Carnell, Laura H., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1930 and 1931 to designs by Irwin T. Catharine, the Laura H. Carnell School is a three-story brick building on a raised basement, set on a site of about 4.5 acres in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. Its eight-register facade is finished with red brick and stone and terra cotta trim, with stone-arched ground floor entrances, a two-story bay at the second and third floors, and a crenellated battlement with four corner towers. The design developed a model Catharine had used on earlier Philadelphia schools since 1922, substituting red brick for the yellow brick of those buildings and blending Gothic detailing with Art Deco forms. A small rear addition was made in 1953. The school is significant for its role in the history of education and school architecture in Philadelphia. It is one of a group of nine similar schools built during the 1920s and 1930s, and it is among the last of Catharine's designs in the Academic or Collegiate Gothic style. The building retains very good integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is significant for its place in the history of education and school architecture in Philadelphia. It is presented as one of a group of nine similar schools built during the 1920s and 1930s, showing the proliferation of school buildings in that decade. The building is also described as among the last of Catharine's designs in the Academic or Collegiate Gothic style, and it blends modern Art Deco elements with Gothic traditions.
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 88002251, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6101 Summerdale Ave., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002251 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1930-1931 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect); Unknown (builder) |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition with very good integrity |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.03885, -75.08425 (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 88002251.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6498960
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.