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Gargoyles Exhibit

Traditional gargoyles, non-traditional gargoyles, and Peter Rockwell's free-standing Gargoyles.



Union Baptist Church Gargoyles
1832 (cornerstone)
* Symbols of Jesus, Saint John, Saint Mark and Saint Matthew
* small kneeling and partial angels, torches, winged bulls, winged lions, crosses, crowns, birds, musical instruments, books
* Walls. Union Baptist Church. South side of Fitzwater, West of 19th.
* Other exhibits: New, Religious

Holy Trinity Episcopal Chuch
1859 (original building date)
* dogs
* Side entrance. Holy Trinity Episcopal Chuch. South side of Walnut between 19th and 20th.
* On the Rittenhouse Square tour.
* Other exhibits: Religious, Unidentified
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's page for the building


Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church
1874 (from cornerstone)
* small heads
* Spruce Street entrances. Trinity Memorial. South side of Spruce, West of 22nd.
* On the Fitler Square tour.
* Other exhibits: Religious, Unidentified
* See also:
+Trinity Center for Urban Life






Tabernacle United Church
1884 - 1886
* Symbols of and references to Jesus, Saint John, Saint Luke and Saint Mark
* lizard, plants, partial cherubs and angels, winged lion, winged ox, eagle, sun, candle, fire
* inscription:
North Entrance: I am the door.
tower: My Goodness and My fortress. My High Tower and My Deliver. He in whom I trust.
East Entrance: We have seen his star in the East and are come to worship him.
shields:
He is risen.
Lampades multae, una lux.
Christus Exaltus Salvator.
Lux lucet in tenebris
Nec tamen consumebatur.
* North and East sides. Tabernacle United Church. Southwest corner, 37th and Chestnut.
* On the Avenue of Technology tour.
* Other exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's page for the building
+Gargoyle Hunter's page for the building
+Tabernacle United Church


Quaker City National Bank Entrance
1888 - 1892
* heads
* This appears to be only 1/3 of the original building.
* Entrance. North side of Chestnut between 7th and 8th.
* On the Center City East tour.
* Other exhibits: Unidentified
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's page for the building

Mother Bethel Gargoyles
1889
* dragons
* High on the walls. Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Northeast corner 6th and Lombard.
* On the Lombard-South tour.
* See also:
+philadelphiabuilding.org's entry for the building
+Mother Bethel AME Church

Fisher Fine Arts Library Gargoyles
1891
* dragons
* On the walls. West side of 34th, South of Walnut (Locust Walk side).
* See also:
+Gargoyle Hunter's page for the building
+philadelphiabuildings.org's entry for the building

Penn Quad Gargoyles
1894 - 1911
* small crouching people, musical instruments
* Walls. Penn Quad. South side of Spruce from 36th to 37th.
* On the Penn Campus tour.
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org entry for the Quad


Witherspoon Building
1895 - 1897
* Building named for John Witherspoon
* small dogs, birds, an ox, plants, books, buildings, groups of people, standing people, reclining people, heads and eyes, various religious symbols
* A group of figures from the building are now in the courtyard of the Presbyterian Historical Society
* Entire Building. West side of Juniper between Sansom and Walnut, and along the North side of Walnut West of Juniper.
* On the Avenue of the Arts tour.
* Other exhibits: Religious, Unidentified
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's page for the building
+wikipedia.org's John Witherspoon page


Zimmerman House
1911
* cattle heads, ball with Z
* Under the eaves and on the roof. North side of Fairmount between 4th and 5th.
* On the Northern Liberties tour.
* See also:
+The Gargoyle Hunter's page for the building






Penn Dental Gargoyles
1915 (completion of building)
* small crouching people (some with headgear), monkey, birds, bull, book, symbols
* Spruce and 40th St. walls. Penn Dental School. Northwest corner, 40th and Spruce.
* On the Penn Campus tour.
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's entry for the building

