McClure, Alexander K., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1910-1911 on a raised basement at 21st and Winter Streets, this three-story brick school has stone horizontal bands, stone lintels and a stone belt course, and a central stair tower whose rounded arched opening rises above the entrance. Brick diapering fills the projecting end registers on either side of the entry tower. Henry deCourcy Richards designed it during a major school construction program that followed the 1905 centralization of Philadelphia's public school system under J. Horace Cook, then Superintendent of Buildings. An addition of 1915 added an auditorium, a domestic science room, a manual training room and twelve classrooms, and a small addition in 1967 was also made. The building is regarded as an example of Richards' range, which included Regency-style design. It is also cited as an example of traditional forms used to evoke an earlier American past in the early twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant under Criterion C for its architecture as a representative example of Richards' varied styles within a major public school construction program in Philadelphia. It is presented as showing Richards' architectural versatility and the use of traditional forms to connect with an earlier American past. The evaluation states it warrants entry 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 88002300, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4139 N. 6th St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002300 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910-1911 |
| Architect / builder | Henry deCourcy Richards (architect); Cramp & Co (builder) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as good; the form states the school present use is School. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.01510, -75.13765 (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 88002300.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4719270
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.