Dr. Joseph Leidy House

Joseph Leidy, Jr. was 28 years old in 1894, when his house on Locust Street was finished. Joseph Jr. became a doctor, studying at the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1880s; one of his instructors was his uncle, Joseph Leidy, Sr. In 1900, the 34-year-old shared the Locust Street house with his wife of seven years, Helen C. (29); his daughter, Cornelia C. (4); his son, Philip L. (3); his brother, C. Fontaine M. Leidy (26), also a physician; and a servant, Mary McDevitt (35). All of the Leidy family members were born in Pennsylvania; their servant was born in Ireland and immigrated to the U.S. in 1881. Cornelia and Philip Leidy still lived in their parents' home in 1918; he was a student. Dr. and Mrs. Leidy were "empty nesters" by 1920 with no children in the home, Dr. Leidy still worked for himself as a physician. A servant, Mary Brady (61), and a man who worked as a Post Office clerk, Dennis Brady (29),also lived in the Locust Street home; both were Pennsylvania natives.

Joseph Leidy was last listed in the city directory for Philadelphia in 1923, and was still living at 1319 Locust Street. The Dr. Joseph Leidy House became the site of the Poor Richard Club in 1925, and remained so until 1979. The club was for Philadelphia area folks who worked in advertising, journalism, and public relations. The club also ran the Charles Morris Price School of Advertising from this house and the neighboring Clarence B. Moore House.

The house's original architect was Wilson Eyre, Jr., who had previously designed the house next door, the Clarence B. Moore House, in 1890. A church formerly stood on the two lots purchased by Moore at 1319-1321 Locust Street. Moore built on the 1321 lot and sold the 1319 lot to Dr. Leidy. The Leidy House is Georgian Revival-style, composed of red brick and reddish brownstone with a front gable roof. Projecting blocks of brownstone line the arched central entryway, which is flanked by two-story bays edged at the corners by massive brick quoins. Upon entering the house, a vestibule lead directly to the front room used as Dr. Leidy's medical office, with an additional attached room used as the examining room. The vestibule also led to the center hall of the residence, with the family's parlor on the left front of the house. During the time the house was the Poor Richard Club, these rooms were joined to one space, with a new but still colonial in style staircase to the upper levels. The dark wood original paneling was replaced with lighter walls in the twentieth century, with exposed beams and the original wood and stone fireplaces retained. The upstairs original front rooms were renovated into a large meeting room for the club.

Boyd's. Boyd's Philadelphia Combined City and Business Directory. Philadelphia, PA. C.E. Howe Addressing & Printing Company, 1921.

C.E. Howe. Howe's Philadelphia City Directory 1918. Philadelphia, PA. C.E. Howe Addressing & Printing Company, 1918.

C.E. Howe. Howe's Philadelphia City Directory 1923. Philadelphia, PA. C.E. Howe Addressing & Printing Company, 1923.

Infogroup. National Union of Hospital & Health, 1319 Locust St., Mapquest. January 1st 2019. Accessed December 16th 2020. https://www.mapquest.com/us/pennsylvania/national-union-of-hospital-health-357104370.

McElroy, A. McElroy's Philadelphia City Directory for 1866. Edition 29th. Philadelphia, PA. A. McElroy, 1866.

Thomas, George E. Fair, David. NRHP Nomination of Dr. Joseph Leidy House. National Register. Washington, DC. National Park Service, 1980.

U.S. Census. Household of Joseph Leidy at 1319 Locust Street, Philadelphia Ward 8, Pennsylvania, Dwelling 121, Family 128. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1900.

U.S. Census. Household of Joseph Leidy at 1319 Locust Street, Philadelphia Ward 8, Pennsylvania, Dwelling 23, Family 21. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1920.