Conwell Hall Gargoyles
1924 (building date)
* small seated people wearing hats
* Both sides of the door. East side of Broad, North of Montgomery.
* On the Temple Campus tour.
* Other exhibits: Unidentified
* See also:
+Gerry Wilkinson's history page with Conwell Hall information



Firefighter Gargoyles
1925 (from cornerstone)
* small crouching people wearing hats and helmets, firefighting equipment
* Was on the Southwest corner, Juniper and Race. Removed from the building 2008 prior to demolition for Convention Center expansion.
* Entrance.
* Other exhibits: Fire Fighters, Missing, Unidentified
* See also:
+Max Buten's page for this piece
+Gargoyle Hunter page for this piece







Barbelin Hall Gargoyles
1927
* including heads of Felix Barbelin, James Ryder and Burchard Villiger
* small partial people, hats, cat, bat-like creature, books, saxaphone
* the builder is John McShain, but there's no record of him being the gargoyle carver
* All over the building. Saint Joseph's University. City Line, West of 54th.
* Other exhibits: New
* See also:
+Gargoyle Hunter page for this piece
+sjuhawknews.com article about this piece with pictures
+wikipedia.org's Felix Barbalin page
+Saint Joseph's University




Gargoyles
1927
* small heads
* Fire station wall. South corner, Foulkrod and Darrah.
* Other exhibits: Fire Fighters, New

Carnell Hall
1928
* small heads
* Both sides of the door. East side of Broad, North of Montgomery.
* On the Temple Campus tour.
* Other exhibits: Unidentified
* See also:
+Gerry Wilkinson's Carnell Hall page






St. Paul's Episcopal Church
1928 - 1929
* gargoyles and statue of Saint Paul
* small standing person, Bible, sword, crosses, plants, dragons, snake, bird, fish, unidentified creatures
* inscription: Spiritus Gladius
* Whole building.. St. Paul's Episcopal Church. South side of Chestnut Hill Ave., East of Germantown Ave..
* On the Germantown Avenue tour.
* Other exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+gargoyle hunter's page for the building
+philadelphiabuildings.org's entry for the building
+St. Paul's Chestnut Hill

Interfaith House Gargoyles
1930 (building date)
* small crouching people wearing hats
* In niches high on the front wall. South side of Chelten Ave., West of Germantown Ave..
* On the Germantown Avenue tour.
* See also:
+philadelphiabuildings.org's entry for the building



Saint John Chrysostom
1931
* standing angel, heads
* inscription: Gloria In Excelcis Deo
* Whole building. Saint John Chrysostom. East side of 17th, South of Vine.
* On the Franklin Town tour.
* Other exhibits: Religious
* See also:
+Gargoyle Hunter page for the building

Gargoyles
Peter Rockwell, 1980
* snake, group of people (heads)
* Schuylkill Park. Taney and Lombard (North side of Lombard, West of 25th, inside the park, near the playground).
* On the Fitler Square tour.




Paul J. Gutman Library Gargoyles
1992
* small heads, buildings
* Library walls. North side of School House Lane, East of Henry Ave..
* On the Philadelphia University Campus tour.
* See also:
+Paul J. Gutman Library page at philau.edu
See Also
+The Gargoyle Hunter's Gargoyles of Philadelphia

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The pictures on this site (but not the artworks in the pictures) are Copyright 1998-2009 Chris Purdom, unless otherwise noted, and are not to be used for commercial purposes, but are free for non-commercial use, provided appropriate credit is given. Information about artists, dates, titles and subjects was gathered from a variety of sources, including those listed on the resources page, plus personal inspection of the pieces and, in some cases, email or telephone conversations with the artists, representatives of the artists, representatives of the artists' estates, or personnel at the organizations that purchased or approved the purchase of the pieces. Chris Purdom believes that the information provided is as accurate as he can make it, but claims no ownership of facts. Please contact Chris with corrections, additions, and/or technical difficulties