Mt Vernon Square - Nat'l Register Registration Form (1999)

8/2/2019 Mt Vernon Square - Nat'l Register Registration Form (1999)

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N FS Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) AUnited States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F HISTORIC PLAREGISTRATION FORM

R E C E I V E S 2280

CEN A 1

A U G 6 SBR IC P L A C E Sk V J C E

This form is fo r us e in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties or districts. Se e instructions in H ow to Complete the National Register ofHistoric Places Registration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A) . Complete each item by marking "x " in the appropriate box or by entering th e informationrequested. If an i tem does not apply to th e property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials , andareas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from th e instructions. Place additional entr ies and narrative i tems on cont inuat ion sheets (NFS Form 10 -900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to compete all items.

1 . Name of Property_______________________ ___ __Historic name: M o u n t Vernon Square Historic DistrictOther nam es/site number:2 . LocationStreet & Number: [N/A] N ot fo r PublicationCity or town: District ofColumbia FN/A 1 VicinityState: Washington Code: D C County: District of Columbia Code: 001 Zip Code:3. State/Federal Agency CertificationAs the designated authority unde r the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this [ ] nominat ion [ ] request for determination of eligibility meets thedocumentation standards fprregistering properties in th e National Register of Historic Places and meets th e procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Par t 60 .In my opinion, Vpro|


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Mount Vernon Square Historic District Washington, D.C.N a m e of Property County and State5 . ClassificationOwnership of Property[X ] Private[X ] Public-Local[] Public-State[ ] Public-Federal

Category of Property[] Building(s)[X ] District[] Site[] Structure[] Object

N a m e of related mu ltiple property listingN /A

No. Resources within PropertyContribut ing Noncontributing407 1 3 Buildings0 _0_ Sites0 0 Structure40 7 1 3

ObjectsTotalNu mber of contr ibut ingResources previouslylisted in th e NationalRegister 2_____6. Function or Use Current Funct ions (entercategories from instructions)DOMESTIC: Single DwellingDOM ESTI C: M ul ti pl e Dwell ingsD O M E S T I C : Secondary StructuresC O M M E R C E / T R A D E : BusinessC O M M E R C E / T R A D E : Professional

Historic Functions (enter categoriesfrom in struct ions)D O M E S T I C : Single Dwellings_______________D O M E S T I C : Multiple Dwellings__________DOMESTI C: Secondary Structures_______C O M M E R C E / T R A D E : Business__________C O M M E R C E / T R A D E : Professional__________C O M M E R C E / T R A D E : Financial Insti tutionsC O M M E R C E / T R A D E : Specialty Stores______C O M M E R C E / T R A D E : Warehouses____________G O V E R N M E N T : F i r e Station____________E D U C A T I O N : Schools__________________R E L I G I O N : Religious Facility___________R E L I G I O N : Church S c h o o l _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _R E C R E A T I O N A ND CULTU RE : Outdoor Recreat ion RE LIGION: Rel igious Facility

C O M M E R C E / T R A D E : Finan cial Insti tutionsCOM M ER CE/TRA DE : Spec ia lty S toresC O M M E R C E / T R A D E : Warehouses______C O M M E R C E / T R A D E : Restaurant______G O V E R N M E N T : F ir e Station_________G O V E R N M E N T : Correctional FacilityE D U C A T I O N : Library____________RELIGION: Church SchoolR E C R E A T I O N A N D C U L T U R E : Outdoor Recreation

7. DescriptionArchitectural Classification(enter categories from instructions)Italianate_______________Second Empire_____________Queen Anne_____________________Re naissance Rev ival___________Commercial Style_____________Colonial Revival

Materials (enter categories from instructions)foundation:walls:___roof: ___other:

Stone; Brick; Concrete BlockClapboard; Brick; Limestone ; GraniteFlat; Sloped; Gable; Man sard; Hipped

