{"nrhp_refnum":"72001159","name":"Howell House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"5218 Germantown Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Philadelphia","county":"Philadelphia","state":"PA","lat":40.03128003000006,"lon":-75.16757139699996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1972-01-13","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Howell House is a two and one-half story building with a full cellar, with exterior walls of pointed stone and brick, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The original building measured 24 feet by 32 feet, and a mid-nineteenth century rear wing was added.","why_significant":"The nomination cites the house as a good example of Germantown federal architecture. Its location on the Germantown Road, a National Historical Landmark, is said to add importance to any study of Philadelphia's growth and development. The house also has an unusual floor plan and retains some original features such as paneled doors, an arched front door, and a handrail with four steps.","narrative":"Howell House is a two and one-half story stone and brick building in Germantown, Philadelphia, with a full cellar. The original section measured 24 by 32 feet, and a mid-nineteenth century rear wing was later added. Its first floor was originally a single room, and the second floor is divided into three rooms, with a third floor containing one room and a storage space over the hall. The house is cited as a good example of Germantown federal architecture. Its floor plan is considered unusual. Paneled second-floor doors, the arch of the front door, and the handrail and four steps between the first and second floors are regarded as original. In 1795 the house was owned by William Forbes and was later sold to the Hacker family. Its location on the Germantown Road, a National Historical Landmark, adds to its importance for understanding the city's growth and development.","period_of_significance":"18th Century","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Germantown federal architecture","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Original site; condition described as good for the metal roof and cornice","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:29.931846-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/72001159.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/72001159/c1c00f6be9-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/72001159/c1c00f6be9-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:5218_Germantown_Ave.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:5218_Germantown_Ave.JPG"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"66000678","name":"Colonial Germantown Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/pennsylvania/colonial-germantown-historic-district-66000678/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71996954","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howell_House_(Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5921741"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/philadelphia/howell-house-72001159/"}