trinity house

We just returned from a visit with our son and his fiancé in Philadelphia. They live about ½ mile from Old City (Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross’ House, etc) so we were able to do a lot of walking and exploring. They have recently moved to a Trinity House which has an interesting historical story.



Snippets from the internet . . .

What is a Trinity house?
A Trinity house is a three-story house with each floor containing one room. The Trinity house is believed to have originated in Philadelphia as early as the year 1720, and nearly 300 years later, Trinity houses are still found across the city of Philadelphia. Trinity houses are typically quite small.

bonus courtyard


street level kitchen




In the 18th century, the Trinity houses in Philadelphia contained an exterior door, no running water, community toilet, and treacherous winding staircases. In the centuries since the birth of the Trinity house, many improvements have been made to make living in cramped quarters much more pleasant.

second floor living room and bathroom




The modern Trinity
Trinity houses are still in use today, just with many modern updates. One of the most notable changes to the Trinity is the addition of running water and indoor facilities. The Trinity house still typically has one room on each floor, winding staircases, and one exterior door. Trinity houses can be found in many of Philadelphia's neighborhoods, including Center City and Society Hill. In today's society when houses are getting bigger and bigger, the Trinity house is a good alternative for “city seeking” couples or roommates.

third floor bedroom




basement leisure room, laundry and storage


Their trinity house was originally 3 homes.
One was torn down hence the courtyard.
The remaining two trinity houses were combined into one.

I am telling you those stairs between floors would keep you in shape!


{I will tell you the happy reason for our visit in the next post}