NOMINATION OF HISTORIC BUILDING, STRUCTURE, SITE, OR OBJECT PHILADELPHIA REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

PHILADELPHIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION SUBMIT ALL ATTACHED MATERIALS ON PAPER AND IN ELECTRONIC FORM ON CD (MS WORD FORMAT)

1. ADDRESS OF HISTORIC RESOURCE (must comply with an Office of Property Assessment address)

Street address: 1801 E. Huntingdon Street

Postal code: 19125 Councilmanic District: 1

2. NAME OF HISTORIC RESOURCE

Historic Name: Textile National Bank

Common Name: N/A (Vacant)

3. TYPE OF HISTORIC RESOURCE

Building Structure Site Object

4. PROPERTY INFORMATION

Condition: excellent good fair poor ruins

Occupancy: occupied vacant under construction unknown

Current use: Vacant

5. BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

See attached.

6. DESCRIPTION

See attached.

7. SIGNIFICANCE

Please attach the Statement of Significance.

Period of Significance (from year to year): from 1909 to 1930

Date(s) of construction and/or alteration:1908-09

Architect, engineer, and/or designer: Herman Miller

Builder, contractor, and/or artisan: Horace B. Deal

Original owner: Textile National Bank

Other significant persons: Harry Brocklehurst

CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION:

The historic resource satisfies the following criteria for designation (check all that apply): (a) Has significant character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural

characteristics of the City, Commonwealth or Nation or is associated with the life of a person significant in the past; or,

(b) Is associated with an event of importance to the history of the City, Commonwealth or Nation; or,

(c) Reflects the environment in an era characterized by a distinctive architectural style; or, (d) Embodies distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style or engineering specimen; or, (e) Is the work of a designer, architect, landscape architect or designer, or engineer whose work

has significantly influenced the historical, architectural, economic, social, or cultural development of the City, Commonwealth or Nation; or,

(f) Contains elements of design, detail, materials or craftsmanship which represent a significant innovation; or,

(g) Is part of or related to a square, park or other distinctive area which should be preserved according to an historic, cultural or architectural motif; or,

(h) Owing to its unique location or singular physical characteristic, represents an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood, community or City; or,

(i) Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in pre-history or history; or (j) Exemplifies the cultural, political, economic, social or historical heritage of the community.

8. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

See attached.

9. NOMINATOR

Name with Title H. R. Haas Email hrhnominations@gmail.com

Organization N/A Date 4/11/2017

Street Address____________________________________Telephone (805) 613-7884

City, State, and Postal Code______________________________________________________________

Nominator is is not the property owner.

PHC USE ONLY

Date of Receipt:_______________________________________________________________________

Correct-Complete Incorrect-Incomplete Date:_________________________________

Date of Notice Issuance:_________________________________________________________________

Property Owner at Time of Notice

Name:_________________________________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

City:_______________________________________ State:____ Postal Code:_________

Date(s) Reviewed by the Committee on Historic Designation:____________________________________

Date(s) Reviewed by the Historical Commission:______________________________________________

Date of Final Action:__________________________________________________________

Designated Rejected 4/11/13

4/11/2017

5/8/2017

5/8/2017

SLT 1801 LLC

3621 B Street

19134 PA Philadelphia

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NOMINATION FOR THE PHILADELPHIA REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

Figure 1: Second-story elevation of the Textile National Bank. (Photograph by author, 2017).

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5. Boundary Description

The boundary description of 1801 E. Huntingdon Street is as follows:

Beginning at a point formed by the intersection of the Northeasterly side of Huntingdon Street

(60 feet wide) and the Southeasterly side of Kensington Avenue (70 feet wide); thence extending

from said point of beginning Northeastwardly along the said Southeasterly side of Kensington

Avenue, the distance of 120 feet , 0-1/4 inches more or less to a point on the Southwesterly side

of Harold Street (30 feet wide); thence extending Southeastwardly along the said Southwesterly

side of Harold Street, the distance of 45 feet, 9 inches more or less to a point; thence extending

Southwestwardly, the distance of 120 feet, 0-1/4 inches more or less to a point on the said

Northeasterly side of Huntingdon Street; thence extending Northwestwardly along the said

Northeasterly side of Huntingdon Street, the distance of 45 feet, 9 inches more or less to a point

on the said Southeasterly side of Kensington Avenue, being the first mentioned point and place

of beginning. Being No. 1801 East Huntingdon Street.

