West Philadelphia Passenger Railway Company stock certificate 1859 (Pennsylvania) 

Very early Philadelphia streetcar piece. Top vignette features a period horse-drawn trolley with passengers. Issued and cancelled. Note coloration of image is due to stub glued to the back (note scan brought this out but not visible in normal light). Expected foxing and stains from age. Vertical folds with one light split at the top. Dated 1859. Measures approximately 10 x 7 inches.

The West Philadelphia Passenger Railway, incorporated in 1857 and opened on July 2, 1858, operated early horse-drawn streetcars along Market Street to 41st Street and Haverford Avenue.

By 1859, the line was actively running regular transit operations, issuing stock certificates, and expanding urban transit before transitioning to electric trolleys decades later.

Incorporation:
Chartered in 1857 as an early Philadelphia street railway.

Opening:
Began service on July 2, 1858.

Route:
Ran from 3rd Street along Market Street across the bridge to 41st Street, extending to a depot at Haverford Avenue.1859 Activity: Issued foundational financial certificates and stock documents while establishing regular horsebus transit.

Later Years:
Converted operations to electric power during the 1890s.

Product descriptions and images
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