8815 Norwood Avenue

 

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(photograph from Chestnut Hill Historical Society-John Naylor Collection: 1970.72)

 
MAP NUMBER: 54
DATE: 1865
ORIGINAL OWNER: Unknown
ARCHITECT: Unknown
CONTRACTOR: Unknown

Known as “Westleigh,” this Classical Revival house was developed
by Charles Taylor, who was one of the principal builders in the
northeast section of Chestnut Hill in the years after the Chestnut
Hill Railroad (later the Philadelphia & Reading),  was constructed
in 1854. Taylor was a grain merchant and developer, who came
to Chestnut Hill in 1849.  He accumulated about 40 acres and
opened up Norwood Avenue in 1860.  This house later became the
home of the Honorable Richard Vaux, Mayor of Philadelphia. 
C. Leiper commissioned a large number of interior alterations
in 1926. 

See Keels and Jarvis, "Chestnut Hill"," pps. 28 and 29.