to late- eighteen hundreds. Most are original works; some are copies of earlier photographs or drawings. Evans' primary patron was a Mr. Ferdinand J. Dreer; most of these works published came from his estate. Few Evans paintings have ever been published; never have so many been made available in one place.
The Library Company of Philadelphia and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania currently hold three hundred and forty-seven watercolors -- most of Evan's extant works -- in their individual collections. The list below is an alphabetized inventory of the combined collections. Each item features the title, date, and physical location (HSP for Historical Society of Pennsylvania, LCP for Philadelphia Library Company) of an image. Your browser's find function can be used to locate a certain title, structure, or street corner.
This collection is also grouped by location. Additionally, the Library Company's portion of this collection includes detailed captions, enabling more complex text-based searches.
Selecting a title will open a new browser window, possibly behind the current one. Each painting has its own page, featuring a scan, a text description, and physical location and call number of that work. This information is important to conducting further research.
The respective institutions hold all rights to these images. Please read their rights and reproductions information to avoid copyright infringment.
Academy Natural Science and La Pierre House - General View, 1871, HSP
Arch Street Shops - General View, 1870, HSP
Auction House of James A. Freeman - General View, undated, HSP
Bank Meeting House - General View, undated, HSP
Bank of Pennsylvania - General View, undated, HSP
Bank of Pennsylvania, undated, LCP
Bar and Liquor Store on 13th Street - General View, undated, HSP
Barnum's Museum, 1851, LCP
Bars on Callowhill Street - General View, 1884, HSP
Bell Hotel - General View, undated, HSP
Bingham House - General View, undated, HSP
Bird Mansion - General View, 1850, HSP
Blue Bell Hotel - General View, 1880, HSP
Blue Bell Tavern, May 1880, LCP
Broad Street above Race, 1878, LCP
Broad Street and Germantown Road, 1875, LCP
Broad Street Businesses - General View, 1878, HSP
Broad Street Businesses - General View, 1879, HSP
Broad Street Businesses - General View, 1878, HSP
Broad Street Businesses - General View, 1878, HSP
Broad Street Scene - Above Spruce, 1872, HSP
Broad St.- Continuation, 1884, LCP
Broadway Hotel - General View, 1878, HSP
Brown Street above 4th Street, 1884, LCP
Butler House - General View, undated, HSP
Buttonwood Hotel at Darby, 1876, LCP
Candy Row, 1874, LCP
Centennial Concert Garden - General View, 1876, HSP
Chestnut Street north side commencing first house west of Broad Street, 1879, LCP
Christ Church Hospital - General View, undated, HSP
City Armory - General View, 1878, HSP
City Tavern - General View, undated, HSP
Cityscape of Philadelphia - Looking East from State House, 1838, HSP
Cityscape of Philadelphia - Looking North from State House Steeple, 1838, HSP
Cityscape of Philadelphia - Looking South from State House Steeple, 1838, HSP
Cityscape of Philadelphia - Looking West from the State House, 1838, HSP
Cityscape of Philadelphia - ca. 1700s, HSP
Clinton Square - General View, 1860, HSP
Coal Yards on Callowhill Street - General View, undated, HSP
Colonnade Row - General View, 1860, HSP
Collonade Row, Southwest corner of Fifteenth and Chestnut Streets, undated, LCP
Columbia Bridge, 1872, LCP
Commissioners Hall - Front Elevation, 1873, HSP
Commissioners Hall - General View, 1882, HSP
Concert Hall and Theatre, 1879, LCP
Cooper & Conrad Building - General View, 1890, HSP
Dallet's Soap Factory - General View, 1884, HSP
Dallett's Old Soap Manufactory, 1884, LCP
Darby Road and Baltimore Pike, 1880, LCP
Declaration of Independence (House in which Jefferson Wrote it) - General View, undated, HSP
Declaration of Independence (House in which Jefferson Wrote it), 1889 , LCP
