Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation

Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation is a historic school building located in the Poplar neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was designed by Irwin T. Catharine and built in 1926–1927. It is a five-story, brick building on a limestone base and grade-level basement in the Late Gothic Revival-style. It features a projecting entrance bay with Gothic arch opening, round arched openings, and decorative spandrel panels. It was used as an "observation school" for teacher education and training.[2] It is named for Congressman Thaddeus Stevens (1792–1868).

Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Thaddeus Stevens School of Observation, May 2010
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Location	1301 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	39.962°N 75.1602°W / 39.962; -75.1602
Area	2 acres (0.81 ha)
Built	1926–1927
Architect	Irwin T. Catharine
Architectural style	Late Gothic Revival, Ecclesiastical Gothic
MPS	Philadelphia Public Schools TR
NRHP reference No.	86003335[1]
Added to NRHP	December 4, 1986

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.[1] The school has since closed and been turned into lofts. [3]

In 1998 Philadelphia based mural artist Meg Saligman painted the iconic mural "Common Threads," wherein she depicts a humanity shared across time, today's youth paralleled with classical figures. All models for the mural were local high school students.[4]