Philadelphia School of Design for Women - Philadelphia, PA
N 39° 58.464 W 075° 09.544
18S E 486417 N 4424927
This site has a storied history, It is now Freedom Theater, and was originally Forrest House and then becoming the School. Forrest was a famous tragedian of his time. The original 1848 house was expanded and this NRHP site is a result of that.
Waymark Code: WM7M0J
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 11/07/2009
Views: 2
The Italianate house actually has two NRHP listings, being first recognized as the Edwin Forrest House 21 years before it was listed again as the School of Design. The address of the original NRHP site is 1326 N. Broad Street while this waymark has an address of 1346 N. Broad Street. Both are connected to the same piece of real estate. Today the Forrest homes is called Freedom Theater and has been since 1968. This NRHP waymark is for the house and the rear west addition which make up the theater. A historical marker in front of the right side or 1346 Broad Street, marks the historic spot. The Philadelphia School of Design for Women became the Moore College of Art & Design in 1989. Although the school changed names to the Moore College of Art, it continued to occupy the building until 1960. From 1960 to 1968 it was a community center.
Wikipedia SOURCE has an excellent article on Moore College of Art and Design and this historic structure. It has a picture of the right side of the building before the left side or south end along Broad Street was added sometime in the 60s or 70s. They did a good job as it looks just like the original structure.
Another Wikipedia entry on this sites says The Philadelphia School of Design purchased the house in 1880, and an extensive addition was made westward to Carlisle Street to house art studios. The Master Street façade of the addition was changed with windows made consistent from the older house through the rear. On Google Earth, Westward means to the rear of the Forrest House. The 60's addition is south. Very confusing stuff.
A blue plaque on the eastern most edge of the house along Broad Street marks this historic site as the Forrest house.