Irish, Nathaniel, House
Why it's listed
Built in the 1760s on Front Street in Southwark, Philadelphia, this three-and-one-half story town house was constructed by house carpenter and builder Nathaniel Irish, who erected it together with adjoining houses. Front Street was an important residential and commercial district in the eighteenth century, and many houses of the same period still line it. The brick front facade is laid in Flemish bond and topped by a steep gable roof, with a frame modillion cornice, dormers front and rear, and three-flue chimneys. Inside, seven fireplaces survive, one with a frame mantel and Wall of Troy trim and 18th century blue Dutch tiles, along with a castiron fireback. Other original features include panelled chimney walls, panelled doors, original hinges, and spiral stairs between the second and fourth floors. Irish was a member of the Carpenters Company of Philadelphia from 1762 to 1769 and was an owner or co-owner of an ironworks in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The house is regarded as typical of its period.
Significance in brief: The house is associated with house-carpenter-builder Nathaniel Irish, who built it along with adjoining houses on Front Street, an important residential and commercial area in the eighteenth century. The nomination states that the house is typical of its period and notes its largely original interior, including seven fireplaces and an 18th century castiron fireback.
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 72001160, listed March 16, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 704 S. Front St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | March 16, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001160 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1763-1769 |
| Architect / builder | Nathaniel Irish (builder) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present owners are restoring the house; the document describes it as in excellent condition with its described features intact. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Southwark District |
| Coordinates | 39.93977, -75.14464 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 72001160.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6969692
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.