Wyncote Historic District
Why it's listed
Wyncote is a residential district of about 108 acres in Cheltenham Township, roughly ten miles north of central Philadelphia, built mostly between 1865 and 1934. Most of its roughly 178 contributing buildings are two and a half story stone and wood houses set back from tree-lined streets, many in the Queen Anne style. Development began in 1885 on farmland that had been acquired by wealthy Philadelphians after the North Pennsylvania Railroad reached the area in 1855. Several separate developers, including Bradley Redfield, Henry K. Walt and Edward Tyson, laid out small sections of the district. Deed requirements for minimum building costs and lot sizes, together with an improvement association, kept it an exclusive suburb. Many houses were designed by prominent Philadelphia architects such as Horace Trumbauer, Furness and Evans, and Heacock and Hokanson. The district is also notable for All Hallows Episcopal Church, built in 1898 in English Gothic style. Its houses are regarded as a significant collection of late Victorian suburban architecture.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant as an example of a wealthy turn-of-the-century Philadelphia suburb, developed piecemeal by several individuals and kept exclusive through deed restrictions and a improvement association. It also holds a notable collection of late nineteenth and early twentieth century houses and churches designed by prominent Philadelphia architects, including Frank Furness, Horace Trumbauer and Heacock and Hokanson.
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 86002884, listed October 16, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Glenview Ave., SEPTA RR, Webster Ave., and Church Rd., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | October 16, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002884 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1865-1934 |
| Architect / builder | Various |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, Shingle, Second Empire, Arts and Crafts, English Gothic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The houses have been continually occupied and well maintained, with limited alterations such as asbestos re-cladding and porch changes. |
| Acreage | 108 |
| Coordinates | 40.09258, -75.14088 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 86002884.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q28484731
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.