College Hall, Philadelphia

College Hall stands as the oldest structure on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in West Philadelphia. Before its construction, the university's location was at Ninth Street in Center City, Philadelphia. This architectural marvel was designed by Thomas Webb Richards and completed in 1873. The distinct green hue of the building is attributed to its use of green serpentine stone in its construction.

On February 14, 1978, College Hall was designated as a historic site and added to the National Register of Historic Places. It also contributes to the overall historical significance of the University of Pennsylvania Campus Historic District.

Today, College Hall serves various purposes, including housing the undergraduate admissions office, the offices of the university president, the Department of History, and classrooms. The top floor of the building was specifically designed to accommodate the Zelosophic and Philomathean Societies and now serves as the home for the Philomathean Society, a literary organization established in 1813.

While there have been speculations that College Hall, along with the now-demolished Blanchard Hall, served as the inspiration for the Victorian Gothic mansion in The Addams Family cartoons, the cartoonist Charles Addams consistently refuted these claims.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: College Hall
Sight Location: Philadelphia, USA (See walking tours in Philadelphia)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

University of Pennsylvania Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Create Your Own Walk in Philadelphia

Creating your own self-guided walk in Philadelphia is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Philadelphia Old City Walking Tour

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Franklin Parkway Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
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University of Pennsylvania Walking Tour

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The cultural phenomenon was created by Sylvester Stallone, who wrote,... view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 6.3 Km or 3.9 Miles

Philadelphia Introduction Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles

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