Lesley, J. Peter, House
Also known as: See also:Clinton Street Historic District; Washington Square
Why it's listed
Built between 1835 and 1836 as a three-story brick house on Clinton Street in Philadelphia, the property has a Flemish bond facade, marble basement cladding and a fanlight at the entrance. From 1869 to 1896 it served as the rented home and office of geologist J. Peter Lesley, who was Director of the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania from 1874 to 1896. Here he wrote, drew and edited the survey's reports, which totaled 120 volumes produced by his assistants over two decades. Lesley had earlier written A Manual of Coal and The Iron Manufacturer's Guide, and his work on coal, iron and oil deposits made him one of the leading geologists of his day. The house is valued for its link to that survey work and to Lesley's national reputation in the history of science. Lesley himself never owned the property.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as the rented residence and office of geologist J. Peter Lesley from 1869 to 1896, where he directed the Second Geological Survey of Pennsylvania and edited its reports. The nomination argues that Lesley was a nationally important geologist, and that his survey work, which produced 120 volumes, is the basis for the listing.
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 94001646, listed October 12, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1008 Clinton St., Phialdelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | October 12, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001646 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1869-1896 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Science |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated October 12, 1994 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is used as a single-family residence and was altered to accommodate up to three apartments; it appears in excellent condition and has a facade easement. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Washington Square West Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.94511, -75.15868 (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 94001646.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6106777
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.