Heller, George K., School
Also known as: Cheltenham Center for the Arts
Why it's listed
Built of random stone on Ashbourne Road in Cheltenham Township, the George K. Heller School rises in three sections: a one-and-a-half-story front portion completed in 1883, a rear addition of 1893, and a two-and-a-half-story infill of 1906 that linked the two. Samuel T. Pool of Ogontz built the 1883 building at a reported cost of $8,885 and also erected the 1893 addition, which cost about $6,000. The building replaced a rough stone schoolhouse opened in 1795 on the same site. Its intersecting gable roof, bracketed eaves and cupola show the Italianate style in a simplified local form. The school operated as a public school until March 1953, when students moved to the new Cheltenham Elementary School. It was then converted into the Cheltenham Arts Center. The nomination treats it as a record of how the township's schools grew through the early twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its association with the public school system of Cheltenham Township, which it served as a school from 1883 until 1953, and for its architecture as an Italianate-style late nineteenth-century school building, a vernacular adaptation of the style. It is described as one of the oldest remaining school buildings in the township and as the site of the township's earlier schoolhouse dating to 1795.
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 01000461, listed May 2, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 439 Ashbourne Rd. (Cheltenham Township), Ashmead Village |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | May 2, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000461 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1883-1953 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel T. Pool, of Ogontz (builder of the 1883 and 1893 sections); the 1906 architect and builder are unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate (vernacular adaptation) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to the Cheltenham Arts Center after closing as a school in 1953; currently offers classes, workshops and exhibit space. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.06379, -75.09905 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 01000461.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5541203
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.