St. Peter's Church
Also known as: Old St. Peter's Church; See Also:Society Hill Historic Distri
Why it's listed
Brick Georgian church on the southwest corner of Third and Pine Streets in Philadelphia's Society Hill, built between 1758 and 1761 under master builder Robert Smith, with interior fittings completed by 1764. The church was planned as a chapel of ease for Christ Church, the city's Anglican parish, and later became a co-equal parish. Its walls are 22-inch brick laid in Flemish bond, with rusticated quoins, limestone keystones, and a large Palladian window at the east end. The main interior feature is its opposed plan: the altar sits at the east end while the pulpit and reading desk sit at the west end on the central axis. The nomination regards this arrangement as a rare and innovative response to Anglican liturgy, and it is considered one of only a few surviving examples of its type in colonial America. The bell tower and wooden spire, with eight bronze bells, were added in 1842 to designs attributed to William Strickland. The churchyard holds graves and mature trees within a brick wall with wrought-iron gates.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is nationally significant for its unusual interior plan, which placed the altar at the east end and the pulpit and reading desk opposite at the west end on a direct axis down the central aisle. It describes this as an innovative and rare response to Anglican liturgy and as an exceptionally well-preserved example of mid-18th-century Georgian architecture by one of colonial America's leading builders.
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 96000969, listed June 18, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of 3rd and Pine Sts., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | June 18, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000969 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1758-1875 |
| Architect / builder | Robert Smith (1722-1777) (builder-architect); William Strickland (1788-1854) (architect of the 1842 tower and spire) |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated June 18, 1996 |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Within district | Society Hill Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.94309, -75.14805 (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 96000969.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3583707
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.