Pennsylvania Historic Preservation

Blog of the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

Category: Architectural History (Page 7 of 10)

Brighton Street, Philadelphia. Photo by Ben Buckley from AECOM Technical Services, Inc. April 5, 2016

Community Landmarks in the City of Neighborhoods

May 18, 2016 / / 1 Comment

By Samantha Kuntz

Philadelphia has managed to accrue some significant historic resources over the past, oh, 300 years or so. It is home to no fewer than 550 resources (including districts) listed on National Register of Historic Places, and it holds over 11,087 resources (including districts) on the local Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.  Philadelphia possesses relics of our nascent nation (the U.S. Constitution, the Liberty Bell), contains a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Independence Hall), and boasts an impressive new heritage association (full membership in the Organization of World Heritage Cities).

In other words, there must be something in the (Schuylkill and Delaware) water here.

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Ca. 1916 postcard view of Punxsutawney Post Office. Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archives.

Spotlight Series: The Punxsutawney Post Office

March 16, 2016 / / 3 Comments

While Punxsutawney, Jefferson County is best known as the home of a renowned weather forecasting groundhog, it is also a community of notable historic buildings, including the grand Classical Revival style US Post Office.  With all this great weather we’ve been having, it looks like that famous groundhog got it right this year with his “early spring” prediction!

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Andrew Hoff NHS Office 2015 Harrisburg

PA Modern: Discovering Pennsylvania’s Midcentury Architectural Legacy

October 14, 2015 / / 0 Comments

by Beth Hager

JuriedExhibit_logo_colorEloquence in word and in visual expression – this is the exciting outcome of the new juried exhibit opening at The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg on Sunday, October 25:  “PA Modern:  A Photography Exhibit of Midcentury Architecture.”  Featuring 98 photographs by 44 photographers, the exhibit displays a wonderful array of some of the most iconic Modernist structures found throughout Pennsylvania. Continue reading

Good to Know: The Bungalow – Cozy and Charming, America’s Early 20th Century Dream Home

August 5, 2015 / / 4 Comments
Bungalow_StateCollege

Bungalow in State College, Centre County. Photo by Bryan Van Sweden, PHMC.

Who doesn’t love a Bungalow?  This charming cottage-like dwelling was America’s favorite small house at the turn of the 20th century and was most popular between 1900 and 1930. Some view Bungalows as the embodiment of “home”  —  intentionally designed as a  cozy and  welcoming house form with a prominent front porch  and chimney.    It was even romanticized in songs of that period by Irving Berlin and others. In his 1925 lyrics Berlin described   “A little bungalow, an hour or so from anywhere. A little cozy nest, the kind that’s best for two. Among the shady trees, with birds and bees and lots of air.”   No wonder the popularity of Bungalows spread quickly across the country.   What exactly is a Bungalow house and where did the design come from? Continue reading

Sloan’s used his ‘Philadelphia Plan’ for the Fayette School, built in 1855. This picture shows the school in the late 19th century before the large 1915 addition by the school district. Source: http://hiddencityphila.org/2012/08/its-been-a-bad-year-for-you-samuel-sloan/

Making the Grade: The Architecture of Philadelphia’s Public Schools, Part 1

February 18, 2015 / / 4 Comments

The architectural historian in me is fascinated by the threads of science, theory, and symbolism that go into designing and building schools.  Like most preservationists, I am a strong believer that the power of place plays a central role in shaping our experiences, attitudes, and values.  The tangible aspects of a school’s ‘power of place’ include its architectural style, materials, dimensions, and floor plan.  Taken together, these character-defining features often reflect a community’s wealth, prominence, and aspirations for their children.  In Philadelphia, schools from the mid-19th century to pre-World War II period fit into this category, regardless of their location in large or small, rich or poor neighborhoods.  After World War II, the character of many of Philadelphia’s public schools shifted, and the school buildings communicate a rigid, institutional personality that is markedly different from the schools only a few decades older. Continue reading

Eliza Kirkbride School, Philadelphia
The Kirkbride school in the 1500 block of S. 7th Street at the south edge of Center City was listed in the National Register in 1988 as a good example of a Late Gothic Revival school by the school district’s architect, Irwin T. Catharine. This school is one of 114 listed in the National Register through the first historic context prepared for Philadelphia public schools in the 1980s.

School Daze

December 3, 2014 / / 2 Comments

No, this isn’t a review of Spike Lee’s 1988 movie.  I’m referring to my state of mind when I think about all of the work I’ve done with public schools in Philadelphia over the past few months.

As you may remember from this post, I joined BHP in July and my first assignment was to complete the survey component of a larger project to document Philadelphia elementary and secondary public schools of all types, styles, and dates.  I had a good start on the survey work thanks to the headway my predecessor made in 2013 by assembling lists and survey maps, which are organized by zip code.  My school daze started when I realized that there were about 300 public schools that qualified for this reconnaissance-level survey.  And, even more intimidating, that 205 still needed to be surveyed before school started on September 8th!  Continue reading

Lancaster's Central Market providing fresh food for their healthy community.

Spotlight Series: Lancaster Central Market celebrates its 125th Anniversary

October 15, 2014 / / 0 Comments

bannerFor some readers the onset of seasonal fall weather means bundling up for Friday night high school football games or starting the furnace, but I’m always reminded that another growing season is coming to a close.  However, It is not too late to find great local produce at any of Pennsylvania’s local market houses! Continue reading

Spotlight Series: A neglected architectural gem in North Philadelphia

September 24, 2014 / / 2 Comments

The Spotlight Series is an occasional series that highlights interesting people, places, programs, and partner organizations working on historic preservation issues.

At the turn of the last century, the 2200 block of West Tioga Street was a fashionable address for business owners and professionals. Homes were up to 5,800 square feet, housing large families and live-in servants.

Architect Edgar Viguers Seeler designed the gem of the block — an 1898 chateau-style twin at 2224-26 West Tioga – for two families that owned the Conkling-Armstrong Terra Cotta Co. In fact, it was an ornate showpiece for their business: making architectural ornamentation. It featured columns encrusted with floral detail, ornate stringcourses and porch balustrades, all made of terra cotta. Combining his training from the Philadelphia Museum and School of Industrial Art, MIT, and the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris, Seeler was able to design ornate structures that spanned multiple aesthetics. Continue reading

PA State Museum and Archives, Harrisburg, PA

For PHMC, Preservation Begins at Home

July 16, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Not everyone appreciates the beauty, simplicity and architectural honesty of mid-century modern architecture.  As in every age and style there are good examples, bad examples, and occasionally, a truly exemplary work of architecture.  Fortunately for PHMC, The State Museum and Archives building in Harrisburg is an exemplary work of mid-century modern design.  Continue reading

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