The Last Vestige of Old World Spring Garden Street, Church of the Assumption, Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Last Vestige of Old World Spring Garden Street
Church of the Assumption, Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cornerstone Laid: May 21, 1848
Consecrated: 1849
Looking northeast, this nineteenth century photograph shows the old, Germanic world of Spring Garden Street. Just east of 12th Street, the Church of the Assumption is between dense middle to upper middle class residential development. The row houses on left are typical nineteenth century, red brick Philadelphia houses that were, no doubt, privately owned by the occupants–they are Greek Revival on the most basic stylistic level, but with a Philadelphia treatment of red brick and shutters with an understated, severe Greek Revival surroud of pilasters and pediment at the entrance. To the east of the church is a larger, less stylized four-story dwelling, probably earlier than the Greek Revival dwellings and perhaps the rectory for the church, perhaps not. Three story row houses extend beyond… The church is across from the mouth of a public market building centered in Spring Garden Street. The market shed appears to be Spanish in style. And the whole scene is so wonderfully old world.
Taken slightly more to the northwest, this view looking northeast is very similar to the above image. Note the private street lamp extending from the entrance to the house left, as well as its pardged party wall, a Philadelphia treatment that we know well today…
Taken from a slightly different angle and looking more to the east, this photograph shows the market building’s west facade in full and the street width for vehicular traffic.
Once a truly vibrant and dense residential section of the city, the above views of Spring Garden Street east of 12th Street, looking northeast, illustrate a context of buildings that has largely vanished. There is but one building remaining from these photographs–the Church of the Assumption. The building is landmarked. We must ensure that it is preserved.
