Reynolds, Gen. John F., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1925 and 1926 to a design by Irwin T. Catharine, this four-story school at Jefferson Street and 24th Street in Philadelphia is built of brick with terra cotta and limestone trim. It rests on a raised brick basement with a stone dripcourse, and its narrow end faces 24th Street. The west entrance has Doric columns and an entablature, and terra cotta panels appear in the entablature and in a band below the cornice. The building is three registers wide and twelve registers deep, with three openings per bay on the north and south elevations. A one-story addition of 1958 extends the first floor to the east and at the rear. Its design relates closely to the Darrah, Stanton and Wister Schools, and it is regarded as a strong example of Catharine's Art Deco work of the later 1920s and 1930s. Its surviving original form is the basis for its historic importance.
Significance in brief: The form argues the building is an excellent example of Catharine's use of the Art Deco style in his later 1920s and 1930s designs. Its design is closely related to the Darrah, Stanton and Wister Schools, and it is presented as an example of Catharine adapting an existing three-story school design to a larger structure. The form states it is eligible as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic District, with integrity described as remarkably intact despite the rear addition.
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 88002315, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2300 Jefferson St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002315 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-1926 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect) |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as excellent with good integrity; present use is school use as listed on the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.97757, -75.17435 (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 88002315.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5530806
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.