Farragut, David, School
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1873 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a 1915 addition, the Farragut School is a schoolhouse designed by Louis Esler, who was appointed the first Building Supervisor for the Office of Building in 1867. The office was created to meet demand for new schools after the 1854 consolidation of Philadelphia, and it oversaw a major boom in school construction during the 1860s and 1870s. The building uses a traditional square plan with projecting stair wings, a form that changed slowly in nineteenth century school design. Its design is essentially imitative of the Sloan Plan, a model used by early schools. Although several alterations have been made, the building keeps much of its original Victorian character and detailing. It is significant as a rare survivor among early schools that used the Sloan plan, which is the reason for its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is a rare surviving example of school design from the 1870s. It was designed on the traditional square plan with projecting stair wings and is essentially imitative of the Sloan Plan. The building retains much of its original Victorian character and detailing despite several alterations.
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 86003280, listed December 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Hancock and Cumberland, Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | December 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86003280 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Louis Esler (architect) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.98790, -75.13525 (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 86003280.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5233562
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.