Department of Records Parcel No. 020N20-0226. OPA Account No. 884715050.

Figure 2: 1801 E. Huntingdon Street. (Cropped map image courtesy of Stormwater Map Viewer,

Philadelphia Water, City of Philadelphia. http://www.phila.gov/water/swmap/).

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6. Physical Description

Despite its Huntingdon Street address, the Kensington Avenue façade of the Textile

National Bank is on Kensington Avenue, a product of the building’s development before the

Market-Frankford Line (El) blocked the view of the façade. The bank is a two-story (with

basement) symmetrical building with additional public-facing elevations on East Huntingdon and

East Harold Streets. The building materials are reinforced stone concrete in a 1-2-4 mix, brick,

and iron, faced in terra cotta for the ashlars, cornice and other decorative elements.1 The roof,

hidden behind the balustrade, is slightly pitched and the original iron, wood, and slag

construction appears to have been replaced.

The view of the Kensington Avenue façade is bisected by the El which makes taking

photographs of it difficult. While both floors are visible, a good view of the first floor can only

be had from the street while the only practical view of the second floor is from the Frankford

bound El platform. The first floor has seven bays, a centered entry door (likely converted into

delivery access given the absence of stairs and metal security gate) with punched three-bay wide

windows to either side of the door. (Figs. 2, 3, 4). A water table runs along the length of the

public-facing elevations. The door surround possesses Doric simplicity, with a stepped architrave

providing the only notable detail. Directly above the door and beneath the door surround’s

architrave is a two-line inscription. The top line states “Established 1904”, while the lower line

states “Erected 1909.” (Fig. 3). Above the inscription is a clock surrounded by a circle of stiff-

leaves. (Fig. 5)

On either side of the door surround are two colossal columns that appear to be

Corinthian, though the typical acanthus-leaf design is only half-height. (Fig. 3). Directly adjacent

1 “Application for the Permit for Repairs, Minor Alterations, Frame Buildings, Bay Windows, Heaters, Boiler and

Engine Foundations, etc.” Permit No. 745, Philadelphia City Archives, Feb. 15, 1909.

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to the columns are colossal pilasters with a geometric pattern on their capitals that bears no

obvious reference to any classical design. (Fig. 6). Lanterns are attached to the pilasters at

window height. (Fig. 4) The first-floor windows on the façade retain their decorative grills and

have subtle keystones. (Fig. 7) The windows on the second floor of the façade have inset window

surrounds and the two easternmost retain their glass and muntins. (Fig. 8) The windows are set

between fluted pilasters that have capitals like the colossal Corinthian columns mentioned

earlier. (Fig. 8) The entablature includes coffering on the underside of the architrave, beaded

astragal molding, a Greek Key pattern on the frieze and dentil cornice, before culminating in the

pediment. (Figs. 3, 9).

The parapeted pediment is a marvel of confused classicism. (Fig. 10). Two finely detailed

reclining women rest on the architrave. The woman on the left has lost her symbolic item, though

it may have been a paintbrush and palette (representing the arts). The woman on the right holds

the caduceus, today most commonly associated with medicine, but in classical art and

architecture exclusively represented the male deity Hermes. Between them is a shield, resting on

clouds, across which is spread the signs of the Zodiac. While indisputably classically inspired,

the actual meaning of the pediment is unclear, as is any possible association it might have with

the textile industry or banking. A balustrade wraps around the public-face of the building and is

more readily visible from the western or eastern elevations (Fig. 11).

