Valley Girl Views: 4th Street Williamsport - Block By Block Through the Decades

[A Rough Draft Of]

A Postcard Tour of 4th Street In Williamsport

Block By Block Through The Decades

If you are viewing this page, please know that at this point, you are viewing my research process - not a finished project. Eventually I will add the images from Sanborn maps, information from directories, and a LOT more photos. This is just a very rough start, primarily for perspective on the 1936 flood photos, at the moment. [If I put the flood photos in order by location, I can spot which ones are not from the 1936 flood. Quite a few 1940s photos are mislabeled 1936] These postcard tours are one of the most time consuming projects I tackle.

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East 4th - Basin to Academy
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East 4th - Academy to East
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East 4th - East to Mulberry
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Judge Gamble's Home, 4th & Mulberry

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East 4th - Mulberry to State
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On the right, the Elks Building [City Church

across the intersection, on the left, Christ Episcopal Church

Mulberry is the street that runs alongside the Christ Episcopal Church

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East 4th - State To Market
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Looking down on the library, on the left

Parsons House to the left of the library

Masonic Temple on the right

The James V. Brown Library on the left

James V. Brown Library

James V. Brown Library On Right

Masonic building on left

Northeast Corner of 4th and Market

East Fourth and Market Streets. On reverse of photo: "Built by Anson V. Parson, approximately 1839, shortly bought by Hezekiah Packer (brother of William), then Fischer family (relatives of Jonas), then Weizel. Twin of J V Brown house"

400 is Firestone Building

(North West Corner of Market and 4th)

South west corner of Market & 4th - Masonic Temple Building

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West 4th - Market to Court
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Corner of 4th and Market - Cillos today

4th & Market after the 36 Flood - Nardis

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West 4th - Court to Pine
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1903

Updegraff Hotel (1892)

Southwest Corner of Pine and 4th
The Updegraff Hotel was at the corner of 4th & Pine
The address today would be 47 West Fourth Street.

Daniel Updegraff (brother of abolitionist Abraham) built this hotel, the largest of its day in the city, on the site of the old Hepburn Inn, where abolitionist Fredrick Douglass spoke when he came to Williamsport in the 1870’s.

The building still stands today, as the City Center Building.

Hess Building

corner of Pine & 4th

Mercantile Agency

( I can't quite place this - the Sanborn Map may help. )

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West 4th - Pine to Laurel

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1903 " Above Laurel"

Looking East On West Fourth from Pine St

On the left - Waltons
On the Right - Philadelphia & Reading Railway, Hanks

Looking through the intersection of 4th and pine, 1936 flood

Grant

Bank (Visitors center today)

Breon Drugs

United Cigars

Hotel

Ligetts Drugs

Western Union

Hotel on the right, on the other side of the intersection, would later be the Hotel Updegraff, and today, Center City Apartments at 47 West Fourth.

Southeast Corner of 4th and Pine

Hotel

United Cigars

1936 flood

Looking south on Pine, through the 4th St intersection

Unites Cigars & Hotel on left [Hotel Updegraff/Center City Apartments]

North side of the street

Bank (Visitors center today)

Grant (Parking Lot today)

Jc Penny (Parking Lot today)

Krims Toys

Sears

Wahlbraun

See a LOT more about Krims here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1KvqdFk2xt/

Thrift drugs on left (today Gustonian)

Thrift Drugs (Today Gustonian Gifts)

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West 4th - Laurel to William

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In 1902, Gorman's Floral was in 137 West Fourth - that would be to the right of the

More about Gorman's here.

Keeney's Grand Theater 138 West Fourth

Early 1920s. Renamed Roxy in the 30s.

[Clothier Today]

Atlantic & Pacific

141 Housel & Co

On Google Maps, 2026

West 4th street, Williamsport Pa. Looking east from Williams Street. Year ?? Great view of the trolley and trolley tracks. Lots of wallpaper stores!

On the right, above the horse, look for the double window with the rounded top - today that is Miles Welby A Candle Co. M 151 W. 4th Street (beside the The Crooked Goose )

Looking on down the street (the photo is looking east) the tall building would have been the Hotel Updegraff - today Center City Apartments, 47 West Fourth Street.

On the Southeast Corner of 4th & William

Today, Crooked Goose & Miles Welby

1930s cars?

On the Southeast Corner of 4th & William

Hazelets (Today, Crooked Goose & Miles Welby )

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West 4th - William to Government
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Southwest Corner of William & 4th

Home of John A. Otto, West Fourth Street and William Street. Became the Ross Club and then headquarters for the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania.

Photo from c. 1900

Ross Club is on the Southwest Corner of William & 4th

Ross Club on the right

Lycoming Cycle Co

Tailor

Western Union Telegraph

""This picture was taken in front of the Western Union Telegraph Co when it was located in the YMCA bldg on the south side of 4th street between Government Place and William Street in 1900. "

READ MORE ABOUT THIS PHOTO HERE