Narrative DescriptionDescribe th e historic an d current condition of the property on on e or more continuation sheets[X ] See cont inuat ion sheet


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Mount Vernon Square H istoric District Washington, D.C.N a m e of Property8 . Statement of Significance

County and State

Applicable National Register Criteria(Mark x in on e or more boxes for th e criteriaqualifying th e proper ty for Na t iona l Register l is ting. )[X ] A Property is associated with events that havemade a significant contribution to the broad patternsof our history.[ ] B Property is associated with the lives ofpersons signif icant in our past.[X ] C Property embodies th e distinctive characteristicsof a type, period, or method of construction or representsth e work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, orrepresents a signif icant and distinguishable e nti ty whosecomponents lack individual distinction.[ ] D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield,information important in prehistory or history.Criteria Considerations(Mark x in all the boxes that apply.)[ ] A o w n e d b y a religious ins titution orused fo r religious purposes.[ ] B removed from it s original location.[ ] C a birthplace or grave.[ ] D a cemetery.[ ] E a reconstructed building, object, or structure.[ ] F a com mem orat ive property.[ ] G less than 50 years of age or achievedsignif icance within th e past 50 years.

Areas of Significance(Enter categories from i n s t ruct ions )Architecture_______Communi ty Plann ing &____DevelopmentSocial History_______Ethnic Heritage: Black

Period of Significance1845-1945

Significant Dates1845_____1862______1 8 7 2

Significant Person(Complete if Criterion B is marked above.)N /A

Cultural AffiliationU n k n o w n

Architect/Builder

Narrative Statement of Significance(Explain th e s ign i f icance of th e property on on e or more continuation sheets . )


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Mount Vernon Square Historic District Washington, D.C.N a m e of Property9. Major Bibliographic References

County and State

[ ] See continuat ion sheetPrevious documentat ion on file (NFS):[X ] prel imin ary determinat ion ofindividual listing (36 C FR 6 7)[X ] previously listed in the N R[ ] previously determine d eligibleby th e National Register[ ] designated a National HistoricLandmark[ ] recorded by Historic A mericanBuildings Survey #________[ ] recorded by Historic A mericanEn gineer ing Record #______

Primary location of add. data:[ X ] State SHPO office[ ] Other State agency[ ] Federal agency[ ] Local gove rnmen t[ ] Univers ity[X ] OtherSpecify repository:E H T Traceries

[X ] See continuation sheet10. Geographical DataAcreage of property approximately 100 acresUTM Refe rences1 / I / 8 / / 3 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 4 / 0 / / 4 / 3 / 0 / 7 / 7 / 4 / 0 /Zone East ing Northing2 71/87 73/2/4/4/4/57 /4/3/0/8/0/2/0/Zone East ing Northing3 /I /8 / /3/2/4/9/0/5 / /4/3/0/8/0/2/0/Zone East ing Northing

4 /1/8/ /3/2/4/9/2/0/ /4/3/0/8/2/0/Q/Zone Easting Northing5 71 /87 73/2/5/5/0/07 74/3/0/8/1/6/4/Zone Easting Northing6 /I /8 / 73/2/5/478/S/ /4/3/0/8/0/8/0/Zone Easting Northing

[ ] See continuat ion sheetVerbal B oundary DescriptionThe M o u n t V e rn o n Square H istoric D istrict begins at th e intersection of 7 t h Street an d N ew YorkA v e n u e , N W . T h e boundary runs northeast on N ew York A venu e , including all th e propertiesfronting the avenue to th e north, an d turns north on 1 s t Street. R u n n i n g on e block north on 1 s t________________[X] See continuation sheet______________________Boundary JustificationThe boundaries of th e proposed historic district ar e comprised of a portion of the much la rgercommuni ty tha t grew around Mount Vernon Square . Drastic physical changes in the latter partof th e 2 0 t h century have created two dist inc t n eighborhoods , M ount V ernon Square and M o u n t

