Did You KNOW?

West Mt. Airy Neighbors Historic Preservation Initiative

Mt. Airy is a special place with a distinct character; it earned that image because it is a diverse community of civically engaged people. Nestled in northwest Philadelphia and adjacent to the Wissahickon Valley, Mt. Airy is blessed with natural beauty and contains historic architecture spanning nearly 300 years.

Saracinesca

701 Allens Lane

Constructed: 1892

Architectural Style: Queen Anne

Saracinesca was designed by architects Hazelburst and Huckel for Harlan Page, a wealthy industrialist who was the owner and president of the Abrasive Company in Bridesburg. The company manufactured grinding wheels. Page’s contributions helped Summit Presbyterian Church, located at Greene and Westview streets, to be built in 1895.

The house was built in a grand style with a billiard room, library, music room and nine bedrooms. It was an architectural example of the Gothic Victorian lifestyle in Northwest Philadelphia.

The porch and flaring stairs of the home have since been removed. The conical top of the tower has been replaced with a fat, crenellated one and the castle-like top above the arched windows has been removed.

The factors that make this place special require dedicated and active stewardship, and preservation of our historic resources requires conscious planning to be effective.

The goal of the West Mt Airy Neighbors Historic Preservation Initiative is to identify and protect the character-defining features of the community by taking a proactive stance to recognize and protect the historic built environment for the future.

For more information contact wmanhpi@ gmail.com.

—Adrienne Carpenter