By The Schuylkill River & Urban Waters Research Corps Archive team
Images
Westinghouse Village Plans in The American Architect: A February 1919 issue of The American Architect included a review of Clarence W. Brazer's planned housing development for the new Westinghouse Electric Corporation plant in Tinicum Township. The piece not only discussed Brazer's architectural plans but also the existing environment and settlements of Tinicum and World War I's impact on the progress of construction. Brazer is critical of "the war haste with which these houses were designed and erected," in consequence of which "many of the detail drawings were not followed on the job." Hoping that "the larger number of buildings still to be erected" will produce "better results," Brazer writes that it is "more desirable to publish the beautiful perspective drawings of E. Donald Robb than any photographs which could be taken at this time." ~ Source: Google Books ~ Creator: The American Architect ~ Date: February 12, 1919Westinghouse Village Plans in The Housing Book : Clarence W. Brazer also published an account of his architectural plans for Westinghouse Village in a 1919 book on industrial housing. The editor states in the preface that "in this present day when peace is hovering over the world, with all the questions of reconstructions and readjustments to be settled, among the all important problems facing the country is the one of industrial housing." Brazer's piece includes several diagrams and sketches, as well as a few photographs of completed houses. The architect focuses on his plans rather than commenting on the progress or impact of construction. ~ Source: Google Books ~ Creator: The Housing Book ~ Date: 1919Comparison of 1918 sketch of Westinghouse Village to present day: Top: Clarence W. Brazer's preliminary town plan from 1918
Bottom: 2018 satellite image of Westinghouse Village
Corresponding streets are marked in orange, with waterways marked in blue. Excerpt from "Machinery" magazine : An article about the new Westinghouse plant in Essington includes a section on the "How the Housing Problem is being Handled." ~ Source: Machinery ~ Creator: Edward K. Hammond Description of a New Plant at South Philadelphia for Manufacturing the Westinghouse Marine System ~ Date: February, 1919Westinghouse Village Clubs
: Top: Westinghouse glee club, 1921-04-5, Hagley ID69170_g15844, Box 335/folder 14638-26207, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807.Bottom Left: Ladies baseball team, 1921-06-10, Hagley ID 69170_g15951, Box 335/folder 14638-26207, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807.Bottom Right: Officers of the Westinghouse Athletic Association, 1920-03-12, Hagley ID 69170_g14626, Box 334/folder 4481-14630, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807. ~ Source: Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photograph collection ~ Creator: Photographs by Charles Yessel ~ Date: 1921Westinghouse Picnic Activities : Top Left: Picnic grove at South Philadelphia Works, 1919-03-31, Hagley ID 69170_13629, Box 349, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807.Top Right: Baseball game at Westinghouse picnic, 1919-09-13, Hagley ID 69170_14043, Box 349, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807.
Middle Left: Children's pie-eating contest at Westinghouse picnic, 1919-09-13, Hagley ID 69170_g14059, Box 334/folder 4481-14630, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807.Middle Right: Children's games at Westinghouse picnic, 1919-09-13, Hagley ID 69170_14048, Box 349, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807. Bottom Left: Portion of the crowd watching potato race at Westinghouse picnic, 1919-09-13, Hagley ID 69170_14054, Box 349, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807. Bottom Right: Push ball game at Westinghouse picnic, 1919-09-13, Hagley ID 69170_g14056, Box 334/folder 4481-14630, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807. ~ Source: Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photograph collection ~ Creator: Photographs by Charles Yessel ~ Date: September 13, 1919Streets, Houses, and Playground of Westinghouse Village: Top Left: Street and houses in Westinghouse Village, 1923-05-7, Hagley ID69170_17266, Box 350, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807.Top Right: Swings at children's playground in Westinghouse Village, 1920-05-12, Hagley ID 69170_14840, Box 349, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807. Bottom Left: Back yards in Westinghouse Village, 1923-05-7, Hagley ID69170_17270, Box 350, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807. Bottom Right: Jansen Avenue in Westinghouse Village after snow storm, 1924-04-2, Hagley ID 69170_18112, Box 350, Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photographs (Accession 1969.170), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE 19807. ~ Source: Westinghouse Electric Corporation Steam Division photograph collection ~ Creator: Photographs by Charles Yessel ~ Date: 1920-1924
In 1918, when the Westinghouse Electric Corporation's new Essington plant came into operation, concern over employee welfare in industrial systems was coming into stride. The existing housing in Tinicum Township was hugely insufficient for the projected capacity of the plant, and Westinghouse subsequently commissioned the development of housing and apartments for its employees. Westinghouse village was originally designed to support 500 single male employees in the Essington Club apartment complex and 315 families in private homes. Through central recreation areas, shared experiences, and company sponsored events, Westinghouse became central to the sense of community in Tinicum Township.
