V II November 27, 1956 A meeting of the Advisory Commission on Historic Buildings was held on October 30, 1956 in Room 813, City Hall Annex. The following members were present: Mr. Grant M. Simon, Chairman Mr. Harry A. Batten Mr. Charles E. Peterson Mr. R. Norris Williams, 2nd Also present were: Mr. George I. Lovatt, Jr. Mr. Harry McDowell (representing Mr. McConnell) Dr. Margaret B. Tinkcom, Reasearch Historian The meeting was called to order at 3:35 p.m. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. Appropriation for Expenses: Mr. McDowell discussed the plans for financing the Commission and its chances of getting an early appropriation. The Council will be requested by Commissioner Regalbuto to ask for a supplement to the Public Property items specified in the Mayor's Budget. Second Street Market: Mr. Simon reported that the Mayor had written a letter stating that he was favorable to spending $22,000 on the Market House. The need for a careful estimate for restoration work to be done was emphasized. Mr. Simon explained that Townsend and Elfreth Company had made an estimate for the headhouse alone somewhat less than $22,000, but that something should be allowed for extras. Opposition was expressed to the idea of restoring the Market House with a space between the headhouse and the stalls. Mr. Lovatt advised that the E. H. Keefer & Son contract on the headhouse had been nearly completed and cost about $3500. A A balance of funds was spent in exploring the structure, which was discovered to be identical with that in the section just demolished south of Lombard Street. Architect Brumbaugh advised on the Keefer contract and is to be employed both to study the headhouse and the stalls. - 1 - Historic Building Certificate: Mr. Simon read a draft of a suggested certificate to be presented to each owner whose building is selected for the official list. Inventory Forms: The National Trust--American Institute of Architects-National Park Service inventory forms will be supplied free if five completed forms of each building are forwarded to Washington. Photographs: Mr. Williams mentioned a party who has been photographing old buildings for the Historical Society of Pennsylvania with film furnished by them. It was suggested that he be requested to photograph the structures on the official list of 100. Official List: It was suggested that Elfreths' Alley be described by using individual house numbers. Categories:
who has been photographing old buildings for the Historical Society of Pennsylvania with film furnished by them. It was suggested that he be requested to photograph the structures on the official list of 100. Official List: It was suggested that Elfreths' Alley be described by using individual house numbers. Categories: The advisability of dividing the list into "A" and "B" categories was discussed. It was agreed to omit the classification from the first list as initially published. Society Hill Inventory: Dr. Tinkcom distributed copies of her "Check List of Old Building (before 1840) Chestnut to South Street, Water Street West to Third" listing over two hundred structures identified by street numbers and corner locations. Old Philadelphia Development Corporation: Mr. Batten (Chairman of the Corporation's Planning Committee) suggested that the Corporation should give the City Planning Commission the funds to make an inventory of buildings worthy of preservation in the redevelopment areas. LettersReceived: Mr. Simon read in part - or otherwise referred to - letters received as follows: Writer Regarding Mr. Lanell Ottinger House, 4825 Germantown Avenue Dr. Negley Teeters Possible remains of old church north side Cherry Street between 3rd and 4th (Note: this may be old St. Michael's, German Lutheran) - 2 - Writer Regarding Mrs. Earl Kirkbride Delaware Expressway, threat to her home, 708 S. Front Street Dr. Brenner Frankford Judge Saylor Castor House Mrs. David Van Pelt Second Street Market Headhouse Delaware Expressway: Mr. George Kostritsky of the City Planning Commission sent the Chairman a location study placing the Expressway at grade on Front Street. This would separate the commercial developments on Delaware Avenue from the redevelopment areas to the west. The plan as exhibited seemed to take all the buildings facing the west side of Front Street but the delineation was not clear in that respect. It was observed that the line south of the proposed Lombard Street connection had been shifted eastward so as to pass east of Old Swedes' Church. This recent change spares a lot of small old houses which would have been wiped out by the previous routing. Pent Eaves: Support was requested for the reconstruction of pent eaves in Elfreth's Alley. These picturesque features, judging by the physical evidence, were common on the Alley but are presently outlawed. The consensus of opinion was that these eaves ought to be permitted. Friends Self Help Housing Program (735 Fairmount Ave.): Architect Stonorov requested