The East Harold Street elevation is four bays wide, though the first floor was built with

three evenly-spaced windows and a fourth narrower window further south. (Fig. 12). All the

first-floor windows retain their decorative ironwork. The second-floor windows are double-hung.

The entablature continues the dentiled cornice and balustrade. Paint, likely intended to cover

graffiti, has been liberally applied to the east elevation.

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The Huntingdon Street elevation, is more decorative than the East Harold Street elevation

but has also suffered from more alterations. (Fig. 13). The first floor has been painted a shade of

grey (likely to cover graffiti). A staircase (possibly original) has been added which leads to a

non-original dropbox. A non-original entry door has been carved into the elevation, reducing

what was once likely a three-bay elevation to a single window on the northernmost edge. The

second story elevation continues the semi-Corinthian pilaster motif found on the façade. Half-

pilasters are located at the northernmost and southernmost edge of the three-bay elevation with

full pilasters between each window. None of the original window glass or grills remain. The

western elevation, unlike the eastern, continues the astragal molding and shares the dentil

molding and balustrade. (Fig. 14). The southern elevation is not visible from the street or the

public right of way. However, aerial photography (Fig. 15) shows that it was not built as a party

wall. In addition to the publicly visible chimney, three window openings are visible from the

second floor.

While not visible from the street due to an adjacent building, the southern elevation was

not built, and does not function, as a party wall (Fig. 15).

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Figure 2: First floor façade and partial view of the Kensington Avenue elevation. (Photograph by

author, 2017).

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Figure 3: Original entryway with shadow of original steps, engaged colossal pseudo-

Corinthian columns, door surround, inscription, clock, and coffering. (Photograph by author,

2017).

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Figure 4: Façade view taken from the northern side of Kensington Avenue. (Photograph by

author, 2017).

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Figure 5: Detail view of the clock. (Photograph by author, 2017).

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Figure 6: Engaged colossal column and pilaster with capital detail. The grid is the security

fencing on the eastbound platform of the Market Frankford Line at Huntingdon Station.

(Photograph by author, 2017).

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Figure 7: Detail view of the window grills on the first floor facade. Note the keystones.

(Photograph by author, 2017).

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Figure 8: Original X-shaped window muntins on the second floor of the façade. (Photograph

by author, 2017).

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Figure 9: Detail view of the entablature on the facade. Note the capitals of the columns, beaded

astragal molding, Greek key and floral pattern, and dentil cornice. (Photograph by author, 2017).

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Figure 10: The finely-rendered pediment is in remarkably good condition, but for the

western/leftmost figure’s missing right arm. As mentioned in the description, the figures do not

directly correspond to any known classical deities. (Photograph by author, 2017).

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Figure 11: Ornamented balustrade. (Photograph by author, 2017).

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Figure 12: Eastern elevation. (Photograph by author, 2017).

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Figure 13: Western elevation. Note the pseudo-Corinthian pilasters and continuation of the detail

on the entablature. A non-original door has been added on the Huntingdon Street elevation and

now likely serves as the primary point of access and egress. 1801 E. Huntingdon Street may be

connected to the adjacent building (that is on a separate legal parcel), but it was impossible to

tell without access to the building or from the available permit records. (Photograph by author,

2017).

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Figure 14: The roofline. Note the proximity to the El station as well as the rear chimney.

(Photograph by author, 2017).

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Figure 15: View of the roof, chimney, and three window openings on the southern elevation.

Image through Pictometry, courtesy of the Historical Commission Staff.

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7. Significance

The Textile National Bank, built in 1909 from plans by the architect Herman Miller, is an

example of the neoclassical style, by a prolific Philadelphia architect. Listed on the National

Register of Historic Places, it was founded in 1904 and was the “most prominent” of the banks

associated with the textile industry.2 At its founding it was the only bank to specifically promote

its services to textile manufacturers.”3 The Bank existed as an independent entity, from its

founding in 1905 until announcing its merger with the Industrial Trust Company in 1929,

thirteen days before Black Tuesday plunged the national economy into a depression.

