Ludlow, James R., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1926-1927 on North 6th Street in Philadelphia, the James R. Ludlow School is a three-story brick building set on a raised brick basement. Its nine-bay front has projecting end pavilions with carved stone panels, and the central bays are framed by stone surrounds, lintels and sills. A one-story stone entrance pavilion with a Tudor-arched opening and the school's name carved overhead marks the central ground floor, flanked by rounded arched openings. The design of the Late Gothic Revival style reflects the work of architect Irwin T. Catharine, who used it widely in his 1920s school designs. The building is regarded as a well preserved example of that style. Its side elevations include a one-story brick bay on the south side, a feature not found in other designs by the architect. The school is part of the Philadelphia Public Schools thematic group and remains in use as a school.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as a well preserved example of the Late Gothic Revival style used by Catharine in his 1920s school designs. It is said to share details with other Philadelphia schools but to be set in a unique arrangement, with a bay on the first-floor side elevation not found in other designs. It was nominated as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic Resource under 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 88002296, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1323--1345 N. 6th St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002296 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926-1927 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect); builder unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as excellent and integrity as excellent; current use is school. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 39.97238, -75.14600 (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 88002296.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6141677
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.