Widow Maloby's Tavern
Why it's listed
Built in 1764 at 700 S. Front Street in Southwark, Philadelphia, this three-and-a-half story brick house in Flemish bond was an eighteenth-century tavern known as Widow Maloby's Tavern, also called The Ship's Hero. It was listed in an insurance survey of 1774 and was occupied by the widow's heirs and later innkeepers for more than a century. The house has a gable roof with a dormer, a wide molding cornice carried across the gable to form a pediment, and a brick belt course between the second and third stories. Its first story was later altered, with the corner door and windows partly bricked over, and the interior has lost most of its original woodwork. It is one of seven adjoining buildings forming the 700 block of S. Front Street, which is regarded as one of the few completely intact eighteenth-century blocks. Many contemporary newspaper accounts describe the tavern as a gathering point for community events in the neighborhood.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant as one of seven adjoining brick buildings, called messuages, that form the 700 block of S. Front Street, an important commercial and residential area in the eighteenth century. It is also described as one of the few completely intact eighteenth-century blocks still remaining. The tavern was a long-running gathering point for community events, attested by many contemporary newspaper accounts.
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 72001175, listed March 16, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 700 S. Front St., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | March 16, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001175 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1764 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered in its first story and window openings; interior largely gutted with few original elements remaining. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Southwark District |
| Coordinates | 39.93986, -75.14476 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 72001175.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7998802
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.