requested for the reconstruction of pent eaves in Elfreth's Alley. These picturesque features, judging by the physical evidence, were common on the Alley but are presently outlawed. The consensus of opinion was that these eaves ought to be permitted. Friends Self Help Housing Program (735 Fairmount Ave.): Architect Stonorov requested endorsement of a proposal to retain the bay windows on some houses of the 1850's which might have to be removed because of certain City regulations. It was agreed to support Mr. Stonorov's proposal. The meeting adjourned about 4:50 p.m. Charles E. Peterson, Secretary - 3 - October 31, 1956 HISTORIC BUILDINGS RECOMMENDED FOR PRESERVATION BY THE ADVISORY COMMISSION ON HISTORIC BUILDINGS SOUTH OF MARKET - from the Delaware to Sixth Street Second Street Market (Head House and market stalls to Lombard Street), 2nd and Pine 1745-1804 Mechanics Bank, 22 S. 3rd Street 1837 Carpenters' Hall, 320 Chestnut Street 1770 First Bank of the U.S. (Girard's Bank), 116 S. 3rd Street 1797 Merchants' Exchange, 3rd, Walnut & Dock Streets 1832 Bishop White's house, 309 Walnut Street 18th Cent. St. Paul's Church, 3rd Street, south of Walnut opposite Willing's Alley 1761 Powel house, 244 S. 3rd Street 1765 Wharton house, 336 Spruce Street 1790 Hopkinson house, 338 Spruce Street 1790 St. Peter's Church, S. W. corner of 3rd & Pine Streets 1761-68 St. Peter's house, 313 Pine Street c.1780 Second Bank of the U. S. (Old Customs House), 420 Chestnut Street 1824 Dilworth-Todd-Moylan house, N. E. corner of 4th at Walnut Street 1775 - 1 - Philadelphia Contributionship, 212 S. 4th Street 1836 Shippen-Wistar house, S. W. corner 4th & Locust Street 1762 Cadwalader house, 240 S. 4th Street 1826 President Madison house, 429 Spruce Street 1795 St. Mary's Church, 4th above Spruce Street 1763 Hill-Physick-Keith house, 321 S. 4th Street late 18th cent. Third Presbyterian Church, S. W. corner 4th and Pine 1768-1857 American Philosophical Society, 104 S. 5th Street 1789 Supreme Court (Old City Hall, 5th & Chestnut Streets 1789 Independence Hall (State House), Chestnut, between 5th and 6th Streets 1729-34 Congress Hall, 6th and Chestnut Streets 1789 Athenaeum, 219 S. 6th Street 1845 - Holy Trinity (for German Catholics), N. W. corner 6th and Spruce Streets 1788-89 SOUTH OF MARKET - Seventh Street to the Schuylkill Franklin Institute (Atwater Kent Museum), 15 S. 7th Street 1824-25 Morris house, 225 S. 8th Street 1784-86 St. George's Greek Orthodox Church
219 S. 6th Street 1845 - Holy Trinity (for German Catholics), N. W. corner 6th and Spruce Streets 1788-89 SOUTH OF MARKET - Seventh Street to the Schuylkill Franklin Institute (Atwater Kent Museum), 15 S. 7th Street 1824-25 Morris house, 225 S. 8th Street 1784-86 St. George's Greek Orthodox Church (formerly St. Andrew's P. E. Church), west side of 8th above Spruce 1822 - 2 - [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: Location: Below "St. Mary's Church, 4th above Spruce Street / 1763" — handwritten notation reads: "840-852 S. 4th STREET"] Mikveh Israel Cemetery, north side of Spruce Street between 8th and 9th 18th cent. Pennsylvania Hospital, Pine, between 8th and 9th 1755-96 -Walnut Street Theater, N. E. corner 9th & Walnut 1809 • ~Philadelphia Club, N. W. corner 13th and Walnut 1838 Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb (School of Industrial Art), N. W. corner Broad & Pine Streets 1824 SOUTH OF PINE STREET AND WEST PHILADELPHIA Gloria Dei, 929 S. Water Street 1700 Sparks Shot Tower, Carpenter, between Front and Second Streets 1808 —Schuylkill Arsenal, Grey's Ferry Road and Washington Avenue 1799 U. S. Naval Home, Grey's Ferry Road and Bainbridge Street 1833 Girard's Gentilhommiere, 20th and Shunk 1750-98 The Woodlands, 39th and Woodland 1742-88 Bel Air (Singley house), League Island Park, 20th and Pattison 1670-1720 Cannonball Farm, Penrose Ferry Road 1714-20 Fort Mifflin, near Penrose Ferry Road, on Magazine Lane 1798 Bartram house, 34th and Eastwick c.1650,1731- 1770 - Wynnestay, 52nd and Woodbine 1689-1700 - 3 - NORTH OF MARKET - Delaware to the Schuylkill - Elfreth's Alley, between Front & 2nd (the eastern 18th cent. end of Cherry Street). Numbers 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 130, 132, 134, on the south side of the street; and numbers 109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 119, 121, 123, 125, 127, 129, 131, 135, 137, 139 on the north side of the street. Christ Church, west side of 2nd Street above 1727 Market Street —Merchants' Hotel, 44 N. 4th Street 1837 St. George's Methodist Church, east side of 4th Street at New Street 1763 Friends Meeting House, south side of Arch Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets 1804 Free Quakers Meeting House (Apprentices Library), S. W. corner 5th and Arch 1783 Fairmount Water Works, E. bank of the Schuylkill near 25th Street 1822 —Preston Retreat, 20th and Hamilton Streets 1837-39 Girard College, Corinthian and Girard Avenues 1833-47 FAIRMOUNT PARK
of Arch Street, between 3rd and 4th Streets 1804 Free Quakers Meeting House (Apprentices Library), S. W. corner 5th and Arch 1783 Fairmount Water Works, E. bank of the Schuylkill near 25th Street 1822 —Preston Retreat, 20th and Hamilton Streets 1837-39 Girard College, Corinthian and Girard Avenues 1833-47 FAIRMOUNT PARK HOUSES Belmont Mansion, W. Park, on Belmont Drive 1730-62 Cedar Grove, W. Park, on Lansdowne Drive 1721-95 Chamounix, W. Park, on bluffs overlooking Falls of Schuylkill 1802 The Cliffs, E. Park, near 33rd Street entrance 1757 - 4 - [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: 1. Checkmark (✓) in margin next to "Merchants' Hotel, 44 N. 4th Street 1837" 2. Checkmark (✓) in margin next to "Preston Retreat, 20th and Hamilton Streets 1837-39"] Glen Fern (Liveney house), foot of Liveney Lane and the Wissahickon c.1725 -Hatfield house, E. Park, near 33rd and Girard 1760-1835 Laurel Hill, E. Park, overlooking East River Drive 1748 Lemon Hill, E. Park, above East River Drive, opposite Boathouse Row 1796 The Lilacs, W. Park, north of west end of Dauphin Street bridge 1805 The Monastery, foot of Kitchen's Lane and the Wissahickon 1746 Mount Pleasant, E. Park, on plateau overlooking East River Drive 1761 Ormiston, E. Park, overlooking East River Drive 1798-99 Penn house (Letitia Street), W. Park, on Lansdowne Drive 1703-15 Ridgeland (Mt. Prospect), W. Park, on Monument Road c.1806 Rittenhouse house, Wissahickon Park, at the foot of Rittenhouse Street 1707 - Schoomac Park, Wissahickon Park, corner of Ridge Avenue and Wissahickon Drive 1714 Solitude, Zoological Gardens 1785 -Strawberry Mansion, E. Park, near Dauphin Street Bridge 1750-1829 Sweetbrier, W. Park, on Lansdowne Drive 1797 Woodford, E. Park, near Dauphin Street entrance c.1759-71 - 5 - [HANDWRITTEN NOTES: A single diagonal line/mark appears in the right margin next to "1714" (Schoomac Park entry).] PRANKFORD Trinity Church, Church Lane and Oxford Road 1711 GERMANTOWN Stenton, 18th and Courtland Streets 1728-34 Wakefield, 16th and Lindley Avenue c.1800 Belfield, Clarkson Avenue, east of Stenton Ave. 1708-1810 Loudoun, 4650 Germantown Avenue c.1801 Baynton house, 5208 Germantown Avenue n.d. Conyngham-Hacker house, 5214 Germantown Avenue c.1795 Howell house, 5218 Germantown Avenue c.1795 Theobald Endt house, 5222-5224 Germantown Ave. 18th cent. The Bechtel house, 5226 Germantown Avenue c.1742 Grumblethorpe, 5267 Germantown Avenue 1744 Grumblethorpe tenant house, 5269 Germantown Ave. 18th cent. Perot-Morris-Deshler house, 5442 Germantown Ave. 1772 Fromberger house, Market Square and Church Lane 1795 Germantown Academy and the headmasters' houses, 1760 S. W. corner Schoolhouse
5222-5224 Germantown Ave. 18th cent. The Bechtel house, 5226 Germantown Avenue c.1742 Grumblethorpe, 5267 Germantown Avenue 1744 Grumblethorpe tenant house, 5269 Germantown Ave. 18th cent. Perot-Morris-Deshler house, 5442 Germantown Ave. 1772 Fromberger house, Market Square and Church Lane 1795 Germantown Academy and the headmasters' houses, 1760 S. W. corner Schoolhouse Lane & Greene St. David James Dove house, 130 W. Schoolhouse Lane 1763 Vernon, Vernon Park (Germantown Avenue north of Chelten Avenue) 1740-1803 Green Tree Tavern, 6019 Germantown Avenue c.1748 - 6 - Wyck, 6026 Germantown Avenue 1690-1824 Mennonite Meeting House, 6119 Germantown Avenue 1770 Johnson house, 6306 Germantown Avenue 1765-68 Concord Schoolhouse; 6313 Germantown Avenue 1775 Cliveden, 6401 Germantown Avenue 1763-64 Uppsala, 6430 Germantown Avenue 1796 ~Michael Billmeyer house, 6505 Germantown Avenue c.1730 Church of the Brethern, 6613 Germantown Avenue 1770 The School (Beggarstown School), 6669 Germántown Avenue c.1740 - 7 -