Rittenhouse Square
National Register of Historic Places

Rittenhouse Square

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Listed
September 13, 1981
Type
Structure
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
81000557

About this property

Rittenhouse Square is a public park in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that is the center of the eponymous Rittenhouse neighborhood. The square is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme during the late 17th century. Together with Fitler Square, the Rittenhouse neighborhood and the square comprise the Rittenhouse–Fitler Historic District. Rittenhouse Square is maintained by the non-profit group The Friends of Rittenhouse Square. The square cuts 19th Street at Walnut Street and also at a half-block above Manning Street. Its boundaries are 18th Street to the east, Walnut Street to the north, and Rittenhouse Square West, a north–south boundary street, and Rittenhouse Square South, an east–west boundary street, making the park approximately two short blocks on each side. Locust Street is interrupted by Rittenhouse Square at 18th Street and Rittenhouse Square West.

Location

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
39.94937, -75.17182

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREARTCONSERVATION
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
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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
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Nearby Historic Sites

Chateau Crillon Apartment House
Industrial
0.1 mi
1900 Rittenhouse Square Apartments
Civil War
0.1 mi
Church of the Holy Trinity
Early Republic
0.1 mi
Center City West Commercial Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Warwick, The
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Germantown Oct 4 1777
1777Revolutionary War
2.6 mi
Battle of Barren Hill
1778Revolutionary War
4.2 mi
Battle of Gloucester (NJ) 1777
1777Revolutionary War
4.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Rittenhouse Square listed on the National Register?

Rittenhouse Square was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 13, 1981.

What type of historic resource is Rittenhouse Square?

Rittenhouse Square is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Rittenhouse Square?

The period of significance for Rittenhouse Square is recorded as the colonial era.

Can I research the history near Rittenhouse 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 Rittenhouse Square will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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