Awbury Historic District

The story

Written by AI from this property's National Register nomination and the record above; every sentence is checked against its sources before it appears here. Corrections: privacy@treealive.com

The Awbury Historic District is a 78-acre historic district in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, listed in the National Register in 2001. Its houses show Gothic Revival, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles.

Why it's listed

It was listed under criteria A and C, with state-level significance in architecture, landscape architecture and conservation. Its period of significance runs from 1849, when the Cope family first occupied the land, to 1940.

Physical character

Walls are stone, shingle, stucco and board-and-batten on stone foundations, with asphalt roofs and wood porches. Many houses show Gothic Revival and Queen Anne details such as gabled dormers and decorative barge boards, while others have Colonial Revival pediments, fanlights and gambrel roofs. The stone Awbury Stable became a residence in 1886, and perimeter walls were built under the WPA from 1934 to 1938. Houses gained wings and additions in 1890 and 1957, and architect Carl A. Ziegler renovated the Unruh-Garretson-Cope House in 1921.

Historical context

The Cope family began occupying land in the district in 1849, when the John S. Haines tract was purchased, and Henry Cope acquired adjoining land in 1852. Clementine Cope purchased additional property in 1885, the same year the Cope and Stewardson architecture partnership was established, and the Awbury Arboretum was created in 1916. Howard S. Kneedler became the arboretum's first director in 1933, the Awbury Arboretum Association was established in 1988, and a community garden was added in 1999.