Harrison, William H., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1928-1929 at 1012-1020 West Thompson Street, the three-story brick William H. Harrison School rises above a raised basement and has stone trim, a crenellated parapet, and a projecting entrance with a Tudor-arched opening and the school name carved above it. Irwin T. Catharine designed it from School Board Type Number 153, one of five schools built to that plan between 1926 and 1929. Although less elaborate than some of Catharine's other work of the period, it is regarded as a well-preserved example of the Late Gothic Revival style he adopted during the 1920s. The building was one of very few in its neighborhood to survive the replacement of the surrounding blocks by the Redevelopment Authority in the 1950s and 1960s. Its design, type and survival are the grounds for its inclusion in the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic District, and it is listed under criterion C for architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is a well-preserved example of Catharine's principal School Board Type 153 design, executed in the Late Gothic Revival style he adopted in the 1920s. It notes that the building is a good example of its style and type and survived the neighborhood's redevelopment in the 1950s and 1960s. It is listed as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic District.
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 88002278, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1012--1020 W. Thompson St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002278 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928-1929 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect) |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as excellent; school use. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 39.97210, -75.15349 (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 88002278.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8010439
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.