Sansom Row
National Register of Historic Places

Sansom Row

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Listed
December 27, 1977
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
77001190

About this property

Sansom Row is a row of historic houses located at 3402 to 3436 Sansom Street in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built from 1869 to 1871, the rowhouses were constructed in matching three-story pairs, with brownstone facades and slate mansard roofs. They are significant as a surviving example of post-Civil War architecture in the area. Madame Blavatsky, a founder of Theosophy and the Theosophical Society, lived for a time in the rowhouse located at 3420 Sansom Street. The houses were built as residences but most have been converted to other, mainly commercial uses. In the 1970s it became a popular locale among the University of Pennsylvania community and local residents for its restaurants and shops, like La Terrasse, White Dog Cafe and The Black Cat . National Register Nomination, prepared by George E. Thomas, at the University City Historical Society.

Location

3402--3436 Sansom St.
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
39.95340, -75.19255

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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Everything a full report reveals about Sansom Row

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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
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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
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

Furness Library
Industrial
0.1 mi
University of Pennsylvania Campus Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
College Hall, University Of Pennsylvania
Industrial
0.2 mi
St. Anthony Hall House
Industrial
0.2 mi
32nd St. and Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia Armory
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Germantown Oct 4 1777
1777Revolutionary War
1.5 mi
Battle of Barren Hill
1778Revolutionary War
3.1 mi
Fort Mercer (Battle of Red Bank)
1777Revolutionary War
5.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Sansom Row listed on the National Register?

Sansom Row was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 27, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Sansom Row?

Sansom Row is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Sansom Row?

The period of significance for Sansom Row is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Sansom Row?

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