Rowen, William, School
Why it's listed
Built in 1937-1938 at 6801 N. 19th Street in Germantown, the Rowen School is a two-story brick building with limestone trim, designed by Irwin T. Catharine for the School District of Philadelphia. Its front facade is five bays wide, with a large stone entrance on the first floor, a pseudo-Palladian opening above it, and stone bands at each outside corner. A long rear wing extends seven bays, and a truncated steeple marks the junction between the main block and the wing. The design is closely related to Catharine's Thomas Mifflin School in East Falls but relies less on Georgian Revival motifs. The building blends Art Moderne flat surfaces with Colonial Revival detailing, and it is regarded as a representative example of the range of styles Catharine used for schools before he returned to Colonial Revival designs in later work. The property includes one contributing building and one non-contributing building on the historically associated land.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a fine representative of the stylistic range in which Catharine designed schools, combining Art Moderne flatness with Georgian Revival features such as a truncated steeple. It is listed under Criterion C for architecture and is described as a unique design. It is nominated as part of the Philadelphia Public Schools Thematic District.
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 88002318, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6801 N. 19th St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002318 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1937-1938 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival/Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Good condition; in use as a school |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.05870, -75.14817 (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 88002318.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8017809
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.