Furness, Horace, Junior High School
Why it's listed
Built in 1912 in Philadelphia, this junior high school was the first building of its design put up by the city's School Board. Chief draftsman Henry deCoursey Richards, working under Superintendent J. Horace Cook, created a Gothic-styled building that stood out in a school system where designs had become largely uniform. Two other variations of the same building type, number 130, exist, but this one is described as an exceptionally intact and highly detailed example of Richards' Gothic work. It is compared with the Mitchell and Kinsey schools, which share its design features. Its interior was planned as a wide U-shape, with a central auditorium and classrooms along a single-loaded corridor that became double-loaded at the building ends. Richards' ornamental detailing, rarely seen on academic buildings of the period, is the main basis for its significance, marking it as an exceptionally detailed Gothic design.
Significance in brief: The building is the first example of its specific design built by the School Board, and it is described as a one-of-a-kind school design in an era of uniform school architecture. It is presented as an exceptionally intact, highly detailed example of Gothic design by Henry deCoursey Richards, with intricate detailing rarely found on academic buildings. It is compared with the Mitchell and Kinsey schools, which share its design features.
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 86003286, listed December 1, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1900 S. Third St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | December 1, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86003286 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Henry deCoursey Richards (designer, chief draftsman) |
| Architectural style | Gothic (Gothicized design) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 39.92336, -75.15081 (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 86003286.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5509653
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.