# Witherspoon Building

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**Witherspoon Building** is a historic [office](/source/Office) building located in the [Market East](/source/Market_East,_Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania) neighborhood of [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania). It was designed by architect [Joseph M. Huston](/source/Joseph_M._Huston) (1866–1940) and built in 1896. It was built for the Presbyterian Board of Publications and Sabbath School Work. It is an 11-story, steel frame E-shaped building, faced with brick and granite. It has [terra cotta](/source/Terra_cotta) decorative elements. Its exterior features [Corinthian order](/source/Corinthian_order) and [Ionic order](/source/Ionic_order) columns, statues, medallions, seals of various boards and agencies of the Presbyterian Church and of related Reformed churches. It is named for [John Witherspoon](/source/John_Witherspoon) (1723–1794), a president of [Princeton University](/source/Princeton_University).[2]

It was added to the [National Register of Historic Places](/source/National_Register_of_Historic_Places) in 1978.[1]

## Sculpture

Several statues and some of the medallions were designed by sculptor [Alexander Stirling Calder](/source/Alexander_Stirling_Calder) (1870–1945), including statues of six historically prominent Presbyterians, Francis Makemie, John Witherspoon, John McMillan, Samuel Davies, James Caldwell and Marcus Whitman. These sculptures were removed in 1961 and later moved to the courtyard of the [Presbyterian Historical Society](/source/Presbyterian_Historical_Society) in Philadelphia.[2][3]

## References

1. Richard J. Webster (July 1977). [*National Register of Historic Places Registration: Pennsylvania SP Witherspoon Building*](https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71997378) (none). National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved January 3, 2026. ()

1. ["Witherspoon Building Figures"](http://collections.si.edu/search/results.htm?q=+Witherspoon+Building+Figures&image.x=30&image.y=6). *SIRIS*. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved April 10, 2014.

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