Desaville Painting Store - General View, 1878, HSP
Dr. Wright's Indian Vegetable Pills - General View, undated, HSP
Dutch Reformed Church, 1881, LCP
East side of Broad Street, Callowhill to Wood, Nov. 1878, LCP
East side of Broad Street above Race Street, 1879, LCP
East side of Broad Street from Vine running South, 1879, LCP
East side of Broad Street between Vine and Wood, March 1879, LCP
East side of Seventh Street below Arch Street, 1879, LCP
East Side of Thirteenth Stree above Callowhill, 1881, LCP
E. Mullen Hardware - General View, 1887, HSP
Edward Pennington Mansion - General View, 1859, HSP
Edward Penington Mansion, Feb. 1859, LCP
Edwin Greble, 1883, LCP
Edwin Hart Carriage Repository - General View, 1879, HSP
Eighth Street Scene - General View, 1883, HSP
Eleventh Baptist Church, 1882, LCP
Emory Coal, No. 213, 4th Street - General View, 1872, HSP
Enochs Varieties Theatre - General View, 1879, HSP
Episcopal Rooms, 1882, LCP
Falstaff Hotel - General View, undated, HSP
Farrell Safe Works - General View, 1875, HSP
Fatty Stewart's Adelphia Theatre - General View, 1878, HSP
Fifth Street Scene - Stores and Shops, 1870, HSP
First African Presbyterian Church - General View, undated, HSP
First American Flag Building - General View, 1859, HSP
First Ba[p]tist [sic] Church, Nov. 1878, LCP
First Brick House in Philadelphia - General View, undated, HSP
First Christ Church - General View, undated, HSP
First Old Presbyterian Church, 1884, LCP
Flour Shops - Broad Street General View, undated, HSP
Fort Wilson, Residence of Jas. Wilson - General View, undated, HSP
Fourth Reform Presbyterian Church - General View, 1890, HSP
Franklin & Spring Garden - General View, 1889, HSP
Friends' School House - General View, 1859, HSP
Friends Meeting House - General View, 1827, HSP
Friends Meeting, 1883, LCP
Front and Master Streets, Kennsington [sic] Old Commissioners Hall, 1879, LCP
Gaul's Old Brewery - General View, undated, HSP
General Patterson's House, Oct., 1882, LCP
General Patterson's Mansion- Southwest corner Thirteenth and Locust Street, Oct. 1882, LCP
General Patterson Mansion [present H. S. P. location] - General View, undated, HSP
General Telegraph Office - General View, undated, HSP
George W. Watson Carriage Builder - General View, 1849, HSP
German Reformed Church, 1883, LCP
Germantown, Corner of Main and Mill Streets. - General View, 1882, HSP
Girard Street Scene - Stores and Shops, 1884, HSP
Girard Street Townhouses - General View, 1887, HSP
Girard, Stephen, Residence - General View, 1888, HSP
Girard, Stephen, Dwelling and Counting House, 1881 (a); Ground Plan, 1888 (b), LCP
Grand Central Variety Theatre - General View, undated, HSP
Grays Ferry Public Tavern, 1870, LCP
Greysferry Arsenal - General View, 1882, HSP
Guyger's Tobacco and Segar Merchant - General View, undated, HSP
H. Craig & Co. - General View, 1885, HSP
Helltown House - General View, 1887, HSP
Historical Society Rooms, 1882, LCP
Homeopathic Medical College - General View, 1887, HSP
Horace Binney- 241-245 South 4th Street, undated, LCP
Hurst Mansion - General View, 1883, HSP
Indian Queen Hotel - General View, undated, HSP
Indian Rock Hotel - General View, undated, HSP
Indian Rock Hotel, Wissahickon Creek, 1873, LCP
International Theatre Comique - General View, 1883, HSP
J. Hare Powel Mansion - General View, undated, HSP
Jefferson College, 1881, LCP
John Chamber's Church, 1868, LCP
John Crump, Carpenter & Builder - General View, 1875, HSP
Juniper Street Scene - Row Houses, 1878, HSP
Laniganville, Girard Avenue, 1884, LCP
Lemon Hill - General View, 1852, HSP
Lemon Hill Mansion, 1857, LCP
Lipp & Fulweiler Cigar Factory - General View, 1878, HSP
Lippen or Lippman, Wissahickon Hall, 1870, LCP
Lippincott's Express - General View, 1870, HSP
Locust Street Scene - General View, 1880, HSP
London Coffee House - General View, undated, HSP
Lords Church - General View, 1859, HSP
Market Street Hotels - General View, 1880, HSP
