Arch Street Friends Meeting House

Address: 320 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Neighborhood: Old City

Website: www.historicasmh.org

Social Media:

• Instagram - @historicasmh
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ArchStreetMeetingHouse/

Contact: 215.413.1804

Description: The Arch Street Meeting House was designed in 1803-04 by a Quaker named Owen Biddle Jr. The meetinghouse is an example of the Georgian architectural style and it incorporates a simple or plain Quaker design. The East Room and central meeting space were built in 1804 and the West Room followed in 1811. Since 1682, the property located at 320 Arch Street has been actively and continuously used by Quakers and the community. In 2011, Arch Street Meeting House became a National Historic Landmark and the Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust was formed.

Resources for Researchers & Educators

• Meetinghouse History
  • http://www.historicasmh.org/our-history/meetinghouse-history/
• Burial Ground History
  • http://www.historicasmh.org/our-history/burialgroundhistory/

Information for Visitors

• Hours: see website, varies by season
  • http://www.historicasmh.org/visit/
• Admission Price
  • $2 per person
• SEPTA Routes
  • We are a short walk from 2nd and 5th street stops for the Market Frankford Line.
• Volunteer Information
  • http://www.historicasmh.org/about-us/volunteer/

Subthemes:

• First in the nation – Philadelphia’s “firsts”
• Celebrating diversity – African American, women, and minority stories
• Changemakers – social reform, racial justice, political movements
• Architecture and design – iconic, famous, or representative
• Nature in the city – gardens, parks, cemeteries
• Faith and ideals – religion, philosophy,  political ideology

Link to NHL Nomination Form:

• Nomination number: 71000716
• https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GJ9c61F4O0jd4NgscDKeN6bpjb8WT_jU

Image courtesy of the Arch Street Meeting House