{"nrhp_refnum":"86003313","name":"Overbrook High School","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Fifty-ninth and Lancaster Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Philadelphia","county":"Philadelphia","state":"PA","lat":39.954794926000034,"lon":-75.21667423799994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1986-12-04","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Overbrook High School is a public high school building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, constructed in 1924-1926. It is a Gothic design by architect Irwin T. Catharine.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the school is distinctive for its Gothic design and its impressive size and architectural detailing. It is presented as a notable example of the work of Catharine, described as a highly important architect of Philadelphia public schools. It is also placed within the expansion of the city's high school program in the early twentieth century.","narrative":"Overbrook High School is a public high school in Philadelphia, built between 1924 and 1926 to a Gothic design by architect Irwin T. Catharine. It was constructed as part of the Philadelphia School Board's expansion of its high school program, which had been a priority since the end of the nineteenth century and was financed by a $2,500,000 loan negotiated for site acquisition and construction. Earlier facilities in the same program included West Philadelphia High School, completed in 1911. The building is noted for its size and architectural detailing. Catharine's Gothic public schools in the city typically had ornate ornamentation and square towers. Overbrook differs from these, with less intricate detailing and conical piers. Its departure from his usual approach is part of what makes it distinctive. The school is regarded as an important example of Catharine's work and of Philadelphia's public school architecture of the period.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":"Irwin T. Catharine (architect)","architectural_style":"Gothic","criteria":["C"],"status_note":null,"vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:32.326556-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/86003313.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86003313/bc69457d6f-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86003313/bc69457d6f-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Overbrook_High_School.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Overbrook_High_School.JPG"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"97001669","name":"West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/pennsylvania/west-philadelphia-streetcar-suburb-historic-district-97001669/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71993599","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overbrook_High_School_(Philadelphia)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7113572"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/philadelphia/overbrook-high-school-86003313/"}