[X ] See continuat ion sheet


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Mount Vernon Squa re Historic District____________________Washington, D.C.N a m e of Property County and State11. Form Prepared By_________________________________________Nam e/t itle Laura V. Trieschmann, A rchitectural Historian______________________Organizat ion EHT Traceries_____________ Date July 27,1999_____________Street & N u m b e r 5 4 20 Western Avenue_______ Telephone (301) 656-5283City or Town Chevy Chase______ State Maryland_____ Z ip code 20815_______Additional Documentation____________________________________Submit th e following i tems with the completed form:

Continuation Sheets

Map sA U S G S m ap (7.5 or 1 5 minute series) indicating th e property's location.A Sketch m ap for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerousresources.

PhotographsRepresentat ive black and white photographs of th e property.

Additional items(Check with the SHPO or FP O fo r any additional i tems)

Property Owner_________________________________(Complete this item at the request of the SHPO or FPO.)

name_______________________________________street & num b er ____________________________telephonecity or town __________________state__________zip codePaperwork Reduction A ct Statement: This information is being collected fo r applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate propert ies fo rlisting or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend exist ing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance withth e National Historic Preservat ion Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 47 0 et seq.)Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is est imated to average 18.1 hours per response including time for reviewing instruct ions,gathering and maintaining data, and complet ing an d reviewing th e form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief,Administrat ive Services Division, Nat ional Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, D C 20013-7127; and the Office of th e M a n a g e me n t an d Budget , PaperworkReduct ions Projects (1024-0018), Washington, D C 2 0 5 0 3 .


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N FS Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) 0MBNo. 10024-0018

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F HISTORIC P L A C E SContinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 7 Page 1

Early Architecture of th e Northern Liberties: 1845-1865The oldest bui ldings remaining in th e M o u n t Vernon Square historic district date from the mid-19 t h century and the Civ i l War era. This construct ion, overwhelmingly devoted to residentialdevelopment , is a direct result of th e northward migration along the established turnpike of 7 t hStreet. General ly , th e buildings stand two stories in height an d are two bays wide . Thei r roofsvary f rom cont inuous side gable over a group of dwell ings to th e slightly sloped roof thattypically covers a s ingle or paired structure. A s a rule, these buildings have flat facades withl imited decorative details an d are set back from th e street to create landscaped f ront yards. T hestructures w ere typically built individual ly, in pairs, or in small groups. While i nf luenced by th eItalianate style, most of th e earliest houses are quite sparse in their use of ornament , represent inga builder 's vernacular interpretation of a style. Ornamenta t ion is limited to th e cornice,consist ing of a slightly overhanging e lement of wo od construct ion. The cornice, detai led withscrolled brackets , w as more commonly found on the buildings with s loping roofs.The buildings from this period were typically of wood-frame construction, clad withweatherboard . How ever , because of th e vulnerabi l i ty of this building material, only n ine wood-frame structures are currently extant in th e Mount Vernon Square neighborhood. Thus , of th eforty-three resources recorded from this period, the majority is of brick construction. RidgeStreet, the alley dividing Square 513 , conta ined th e greatest concentration of wood-f ramedwell ings from this period, including the buildings at 418-420 , 427-427-1 /2 , an d 477-481 RidgeStree t (1860 , 1863 , an d 1855 respect ively) . Other exam ples we re located at 467 M Street ( 1 865 ,demol i shed) an d 456- 458 N Stree t (1867-186 9) .Dw el lings erec ted in brick displayed essent ial ly the same form an d mass ing as thei r wood-f ramecounterparts . A n excel lent example of this type of construction is located at 42 9 M Street(1859) . This lone building is covered by a s loping roof c rowned on the fa9ade by a narrowbracketed cornice constructed of wood. Set back from the s treet with a substantially sized frontyard, this bui lding has a two-bay wide, flat fa9ade of pressed brick.The dwel l ing at 424 M Street, constructed in circa 1845, il lustrates a typical al teration proce durein this neighborhood - cladding of a wood-frame structure with brick an d th e addition of aprojecting bay on the flat-fronted fa9ade. Port ions of the original wood-frame structure arevisible from th e rear of th e property, while the brick cladding fronts M Street . T he 1887


