Benjamin West Birthplace


  • Address: Visitor's Center Rd
  • Vicinity: Swarthmore College
  • Travel Genus: Sight
  • Sight Category: Building

The Benjamin West birthplace, a two and a half story stone house dating from 1724, was gutted by fire in 1874, and the interior dates from the subsequent restoration. The house is presently owned by Swarthmore College, and is used as a faculty residence. - NRHP, 25 September 1974


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Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
1724/00/00 Benjamin West birthplace, a two and a half story stone house, is built.
1738/10/10 Benjamin West Born Benjamin West is born the youngest of ten children in the family of John and Sara West. Benjamin West's Birthday
1874/00/00 Benjamin West Birthplace is gutted by fire. Interiors are rebuilt, but the exteriors retain historical integrity.

Data »

Particulars for Benjamin West Birthplace:
Area of Significance Art
Sight Category Building
Level of Significance National
Criteria Person
Owner Private
Disposition Reconstructed Property
Historic Use Single dwelling



US National Registry of Historic Places Data »

Accurate at time of registration:

PLACE DETAILS
Registry Name:
Registry Address:
Registry Number: 66000662
Resource Type:
Owner: Private
Architect: unknown
Architectural Style: No style listed
Other Certification: Designated National Landmark, National Landmark boundary approved
Nominator Name: National Historic Landmark
CULTURAL DETAILS
Level of Significance: National
Area of Significance: Art
Applicable Criteria: Person
Criteria Consideration: Reconstructed property
Period of Significance: 1700-1749, 1750-1799
Significant Year: 1738, 1753
Associated People: West,Benjamin
Historic Function: Domestic
Historic Sub-Function: Single dwelling
Current Function: Domestic
Current Sub-Function: Institutional housing

History »

The Benjamin West Birthplace is a two-and-a half story stone house, constructed of random ashlar, with a gambrel roof, with two dormers on a side, and two internal gable-end brick chimneys. A one bay pedimented entrance porch extends from the center of the front facade. These features, with the exception of the dormers, appear in an early nineteenth century lithograph of the house. The reported date of construction is 1724. In 1874, the house was gutted by fire, and the present interior dates from the subsequent renovation, leaving the exterior as the sole remainder with historic integrity. On the northern end of the house there is a one story extension that was added after 1874, as was the pent roof that runs around the house at the second floor level. A glassed-in porch on the rear facade also dates from the later period.

The house stands on what is now the Swarthmore College campus and is used as a faculty residence. It faces across a parking lot and Chester Road onto an open green, while the other three sides look on the grounds and buildings of the college. - NRHP, 25 September 1974


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