While William L. Elkins was one of the most influential Philadelphia citizens at the turn of the century, his legacy is largely unknown, despite the tremendous impact it had on the inner workings of the oil industry and transportation throughout the city. Some of his accomplishments include:

• invented a method of commercial refrigeration;
• became the first on the East Coast to refine oil into gasoline that could be used as fuel;
• consolidated the Philadelphia transportation system to develop routes to the suburbs;
• donated $1.0 million to the Masonic Home for Girls;
• bequeathed his art collection to the city of Philadelphia in 1903. The donation enticed the city to hire renowned architect Horace Trumbauer to design and build the Philadelphia Museum of Art in its current location;
• his collection of rare books and library interior of his Girard Street mansion was donated to the Free Library of Philadelphia. The room is still intact and houses the Library’s Rare Book Collection;
• He was a Director of more than 100 companies, some that still exist today, including Philadelphia Rapid Transport Company (Septa), Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO), Pennsylvania Railroad Company (Conrail), Edison Electric Light Company (General Electric).

Upon his death in 1903, Philadelphia lost a great citizen, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Elkins was honored at his funeral with a moment of silence that reverberated throughout the city, and traffic halted completely for the first and only time in history, a fitting tribute to an honorable man.