3306-08
Arch Street
The History of the Buildings
3306-3316 Arch St. were placed on the
National Register of Historic Places April 21, 1983.
The Poth-Schmidt
development houses are an important group of large double houses by A.W. Dilks, that describe the lifestyle, and the architectural
possibilities of post-Centennial Philadelphia.
These are of added interest because the financiers were developers of much of
Powelton, as well as important Philadelphia
industrialists. They brought the new, flamboyant taste of the nouveau riche to
their speculative venture, and found in Dilks the
appropriate architect for highly styled buildings that stand out in the Quaker City
.
As a consequence of Dilks'
training, and his understanding of contemporary taste, the buildings that he
designed for Arch Street
are among Philadelphia's
most important examples of the Queen Anne style, showing all of its essential
features. Those include the Japanese influenced porch details, which alternate
with the Mediaevalizing knee braces of other porch
details; the empathetic use of brick detail to describe architectural weight;
and the multiple textures from painted wood to smooth brick, to shadow catching
hung tile. The buildings were further enlivened by formal variation within the
group that adds to the richness of the ensemble. There are few equals to the Dilks achievement in the generally plain Quaker City.
The exterior richness continued in the interior finishes, with most of the
detail confined to the public rooms of the front. Noteworthy too are the large
window groups that light the interiors, and mark the transition toward the
modern house.
(from Poth and Schmidt Development Houses.
George E. Thomas.)
Previous Residents of 3306 Arch St.
1887-1895 Directories: Alter Megear,
329 Walnut, h 3306 Arch
The Megear
family moved to 3411
Powelton Ave. about 1897.
1900:
Anna A Tafel 54 Widowed with 8 children; born in Germany; renting
Anna A Tafel 34 Parents born in Germany
Martha C Tafel
28 Born in N.Y.; parents born in Germany
Robert R Tafel
24 [Occupation not legible]; born in N.Y.; parents born in Germany
Hattie M Tafel
22 Born in N.Y.; parents born in Germany
Winifred Boericke 14 Niece;
born in Chicago, father born in Penna., mother in Illinois
(ED 578, 7B)
Anna
was the widow of Adolph Tafel. In 1880, they lived at 984 Queene Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. He was a druggist. She was born in Saxony
and he was born in Wurtenburg. In the 1881
Philadelphia Directory, he was a partner in Boericke
& Tafel.
They lived at 1724 Green St. He fought in the Civil War (Private, 29th
N.Y. Inf., Reg 13. April, 1861-Sept. 1863) and was
held prisoner at Jacksonville (1890 Census
Veterans Schedule, Philadelphia,
ED 273, Image 1551). They lived at 517 N. 18th St., Philadelphia.
In
1910, they lived at 6380 Overbrook
Ave. In 1920, Anna Sr., Martha and Hattie lived at
509 S. 45th St.
1950 Directory: Bacon, Francis J.
Previous Residents of 3308 Arch St.
1895 Directory: Hinckley,
Howard, engineer
Porter, Hobart C.,
teacher U of Pa.
1900:
Carl A Sundstrom 47 City surveyor; born in Sweden, immigrated in 1875; renting
Eva Sundstrom 50 Married
31 years, 3 children; born in Sweden
Georgia Sundstrom
18
2nd household
Frederick Rothermel 39 Real estate broker; parents born in Germany;
renting
Florence M Rothermel
25 Married 1 year, no children;
parents born in Scotland
(ED 578, 7B)
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Arch 3310 &
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