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NF S Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) OMB No. 10024-00 18

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F HISTORIC P L A C E SContinuat ion SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 7 Page 2

alterations to the bui lding display th e common addit ion of projecting bays an d corbelled brickcornices rather than applied wooden cornices . The oldest resource identi f ied in the historicdistrict, this freestanding bui lding w as originally part of a row. The single-family dwell ing w asconverted into apartments in th e 1940s, marking the residential shifts of th e com m uni ty as wel las archi tectural fashions .The most noteworthy bui ld ing dating from this period is Fletcher Chapel , constructed at 401N ew Y ork Avenue in 1855. This freestanding wood-frame bui lding is three bays wide and fourbays deep. I t s tands one s tory in height on a raised foundation an d has a f ront gable roof.Presently clad in permastone, th e building w as at one t ime sheathed in vert ical board and battens iding, an exterior t rea tment popularized for rural structures by Andrew Jackson Downing in hisinf luential 1842 publication Cottage Residences. The vernacular expression of this academicstyle is represented, al though the chapel does n ot exhibi t m a n y of th e telltale elements . The styleis suggested, rather than stated, by the stylized corner pi lasters that original ly supported th eped im en t on th e faade. T he ped im en t gave the chapel a temple-fronted appearance , which w asfurther articulated by a classical cornice with modil l ions an d round window in th e t y m panum .The combina t ion of classical e lements , board an d batten s iding, and wooden louvered b linds an dsash windows indica tes an awareness of th e architectural trends of th e period, without strictadherence to the rules of their application. 1Victorian Architecture of Mount Vernon, 1866-1900During the lat ter part of th e 19 t h century, the construction of residential bui ldings in this areaincreased tenfold. Typically constructed in rows, the buildings are overwhelmingly bui l t ofbrick. Of th e 347 documented bui ld ings from this period, i nc luding both commercia l an ddomestic, over 300 were cons t ructed of brick, whi le only 2 6 were constructed of w o o d framing.O n l y 301 buildings from this period are extant today.The availability of mass-produced components from pattern books an d hardware supplycatalogues al lowe d local builders to create facsimiles of th e most fashionable archi tectural styles.Brackets , finials, molded bricks , windows, paneled doors , and cast iron elements , as wel l asinterior stairs and moldings were al l ready-made an d could be pieced together by builders ininf ini te varieties. Stylistically, row buildings from this period were inspired by eclectic,medieva l sources , with Engl i sh Gothic , Queen Anne , R om anesque , an d French Second Empire1 Don ' t Tear I t Do wn, "Lower Shaw/Mount Vernon East Survey Final Report," 1984, p. 2 5.


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 1 1 -90) 0MBNo. 10024-0018

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceN A T I O N A L R E G I S T E R O F HISTORIC PLAC ESCon tinuation SheetM o u n t V e r n on Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number _7_ Page 3

