Edwin Forrest House facts for kids
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Edwin Forrest House
Philadelphia School of Design for Women |
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Edwin Forrest House, now Freedom Theatre
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 Location in Philadelphia
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1346 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| Built | 1853–54 |
| Architect | probably Stephen Decatur Button. James H. Windrim (1880 alterations) |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001152, 93001608 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 13, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | November 4, 1993 |
The Edwin Forrest House is a historic building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is also known as the Gaul-Forrest House. This important building is located at 1346 North Broad Street. It was built a long time ago, between 1853 and 1854.
For many years, from 1880 to 1960, this house was home to the Philadelphia School of Design for Women. This was one of the biggest art schools for women in the United States. The Edwin Forrest House was named a National Historic Landmark in 1993. This means it is a very special place in American history.
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What is the Edwin Forrest House?
The Edwin Forrest House is in a part of Philadelphia called Yorktown. It sits on the west side of North Broad Street. The building has three main parts. There is the original house, a theater added later, and a classroom area at the back.
The Building's Look
The main part of the house is a three-story building made of brick. It has a special stone called brownstone. The style of the building is called Italianate. This was a popular design style when it was built. The windows on each floor get a little shorter as you go up. The windows on the first two floors have fancy decorations above them.
The main door is in the middle of the front of the house. It has a decorative cover above it. The window right above the door sticks out a bit. It also has special decorations.
Who Lived Here?
The original house was built between 1853 and 1854. It was built for a rich brewer named William Gaul. A famous local architect, Stephen D. Button, designed the house.
About a year after it was finished, a famous actor named Edwin Forrest bought the house. He lived there until he passed away in 1872.
A School for Artists
In 1880, the Philadelphia School of Design for Women bought the property. They added a large section to the back of the house. This new part had art studios for students. The new section matched the old house with its brick and brownstone windows.
The school later changed its name to the Moore College of Art. It stayed in the building until 1960. After the art school left, the Philadelphia Cotillion Society bought the building. They used it as a community center until 1968.
The Freedom Theatre Today
Today, the Edwin Forrest House is home to Freedom Theatre. This organization teaches people how to act and how to create live theater shows. It continues the building's long history of supporting the arts.
The building was first added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This was because of its beautiful architecture. In 1993, it became a National Historic Landmark. This was because of its important connection to the art school. It is the only building left from that famous school.
See also
