3601 Baring Street
The
History of the Building
The original building on this site was destroyed in a
fire in February, 1976. The photo below shows
the back and side of the building shortly after the fire. (photo by Paul Weidenbacker.)
Previous Residents of
1878 Scott
Atlas shows house owned by William H. Brown.
William H. Brown
1880:
William H. Brown 44 Civil
engineer; mother born in Md.
Sara A. Brown 34
Henry S. Brown 15
George H. Brown 13
Frank Brown 10
Mina Niles 18 Servant
Anna Callahan 18 Servant; born in Ireland
William H. Brown. b. 2/29/1836.
Graduated from Central High School. Civil Engineer. Worked as a surveyor for
the railroad, with the City of
In 1887, they moved across to 3510 Baring St.
1886, Nov. Sale by William H. Brown to George H. Hill for $16,000
(Phila. Inquirer, Nov. 18)
1891 Directory: George H. Hill, clerk [with Drexel & Co.]
1894: “WILLIAM WARNER HILL b. Phila.• Jan. 23, 1867. s. George
Henry Hill and Mary Warner Jones. Entered Junior Class as a special student
1885, and received a certif. of proficiency June, 1888. Civil engineer.
Address, 3601 Baring St., Phila.”
(Biographical Catalogue, University of Pennsylvania, 1894)
1896 Blue Book: Mr. and Mrs. George H. Hill
George H. Hill, Jr.
William Warner Hill.
1896: “Mr. and Mrs. George H.
Hill, of Thirty-sixth and Baring streets, after spending the summer in
Europe, have located for the fall at Devon." (Inquirer,
Sept. 6)
1900:
George H. Hill 55 Broker;
father born in
May W. Hill 50 Married
32 years, 2 children
William W. Hill 30 Civil
engineer
George H. Hill, Jr. 28 Broker
Kate McFadden 50 Servant;
born in
Bridget McElroy 21 Servant;
parents born in
Bridget Harking 21 Servant;
parents born in
1906 Blue Book: Mr. & Mrs. George H. Hill. Receiving day
Friday
George H. Hill, Jr.
William Warner Hill.
1909: George H. Hill declined to continue as a Director of the
Union League.
1910:
George H. Hill 63 Broker;
father born in
Mary W. Hill 58 Married
35 years, 2 children
William W. Hill 33 Engineer
for the city
Alexander M. Wiggins 84 Uncle;
clergyman; widowed; born in N.J.
Bridget McElroy 27 Servant;
father born in Ireland, mother in Vermont
Catherine McFadden 64 Servant; single;
born in
Rev. Alexander M. Wiggins was
appointed associate pastor of the Arch St. Methodist Episcopal church in 1893. He had previously
been pastor of the Berwyn M. E. church.
He died in 1913 in New York City where he was living with his daughter,
Mrs. Eugene S. Whitman. He was buried in
Philadelphia.
1912: W. W. Hill. Civil Engineer, Certif. Class of 1888.
1917: William Warner Hill. Registrar Bureau of Surveys, City of
Phil. Member Union League. (General
Alumni Catalogue of U. of P. 1917.)
1917, June 23: Marriage license issued to Laura V. DeRousse of 5405 Chestnut St. and William W. Hill of 3601
Baring St.
1920:
George H. Hill 77 Retired
banker; owner, free of a mortgage
Mary W. Hill 73
William W.
Hill 52 Son; city surveyor
Laura Hill 38 Daughter-in-law
Lillie May Foulkrod 44 Servant, practical nurse; parents born
in Ireland
Mary A. Ziegler 73 Guest;
widowed
Anna Hatcher 51 Servant
(general housework); black; born in Virginia
1920, Oct. 16: Death of Mary W. Hill of 3601 Baring St. Services
at Oliver H. Bair Building
1921, Aug. 26: Death of George H. Hill of 3601 Baring St.
“Prominent Banker, Employed by
Drexel & Co., Dies in His Home
“George H. Hill, prominent banker of
this city, who for more than fifty years was connected with the banking house
of Drexel & Co., died at his home, 3601 Baring St., on Friday night.
“Mr. Hill, who was the Civil War
veteran, had been a member of the Union League for more than half a century. He
entered the employ of Drexel & Co. in November, 1864, gradually rising
until he became the head of the bond department, the position which he held at
the time of his death.
“He was a member of the Second
Presbyterian Church of this city, and honorary vice president of the American
Sunday School Union and an active member of the New England Society, the
Historical Society of Pennsylvania, George G. Meade Post, G. A. R., and
Corinthian Lodge, F. A. M.
“Mr. Hill is survived by two sons,
William W. and George H. Hill, Jr. His wife, Mrs. Mary W. Hill, died last
October.” (Phila. Inquirer, Aug 28)
1927 Directory: W. W. Hill.
1930:
William Hill 50 Surveyor for civil engineering firm;
married at age 39; owner, house valued at $15,000
Laura Hill 45 Married
at age 34
—2nd household
Annie B. Griscom 68 Companion
for private family; single; renting for $50 per month
1940:
Laura Hill 62 Widowed; one year of high school; owner, house valued at
$8,000
Florence Harvey 50 Housekeeper,
earned $300 [plus room and board?] for 43 weeks of work in 1939; widowed; eight
years of schooling; lived elsewhere in Philadelphia in 1935
1950 Directory: William W. Hill, engineer
1968: The house became the home of the Sigma Alpha Theta fraternity
that became Sigma Alpha Epsilon in 1971.
After the building burned down in 1976, the fraternity moved to 204-206 N. 34th St. (from
the chapter’s web site.)
1977,
Feb. 11: LEGAL NOTICE: “TO THE FOLLOWING PERSONS, WHOSE LAST KNOWN ADDRESSES
ARE AS FOLLOWS:… Owners of Premises 3601 Baring Street…
An inspection of the above premises has revealed structurally dangerous and/or
Public Nuisance conditions which are in violation of the Philadelphia Code.
“You
are hereby required to correct such conditions within ten (10) days of
publication of this notice.
“If
you fail to do so the City itself or by contract will demolish said structure
and you will be required to reimburse the City for all costs incurred therewith….”
(Inquirer)
This
notice was repeated on Nov. 16, 1978, and again on August 29, 1980.
2009: Owner: Julie E. Jacobs
purchase date: 5/2002
Revised 5/15/2022