1700–12 Spruce St. (OP)
10th Presbyterian Church and Parish House
1854, John McArthur, Jr.
This was the first Presbyterian church constructed west of Broad St., an offshoot of the original 10th Presbyterian at 12th and Walnut. The architect, John McArthur, is chiefly remembered for designing Philadelphia City Hall (1871-1901) in the then-fashionable French Second Empire style. Like many of his contemporaries, however, McArthur worked in a variety of styles, as is evident at 10th Presbyterian. Here the colorful facade evokes the Italian Romanesque with round-headed arches and windows, highly decorative limestone window surrounds and an elaborate corbel-table under the steep triangular gable. The delicate wrought iron gates are original. Adjoining the church to the right, two adjacent houses (c. 1870) serve as the Parish House and exhibit Gothic Revival features, including Tudor arches framing the door and windows.