Mary Channing Wister School

Mary Channing Wister School
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Mary Channing Wister School entrance, August 2010
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Location	843–855 N. 8th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	39°58′01″N75°09′02″W / 39.9670°N 75.1505°W / 39.9670; -75.1505
Area	less than one acre
Built	1925–1926
Built by	McCloskey & Co.
Architect	Irwin T. Catharine
Architectural style	Art Deco
MPS	Philadelphia Public Schools TR
NRHP reference No.	88002333 [1]
Added to NRHP	November 18, 1988

The Mary Channing Wister School, originally the Mary Channing Wister Public School, is a historic American school building in the Poplar neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. ^[1]

History and architectural features

Designed by Irwin T. Catharine, this historic structure was built between 1925 and 1926. It is a three-story, three-bay, brick building that sits on a raised basement. It was created in the Art Deco style. An addition was built in 1960. It features a freestanding portico with Doric order columns and decorative tile. ^[2] It is named for the civic leader Mary Channing Wister, the wife of Owen Wister.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. ^[1]

In 2001, the building was renovated to become a new forensic science laboratory for the Philadelphia Police Department. ^[3] While the facade remains true to the original design with little change, the inside of the building was completely renovated and designated a Green building. The new laboratory is called the Forensic Science Center, and is operated by the Office of Forensic Science within the Philadelphia Police Department.

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System.Note: This includes Jefferson M. Moak (May 1987). "Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey Form: Mary Channing Wister School" (PDF). Retrieved June 16, 2012.
3. Gambacorta, David (August 6, 2009). "Behind-the-scenes crimefighters". Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved March 11, 2017.