Curtis Arboretum
Also known as: Lyndon; Cyrus, H.K., Estate; Curtis Hall and Arboretum
Why it's listed
Curtis Hall, a one-and-a-half-story building of Indiana limestone with a steeply pitched red slate roof, stands on a forty-eight acre site in Wyncote. Baily & Truscott designed it in 1895 as a music room addition to Lyndon, the mansion of publisher Cyrus H.K. Curtis, and it was later adapted by Ehrling H. Pederson after the house was demolished in 1937. Curtis collected unusual trees for his estate, and the grounds hold over four hundred specimens of more than ninety species. Olmstead Brothers prepared the 1937 planting plan and tree labels. The Township received the property from Curtis's daughter in 1938, and it became a public park with summer concerts and a Memorial Grove dedicated in 1948 to local war dead. The setting is valued for its designed landscape, terraces, arbor, stone bridges and the way the 1937 and 1948 changes built on Curtis's original planting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the site is significant for its designed landscape, shaped by Curtis and later modified by the Olmstead Brothers and the Township, and for the architecture of Curtis Hall by Baily & Truscott. It also cites its local importance as a public arboretum and park and as one of the Township's largest open spaces.
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 02000229, listed March 20, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1250 W. Church rd., Cheltenham |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | March 20, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000229 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1893-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Baily & Truscott; Meyers, Jacob & Sons; Pederson, Ehrling H.; Olmstead Brothers |
| Architectural style | French Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Public arboretum and park owned by Cheltenham Township; the document describes a 1970 lawsuit by Curtis heirs contesting the Township's ownership. |
| Acreage | 48 |
| Coordinates | 40.08446, -75.14742 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 02000229.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5195753
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.