Bell, John C., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1906 on the northeast corner of 22nd and Locust Streets in Philadelphia, this three-and-a-half-story Neo-Georgian townhouse was designed by Horace Trumbauer. It is laid in Flemish bond brick with black headers and white marble trim, and its 22nd Street facade is divided into three bays, with a marble-framed entry bay topped by a fanlight. Interior features include oak strip flooring, painted paneling, a spiral staircase and marble fireplaces. The house was built for John C. Bell, who later served as district attorney of Philadelphia County, and it was associated with his son, John C. Bell, Jr., who became lieutenant governor, governor and chief justice of Pennsylvania. The nomination regards it as an unusually plain, masculine Trumbauer design whose bold street presence makes it a neighborhood landmark alongside its corner neighbor. The house was sold in 1944 and converted into apartments, with alterations limited largely to interior partitions.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a fine example of the work of Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer, and that it is linked to John C. Bell and John C. Bell, Jr., both prominent Pennsylvania legal and political figures. Its bold, restrained street facade is described as a landmark within the neighborhood and a compositional gateway on Locust Street.
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 82003807, listed April 13, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 229 S. 22nd St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | April 13, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003807 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906 |
| Architect / builder | Horace Trumbauer (architect) |
| Architectural style | Neo-Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Law, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to apartments in the 1940s; a firetower was added in the 1940s in matching flemish bond brick. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 39.95000, -75.17732 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 82003807.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6224288
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.