Lowell, James Russell, School
Why it's listed
A three-story, five-bay brick school on North 5th Street in Philadelphia, completed in 1913-1914 for the city's School District and designed by Henry deCourcy Richards. Its reinforced concrete frame is faced in brick, with granite and terra cotta trim, and the front elevation has a Classical Revival entrance surround and a decorative entablature. Richards was responsible for about forty-nine schools during his thirteen years with the district, and this building is one of eight built on the same model, type 128, between 1912 and 1914. Four of that group, including this school, retain enough original fabric to qualify for listing. It represents the school construction program carried out from the 1905 reorganization of the School Board to World War I, a period when Philadelphia's population rose from about 1.3 million to over 1.8 million. A 1926 addition by Irwin T. Catharine and a 1976 addition do not compromise its overall appearance.
Significance in brief: The form argues the school is one of eight schools built in 1912-1914 on the same model, type 128, and that four of them, including this one, retain enough integrity for listing. It is presented as representing the school building program carried out from the 1905 reorganization of the School Board to World War I, and as an example of Richards's ability to vary a single expandable plan through ornamentation. Listing is justified under criterion C for architecture and for its place in the history of education and school architecture in Philadelphia.
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 88002295, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5801--5851 N. 5th St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002295 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1914 |
| Architect / builder | Henry deCourcy Richards (architect); Charles McCaul Co (builder) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Good condition; in use as a school |
| Acreage | 2.4 |
| Coordinates | 40.04061, -75.12903 (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 88002295.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6142553
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.