National Register of Historic Places

Chamounix

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Listed
April 25, 1972
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
72001146

About this property

Chamounix is a historic home located in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Federal-style house was built in 1802 by George Plumsted who was a wealthy Philadelphia merchant, then enlarged to nearly double its original size by subsequent owners after 1853. Chamounix is a 2½-story stuccoed stone dwelling measuring 45 feet (14 m) long and 47 feet (14 m) deep, featuring a hipped roof with dormers and a porch on three sides with decorative iron supports. The house served as a country retreat until it was appropriated by the state via eminent domain in 1869 to become a part of Fairmount Park, from which time it was used in various ways including as a boarding house, a restaurant, and a refreshment stand. After years of neglect and then fire damage, the Fairmount Park Commission decided to demolish Chamounix; however, a committee of the former American Youth Hostels (AYH, now HI USA) successfully petitioned to save it and, since 1964, it has served as an international youth hostel. Chamounix was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

Location

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
40.00386, -75.18449

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

Church of St. James the Less
Industrial
0.1 mi
Laurel Hill Cemetery
Industrial
0.2 mi
Reyburn Manufacturing Company Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Dobson Mills
Listed
0.3 mi
Whittier, John Greenleaf, School
Industrial
0.6 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Germantown (approach actions)
1777Revolutionary War
2.7 mi
Battle of Germantown
1777Revolutionary War
3.1 mi
Battle of Germantown — Chew House
1777Revolutionary War
3.8 mi
Battle of Germantown Oct 4 1777
1777Revolutionary War
4.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Chamounix listed on the National Register?

Chamounix was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 25, 1972.

What type of historic resource is Chamounix?

Chamounix is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Chamounix?

The period of significance for Chamounix is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Chamounix?

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