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Watch these vintage films of Philadelphia in the 1950s through 1980s

Take a tour of the Philadelphia of yesteryear.

Philly, as seen from above. (Photo courtesy of Cory Popp)

Frank Rizzo, Edmund Bacon, old-school trolley cars.

They all star in the roughly 150 films — available on the YouTube page of the city’s Department of Records — that chronicle life in Philadelphia in the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.

The videos come from the city’s Office of City Representative, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported, and Sam Katz‘s History Making Productions digitized them for free.

Take this one, for instance: “Philadelphia Tomorrow City – Today.” Progress!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9x1mpRrMwE]

Or this one, from 1981, simply titled “Philadelphia Aerial Imagery.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOWcBDSlfmY]

Watch all the videos on YouTube

Read the Inquirer story on Philly.com.

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