Martin, James, School
Why it's listed
Built in 1894-1896 to a design by Joseph W. Anschutz, the James Martin School is a three-story stone building on a slightly raised basement at 21st and Winter Streets in Philadelphia. Its front elevation is divided into five registers, with stone sills and lintels and portholes above the central three. Anschutz designed it during his tenure with the Philadelphia School District, 1885-1899, when he produced 76 school buildings, most of which have since been demolished. The building is regarded as the only surviving example of his use of Romanesque Revival ornamentation applied to a utilitarian school structure. In 1922 a larger nine-register wing by Irwin T. Catharine was added at the southeastern part of the building. Catharine kept Anschutz's vocabulary and sought to follow the original design, which gives the addition particular interest. The building is significant for its place in the history of education and school architecture in Philadelphia.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its place in the history of education and school architecture in Philadelphia. It is described as the only example of Anschutz's use of Romanesque Revival ornamentation on an essentially utilitarian school structure. The 1922 addition by Catharine is presented as retaining the original character of Anschutz's design.
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 88002299, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3340 Richmond St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002299 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1894-1896 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph W. Anschutz (architect); Irwin T. Catharine (1922 addition architect); Frank J. Amweg (builder) |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 39.98559, -75.09707 (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 88002299.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6139015
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.