Chandler, George, School
Why it's listed
Built in 1907-1908 on East Montgomery Street in Philadelphia, the George Chandler School is a one-and-a-half-story brick building on a raised basement, designed by H. deCourcey Richards and constructed by Lynch Brothers. It has a U-shaped plan with a small front courtyard, three large arched openings beneath the school's name, and a stepped gable with three small Gothic arched openings. Stone trim includes heavy lintels, sills, and framed entrances at the stair towers, while the projecting pavilions have gabled wall dormers on the third level. The building replaced an earlier school of the same name erected in 1862. It is regarded as the only surviving example of School Board Type Number 115. Its recessed entrance and courtyard depart from Richards's usual rectangular block designs, and its setting is described as more compatible than those of his other schools. The property was nominated under architecture for these design qualities and its place within the Philadelphia Public Schools group.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is significant under Criterion C for architecture. It is described as the sole representative of School Board Type Number 115, and its courtyard and recessed main entrance are called unusual for Richards designs, which usually consisted of a rectangular block. It is also presented 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 88002255, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1050 E. Montgomery St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002255 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-1908 |
| Architect / builder | H. deCourcey Richards (architect); Lynch Brothers (builder) |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.96988, -75.12667 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 88002255.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5537811
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.