The Textile National Bank also merits significance due to its association with the bank’s

longtime president, Harry Brocklehurst. Brocklehurst was a graduate of Girard College who rose

to become one of the city’s elite, holding various positions of prominence in civic life. Besides

his responsibilities to the Textile National Bank, Brocklehurst was responsible for the

construction of thousands of working and middle-class houses across Philadelphia, including the

locally listed Girard Estate.

2 Logan Ferguson,” Industrial and Commercial Buildings Related to the Textile Industry in the Kensington

Neighborhood of Philadelphia,” National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form, May

29, 2012. http://www.preservationalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/KensingtonNR.pdf Note that the NRHP

form incorrectly states the Textile National Bank’s original location – it was first located at Kensington and

Cumberland, and only acquired the land at E. Huntingdon Street in 1907. 3 Id.

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A) Has significant character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or

cultural characteristics of the City, Commonwealth or Nation or is associated with

the life of a person significant in the past;

Figure 16: Picture of Harry Brocklehurst from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Date of photograph

unknown.4

The Textile National Bank’s longtime president (from 1912-1930), Henry Brocklehurst, was

a prominent figure in Philadelphia politics and business. (Fig. 16). Born circa 1855, he attended

Girard College, then known as a school for “poor orphan white boys,” graduating in 1871.5 He

4 “Birthday Bulletin,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 21, 1928, p. 3.

5 “Harry Brocklehurst,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 4, 1932, p. 4; “Harry Brocklehurst, Builder, Dies at 77,”

The New York Times, Nov. 4, 1932, p. 19.; Hartwell Stafford, ed. Who’s Who in Philadelphia in Wartime Vol. 1,

(Philadelphia: Safford’s National News Service), 1920, 172.

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took a job as a file clerk for $3 a week, before leaving to become a carpenter’s apprentice.6 He

was in business for himself by the age of twenty-three and soon began a career as a highly

successful developer.

In 1912, the same year he became the president of the Textile National Bank, the Inquirer ran

advertisements for his 92-unit development along Medary Avenue in Belfield (Fig. 17), and

announced his plans for 149 “dwelling houses” in Marcus Hook.7 As the president of the

Philadelphia Operative Builders’ Association in 1913 he introduced the development of

development further into South Philadelphia.8 His greatest contribution to the development of

Philadelphia was the more than 4,000 houses he developed including residences in Castor-

Cottman Gardens (1,400 houses) and the Girard Estate in South Philadelphia (400 houses).9

6 New York Times, supra.

7 “North and South Sides of Medary Avenue at 20

th St.,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 26, 1912, p. 25.; “Examine

Our Sample House,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 30, 1916, p. 15; “Building and Realty News of the Week,”

Delaware County Daily Times, Dec. 14, 912, p. 4. 8 “Explains City Plans to Real Estate Men,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 11, 1913, p. 4.

9 “Construction Vast in the Northeast,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 20, 1924, p. 61; “Harry Brocklehurst,

Builder, Dies at 77,” The New York Times, Nov. 4, 1932, p. 19.

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Figure 17: Harry Brocklehurst was a prominent developer in Philadelphia.10

His prodigious development efforts were matched by his commitment to civic life. While

he was estimated at the time of his death to possess a fortune of over a million dollars, his actual

net worth was only a quarter of that amount: $248,185.11

That lower number underscores the

numerous contributions he made. In 1926, he donated $50,000 to Girard College in support of

10

“Conveniently Located,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 26, 1912, p. 25. 11

“Widow Gets Brocklehurst Estate,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 15, 1932, p. 5.; “Banker’s Estate Totals

$248,185,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jan., 19, 1934, p. 2.

