SET THE WAYBACK MACHINE TO:
1600's 1700's 1800 1801 1802 1803 1804 1807 1808 1809 1810 1812 1813 1814 1815 1816 1818 1819 1820 1821 1822 1823 1824 1827 1828 1829 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1838 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851	1852 1854 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899

Philadelphia Timeline, 1857

January 18. Tremendous snowfall and gale. The thermometer touching zero. Numerous fire alarms to which the volunteer firemen gallantly responded. Fire destroyed Tabernacle Methodist Church, Eleventh below Oxford Street.
January 26. The Academy of Music opens for its first season, which will include the American premiere of Verdi's opera Il Trovatore. Today, it is the oldest grand opera theatre still used for its original purpose in the United States.
February 26. Opening of the Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets. Production of Il Trovatore, with Brignold and Gazzaniga in the principal characters.
September 25. Financial panic of 1857 precipitated. Bank of Pennsylvania closed its doors. Other banks suspended specie payments.
November 2. Dedication of the new hall and parade of the American United Mechanics, Northeast Corner of Fourth and George Streets.

Excerpted from "Happenings in ye Olde Philadelphia 1680-1900" by Rudolph J. Walther, 1925, Walther Printing House, Philadelphia, PA