Beggarstown School
Also known as: The School
Why it's listed
Built around 1740 as a one-story stone schoolhouse, this small building in Philadelphia was part of the St. Michael's Lutheran Church property. It is a one-and-a-half-story ashlar stone and stucco structure with a steep gable roof, a simple box cornice and plain barge boards, and double-hung windows with plank-front frames. Its main section measures 28 feet 3 inches by 18 feet 3 inches, and a modern brick wing has been added to the rear. It was restored in 1915. Some early flooring survives, though extensive alterations have removed most of the original interior. The school is regarded as a typical German parish school of its period, offering basic instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic. In contrast, the Germantown Academy provided a more advanced education. The building lies within the Germantown Avenue National Historic Landmark area, and its significance rests on its educational role in eighteenth-century Philadelphia.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as a typical German parish school of its era, providing basic education in reading, writing and arithmetic, in contrast to the more sophisticated Germantown Academy. It is also located within the Germantown Avenue National Historic Landmark area. Education is marked as an area of significance, with the 18th Century marked as the period.
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 71000718, listed November 23, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6669 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 23, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000718 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century |
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent or good condition, altered, at its original site; extensive alterations have left little of the original interior, and a modern brick rear wing has been added. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 40.05162, -75.18486 (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 71000718.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4880460
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.