Houston, Henry H., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1926-1927 from School Board Type Number 153 plans by architect Irwin T. Catharine, the Henry H. Houston School is a three-story brick building on a raised basement, with stone trimmings and a crenellated parapet. Its central bay has a projecting stone entryway with a Tudor-arched opening and the school's name carved above it. The side elevation has triple-sash windows and a projecting second bay with stone surrounds. Catharine designed one of five schools built to this type in Philadelphia, the others being the Avery Harrington, William H. Harrison, Franklin Seedley and Richmond schools, completed between 1926 and 1929. The building was given an addition in 1954, which is noted as a rear addition. The property was listed for its contribution to the history of education and school architecture in Philadelphia, and it is a representative example of the city's public school design of the late 1920s. The site covers 2.3 acres.
Significance in brief: The evaluation states it warrants listing for its place in the history of education and of school architecture in Philadelphia. The form notes it is less flamboyant than other designs by architect Irwin T. Catharine of the period. The applicable criterion marked is C, Architecture.
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 88002283, listed April 10, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 135 W. Allen's Ln., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | April 10, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88002283 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926-1927 |
| 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) | Listed as a school; the document gives no current use or condition beyond a good condition rating on the survey. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 40.05899, -75.19472 (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 88002283.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5722390
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.