Head House Square
National Register of Historic Places

Head House Square

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Listed
June 18, 1972
Type
District
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
72001158

About this property

New Market, as it was originally known, and later also known as Head House (or Headhouse) Market and Second Street Market, is an historic street market which is located on South 2nd Street between Pine and Lombard streets in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With a history dating to 1745, it is one of the oldest surviving market buildings of its type in the nation. This portion, which survives from a longer structure originally extending all the way to South Street, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966, and is the centerpiece of the Head House Square historic district.

Location

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
39.94247, -75.14570

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
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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Everything a full report reveals about Head House Square

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
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
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

New Market
Industrial
0 mi
Drinker's Court
Colonial
0.1 mi
Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
Early Republic
0.1 mi
St. Peter's Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
Ralston, Robert, School
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Gloucester (NJ) 1777
1777Revolutionary War
3.7 mi
Battle of Germantown Oct 4 1777
1777Revolutionary War
4 mi
Fort Mercer siege Oct-Nov 1777
1777Revolutionary War
4.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Head House Square listed on the National Register?

Head House Square was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 18, 1972.

What type of historic resource is Head House Square?

Head House Square is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Head House Square?

The period of significance for Head House Square is recorded as the colonial era, specifically around 1745.

Can I research the history near Head House Square?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Head House Square will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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