1982 National Register of Historic Places Inventory for Colonial Germantown Historic District:
"(SEC Walnut Lane) Shippen-Blair House, part possibly built by Dr. Christoper Witt [died 1765], before 1789, three and one-half stories, stone with wood trim, a handsome Federal style building with rubble side walls and foundation and ashlar front, Federal style. --- Significant."

Background:
This property was part of Lot 18, belonging first to Andreas Souplis and then to Christian Warmer in the earliest days of Germantown. The Shippen-Blair house may be the first three story house in Germantown. Dr. William Shippen purchased the property in 1775; his son-in-law Rev. Dr. Blair, later President of Princeton, also lived in the house. The battle of Germantown left traces in the woodwork, and Mrs. Washington was entertained here when the Washingtons resided in Germantown. In the 1820's Dr. George Junkin operated his Manual Labor School here before he became President of Lafayette College.

Ownership changed hands a number of times in the nineteenth century. For a time it was a branch of Col. Alexander's city hotel; an 1842 insurance survey details not only the mansion, but also another two-story building, a large greenhouse, washhouse, and a barn complex including cow and horse stables, a dung shed, a threshing floor, a wagon house and a coach house. After actress Charlotte Cushman purchased the property for her residence in 1851, she opened up several streets. During the last decades of the century, the property was a boarding house owned by George W. Carpenter and run by Miss Mary Burkhard.

Additional Sources:

• GHS: Jellett, Edwin C. "Germantown Historical Miscellany," pp. 319-20 (images).

• GHS: Jellet/Ref 1-1/9/photocopy pp. 107-109:
  • p. 107 (from south, with fire escape stairs on front)
  • p. 108 (from south, c. 1850)
  • p. 109 (from north).

• GHS: Keyser, Naaman. Notes for v. 2 (north of Chelten), History of Old Germantown, p. 49: "6043" (unpublished typewritten manuscript).

• GHS: Photo Box 2, envelope 2, 1962 (photograph of house as Rittenhouse Records Stationers, prior to reconstruction).

• GHS: Photo Box 5, envelope 8 (two views by John Bullock).

• GHS: Photo Box N, envelope 13: various views and measured drawings exchanged between Judge Saylor and Miss Jane Carl.

• GHS: Photo Scrapbook 8: HABS survey, compiled by G.C. Johnson (7 sheets of plans and measured drawings).

• HSP: Campbell Collection, vol. 35, pp. 1-2: 6043 Germantown Avenue/The Laurens/Blair Academy (photographs, including the one above, and manuscript text).

• HSP: Mutual/Green Tree Insurance Policies 5082 (house) and 4615 (barn) for Geo. W. Carpenter, NE side Germantown Ave. between High and Walnut Lane.

• HSP: Perkins Collection, vol. 61D, p. 70: Laurens no. 6043 (photo and manuscript text).

• HSP: Shoemaker Collection, folios 9 and 32: Miss Burkhard's boarding house, once Rev. Blair's (photos and manuscript text dated 1890).

• LCP: John G. Bullock Collection, numbers 66-68 (lantern slides):
  • number 66: "Blair House, main & Walnut, neg 1908. Built 1775 by Dr. Wm Shippen, occupied also by his son-in-law; Rev. Sam'l Blair afterward President of Princeton University" (image is disintegrating; view from across and down Germantown Avenue).
  • number 67: (undated) "6043 Blair House. In 1851 owned by Charlotte Cushman the actress" (view from West Walnut Lane).
  • number 68: "Doorway to Blair House 1916, formerly in Bensel House."

• PHC: Franklin Fire Insurance Policy 779 3884/3885 (survey and site plan of mansion house and back buildings).

• PHC: Iwanicki, Edwin. "The Laurens" (clipped article, probably from the Germantown Crier).