Clarkson-Watson House
Also known as: Bank of Germantown
Why it's listed
Built about 1740-1750 on Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia, this two-and-a-half-story house with a full cellar was first a private home. Its original front section measures 38 feet wide and 32 feet deep, with a brick rear addition and a wood shed added later. Between 1792 and 1796 it was the residence of Matthew Clarkson, a former Philadelphia mayor. During the 1793 yellow fever epidemic, when federal offices were located in Germantown, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and Attorney General Edmund Randolph visited the house. In the nineteenth century the building was adapted as the Bank of Germantown, where John Fanning Watson, Philadelphia's first historian, worked as cashier from 1814 to 1847. There he wrote his 800-page Annals of Philadelphia, published in 1830, which is regarded as a valuable regional reference. Original flooring, hardware, a stair railing and an entrance hall arch survive in the older part.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its association with Matthew Clarkson, a former Philadelphia mayor who lived there, and with visits by federal officials during the 1793 yellow fever epidemic. It also cites its later connection to John Fanning Watson, Philadelphia's first historian, who worked as cashier of the bank and wrote Annals of Philadelphia there. Its architectural changes across the 18th and 19th centuries are also documented.
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 73001661, listed April 2, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5275-5277 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | April 2, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001661 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1740-1750 |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Germantown Historical Society, which has renovated it to its 1770s appearance according to the document. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Colonial Germantown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.03227, -75.16863 (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 73001661.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5127631
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.