WEST PHILADELPHIA POWELTON VILLAGE

UNIVERSITY CITY

South Side of Powelton Avenue

between 34th and 35th Streets

THE LOT AND ITS CONTEXT

In the 19th century, the lot was partitioned through deeds, wills, and indentures to different families and individuals. The delineated parts of the block thus, for the most part, developed independently of each other.

The rowhouses built on the lot in the 1880s, much like the houses across the street have been appropriated for use by Drexel University students and fraternities.

The rowhouses on the lot are described as “three-story, two-register Victorian brick rowhouses,” some as “three and three-and-one-half story, 2-register Queen Anne style red brick rowhouses built-as one development.” (Swarthmore)

Today Powelton Village comprises the following area:

BRIEF OF TITLESummary of Ownership Subdivisions

HIGHLIGHTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE LOT (1846-1878)

1846: Henry Baring by WILL to Henry Bingham Baring, tract of land measuring 47.6 ft on SW side, 449”5’ on S side facing Powelton Ave., 74.95 on SE side, and 444”2 on S side facing Race St.

1855: Henry Bingham Baring and wife Marie by DEED to Charles Ingersoll & John Craig Miller

1856: Charles Ingersoll & John Craig Miller by DEED to Thomas Tyson Butcher

HIGHLIGHTS 1846-1878 (ctd.)

1775: Thomas Willing & wife, and Tench Francis & wife, IN FEE to Samuel Powel

1788, 1807, 1808: Samuel Powel by WILL to wife Elizabeth Powel, others by DEED, etc.

1815, 1816: Elizabeth Powel by DEED to Joseph R. Ingersoll

1872: Act of Assembly to Vacate Elizabeth St. in the 24th Ward of the city of Philadelphia: “to be vacated and closed as a public street forever.”

HIGHLIGHTS 1846-1878 (ctd.)

1872: Charles L. Anthony & wife and Pelig Hall & wife to George A. Fletcher “subject to the payment of three several mortgage debts…[1]$5,000 – [2]$10,000 and [3]$4,250, respectively with interest”

1878: James Hickey subdivides lot of ground into 8 building lots

1878: James Hickey to George A. Fletcher: lots 1&2 for $7,000 ea., and lots 3-8 for $7,500 ea.

James Hickey to William Townsend (8 lots)

WEST PHILADELPHIA MAPS

*consistent with the Brief, the Hopkins 1872 Atlas

reflects Anthony & Hall’sownership of entire lot area

outlined in Brief Plan No. 1

Hopkins 1872 Atlas

1886 Baist Atlas

1895 Bromley Atlas

FIRE INSURANCE SURVEY

John Rutherford

3408 Powelton Avenue

1902

SOURCES

Brief of Title, Historical Society of Pennsylvania “Powelton Village - Philadelphia”

http://www.swarthmore.edu/Humanities/langlab/powelton/index.html “Powelton Village,” UCity Phila

http://www.ucityphila.org/things_to_do/powelton_village.cfm Historical Maps of West Philadelphia, 1750-1930

Office of Community Housing, University of Pennsylvania

http://www.business-services.upenn.edu/communityhousing/survey/maps.html

The Philadelphia Contributionship Digital Archives