Spring Garden District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: See Also:Spring Garden District
Why it's listed
Three-story brick row houses built mainly between 1850 and 1870 form the core of the Spring Garden district in north-central Philadelphia, which extends from Spring Garden Street north to Coates (now Fairmount) Avenue and from Broad Street west to the Schuylkill River. Many were speculative rows, with about 300 houses built by one firm, Randolph and Parry, local lumber merchants. The houses have pressed brick facades, marble trim, flat bracketed cornices and varied cast ironwork, and their interiors included bathrooms, central heating and gas lighting. Later mansard roofs, bay windows and individually designed houses from 1880 to 1910 were added within the same scale. The district was developed for lawyers, bankers, merchants and manufacturers after its 1854 annexation to Philadelphia. Notable residents included engineer Coleman Sellers, financier Edward T. Stotesbury, painter Thomas Eakins and Bishop Matthew Simpson. The district is regarded as a leading example of mid-19th-century urban residential planning.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is the best remaining example in Philadelphia of middle-class speculative and residential neighborhoods of the mid to late 19th century. It cites the unusually fine developers' rows built 1850 to 1870, the planning and building technology reflected in the houses, and the association with prominent residents including manufacturers, financiers, an artist and a bishop.
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 83002279, listed September 12, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Fairmount, Mt. Vernon, 15th and 19th Sts., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | September 12, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83002279 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1850-1910 |
| Architectural style | Late Georgian-derived row houses; Greek Revival, Italianate, late Federal and Victorian styles noted |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 119.2 |
| Coordinates | 39.97119, -75.17008 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 83002279.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.