Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation

The Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation is a historic American school building in the Poplar neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation, May 2010
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Location	1301 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	39.962°N 75.1602°W / 39.962; -75.1602
Area	2 acres (0.81 ha)
Built	1926–1927
Architect	Irwin T. Catharine
Architectural style	Late Gothic Revival, Ecclesiastical Gothic
MPS	Philadelphia Public Schools TR
NRHP reference No.	86003335[1]
Added to NRHP	December 4, 1986

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.^[1] The school has since closed and has been turned into lofts.^[2]

History and architectural features

Designed by Irwin T. Catharine and built between 1926 and 1927, this historic structure is a five-story, brick building hat sits on a limestone base and grade-level basement. Created in the Late Gothic Revival style, it features a projecting entrance bay with Gothic arch opening, round arched openings, and decorative spandrel panels. It was used as an "observation school" for teacher education and training.^[3] It is named for Congressman Thaddeus Stevens (1792–1868).

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.^[1] The school has since closed and been turned into lofts.^[2]

In 1998, Philadelphia based mural artist Meg Saligman painted the iconic mural "Common Threads," wherein she depicted a humanity shared across time, today's youth paralleled with classical figures. All models for the mural were local high school students.^[4]