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Quiz Time, Some Rich Dude One Hundred Years Ago Named This House, What Did He Call It?

During my initial visit with Debbie Klak at the HSofF on Veteran’s Day, we spent a fair  amount of time talking about the wealthy families of Frankford.  I’m really interested on getting the back stories that go along with the mansions that are still standing.  And she would say something like “[so and so] family lived over in the [some house location], it was called [estate name]”.  And she did this twice before I stopped her to get clarification and realized that THE RICH PEOPLE WERE NAMING THEIR HOUSES.  Being firmly entrenched in the proletariat, I find this so amusing.  It’s just like the Vanderbilts and Biltmore.  Frankford has Biltmores.

So lets play a game, I have a few houses that were named, let’s start with one that is a recent home of the week back in August that was owned by Henry Blum who owned a jacquard mill in Kensington.  What name did this dude give his house?  Here’s a hint, his last name(Blum) is in the name.

Leiper 4651b small

UPDATE: Through googling and chance, it appears that this fellow’s first name is NOT Henry, it’s Herman.


The information in this post was compiled with the help of Debbie Klak, current member and former president of the Historical Society of Frankford.  Sources include the archives of the historical society and her recollections.

HSF collects, preserves and presents the history of Northeast Philadelphia and the region. Recognizing the neighborhood of Frankford as the historic and geographic gateway to the region, HSF documents and interprets the history of the people, places, events and traditions of the greater Northeast Philadelphia area and serves as an advocate for the preservation of the region’s historic resources. Through its collections and programs HSF provides opportunities for its members, the surrounding community, and the general public to explore and appreciate the history of Northeast Philadelphia and its place in the world.

Check out other posts in our series here.

8 thoughts on “Quiz Time, Some Rich Dude One Hundred Years Ago Named This House, What Did He Call It?

  1. I’ll try Blumton

  2. No on Blumton, but you’ve gotten the spirit of the name correct.

  3. How about Blumgarten?

  4. Nope not Blumgarten.

  5. UPDATE: The guy’s name is Herman, not Henry.

  6. According to the 1894 Atlas the assumed 1st owner was F. Hormann.

    http://www.philageohistory.org/rdic-images/view-image.cfm/BRM1894.PhilaWards23_35.007.Plate3

    It appears that the house was built after 1887 since it doesn’t show up in that atlas.

    http://www.philageohistory.org/rdic-images/view-image.cfm/GMH1887.PhilaWard23.006.Plate3

  7. Wow Warren, I didn’t know those maps existed. I thought they put every one they had up on their google maps mash up. But yeah Mr Blum was born in 1885 so came along after so I he would have had to pick up the house resale.

    A quick google turns up:

    http://www.webshots.com/explains/family/frankford.html

    Apparently the Hormann’s show up intermarrying with the Castors. I’m surprised there isn’t a street named after them.

  8. […] Herman Blum.  In fact, I thought his name was Henry.  But an intrepid reader not only figured out that 4651 Leiper Street’s given name is Blumhaven, but they also turned up more interesting information on him and his […]

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