Poe, Edgar Allen, School
Why it's listed
A school building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, designed in the Jacobean style by the school draftsman Henry deCoursey Richards. It belongs to a period in which Philadelphia schools were built in Colonial, Georgian, Tudor and Gothic revival designs, often using brick and limestone with ornate cartouches, door and window surrounds, and battlemented parapets. The design is valued for its intricate detailing. Richards produced it during the tenure of J. Horace Cook as Superintendent, when the styling and detail of city schools reached a level of sophistication not previously matched. Only two schools designed by Richards in the Jacobean style are included in the thematic group, and this one is the smaller of the two, with more elaborate ornament than the Southwark School. The listing rests on its architectural merit and its demonstration of Richards's range across different design modes.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the school reflects the early twentieth-century shift in Philadelphia school design toward revival styles during J. Horace Cook's tenure as Superintendent. It is presented as a distinctive example of the work of school draftsman Henry deCoursey Richards, and as one of only two Jacobean style schools he designed that are included in the thematic group.
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 86003318, listed December 4, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2136 Ritner St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | December 4, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86003318 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Henry deCoursey Richards (architect) |
| Architectural style | Jacobean |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 39.92170, -75.18287 (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 86003318.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5337103
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.