Edwin Forrest House

Edwin Forrest House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Pennsylvania state historical marker
Edwin Forrest House, now Freedom Theatre
Location	1326 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates
Built	1853-54
Architect	probably Stephen Decatur Button. James H. Windrim (1880 alterations)
Architectural style	Italianate
NRHP Reference #	72001152
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	January 13, 1972
Designated PHMC	May 16, 1991

The Edwin Forrest House (a.k.a. Gaul-Forrest House) is a house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania built in 1853-54 for William Gaul, a wealthy brewer. A year after its completion, it was bought by actor Edwin Forrest, who resided there until his death in the house in 1872.

The Philadelphia School of Design for Women purchased the property in 1880, and built an extensive rear addition westward to Carlisle Street, to house art studios. The addition's Master Street façade was brick, but fitted with brownstone-trimmed windows consistent with those of the original house. The school, which later changed its name to the Moore College of Art, continued to occupy the building until 1960. The Philadelphia Cotillion Society purchased the building and used it as a community center until 1968.

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  Edwin Forrest Mansion, after 1863 addition of theater wing (left).

Today the building is occupied by Freedom Theatre, which provides professional instruction in acting and live theatre production.

External links

• Listing and photograph of the Gaul-Forrest House at the Historic American Buildings Survey
• Listing of the Gaul-Forrest House at Philadelphia Architects and Buildings