Smedley, Franklin, School
Why it's listed
Built in 1927-1928 to designs by Irwin T. Catharine for the School District of Philadelphia, this three-story brick school on a raised basement stands at 21st and Winter Streets. It has nine bays of windows on the front, each set within a stone opening, with a stone dripcourse, a beltcourse, and a projecting central entrance with a Tudor-arched opening and the school's name carved above. A crenellated parapet with a stone coping crowns the building. The school belongs to a program of 77 new schools erected in Philadelphia during the 1920s, when population growth and the spread of development drove demand for modern facilities. Catharine used the same plan, Type 153, a Collegiate Gothic model, for five schools across the city, and the Smedley School is one of these identical buildings. The Collegiate Gothic detailing reflects an association with learning and education. The building is regarded as significant for its place in the history of education and school architecture in Philadelphia.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is significant as part of the 1920s Philadelphia school building program, which added 77 new schools in that decade. It is one of five schools built from the same Type 153 plan, reflecting the district's response to population growth. The form states that its Collegiate Gothic detailing expresses the association with learning and education, and it is considered to warrant listing for its place in the history of education and school architecture in 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 88002323, listed November 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5199 Mulberry St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | November 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002323 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1928 |
| Architect / builder | Irwin T. Catharine (architect) |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition; in use as a school |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 40.01780, -75.65984 (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 88002323.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5491832
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.