Market Street Markets - General View, undated, HSP
Market Street Scene - General View, 1870, HSP
Market Street Scene - General View, 1880, HSP
Market Street Scene - General View, 1887, HSP
Market Street Shops - General View, 1885, HSP
McLear & Kendall Carriage Builders - General View, 1877, HSP
McLear & Kendall Carriage Manufacturers - General View, 1878, HSP
Merchants Hotel, 1840, LCP
Military Hall - General View, undated, HSP
Miss Keene's Mansion - General View, undated, HSP
Moravian Church & Moravian Burying Ground - General View, 1887, HSP
Mower U. S. A. General Hospital, 1865, LCP
Mower Hospital - Aerial View, 1865, HSP
Moyamensing Botanic Gardens - General View, undated, HSP
National Theatre - General View, undated, HSP
Nazareth M. E. Church, 1882, LCP
Nelson House, 1880, LCP
Nelson House Restaurant - General View, undated, HSP
Ninth & Spruce Dwellings - General View, 1874, HSP
Ninth & Spruce House - Side View, 1874, HSP
Ninth Street Shops - General View, 1880, HSP
Norris Mansion - General View, undated, HSP
North side of Chestnut Street, Extending from Sixth to Seventh Street, 1851, LCP
North side of Chestnut Street between Seventh & Eighth Streets, undated, LCP
North side of Walnut Street near Eighth Street, Jan. 1882, LCP
Northside of Market Street between Juniper and Thirteenth Streets, 1880, LCP
North side of Market St. from 22nt St., Running East, 1881, LCP
North side of Union Street east from Fourth Street, 1881, LCP
Northeast corner of Broad and Cherry Streets, 1878, LCP
Northeast corner Broad and Chestnut Streets, 1879, LCP
Northeast corner of Broad Street & Fairmount Avenue, 1872, LCP
Northeast corner of Broad and Race Streets, Nov. 1878, LCP
Northeast corner of Fifteenth and Callowhill Streets, 1880, LCP
Northeast corner Fifth and Chestnut Streets, 1851, LCP
Northeast corner of Fifth and South Streets, 1883, LCP
Northeast Corner of Juniper and Market Streets, 1879, LCP
Northeast corner of Second and Arch Streets, 1878, LCP
Northeast corner of Tenth and Race Streets, 1882, LCP
Northeast corner of Thirteenth and Race Streets, undated, LCP
Northeast corner of Thirty-third and Chestnut Streets, 1880, LCP
Northeast corner of Twelfth & Springarden Streets, 1884, LCP
Northeast corner of Twelfth and Spruce Streets, 1883, LCP
Northwest corner of Broad and Chestnut Streets, 1879, LCP
Northwest corner of Broad and Filbert Streets, 1879, LCP
Northwest corner of Broad and Race Streets, 1878, LCP
Northwest corner of Broad and Vine Streets, Nov. 1878, LCP
Northwest corner of Eighth and Arch Streets, 1882, LCP
Northwest corner of Eleventh & Girard Streets, 1885, LCP
Northwest corner of Eleventh and Pine Streets, 1883, LCP
[Above] Northwest corner of Eleventh and Race Street, May 1883, LCP
Northwest corner of Eleventh and Race Streets, 1883, LCP
Northwest corner of Fifteenth and Race Streets, 1874, LCP
Northwest corner of Fourth & Prune Sts. - General View, 1873, HSP
Northwest corner of Jane and Sixth Streets, 1880, LCP
Northwest corner of Market and Merrick Streets or West Penn Square, 1879, LCP
Northwest corner of Sixth and Vine Streets, 1883, LCP
Northwest corner of Race and Fifth Streets, 1888, LCP
Northwest corner of Seventh and Chestnut Streets, 1882, LCP
Northwest corner of Thirteenth & Callowhill Streets, 1844, LCP
Northwest corner of Thirteenth and Callowhill Streets, 1880, LCP
Northwest corner of Thirty-Third and Chestnut Streets, 1880, LCP
Northwest corner of Twenty first and Market Streets, 1881, LCP
Number 1 to 2. New Bulkhead Wharf, Oct. 1879, LCP
Number 2 to 3 Market St. Bridge, Oct. 18, 1879, LCP
Number 3 to 4, P. R. R. Grain Depot, Oct. 1879, LCP
Number 4 Abator, Oct. 1879, LCP
Number 15 South 4th Street, undated, LCP
Number 324 3rd Street - General View, undated, HSP
O'Donnell Wines & Liquors - General View, 1878, HSP
Offenbach's Concert Garden - General View, undated, HSP
Old Academy, undated, LCP
Old Bricklayers Company's Hall - General View, 1850, HSP
