Elfreth's Alley Historic District
Historic street and neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Added to the National Register in 1966, and a National Historic Landmark.

What it is
Elfreth's Alley is a historic street in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia, dating back to 1703. The street has 32 houses, built between 1703 and 1836. The Elfreth's Alley Museum is located at #124 and 126. The alley, a National Historic Landmark, runs from North Front to North 2nd streets, paralleling Arch and Quarry streets.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Historic district |
| Address | Between 2nd and Front Sts., Philadelphia, PA |
| County | Philadelphia County |
| Listed | Oct 15, 1966 |
| Listed for | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 66000681 |
| Type of place | alley, historic district, neighborhood |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 27 buildings |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | Between 2nd and Front Sts., Philadelphia, PA |
| Website | elfrethsalley.org ↗ |
| Coordinates | 39.9527° N, 75.1423° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Philadelphia | 509 listed places in Philadelphia → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Independence National Historical Park · under a mile · on Park Atlas |
Explore
Map
Nearby in Philadelphia County
Local history books for Philadelphia
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Guidebooks to historic places in Pennsylvania
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Elfreth's Alley Historic District listed on the National Register?
Oct 15, 1966. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit Elfreth's Alley Historic District?
Yes. Elfreth's Alley Historic District is recorded as open to the public, and hours are on the official website.
Source: Official website
Where is Elfreth's Alley Historic District?
Between 2nd and Front Sts., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The nearest national park unit is Independence National Historical Park, under a mile away.
What does the Elfreth's Alley Historic District listing include?
The listing counts 27 contributing resources. Those are 27 buildings. A contributing resource is a part of the listed property that carries its historic significance.
Source: National Park Service
Where is the nomination form for Elfreth's Alley Historic District?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Sources
Location, dates, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 66000681. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.