Allen, Ethan, School
Why it's listed
Built in 1929-1930 from a School Board design, this three-story yellow brick school at 3001 Robbins Avenue in Philadelphia's Frankford area sits on a raised basement. Its design was by Irwin T. Catharine, who used School Board Type Number 144 for six schools built between 1924 and 1930. The Clara Barton School, completed in 1924-1925, was the first, and its colored terra cotta tiles helped move Catharine's school designs from the Colonial Revival toward Art Deco. The Ethan Allen School is the entrance-focused example of that group. Its arched entry has terra cotta trim and clustered pilasters, and its stairtowers project from the facade. A diapered brick panel fills the upper central band, and a carved stone name plaque sits in the parapet. The building is listed for its architecture as a well-preserved, high-integrity example of Catharine's late 1920s work, and it remains in use as a school.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is one of six buildings constructed on the same model by Catharine between 1924 and 1930, and that it retains a very high degree of integrity. It is presented as an excellent example of Catharine's 1920s Art Deco school designs, which used colored terra cotta. It is nominated as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic District under Criterion C for architecture.
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 88002227, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3001 Robbins Ave., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002227 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1930 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect); Unknown (builder) |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition; in use as a school |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 40.02976, -75.06197 (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 88002227.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5402883
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.