Edwin Forrest House
Encyclopedia
The Edwin Forrest House (a.k.a. Gaul-Forrest House) is a house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
built in 1853-54 for William Gaul, a wealthy brewer. A year after its completion, it was bought by actor Edwin Forrest
, who resided there until his death in the house in 1872.
The Philadelphia School of Design for Women purchased the property in 1880, and built an extensive rear addition westward to Carlisle Street, to house art studios. The addition's Master Street façade was brick, but fitted with brownstone-trimmed windows consistent with those of the original house.
The school, which later changed its name to the Moore College of Art, continued to occupy the building until 1960. The Philadelphia Cotillion Society purchased the building and used it as a community center until 1968.
Today the building is occupied by Freedom Theatre, which provides professional instruction in acting and live theatre production.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
built in 1853-54 for William Gaul, a wealthy brewer. A year after its completion, it was bought by actor Edwin Forrest
Edwin Forrest
Edwin Forrest was an American actor.-Early life:Forrest was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of Scottish and German descent. His father died and he was brought up by his mother, a German woman of humble origins. He was educated at the common schools in Philadelphia, and early evinced a taste...
, who resided there until his death in the house in 1872.
The school, which later changed its name to the Moore College of Art, continued to occupy the building until 1960. The Philadelphia Cotillion Society purchased the building and used it as a community center until 1968.
Today the building is occupied by Freedom Theatre, which provides professional instruction in acting and live theatre production.
External links
- Listing and photograph of the Gaul-Forrest House at the Historic American Buildings SurveyHistoric American Buildings SurveyThe Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
- Listing of the Gaul-Forrest House at Philadelphia Architects and Buildings