3401 Powelton Avenue

 

The History of the Building

William Sellers sold the lot to Anna Burnham on Feb. 23, 1884, the same day he sold 3405 to Enoch Lewis. (177, 117)

 

“In 1885 [sic.], Mr. Enoch Lewis... bought a lot east of 3409 Powelton Ave. and built a large brick house.  A few years later, George Burnham, Sr., built a large gray stone residence at the corner of 34th St. and Powelton Ave.

(North of Market. Harold S. Colton, 1961. P. 39.

 

c1888, “three-story red brick Victorian double house; wood porch with. rusticated brownstone base. Large first floor arched tripartite picture window with heavy rusticated brownstone arches and flat scored brownstone sills; articulated brownstone arches over door and second floor windows, where there  is also a brownstone belt. course; projecting bow in metal. cornice between second floor and slate-shingled mansard; each house has third floor tripartite windows divided by metal columns and set in jerkin-head gabled dormers.”

(Inventory of Buildings in Powelton from the application submitted to the national register of Historic Places)

 

History of 3401 Powelton Avenue

 

1889 Directory: George Burnham, 3401 Powelton Ave.

            The 1887 Directory still listed them at 2211 Green St.

 

1898 Blue Book: George Burnham was a member of the Powelton Club. (For a brief history of the club, see the Powelton History Blog.)

 

1900:

George Burnham Sr.                83        Capitalist; widowed; born in Mass.

Mary A. Burnham                    48        Daughter

Hanna Rodgers                        29        Servant; born in Ireland, immigrated 13 years earlier

Emma Rodgers                        22        Servant; born in Ireland, immigrated 7 years earlier

Sarah Quinn                            28        Servant; born in Ireland, immigrated 20 years earlier

Kanunni L. Halligan                37        Trained nurse; single; born in N.Y.

William Hollians                      53        Coachman; black; married 10 years; born in Md.

Edith Hollians                         35        Servant; black; married 10 years, no children; born in Va., father in N.C., mother in Va.

Della Hollians                         14        Servant; black; father born in Md.; mother born in W.D.C.

(ED 539, 10A)

            George Burnham, Sr. was the senior partner in Burnham, Perry & Williams & Co., the parent company of of the Baldwin Locomotive Works.  (His partner, Edward H. Williams lived at 101 N. 33rd St.) The Baldwin Locomotive Works was the largest manufacturer of steam locomotives and was a major employer.  Its factory at Broad and Spring Garden Sts. filled three square city blocks

 

1910:

George Burnham                     93        Manufacturer of locomotives; widowed; born in Mass., father in Conn., mother in Mass.

Mary A. Burnham                    57        Daughter; single

Anna K. Stimson                     17        Granddaughter; born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Pa.

Boudinot Stimson                    12        Grandson; born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Pa.

William B. Stimson                  10        Grandson; born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Pa.

Katherine G. Halligan             47        Trained nurse; single; born in N.Y.

Rose Belgrau                           25        Servant; born in Ireland

Annie Lee                                30        Servant; born in Ireland

Grace Martin                           25        Servant; born in Ireland

Katherine Bonner                    23        Servant; born in Ireland

(ED 488, 1A)

            Anna K., Boudinot, and William B. Stimson were the children of Emma Burnham (1861-1906) and Frederick Stimson (1856-1926).  Frederick Stimson remarried in 1913.

 

1920:

Mary A. Burnham                    65        Single; owned the hosue free of a mortgage; father born in Mass.

Anna K. Stimson                     27        Niece; born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Pa.

William B. Stimson                  20        Nephew; born in N.Y., father in N.Y., mother in Pa.

Katharine G. Halligan             57        Boarder; trained nurse for a private family; widowed; born in N.Y., parents in Ireland

Sophia J. Truman                     52        Boarder; dressmaker for a private family

Annie F. Lee                            35        Servant; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1902

Winifred McMenamin              24        Servant; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1909

Bridget Bonner                        23        Servant; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1915

(ED 682, 4A)

 

1930:

Anna K. Stimson                     32        Single; born in N.J.; owner house valued at  $50,000

Margaret McCloskey                38        Waitress; single; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1912

Sophia Gruner                         74        Maid; single; mother born in Ohio

Annie Lee                                47        Cook; single; born in Ireland, immigrated in 1904

(ED 396, 23A)

 

2009: The home of the Drexel University chapter of the ΛΧΑ, Lambda Chi Alpha, fraternity.

 

<3405                                                                                      3400 on south side on street>

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Revised 8/11/2011