Old Main
Also known as: Crozer Theological Seminary; Crozer Normal School
Why it's listed
Old Main is a three-story stone building in Upland, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, begun in 1857 as a Normal Institute for Boys and finished at a cost of $45,000. John Price Crozer, a local textile manufacturer, supplied the land and money. In July 1862 the building received 223 sick and wounded Union soldiers from the Seven Days' Fight, and later became a Confederate hospital after the battle of Gettysburg, with a twelve-foot picket fence and guards. Graffiti in the cupola and peepholes in the dormitory doors survive from that period. From 1868 to 1970 it housed Crozer Theological Seminary, which graduated some 2,000 clergymen. Martin Luther King, Jr., studied there in 1951. Its wartime use and long association with the seminary make it significant.
Significance in brief: The building served as a Civil War hospital from 1862 to 1865, receiving Union and later Confederate wounded, and it housed Crozer Theological Seminary from 1868 to 1970. The nomination also cites the seminary's graduates and its notable student Martin Luther King, Jr., who lived in room 52 of the building.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73001626, listed June 18, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 21st St. and Upland Ave., Upland |
|---|---|
| County | Delaware County |
| Listed | June 18, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001626 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | All buildings on the campus are presently being utilized for purposes of the Medical Center. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 39.85592, -75.37092 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73001626.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q687514
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.