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This episode is all about change and disruption. Early factories were changing the way Philadelphia worked, and it wasn’t pretty. Dismal conditions brought workers together in the streets to demand reforms, which were derailed by an economic collapse. In the background, steam technology was about to transform Philly’s streets. A frenzy of railroad construction in the city brought chaos, as railways unsettled the traditions of street life in an expanding, explosive Philadelphia.

Explore historical maps and images, and see a full list of my sources, in the companion blog for this episode at FoundinPhiladelphia.com.

Purchase books that inspired the podcast while supporting your local bookstore at bookshop.org/shop/foundinphilly.

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