U. S. Naval Asylum, Biddle Hall, Gray's Ferry Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

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Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey

30 drawings
137 b&w photos
79 data pages
16 photo caption pages
1 color transparencies

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TITLE:
U. S. Naval Asylum, Biddle Hall, Gray's Ferry Avenue, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

CALL NUMBER:
HABS PA,51-PHILA,577A-

REPRODUCTION NUMBER:
[See Call Number]

MEDIUM:
Measured Drawing(s): 30
Photo(s): 137 (4 x 5 and 5 x 7 in.)
Data Page(s): 78 plus cover page
Photo Caption Page(s): 16
Color Transparencies: 1

DATE:
Documentation compiled after 1933.

CREATOR:
Historic American Buildings Survey, creator

NOTE:
Survey number HABS PA-1622-A

Building/structure dates: 1826 initial construction

National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 72001173

Significance: Designed by William Strickland (1788-1854), one of the first American-born and trained architects, Biddle Hall, the Surgeon General's Residence, and the Governor's Residence represent the largest extant ensemble of buildings by the architect. Biddle Hall, the central building of the U. S. Naval Asylum complex, moreover, is one of the most important surviving examples of early-nineteenth -century Greek Revival architecture in America. Strickland was one of the first architects to design, specifically, in the Greek idiom as opposed to a more interpretive neoclassicism favored by other architects, such as his mentor Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764 1820). For Biddle Hall, he drew direct inspiration from depictions of the Ionic temple on the Ilissus River in James Stuart and Nicholas Revett's Antiquities of Athens (1762), the definitive sourcebook in this country for architecture derived from Greek examples. While Strickland obviously looked to the past for expressive inspiration, as an architect he also realized the necessity of designing for the present and the future, and, accordingly, embraced the most up-to-date construction techniques to create a properly ventilated, adequately lit, and fire-resistant retirement and health care facility. Skylights and long verandahs were key elements in the design, one of the earliest masonry-vaulted, fireproof structures in the United States, and also one of the first to be constructed using architectural cast-iron columns. Biddle Hall is not only an aesthetically remarkable and well-proportioned classical edifice, but also a highly functional utilitarian structure embodying the latest healthcare design theories. Beyond its clear architectural worth, the Naval Asylum also possesses great significance vis-a-vis various aspects of American history. It was the first institution established by the federal government for the care of "disabled and decrepit navy officers, seamen, and marines" of all ranks, making it the first federal veterans' retirement facility in America. Biddle Hall was also home to the first formal U. S. naval academy from 1839 to 1845. Additionally from 1833 to 1868 before a separate hospital building was erected on the site, the structure housed the U. S. Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, one of the earliest regional naval hospitals in the country. The significance of the U. S. Naval Asylum is manifested in its listing on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places (1956), the Pennsylvania Register of Historic Places (1972), and the National Register of Historic Places (1972). The site was later classified a National Historic Landmark (1975), and in 1997 was designated the "Landmark Building of the Year" by the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

SUBJECTS:
PENNSYLVANIA--Philadelphia County--Philadelphia
barrel vaults
domes
dormers

OTHER TITLE:
U. S. Naval Home

COLLECTION:
Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)

REPOSITORY:
Library of Congress, Prints and Photograph Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

DIGID:
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/hhh.pa0668

CONTENTS:
Photograph caption(s):
1. GENERAL VIEW AND EAST (FRONT) FACADE, FROM SOUTHEAST
2. MAIN ENTRANCE PORTICO AND STAIRWAY, EAST ELEVATION
3. REAR ELEVATION (WEST), FROM SOUTHWEST
4. DETAIL OF FRONT VERANDAS, WEST (LEFT) WING, FROM SOUTHEAST. NOTE PIERS IN RAISED BASEMENT, ETC.
5. DETAIL OF VERANDAS, WEST WING, LOOKING SOUTHWEST
6. IRON FENCE SEPARATING GRAY'S FERRY AVENUE AND NAVAL GROUNDS. FENCE IS ORIGINAL--NOTE GREEK ACROTERIANS.
7. MAIN STAIRWAY, PRINCIPAL STORY, LOOKING NORTH
8. CHAPEL, IN REAR OF CENTER SECTION. NOTE DOME. LOOKING NORTHWEST
9. CHAPEL, IN REAR OF CENTER SECTION. NOTE DOME. LOOKING NORTHWEST
10. FIRST FLOOR NORTH CORRIDOR LOOKING NORTH
11. FIRST FLOOR FIREPLACE. NOTE IONIC COLUMNS AND CORNER BLOCKS
12. STAIRWAY DETAIL, STONE TREAD
13. ATTIC DOME OVER CHAPEL, DETAIL OF BRICK STRUCTURE
14. PLOT MAP OF THE NAVAL ASYLUM. NOTE ABSENCE OF LATER BUILDINGS. SURVEYED 1836 BY RANDAL H. RICKEY
15. PLOT MAP OF THE NAVAL ASYLUM, CA. 1844. NOTE THE PRESENCE OF OF GOVERNOR S RESIDENCE (to right of Biddle Hall) AND SURGEON'S RESIDENCE
16. PLOT MAP OF THE ASYLUM, 1878. NOTE ADDITION OF OTHER BUILDINGS.
17. BASEMENT PLAN OF EAST (RIGHT SIDE) WING. SKETCHED BY WILLIAM STRICKLAND, 1826
18. BASEMENT PLAN OF WEST (LEFT SIDE) WING, SKETCHED BY WILLIAM STRICKLAND, 1826.
19. PRINCIPAL STORY PLAN OF EAST (RIGHT SIDE) WING, SKETCHED BY WILLIAM STRICKLAND, 1826
20. PRINCIPAL STORY PLAN OF WEST (LEFT SIDE) WING, SKETCHED BY WILLIAM STRICKLAND, 1826
21. SECOND STORY PLAN OF EAST (RIGHT SIDE) WING, SKETCHED BY WILLIAM STRICKLAND, 1826
22. SECOND STORY PLAN OF WEST (LEFT SIDE) WING, SKETCHED BY WILLIAM STRICKLAND, 1826
23. JULY 6, 1843 DRAWINGS SHOWING ADDITION OF CELLAR
AERIAL VIEW, LOOKING NORTHEAST.
AERIAL VIEW, LOOKING NORTH.
AERIAL VIEW, LOOKING NORTHWEST.
AERIAL VIEW. THE DESTRUCTION OF BIDDLE HALL'S ROOF OCCURRED DURING AN EARLY MORNING FIRE ON FEBRUARY 3, 2003, CONCLUDED TO BE THE WORK OF ARSONISTS. THE ROOF HAS SINCE BEEN REPLACED AND THE STRUCTURE RECONFIGURED BY TOLL BROTHERS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPERS FOR CONDOMINIUM UNITS.
AERIAL VIEW, LOOKING SOUTHWEST.
DETAIL OF FRONT VERANDAS, WEST (LEFT) WING, FROM SOUTHEAST SHOWING ENTRANCE PORTICO, NOTE PIERS IN RAISED BASEMENT

CONTROL #:
PA0668

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