National Register of Historic Places

Druim Moir Historic District

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Listed
December 11, 1979
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
79002318

About this property

Druim Moir, also known as the Houston Estate Historic District, is a historic district in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Druim Moir was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It is a contributing property of the Chestnut Hill National Historic District. "Druim Moir" means Great Ridge in Scottish Gaelic. The centerpiece of the historic district is Druim Moir Castle (1885–86), whose main gate is at the corner of Willow Grove Avenue and Cherokee Street. Designed by architects G. W. & W. D. Hewitt, and built at a cost of over $115,000 for Henry H. Houston, the thirty-room home was the largest in its neighborhood. Local Wissahickon schist was used for the walls, Eastern granite for the trim, and slate for the roof. The interior is notable for its variety of woods: oak for the hall and stairway, butternut walnut for the parlor, mahogany for the reception room, quartered oak in the dining room and library, sycamore for the office, and cypress for the servant's section. Oak, cherry, and sycamore were used on the second floor, and white pine for the third-floor servants' quarters. Houston was the largest landowner in Philadelphia in the 1880s. He earned his wealth as the freight manager of the Pennsylvania Railroad, as well as from gold mining, shipping, and petroleum products. Houston also developed the neighborhood of over 80 homes known as Wissahickon Heights that surrounds Druim Moir. Nearby Brinkwood, a Shingle-style residence, was a wedding present from Houston to his son, Samuel F. Houston, in 1887. The gardens were altered in 1920-1921 by Robert Rodes McGoodwin for Samuel F. Houston. In 1952, the house was modified by the removal of the top story and towers. In addition to the eponymous castle and Brinkwood, the historic district comprises five other contributing properties and eight non-contributing properties. Listing and photographs at Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Photograph of the castle in its original state at Bryn Mawr College

Location

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
40.05988, -75.21400

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURE
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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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Wissahickon Inn
Industrial
0.3 mi
Oakley, Violet, Studio
Industrial
0.7 mi
Esherick, Margaret, House
Industrial
0.9 mi
Chestnut Hill Historic District
Listed
1 mi
Pennsylvania Institute for the Deaf and Dumb
Listed
1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Germantown — Chew House
1777Revolutionary War
2.2 mi
Battle of Germantown
1777Revolutionary War
2.4 mi
Battle of Germantown (approach actions)
1777Revolutionary War
2.6 mi
Battle of Barren Hill (Pennsylvania)
1778Revolutionary War
3.4 mi
Battle of Whitemarsh
1777Revolutionary War
4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Druim Moir Historic District listed on the National Register?

Druim Moir Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 11, 1979.

What type of historic resource is Druim Moir Historic District?

Druim Moir Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Druim Moir Historic District?

The period of significance for Druim Moir Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Druim Moir Historic District?

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