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graduates who wanted to pursue university coursework.12

In 1927, when the nearby Episcopal

Hospital sought a new dispensary, Brocklehurst led the donations with a $10,000 contribution.13

In addition to his presidency at the Textile National Bank, he was a director of the Kensington

Trust Co., the Pennsylvania Mortgage Guarantee Co., and of the Kensington Board of Trade, the

Star & Crescent Co., the Wakefield Textile Co., the William Brown Hosiery Co., and numerous

other banks and textile concerns.14

Though he began his career as a lowly office functionary, by

the time of his death in 1932 he was one of the most prominent businessmen in the city.

12

“Harry Brocklehurst,” Women’s Wear Daily, June 15, 1928, Section 2, p. 4. 13

Episcopal Hospital Seeking Dispensary, The Philadelphia Inquirer, April, 23, 1927, p. 3 14

“Harry Brocklehurst,” Women’s Wear Daily, June 15, 1928, Section 2, p. 4.; “Harry Brocklehurst, Builder, Dies at

77,” The New York Times, Nov. 4, 1932, p. 19.

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C) Reflects the environment in an era characterized by a distinctive architectural style;

D) Embodies distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style or engineering

specimen;

H) Owing to its unique location or singular physical characteristic, represents an

established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood, community or City;

The Textile National Bank building was built in the Neoclassical style to designs by the

architect Herman Miller.15

With its engaged colossal Corinthian columns, dentiled cornice, fluted

pilasters, and pediment (loosely) inspired by Greek mythology, it is a fine example of a

Neoclassical bank building. The Neoclassical style in the United States can be traced to the 1893

World’s Columbian Exhibition in Chicago.16

The style was popularized by McKim, Meade, and

White, and soon spread across the entire United States.17

It was a popular style for houses,

schools, churches, government offices, with banks often adopting that style.18

Other nearby banks adopted that style including the Industrial Trust, Title & Savings

(which would later merge with the Textile National Bank) and the Ninth National Bank at Front

and Norris Streets, both now in ruins.19

The Excelsior Trust Company, built seventeen years later

at 1006-08 Lehigh Avenue adopted a similar, but more detailed and academically rigorous

Beaux-Arts Classicism.

The Textile National Bank nonetheless stands out from its neoclassical peers. When first

opened, the highly-ornamented façade with clock and pediment would have presented an

15

Cite to Building Permit 16

“Classical Revival Style 1895-1950, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission,

http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/architecture/styles/classical-revival.html 17

Id. 18

Id. 19

Hidden City Staff, “Two Historic Kensington Bank Buildings Get Short End of Zoning Board Decision,” Aug. 16,

2012. http://hiddencityphila.org/2012/08/zoning-board-rules-against-two-historic-kensington-bank-buildings/

Haas 26

imposing presence from the street. The past hundred years have not been kind to the Textile

National Bank. The clock has stopped and the pediment is damaged,20

but no indignity was

worse than the construction of the El. Where a passerby could once view the whole façade from

the street, the El has blocked off the second story from pedestrian viewing. However, the El has

also elevated the building to a status of neighborhood landmark. The Textile National Bank’s

second story is now the backdrop for the Huntingdon El station (Fig. 1). Riders are afforded, and

take, the opportunity to look at the rich detail on the second story.

E) Is the work of a designer, architect, landscape architect or designer, or engineer

whose work has significantly influenced the historical, architectural, economic,

social, or cultural development of the City, Commonwealth or Nation

Figure 18: Herman Miller’s 1895 design for the proposed Philadelphia Museum of Art.

21

Born in the Roxborough neighborhood of Philadelphia, the son of Christian and Bertha

(Guyer) Miller, Herman Miller received his early education at the Manayunk Boys Grammar

20

Miller was a better architect than classicist. The undamaged female figure to the right holds the caduceus, the staff

symbolically used to represent Hermes, a male deity. While beautiful and evocative of classical architecture, it is

unclear who and what the female figures represent. 21

“Architects Angry over the Awards,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 8, 1785, p. 17.