Old Church- Northwest corner of Eleventh and Wood Streets, 1881, LCP
Old Columbia Depot - General View, 1872, HSP
Old Court House, Town Hall & Market - General View, undated, HSP
Old Dilapidated Bar - General View, 1876, HSP
Old Horse Market - General View, 1852, HSP
Old Floating Boat Houses at Fairmount, 1881, LCP
Old Girard Avenue Bridge and Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge, 1874, LCP
Old Hotel, Broad & Montgomery - General Views, 1870, HSP
Old Indian Queen Tavern - General View, undated, HSP
Old Log Cabin Hotel - General View, undated, HSP
Old Log Cabin on the Wissahickon, 1874, LCP
Old Market House - General View, 1870, HSP
Old Market Street Bridge - General View, 1880s, HSP
Old Mechanic Fire Company - General View, 1845, HSP
Old Mechanic Fire Co. & House of Refuge Wall, 1891, LCP
Old Navy Yard - View from the Water, undated, HSP
Old Railroad House Hotel - General View, 1845, HSP
Old Reading Railroad Depot (General Hospital, U. S. Army) - General View, 1863, HSP
Old Rising Sun Hotel - General View, undated, HSP
Old Tabernacle Church, Ranstead Court - General View, undated, HSP
Old Tabernacle or Assembly Church, Ranstead Court, undated, LCP
Old Walnut Street Prison - General View, undated, HSP
Old Wetherill House - General View, undated, HSP
Old Wooden Bridge at Girard Avenue - General View, undated, HSP
Orthopaedic Hospital - General View, undated, HSP
Orthopaedic Hospital, 1886, LCP
Pagoda and Labyrinth Garden - General View, undated, HSP
Paris by Night & Day - View of Broad & Locust, 1876, HSP
Parish Drug Store - General View, 1872, HSP
Peales Museum, Germantown - General View, undated, HSP
Penn Museum School - Industrial Art - General View, 1878, HSP
Penn National Bank - General View, 1873, HSP
Penn Square - Southwest Corner, 1878. HSP
Pennsylvania Bank Building - General View, 1858, HSP
Pennsylvania Hall - General View, 1837, HSP
Pennsylvania Railroad Freight Depot - General View, 1873, HSP
Perot Residence, Market Street - General View, 1859, HSP
Petry's Restaurant - General View, 1852, HSP
Philadelphia Bank/Western Bank - General View, undated, HSP
Philadelphia Circus - General View, 1860, HSP
Philadelphia Dispensary, 1882, LCP
Philadelphia Library - General View, 1884, HSP
Philadelphia Library- Interior, 1878, LCP
Philadelphia Navy Yard, 1838, LCP
Presbyterian Church - General View, undated, HSP
Presbyterian Church - General View, undated, HSP
Prichett Flour Merchant - General View, 1878, HSP
Residence of Lord Howe - General View, 1889, HSP
(The Late) Residence of William Mann, 1882, LCP
Roberts Mill - General View, undated, HSP
Roussell Fancy Soap & Perfumery - General View, 1863, HSP
Row Houses on Seventh Street - General View, undated, HSP
Ruins of Chinese Museum - General View, 1854, HSP
Saint Augustine's Church - General View, undated, HSP
Saint Cloud Hotel - General View, undated, HSP
Saint David's Church - General View, 1890, HSP
Saint David's Church - Interior View, 1890, HSP
Saint David's Church- Interior, 1890, LCP
Saint James Church - General View, undated, HSP
Saint James Church, undated, LCP
Salvation Army Headquarters - General View, 1881, HSP
Savage House - General View, undated, HSP
School of Design for Women - General View, 1877, HSP
Second Street below Chestnut Street, undated, LCP
Second Presbyterian Church - General View, undated, HSP
Sedgeley (Seat of William Cramond) - General View, undated, HSP
Sedgeley (Seat of William Cramond), 1888, LCP
Seventh Street Scene - General View, 1883, HSP
Silver Heels Hotel, 1830, LCP
Skating Rink, 1884, LCP
Smith's Brewery - General View, 1859, HSP
Smith's Maple Spring Hotel, Wissahickon Creek, 1879, LCP
Solitude (Henry Morris Estate) - General View, undated, HSP
Solitude (Residence of Governor Penn) - General View, undated, HSP
South side of Callowhill Street above Thirteenth Street, 1881, LCP
South side of Chestnut Street from Carpenters Court to 4th Street, 1883, LCP
