Axe, William W., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1903-1904 on Kinsey Street in Philadelphia, this two-story stone school follows the Colonial Revival style and sits on a slightly raised stone basement with a stone dripcourse. Its three-bay central section projects slightly beneath a gable, and paired sash windows fill most openings, with stone lintels and sills throughout. The main entrances are on the side elevations, which also have an arched opening between the first and second floors. A one-story brick addition stands at the rear. Lloyd Titus designed the building, which the nomination identifies as a typical example of his work from roughly 1900 to 1905. Titus was the principal school designer in the period between Joseph W. Anschutz and H. deCourcy Richards, and many of his buildings have since been demolished. Because his surviving schools are increasingly rare, the building was listed for its architecture, as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic District. Samuel Gourley, Jr. is named as builder.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as a typical design of Lloyd Titus from 1900 to 1905, reflecting his reliance on standards set by his predecessor Joseph W. Anschutz. Titus designed many Philadelphia schools, and many of his 22 buildings have since been destroyed, so the survivors are increasingly scarce. The form argues the building merits listing despite a rear addition, and recommends it as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic District.
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 88002240, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1709--1733 Kinsey St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002240 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1903-1904 |
| Architect / builder | Lloyd Titus (architect); Samuel Gourley, Jr. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use listed as clubhouse; condition recorded as good, integrity as fair. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.01182, -75.08363 (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 88002240.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16836199
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.