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School.22

He then entered Spring Garden Institute, where he won first prize for architectural

drawing in 1890. By 1889 he was working for Furness, Evans & Co., where he continued until

1895. During his time with the Furness office he assisted on the work for the Bryn Mawr Hotel,

Williamson Free School, Merion Cricket Club, Seamen's Home, and the Provident Life and

Trust Company Building at 10th and Chestnut streets in Philadelphia. In 1892, on his own, he

entered the competition for the Philadelphia Bourse and received a $500 prize. In 1895, at the

age of 21, he was quoted alongside other notable Philadelphia architects in the Inquirer over the

scandalous outcome of a competition for the design of the new Philadelphia Museum of Art, in

which not a single Philadelphia architect (including Miller) received prize recognition for their

designs.23

During the four-year period during when he worked as a designer for several architects, he

prepared drawings for the Witherspoon Building in Philadelphia (1896 and 1897) for Joseph

Huston. By 1898 Miller had launched his independent practice, sometimes collaborating with

William D. Yarnall, but usually on his own. By 1940 he could boast more than 300 buildings,

including the five-story Clinical Laboratory and Out-patient Building for the Medico-Chirurgical

Hospital (17th and Cherry streets, Philadelphia, 1899-), the Harrison Building (12th and Race

streets, Philadelphia, 1900), and the Gorgas Park War Memorial (Roxborough, Philadelphia,

1918). Although his continuing work for the Medico-Chirurgical Hospital probably represents

the most lucrative commission in Miller's long career, he also developed a specialty in bank

work, including Hanover Saving Fund Society (Hanover, PA, 1907/08), Gettysburg National

22

Sandra Tatman, “Herman Miller (1874-1946), American Architects and Buildings Database,

https://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/27059 Unless otherwise cited, all information about

Herman Miller is as direct quote from Tatman’s biography. 23

“Architects Angry over the Awards,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 8, 1785, p. 17.

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Bank (Gettysburg, PA, 1909/10), Textile National Bank (Philadelphia, 1911), Peoples Bank

(Steelton, PA, 1919/20) and the Textile National Bank, the subject of this nomination.

J) Exemplifies the cultural, political, economic, social or historical heritage of the

community.

The Kensington National Bank was established to serve the “…great Kensington textile

manufacturing district, where some of the most extensive mill works of the world have been

established…”24

Its location, along one of Kensington’s major thoroughfares, placed it at the

center of Philadelphia’s textile operations. As the banking institution of record for many of

Philadelphia’s mills, it helped finance the beating heart of the Workshop of the World.

The Textile National Bank was officially founded on December 21, 1904.25

Unlike many of

its state-chartered peers, the Textile National Bank received its charter from the Federal

Government.26

Unusual for the time, it was not until 1919 that another new bank in Philadelphia

would receive a federal charter.27

The Textile National Bank’s founding was viewed as a

possible break from the history of mergers and consolidations of banking institutions in

Philadelphia.28

The bank was first located at Textile Hall at Kensington Avenue and Cumberland

Street, located only a few blocks away from its future home at 1801 E. Huntingdon Street.29

Unlike more generalized banks in Philadelphia, the Textile National Bank was founded

specifically to serve the textile manufacturing trade.30

At its founding, it was the only bank in

24

“Manufacturing in Philadelphia,” The Textile American, v. 3-4, 1905, p. 12. 25

“Financial”, The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 24, 1904, p. 11. 26

“Notes of the Street,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 6, 1919, p. 15. 27

Id. 28

“Splendid Record Made by National Banks of Philadelphia,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 9, 1905, p. 15. 29

Eight Firemen Hurt as Blaze Attacks Hall, The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 31, 1909, p. 25. 30

“Textile Bank for Philadelphia Textile Manufactures,” Textile World Vol. 27, Brandon, Lord & Nagle Company,

1201/177, 1904.

