McCallum Manor
Why it's listed
Set on a promontory above the Wissahickon Valley on McCallum Street in Mount Airy, Philadelphia, this nine-story apartment house was completed in 1925 to designs by McLanahan and Bencker. Its deep red brick facade carries terra cotta pilasters and entablatures derived from the English Regency work of John Soane. The plan divides the building into two I-shaped towers joined at the lobby, where diagonal space leads to the elevators. Apartments range from plain units that expose beam and slab concrete construction to customized units with plasterwork, paneled walls, and two-story living rooms. It is significant as a leading example of the firm's 1920s regional style, which adapted Regency motifs to conservative Philadelphia tastes. It was also an early response to automobile access, with a rear garage providing off-street parking for tenants along the new highway serving Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant as a leading example of the 1920s regional style developed by McLanahan and Bencker, which adapted Regency and Soane-derived motifs to Philadelphia tastes. Its plan, lobby circulation, and decorative plasterwork are cited as distinctive, and it is described as an early response to automobile access, with a garage for tenants' cars.
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 85001000, listed May 9, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6653 McCallum Ave., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | May 9, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001000 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925 |
| Architect / builder | McLanahan and Bencker |
| Architectural style | Federal Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 40.04512, -75.19152 (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 85001000.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6800116
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.