3629 Spring Garden Street
History of the Building
3611-3631 were built on the former estate
of Charles Truitt.
1894,
Oct. 18: Title for 3611-3631 Spring Garden St. transferred to Benjamin D.
Gardiner by Elizabeth T. Truitt
Gardiner
paid $24,000 for the lot. He then secured a mortgage for $60,500. (Inquirer,
Oct. 20, 1894)
1894,
Nov. 5: “In West Philadelphia, at Thirty-six and Spring Garden streets, B. D.
Gardiner announced twelve [sic.] fine dwellings….” (Inquirer) The next
day they referred to these correctly as 11 dwellings.
1895,
Nov. 29: Title for 3613-3621 and 3627-3631 Spring Garden transferred to
Frederick A. Poth by Benjamin D. Gardiner
“Frederick
A. Poth, the brewer, has purchased eight properties [3611-3631] on the north
side of Spring Garden street, from Benjamin D.
Gardiner, for $55,250.” (Inquirer, Dec. 19, 1895) At the same time, he
also purchased 3625 Spring Garden St. from Gardiner.
3611-3631:
“spectacular Willis Hale-style Pompeiian brick row; symmetrical composition of.
raised end and central gables, with mansarded section
on each side. Turned wood posts support pediments that mark each pairs of doors; elongated keystone in second story. handsome
terra cotta panels and figures around alternate units.---
Significant.”
(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the
National Register of Historic Places, 1985)
Previous Residents
1900:
Martha E. Dunsmoor 75 Widowed, one child; mother born in NJ;
renting
Ameline Robinson 55
Clara J. Greene 32 Boarder;
mother born in MD
Anna M. Greene 26 Boarder;
clerk in real estate; mother born in MD
Delin A. Ferd 25 Servant, maid; born in Ireland,
immigrated in 1893
Martha Dunsmoor
died in 1903. She was living at 3633 Spring Garden St. The 1895 directory lists
her at 118 N.
34th St. She is listed as widowed in the 1880 census (at 114 N.
34th).
1910:
Emily T. Walker 72 Widowed,
no children
Virginia B.
Morris 35 Niece; single
Rachael Craig 31 Servant; born in Ireland
The 1901 directory lists Emily T.
Walker as the widow of Abram and living at 3415
Baring St. where she lived with her stepson, Harvey Walker and his wife,
Rebecca. Harvey died in Sept. 1900.
1918, Nov. 26:
Marriage license issued to Helen A. Carpenter of Laporte, Pa. and Thomas B.
Lawler of 3629 Spring Garden St.
1946: This and
neighboring properties were sold with the dissolution of the Estate of
Frederick A. Poth
<
3631 Spring Garden St. 3627
Spring Garden St. >
Revised
2/22/2021