Oakley, Violet, Studio
Why it's listed
Cresheim Creek farmstead barn in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, built around 1815, was rebuilt in 1902-03 by the architects Frank Miles Day and Charles Z. Klauder as a studio for the painter Violet Oakley. The main studio is a room about 50 by 50 feet and 24 feet high, carried on three massive columns, and the building has a stucco-over-stone exterior with ivy cover. Oakley and three other women artists, Henrietta Cozens, Elizabeth Shippen Green and Jessie Willcox Smith, were invited to Chestnut Hill in 1905 by developer George Woodward, and the studio was called COGS. Oakley, a former student of Howard Pyle, is regarded as a notable early twentieth-century painter whose commissions included frieze work in the Governor's Reception Room and frescoes in the Senate Chamber and Supreme Court Room of the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. The building is significant for its association with her career and with that group of artists.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the studio is significant as the working studio of painter Violet Oakley (1874-1961), who was noted for historical subjects and state Capitol murals in Harrisburg. It also ties the building to the women artists who worked there together, and to the early 20th-century Philadelphia firm of Day and Klauder.
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 77001188, listed September 13, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 627 St. George's Rd., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | September 13, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001188 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Frank Miles Day and Charles Z. Klauder (architects) |
| Areas of significance | Art |
| Level of significance | National |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 40.05239, -75.20526 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 77001188.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q139767563
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.