Randolph House
Also known as: Laurel Hill; See Also:Fairmount Park
Why it's listed
Built as a brick country house in Philadelphia, the Randolph House is a two-and-a-half-story Georgian building with a pedimented center pavilion and entrance doors on both its land and river sides. Its central section dates from about 1760, with a one-story west wing added in the late eighteenth century and an octagonal drawing room wing on the east end built in the nineteenth century. The house was owned by Joseph Shute and then bought in 1760 by Francis Rawle of Philadelphia, who died in a shooting accident while fowling along the Delaware in 1761. His widow later married Samuel Shoemaker, a former mayor of Philadelphia. Several rooms retain fine paneling and mantels. The Fairmount Park Commission now owns the house, which is used to house park employees. Its original fabric is described as virtually intact despite added modern fittings.
Significance in brief: The house is described as an architectural gem of its period and a fine example of the Philadelphia country house. It has fine paneling and mantels in several rooms, and its original fabric is said to be virtually intact. Its early owners included Philadelphia figures, among them Samuel Shoemaker, a former mayor of 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 72001169, listed March 24, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | East Fairmount Park, Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | March 24, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001169 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1750 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered; used to house park employees; modern appurtenances added; well preserved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Fairmount Park |
| Coordinates | 39.99150, -75.19489 (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 72001169.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7291839
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.