National Historic Landmark · alley · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Elfreth's Alley Historic District

Historic street and neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Added to the National Register in 1966, and a National Historic Landmark.

117 Elfreth's Alley119 Elfreth's Alley120 Elfreth's Alley132 Elfreth's Alley
Photos via Wikimedia Commons · 6 in the Commons category

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 typeHistoric district
AddressBetween 2nd and Front Sts., Philadelphia, PA
CountyPhiladelphia County
ListedOct 15, 1966
Listed forArchitecture
Level of significanceNational
Reference number66000681
Type of placealley, historic district, neighborhood
DesignationsNational Historic Landmark
Contributing resources27 buildings
StandingYes

The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗

Visiting

AddressBetween 2nd and Front Sts., Philadelphia, PA
Websiteelfrethsalley.org ↗
Coordinates39.9527° N, 75.1423° W · Directions ↗
Also in Philadelphia509 listed places in Philadelphia → · walking tours →
Nearest national park unitIndependence National Historical Park · under a mile · on Park Atlas
This one you can go inside. Hours and admission change with the season; the website above has the current schedule.

Explore

Map

Local history books for Philadelphia

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Philadelphia Mummers
    Stephen M. Highsmith, 2016
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Legendary locals of Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    Thom Nickels, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • The Philadelphia Flower Show
    Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Philadelphia
    Peter John Williams, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • The Philadelphia nativist riots
    Kenneth W. Milano, 2013
    Find at Bookshop.org

Guidebooks to historic places in Pennsylvania

  • Walking Philadelphia
    Natalie Pompilio, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Historical Tours Gettysburg
    Globe Pequot Press Editors and Randi Minetor, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Guide to the Battle of Gettysburg
    Jay Luvaas and Harold W. Nelson, 2012
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Historic Genesee country
    Rose O'Keefe, 2010
    Find at Bookshop.org

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.

Source: Independence National Historical Park

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.