Built in 1786, the home was once owned by Philip Syng Physick, who was known as "The Father of American Surgery." The square, four-story brick house is the only free-standing Federal townhouse remaining in Society Hill. With its huge doorway fan light (the largest in any Pennsylvania residence in 1786) plus grand proportions and straight, classical lines, Physick House is an exceptional example of the Federal style. It is decorated with outstanding examples of French-influenced Neoclassic furnishings, popular during Dr. Physick's time in the house. The unusually large city garden also contains plants popular in the 19th century. The home is a National Historic Landmark.