Graham and Laird, Schober and Mitchell Factories
Why it's listed
Two brick factory buildings on 19th Street in Philadelphia were erected in the 1880s, the Graham factory in 1885-86 and the Laird, Schober and Mitchell shoe factory about five years later. Both use tall floor heights, generous segmentally arched windows and projecting piers that express the internal frame. The shoe factory is more elaborate, with a low square tower capped by a copper pyramidal roof marking its entrance, and pilasters with stylized Ionic capitals. The Graham interior relies on heavy timber framing with iron-clad central posts and trapezoidal iron joint plates. The buildings are regarded as handsome examples of nineteenth-century factory design that influenced architects from Louis Sullivan to Louis Kahn. They also illustrate the factory district that developed near rail lines below Spring Garden Street, which was largely cleared in later decades.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the buildings are handsome examples of nineteenth-century factory design that influenced American architects from Louis Sullivan to Louis Kahn. It also presents them as representatives of the mid-city factory district and the real estate and industrial forces of the nineteenth-century city. The Laird, Schober and Mitchell factory is described as one of the earliest surviving works of a major factory architecture firm.
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 78002448, listed July 7, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 19th St. between Hamilton and Buttonwood Sts., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | July 7, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002448 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Geisinger and Hales (architects of the Laird, Schober and Mitchell factory) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 39.96244, -75.16928 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 78002448.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5593379
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.