Germantown Grammar School (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: Germantown Grammar School #2
Why it's listed
Built in 1886-1887 on W. Haines Street in Germantown, this two-story annex was designed by Philadelphia Board of Education architect Joseph W. Anshutz to serve the nearby Germantown Grammar School. Its walls are faced in Wissahickon schist, and it has a shallow hip roof, sandstone lintels and sills, and simplified Italianate detailing, including rafter ends and stone chimney caps. Inside, a single-loaded corridor gives access to six classrooms, and much of the original plan and plaster, brick wainscot and reed-molded window frames survive. Its use as a school ended in 1937 after classes were moved elsewhere. The nomination regards it as a rare surviving annex designed by Anshutz, and it is included in the boundary increase to the original Germantown Grammar School listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the annex retains enough original fabric to have integrity, which earlier reviews had doubted. It is presented as a rare annex by architect Joseph W. Anshutz and as an example of the single-loaded corridor school plan standardized by him, with its stone construction and modest Italianate detailing chosen to match the surrounding Germantown buildings.
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 06000430, listed May 19, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 45 W. Haines St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | May 19, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000430 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887-1937 |
| Architect / builder | Anshutz, Joseph W. |
| Architectural style | LATE VICTORIAN: Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Presently vacant |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Colonial Germantown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.03757, -75.17825 (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 06000430.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.