Muhlenberg School
Also known as: Bishop Miller Tabernacle Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1874-1875 in Philadelphia, this two-story stone school stands at Master and 17th Streets. Its plan is cruciform, with the central sections of the long sides projecting and the central register projecting on the east and west elevations. Segmental-arched openings with keystones, a bracketed wood cornice, circular openings in the gables, and a stone beltcourse between the floors give it its character. Lewis Esler, architect for the Controllers of the Public Schools from 1867 to 1883, designed it. Many of his school designs drew on earlier models by James C. Sidney and others. Of the seven surviving Esler schools, this is the only one with a cruciform plan, a layout once common among Philadelphia schools. The building was later used as a church, and was in poor condition when it was listed. It was listed for its architectural importance as a member of the Philadelphia Public Schools thematic group.
Significance in brief: The building was designed by Lewis Esler, architect for the Controllers of the Public Schools from 1867 to 1883. It is described as the sole surviving Esler school with a cruciform plan, a plan once common in Philadelphia schools. The form argues its integrity warrants inclusion as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools thematic group 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 88002247, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1640 Master St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002247 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1874-1875 |
| Architect / builder | Lewis Esler (architect); Columbus Tweed (builder) |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Poor condition; rehabilitation for elderly housing was underway subject to Philadelphia Historical Commission review. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 39.97479, -75.16322 (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 88002247.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6933041
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.