Washington Square
National Register of Historic Places

Washington Square

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Listed
September 13, 1981
Type
Structure
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
81000558

About this property

Washington Square, originally designated in 1682 as Southeast Square, is a 6.4 acres (2.6 ha) open-space park in Center City, Philadelphia, The southeast quadrant and one of the five original planned squares laid out on the city grid by William Penn's surveyor, Thomas Holme. It is part of both the Washington Square West and Society Hill neighborhoods. In 2005, the National Park Service took over ownership and management of Washington Square, through an easement from the City of Philadelphia. It is now part of Independence National Historical Park.

Location

Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
39.94697, -75.15226

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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Everything a full report reveals about Washington Square

This page lists Washington Square. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

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

Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Industrial
0.1 mi
Reynolds-Morris House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Sully, Thomas, Residence
Industrial
0.1 mi
Society Hill Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Musical Fund Hall
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Germantown Oct 4 1777
1777Revolutionary War
3.6 mi
Battle of Gloucester (NJ) 1777
1777Revolutionary War
4.1 mi
Fort Mercer siege Oct-Nov 1777
1777Revolutionary War
4.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Washington Square listed on the National Register?

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

What type of historic resource is Washington Square?

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

What is the period of significance for Washington Square?

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

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

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