Rittenhouse, David, Junior High School
Why it's listed
Built in 1928 in Norristown, the David Rittenhouse Junior High School is a three-story brick building with limestone trim, designed by the Philadelphia firm Ritter and Shay in the Colonial Revival style. Its central projecting entrance has a semi-circular limestone portico with four columns, a Palladian window above, and a limestone-clad ventilation tower, with flanking two-story wings of matching materials. The school was built to hold junior high students at a cost of about $475,000 and opened in September 1928 with 28 classrooms and a planned capacity of 1,000 students. Its design and integrity are cited as typical of late 1920s public school architecture, with specialized rooms for art, music, home economics and shop. Mid-century additions, including a gymnasium and connecting corridor, were removed in 1995. The building has been vacant since its closing as a middle school in 1981.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building embodies the distinctive characteristics of the Colonial Revival style and represents the work of Ritter and Shay, described as one of Philadelphia's finest early 20th century architecture firms. It also argues the school is significant as one of Norristown's first schools built exclusively for junior high students, and as a representative late 1920s public school building with high integrity.
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 96000717, listed June 28, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1705 Locust St., Norristown |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | June 28, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000717 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Ritter and Shay (architects); Kelly, P. H. Co., Inc. (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since the school closed in 1981; the rear gymnasium and corridor added in the 1950s were removed in spring 1995. |
| Acreage | 2.2 |
| Coordinates | 40.12976, -75.33108 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 96000717.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5239086
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.