South side of Chestnut Street from 3rd Street to Husdons Alley, 1883, LCP
South side of Market Street above Eighth Street, March 1880, LCP
Southeast corner of Broad and Carpenter Streets, 1884, LCP
Southeast corner of Broad and Cherry Streets, Dec. 1878, LCP
Southeast corner of Broad and Chestnut Sts. - General View, 1875, LCP
Southeast corner of Broad and Master Streets, 1878, LCP
Southeast corner of Broad Street and South Penn Square, 1881, LCP
Southeast corner of Broad and Race Streets, Dec. 1898, LCP
Southeast corner of Chestnut & Seventh Streets, undated, LCP
Southeast corner of Fifteenth and Callowhill Streets, 1883, LCP
Southeast corner of Filbert and Juniper Streets, 1879, LCP
Southeast corner of Franklin & Girard Avenue, 1884, LCP
Southeast corner of Ninth and Filbert Streets, 1880, LCP
Southeast corner of Seventh and Callowhill Streets, 1883, LCP
Southeast corner of Sixteenth Street and Girard Avenue, 1883, LCP
Southeast corner of Thirteenth and Filbert Streets, 1880, LCP
Southeast corner of Twelfth and Locust Streets, 1883, LCP
Southeast corner of Twelfth and Race Streets, 1883, LCP
Southwest corner of Broad and Callowhill Streets, Nov. 1878, LCP
Southwest corner of Broad Street and Penn Square, 1879, LCP
Southwest corner of Broad and Race Streets, June 1878, LCP
Southwest corner of Broad and Vine Streets, Nov. 1878, LCP
Southwest corner of Eighth and Callowhill Streets, 1873, LCP
Southwest corner of Eighth & Chestnut Streets, 1851, LCP
Southwest corner of Eighth and Sansom Streets, 1882, LCP
Southwest corner of Eleventh and Market Streets, 1885, LCP
Southwest corner of Eleventh and Race Streets, 1883, LCP
Southwest corner of Fifteenth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, 1880, LCP
Southwest corner of Fifteenth and Race Streets, 1880, LCP
Southwest corner of Market and Merrick Streets, 1879, LCP
Southwest corner of Seventh & Chestnut Streets, 1851, LCP
Southwest corner of Seventh and Norris Streets, 1883, LCP
Southwest corner of Sixth and Arch Streets, 1879, LCP
Spring Garden - General View, HSP
Stone Prison - Corner View, 1723 [original], HSP
Sweet Brier [sic], Fillmyre's Beer Garden, 1867, LCP
T. B. Barker & Son, Coach & Wagon Builder - General View, 1878, HSP
Temporary Bridge Over Schuylkill River at Market Street, 1881, LCP
Third Street west side from Union to Cypress, 1883, LCP
Thirty-Second and Race Streets, 1884, LCP
Three Oaks - General View, 1881, HSP
Town Hall & Market House, Northern Liberties - General View, 1887, HSP
Town Hall and Market sheds-Northern Liberties, 1883, LCP
Townhouses - Eleventh & Girard Streets, 1888, HSP
Townhouses - Market & Merrick Streets, 1881, HSP
Trinity Methodist Church - General View, undated, HSP
Trinity Methodist Church, 1881, LCP
Unitarian Church, 1885, LCP
United States Hotel, Bloodgood's -General View, 1870, HSP
United States Hotel, Bloodgood's - Side View, 1870, HSP
United States Laboratory, 1800, LCP
University Buildings and Stores, 1873, LCP
University of Pennsylvania (East Side) - General View, 1765, HSP
University of Pennsylvania - General View, 1874, HSP
Valley Green, 1869, LCP
Walter & Shain Commission Merchants - General View, 1879, HSP
Ware Houses on Broad Street - General View, 1871, HSP
Washington Circus - General View, 1830, HSP
Washington Circus, 1830, LCP
Washington Hotel - General View, undated, HSP
Welchs National Circus - Front Elevation, 1851, HSP
Wenzler Carriage Factory - General View, 1878, HSP
West side of Broad Street between Vine and Wood, 1879, LCP
West side of Schuylkill near Girard Avenue Bridge, undated, LCP
West side of Seventeenth Street above Chestnut Street, 1883, LCP
West Penn Square and Filbert Street, 1879, LCP
Western Savings Bank - General View, undated, HSP
Willings Alley to Spruce Street, undated, LCP
Willing Mansion - General View, undated, HSP
Wood's Popular Trimming Store - General View, undated, HSP
York Row - General View, 1875, HSP
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