Fairmount Park
Also known as: See Also:Chamounix; Cliffs; 76001622; Hatfield House; Memorial H
Why it's listed
Fairmount Park is a large municipal park in Philadelphia, stretching along both banks of the Schuylkill River and the Wissahickon Creek and covering about 4,100 acres. Its origins lie in five acres reserved around the Schuylkill waterworks, begun in 1812 to protect the city's water supply, and the park was gradually extended by purchases in the 1850s and 1860s. Legislation setting aside the area as an open public place was passed in 1867. The park holds numerous 18th- and early 19th-century houses, including Lemon Hill, Woodford, Belmont, Strawberry Mansion, Solitude, Sweetbrier and Mount Pleasant. It hosted the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, and Memorial Hall and the Ohio House remain from that event. The Zoological Gardens, opened in 1874, retain entrance pavilions by the Furness firm. The park also contains significant public sculpture, including works by Randolph Rogers, Daniel Chester French and Frederic Remington.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Fairmount Park is unequalled among American municipal parks for its combination of size, natural beauty, historical importance, and the buildings and sculpture it contains. It cites its early origins as a public water-supply reserve, its many historic houses of the Federal, Georgian and Classical Revival periods, its role as the site of the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, and its large collection of public sculpture.
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 72001151, listed February 7, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Both banks of Schuylkill River and Wissahickon Creek, from Spring Garden St. to Northwestern Ave., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | February 7, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001151 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1750-1899 |
| Architectural style | Late Federal; Early Classical Revival; Georgian; Adam manner; Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Conservation, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Memorial Hall is repaired and used as a recreation center; the Philadelphia Waterworks is no longer the city's water source and is somewhat neglected. |
| Acreage | 4100 |
| Coordinates | 39.99086, -75.21366 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 72001151.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2739335
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.