{"id":45681,"date":"2025-08-26T07:33:56","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T11:33:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/?p=45681"},"modified":"2025-08-26T07:33:56","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T11:33:56","slug":"reading-terminal-headhouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/08\/26\/reading-terminal-headhouse\/","title":{"rendered":"Reading Terminal Headhouse"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Reading Terminal Headhouse\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/willceau\/54737458414\/in\/dateposted-public\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54737458414_d9355e1777_c.jpg?resize=600%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Reading Terminal Headhouse\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" \/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>12th and Market Streets in Philadelphia, PA<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Construction began in 1891 and was completed in 1893, with the headhouse officially opening as part of the Reading Terminal in 1893.<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"attachment_45682\" style=\"width: 233px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-45682\" data-attachment-id=\"45682\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/08\/26\/reading-terminal-headhouse\/francis_hatch_kimball\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Francis_Hatch_Kimball.png?fit=471%2C635&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"471,635\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Francis_Hatch_Kimball\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Francis_Hatch_Kimball.png?fit=471%2C635&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-45682 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Francis_Hatch_Kimball.png?resize=223%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Francis_Hatch_Kimball.png?resize=223%2C300&amp;ssl=1 223w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Francis_Hatch_Kimball.png?w=471&amp;ssl=1 471w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-45682\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Francis H. Kimball<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Designed by <em>Francis H. Kimball<\/em>, a prominent New York-based architect known for his work in the Italian Renaissance style.<\/li>\n<li>The headhouse was built in the Italian Renaissance style, characterized by its use of brick and terracotta on the exterior, with ornate detailing.<\/li>\n<li>Interior features include marble finishes, molded plasterwork, and cast-iron decorative elements, reflecting the grandeur of late 19th-century railroad architecture.<\/li>\n<li>Commissioned by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad to serve as the main passenger entrance and administrative hub for the Reading Terminal, a major rail station.<\/li>\n<li>The headhouse was part of a larger complex that included the train shed (designed by Wilson Brothers &amp; Company) and the Reading Terminal Market, built to replace an earlier open-air market on the site.<\/li>\n<li>The headhouse, along with the entire Reading Terminal complex, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 for its architectural and historical importance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>12th and Market Streets in Philadelphia, PA Construction began in 1891 and was completed in 1893, with the headhouse officially opening as part of the Reading Terminal in 1893. Designed by Francis H. Kimball, a prominent New York-based architect known &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2025\/08\/26\/reading-terminal-headhouse\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45709,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[77,104],"tags":[5995,1713,476,1697,280,3669,1622,477],"class_list":["post-45681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adventures-in-commuting","category-philadelphia","tag-19th-century","tag-architecture","tag-city","tag-commute","tag-market-street","tag-philadelphia","tag-train","tag-urban"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1ed1x-bSN","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":42131,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2023\/12\/15\/christmas-on-kimball-street\/","url_meta":{"origin":45681,"position":0},"title":"Christmas on Kimball Street","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"December 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Our neighbors on the 800 block of Kimball Street have outdone themselves this year! More photos behind the cut.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Holiday&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Holiday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/holiday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/CKsally.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":23506,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2018\/04\/10\/looking-south-door-on-kimball-street\/","url_meta":{"origin":45681,"position":1},"title":"Looking South &#8211; Door on Kimball Street","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"April 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 SaveSave","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Looking South&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Looking South","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/looking-south\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/DoorKimball.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/DoorKimball.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/DoorKimball.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15700,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2014\/02\/28\/waterlogged-olympians-and-huey-lewis-shoes-at-13th-and-kimball\/","url_meta":{"origin":45681,"position":2},"title":"Waterlogged Olympians and Huey Lewis Shoes at 13th and Kimball","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"February 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Spotted on the corner of 13th Street and Kimball in South Philadelphia - a hardback semi-autobiography of Michael Phelps and a two-tone shoe that was probably the height of fashion in the 1980s. This whole area around the enormous vacant lot at Broad and Washington has become a dumping ground\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Trash or Treasure&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Trash or Treasure","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/trash-or-treasure\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/DSCN0869.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/DSCN0869.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/DSCN0869.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44077,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2024\/11\/09\/caturday-144\/","url_meta":{"origin":45681,"position":3},"title":"Caturday","author":"Joe","date":"November 9, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Photos of felines in and around Philadelphia","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Caturday&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Caturday","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/feline-fridays\/caturday\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Kimball Street Kitty","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54080619483_75a8717221_c.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54080619483_75a8717221_c.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54080619483_75a8717221_c.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/54080619483_75a8717221_c.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14404,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2013\/09\/18\/reading-terminal-market\/","url_meta":{"origin":45681,"position":4},"title":"Reading Terminal Market","author":"Tina Garceau","date":"September 18, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"My fascination with hand painted and old neon signs brought to mind this photo I took of the Reading Terminal Market sign a few years back.\u00a0 From Wikipedia: Open-air markets flourished in Philadelphia since its founding. Growth of the city demanded more markets, and the string of open-air markets extending\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Food&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Food","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/food\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/PostcardReadingTerminal1906.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/PostcardReadingTerminal1906.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/PostcardReadingTerminal1906.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":25600,"url":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/2019\/07\/22\/reading-terminal-spring-1984\/","url_meta":{"origin":45681,"position":5},"title":"Reading Terminal Spring 1984","author":"Joe_Williams","date":"July 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I took this picture as a student at The Philadelphia College of Art. I think a classroom of illustration majors was dispatched to Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market to annoy shoppers and vendors with our 35mm SLR cameras in order to collect reference for illustration projects. I'm not sure what I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blast from the Past&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blast from the Past","link":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/category\/blast-from-the-past\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Reading Terminal \u2022 Spring 1984","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/48330930531_e576e41701_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/reading-terminal-headhouse.jpg?fit=600%2C800&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45681\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45709"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/willceau.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}