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Collection: Thomas Ustick Walter Collection

Institution: Athenaeum of Philadelphia

MARC Description:
This project is also identified in Athenaeum files as "Alteration to John Haviland's Blight House, [SE cor.] Chestnut & 16th, erected c. 1828-29, acquired by Biddle 1839/1840". A rendering (1836) by David J. Kennedy, of the Charles Blight Residence by Haviland is given in Tatum (1961). No mention of a Walter alteration is included in this source. M.E. Baigell (U. of Pa. Thesis, 1965), p.141-143 gives no mention of a Walter alteration, but states that Haviland was hired by the Blight brothers, James & George, to design the facade of the twin house. Walter's drawing is visually similar to the Haviland house in Tatum, with possibly the addition of a third floor, additional windows on the second floor, and wings added to either end of the elevation. The accompanying floor plan shows the house as a twin. No documentation has yet been found in Walter's diaries or account books for this project. An unpublished student paper by D. Newberry (1986) at the Athenaeum states that there were three Blights connected with the house & neighboring property: James Henry (1796-1880) who may have signed the agreement with Haviland, but seems to have lived in China representing the family's merchant trade during this period; George (1780-1834) who's wife continued to live in the house for five years after his death; and Charles (1794-1864), who probably lived in the house after his marriage in 1831 until it sold to Biddle. Nicholas Biddle (1786-1844) was President of the Bank of the United States from 1823-1839. His bank came to financial ruin after its charter as "the nation's bank" was not renewed by U.S. President Andrew Jackson and the Congress. See Philadelphia : a 300 year history (1982), p.301-306. Biddle purchased George Blight's property in 1839 and 5 months later in 1840 purchase Charles Blights' property, including a lot to the east of the house. Biddle also had a city residence at 715 Spruce St. and a country house, "Andalusia", on the Delaware River in Bucks County, cataloged separately. Walter's drawing for the proposed alteration is dated May 1840. Biddle's continuing financial problems suggest that the alterations were not made. Biddle dies in 1844, and the mansion is sold at Sheriff's sale in Dec. 1845 to George Blight (1818-1894), son of the previous owner. The house or a house on this property is traced to 1906, when the property becomes commercial.

Quantity: 1 drawing : ink & wash on paper ; 52 x 67 cm.

Local Call: WTU*028

RLIN: PAPV93-F456

Item dates: 1840

Holding types: Drawings

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Documented Projects

• Blight Residence
  Client: Blight, Charles; Biddle, Nicholas
   

Documented Architects, Engineers, and Others

• Walter, Thomas Ustick (1804-1887) (Architect)

Location

S 16TH ST near CHESTNUT ST
Philadelphia, PA

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Image Gallery

[Design for an alteration of Mr. Biddle's Mansion] Plan & Elevation (T. U. Walter, Architect, 5/29/1840) Thomas Ustick Walter Collection, Athenaeum of Philadelphia. Local ID #: WTU*028*001

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