https://books.google.com/books?id=hpFAAQAAMAAJ&dq=%E2%80%9CTextile+Bank+for+Philadelphia+Textile

+Manufacturers%E2%80%9D&source=gbs_navlinks_s

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the world to serve the textile industry.31

The officers of the bank were men involved in textiles

and the bank intentionally (and successfully) sought manufacturers of textiles as its clients. Its

first President was John H. Bromley Jr., founder of Philadelphia’s famous Bromley Mills, and it

consistently had men associated with the textile trade involved in the banking operation.32

The bank purchased the site of its future home in 1907, occupying land that formerly housed

the Almy Mills.33

Plans for the new two-story building to be built of stone and concrete were

announced in 1908.34

The Textile National Bank moved into its new quarters in 1909, a space it

would occupy for the next twenty-eight years. (Fig. 19). By 1923 the Textile National Bank was

one of six to serve the manufacturing centers of Kensington and Frankford.35

Its clients included

many of the nearby mills, including the Stead & Miller Co. upholstery mill.36

31

“Manufacturing in Philadelphia,” The Textile American, v. 3-4, 1905, p. 12. 32

Id. 33

“The Latest News in Real Estate,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 12, 1907; G.W. Bromley 1895 Philadelphia

Atlas. 34

“Notes of the Street,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 20, 1908, p. 10; “The Latest News in Real Estate,”

The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 21, 1908, p. 13. 35

“This Wettest State in Union,” The Wilkes-Barre Record, January 10, 1923, p. 9. 36

“Five Persons Shot as Bandits Battle for $16,000 Payroll,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 1, 1922, pps. 1-2.

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Figure 19: In 1910 the the Textile National Bank was within aa few blocks of the Almy Mills,

Orinoka Mills, the Bromley Carpet Manufacturer, and other companies engaged in the textile

trade.37

On October 16, 1929, the bank announced plans to merge with the Industrial Trust

Company, a similarly sized bank.38

The board voted on November 26, and the merger took effect

37

G.W. Bromley, Philadelphia Atlas, 1910. Available at http://www.philageohistory.org/tiles/viewer/

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on January 1, 1930.39

The new bank initially had three locations, two in Kensington, and one in

Fern Rock.40

Another merger occurred less than a year later when the Industrial Trust Company

absorbed the Northeastern Title and Trust’s grand building at Kensington and Allegheny.41

The

building remained open until 1992 when Fidelity Bank, the Textile National Bank’s successor in

operation, closed the branch in the face of stiff community opposition due to “declining

trends.”42

(Fig. 20)

38

“Textile Nat’l Joins Industrial Trust Co., “ The Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct. 16, 1929, p. 28. 39

“Approve Bank Merger,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 27, 1929, p. 21 40

“We Announce the Consolidation of the Textile National Bank with Industrial Trust Company,” The Philadelphia

Inquirer, Jan., 2, 1930, p. 28. 41

GroJLart, “The King of K & A,” Hidden City Philadelphia, April 1, 2013. http://hiddencityphila.org/2013/04/the-

king-of-k-a/ 42

Doreen Carvajal “A Community Fights a Bank’s Withdrawal,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 14, 1992, pps.

1 & 4.

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Figure 20: Photograph by Michael Wirtz for the Philadelphia Inquirer of the then Fidelity

Bank in an article on the bank’s impending closure.43

43

Michael Wirtz, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jan. 14, 1992, p. 1.

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8. Major Works Referenced

Adam, Robert. Classical Architecture. (Harry N. Abrams: New York), 1991.

Ferguson, Logan. “Industrial and Commercial Buildings Related to the Textile Industry in the

Kensington Neighborhood of Philadelphia.” National Register of Historic Places Multiple

Property Documentation Form, May 29, 2012. http://www.preservationalliance.com/wp-

content/uploads/2014/09/KensingtonNR.pdf

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Tatman, Sandra. “Herman Miller (1874-1946), American Architects and Buildings Database.

https://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/27059