St. Augustine's Catholic Church
Why it's listed
Brick Roman Catholic church at Fourth and New Streets in Philadelphia, built in 1847 on the ruins of the first St. Augustine's Church, which was burned by a mob on May 8, 1844, during anti-Catholic and anti-Irish disorders in the city. The first church, begun in 1796 and completed in 1801, had been the largest in Philadelphia. Napoleon LeBrun designed the replacement, a two-story building with a projecting center bay and a square tower that was completed in 1867 to a design by Edwin F. Durang. The interior contains a marble sanctuary installed in the 1920s, carved galleries, and a religious art collection, including a central painting of St. Augustine in Glory by Philip Costaggini. The church is regarded as an important architectural monument in its section of the city and as a key site of the 1844 riots, which were tied to nativist opposition to Irish and German Catholic immigrants.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is significant for its association with the 1844 anti-Catholic riots, in which the original St. Augustine's was destroyed by nativist mobs, and for its architecture. The present building is described as an important architectural monument in its section 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 76001670, listed June 15, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4th and New Sts., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | June 15, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001670 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799, 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Napoleon LeBrun (architect); Edwin F. Durang (tower, 1867); Nicholas Fitz Maurice Fagan (original church, 1796-1801) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival elements; Georgian; late Federal (as stated in the form) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Good condition; interior renovations in the 1890s and entrance lowered in 1924; the clock and bell tower were removed. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Independence National Historical Park |
| Coordinates | 39.95554, -75.14655 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 76001670.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2317407
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.