Insurance Company of North America Building
Why it's listed
Completed in 1925 at 1600 Arch Street in Philadelphia, the sixteen-story steel-frame office building was designed by Stewardson & Page and built by Stone & Webster, Inc. Its base is faced in Stonington pink granite, its shaft in red brick laid in Flemish bond, and its crown in white Indiana limestone. The 16th Street entrance has four granite Corinthian columns, each topped by a carved granite eagle, the company's symbol. The building was the Insurance Company of North America's ninth home office and is the only one of the nine still standing. It was planned during the presidency of Benjamin Rush, whose systematic classification of marine risks, introduced in the 1890s, is central to the company's rise in marine and inland marine insurance. The lobby retains Kasota marble walls, and the 12th-floor executive offices and 16th-floor auditorium keep original decor. The company's history dates to 1792.
Significance in brief: The building is the company's ninth home office, the only one of the nine still standing, and it was planned and completed during Benjamin Rush's presidency. The nomination links it to Rush's systematic classification of marine risks and to the company's leadership in marine and inland marine insurance. The building is described as virtually unaltered externally and as retaining many original interior 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 78002449, listed June 2, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1600 Arch St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | June 2, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002449 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Stewardson & Page (architect); Stone & Webster, Inc. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Second Renaissance and Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated June 16, 1978 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In excellent condition; continues to house the company's executive offices. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.95456, -75.16700 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 78002449.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6042311
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.