Coles House records

Coles House, known officially as the Young Women’s Boarding Home Association, arose from the 1891 merger of the Boarding Home for Young Women (1433 Lombard Street) and the Clinton Street Boarding home (913-915 Clinton Street). Both homes were founded by Mary Coles, the first in 1866 and the second i...

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Bibliographic Details
Corporate Author: Coles House (Creator)
Collection:Coles House Records
Collection Number:3242
Format: Manuscript
Language:English
Subjects:
Online Access:Link to finding aid
Item Description: Processing Information: With the exceptions of the financial and resident files, the collection had little organization before processing. Therefore, the collection was arranged by function and chronologically under each heading. Wherever possible, labeled files were kept as received and placed in acid-free folders. Resident files were likewise maintained as recieved. These are arranged chronologically by year of departure from Coles House and alphabetically within the year. Resident files are restricted for 75 years from the year of departure. A few volumes and files have been cleaned for mold. Researchers with sensitivities to mold should exercise caution when handling these materials.
Physical Description: 53.4 Linear feet ; 103 boxes, 102 volumes, 2 flat files
Summary: Coles House, known officially as the Young Women’s Boarding Home Association, arose from the 1891 merger of the Boarding Home for Young Women (1433 Lombard Street) and the Clinton Street Boarding home (913-915 Clinton Street). Both homes were founded by Mary Coles, the first in 1866 and the second in 1871, and intended to serve Protestant working girls of good moral character under the age of 26. Board charges were subsidized to make it more affordable. Shortly after the merger, the home at 1433 Lombard street was closed and sold. A property at 834 Pine Street was purchased in 1896 and operated until 1924. The remaining home on Clinton Street was named “Coles House” in honor of founder Mary Coles, who had died in 1920. Coles House was expanded to include the house at 917 Clinton Street in 1945 and 911 Clinton Street in 1965. Coles House (the Young Women’s Boarding Home Association), including its earlier iterations, operated for over 135 years. The Clinton Street properties were sold in 2002, and proceeds were used to establish the Coles House Fund, a donor-advised fund administered by the Philadelphia Foundation. The collection includes minutes, correspondence, managers reports, resident records, annual reports, bank and payroll records, paid bills and petty cash receipts, and some photographs.
Series 1, Administrative and operation records (836-1997, undated) documents both the lifespan of the Young Women’s Boarding Home Association as a corporate entity and its day-to-day operations. Subseries 1.a, Administrative records (1836-1990, undated) includes organizational documents; correspondence; minutes; and insurance, legal and real estate documents. Subseries 1.b Operational records (1865-1985, undated) contains documents pertaining to house maintenance and renovation, managers’ reports, register books, and resident applications and files. A substantial amount of resident files (24 boxes) are present for the 1970s-1980s. However, due to the presence of sensitive information, resident files are closed to researchers for 75 years from the date of creation (departure from Coles House). Full resident lists have been compiled, and researchers may inquire about the presence of specific individuals. Series 2, Financial records (1867-1997, undated) includes ledgers and journals; statements and reports; and bank, board and rent, transaction, payroll, and tax records. Annual reports start with the first annual report and are present for most years between 1867-1980. Bank documents often include sensitive payroll information, and for that reason, many are closed to researchers for 75 years from the date of creation. Board and rent records span just over a century (1880-1984) with modest gaps. Transaction records are extensive, with the bulk dating from 1951-1984, including 32 boxes of paid bills and petty cash receipts. Payroll records containing sensitive information are closed to researchers for 75 years after the date of creation. Series 3, Graphic materials (1923-1997, undated) is a small series containing graphic materials including photographs, blueprints, architectural drawings, and road maps. The photographs include snapshots from a 1936 event, “The Windows of Old Philadelphia,” held on Clinton Street. There are two folders of photographs taken for the circa 1967 promotional brochure, and these document many interior spaces of Coles House. Series 4, Miscellaneous (1867-1982, unadated) contains miscellaneous items, books and other printed matter, and artifacts. The published materials The only artifacts in the collection are keys, one ceremonial and one to the back gate. This collection has several strengths. The managers’ books and house mothers’ reports illuminate details of daily operations, and taken with the registers, they provide insight into the lives and circumstances of young white working women in the late 19th century and early 20th century Philadelphia. Meeting minutes show the intersection of daily operations and organizational-level concerns. Resident files, though not yet open to researchers, illuminate the nature of mid- and late 20th century young working women and students. The main weakness of the collection is a lack of records for the final 15 years of Coles House’s existence.