design motifs . Houses tended to be asymmetrical in form - emphas ized by the towers, turrets ,bay windows an d oriels - and constructed in a dark palette of red br ick and brownstone wi thwood and meta l t r im pa inted in somber tones . The masonry facades of the pressed brick an dstone bui ld ings were never pa in ted , ins tead relying on their natural colors to convey character.Masonry joints of th e facades were typically tinted to match th e color of th e brick. Architecturalemphas is w as placed on the fronts of th e building, and s ides for corner s tructures, while rearelevations were considered uti l i tarian, most often with anci l lary ells that projected off a portionof th e back wall .T he Bui ld ing Projection A ct of 1871 , al low ing for the construction of projecting bays into publicspace, and the enactment of municipal bui lding codes between 1872-1878, prohibi t ing frameconstruction an d wood cladding, had a profound affect on th e archi tecture th roughoutWashing ton , D. C . an d specifically in the Mount Vernon Square neighborhood. Housesconstructed in this period also began to be larger in size an d featured indoor p lumbing asrequired by th e building codes . While houses erected prior to 1875 were typical ly tw o stories inheight, bui ldings constructed in the late 1870s an d 1880s tended to be three stories. By the1890s , houses in the area were more typically four full stories.Projecting bays are a prom inen t an d important character-defining feature of th e majority of th erow houses in th e neighborhood. W i thin neighboring commun i ties , th e first projecting bays -dating from the early 1870s -were typically one story in height an d of wood cons t ruct ion . Theywere tentative in character, appearing as if tacked onto the exis t ing f lat-fronted b ui ldings as anafterthought. In M o u n t Vernon , the projecting bay arrived as an integral part of th e originaldes ign; thus the m ajority of bays are constructed of brick rather than wood. This al lowe d for thearchi tectural presentation to be more e legant and f inished in appearance . T he bays initiallyextended f rom th e En g li sh b a sem en t to th e first story. A n excel lent example of th e height of th efirst projecting bays is found in th e intact row of four dwel l ings at 451 - 457 M Street (1876) inSquare 513 . Physical ly impos ing, the structure rises three stories in height on a slightly raisedfoundation. Yet , as was the fashion, the canted bays rise only the height of the first story. Thus ,th e projections are diminutive in size w h e n compared to the overal l mass ing of th e building theyadorn. The brick facades are ornately detailed with wide surrounds, projecting l intels,pedimented archi traves, an d heavy overhanging cornices of wood.T he odd-numbered side of th e 1100 block of 5 t h Street (Square 514) , constructed in 1874, isnoteworthy as a block that w as developed with bui ldings entirely devoid of projecting bays.


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N FS Form 10-900(Rev. 1 1 -90 ) OMB No. 10024-0018

United States D epar tment of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceN A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER O F HISTORIC PLAC ESContinuation SheetM o u n t Vernon Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 7 Page 4

Decora t ive t rea tment , commonly appl ied to the projections on surrounding dwell ings, w asinstead transferred to the heavi ly orname nted roofline and architraves . The uni fy ing overhangsare identical ly f inished with plain friezes below dent i l molding, saw n-cu t scrolled brackets withfoliage, modil l ions composed of leaves , beed-and-reel , and ogee cornices .A s the period progressed, so did the depth, height , an d universal use of projecting bays onneighborhood rowhouses , somet imes reaching above the roofl ine with a stylized parapet ortower. In addition to the larger proportions, the canted an d round bays were ornamented wi thbrackets , decorative trim, an d blind balustrades or panels below th e window openings . The useof a similar cornice t rea tment on th e projecting bay and th e to p of th e building uni ted th efasade's composit ion. Yet, the varying roofl ines of th e projections typical ly indicated anindividual dwell ing within a long row, with corbel ing, segmental-arches , mansard roofs, conicalcaps, and s tepped parapets . The effect created by th e rows an d their projecting bays is verym uch in keeping w i th th e Victorian notion of th e picturesque, as it could be achieved on a smallurban rowhouse. The f i fty-three houses front ing the four sides of Square 482 were des igned byarchi tect Thomas Franklin Schneider in 1890 and illustrate the use of projecting bays, an d th evariations applied to each.B y th e 1880s an d 1890s , rowhouse design showed variations with the use of rough-cut s toneblocks on the foun dations, brick corbelled cornices rather than I tal ianate-styled wooden cornices ,an d imposing roofs . One of th e bes t examples of th e 1890s is found in the row of buildings inthe 430 block of M Street . The buildings were constructed by builder A u g u s t Getz in 1891 assingle-family dwel l ings . Each dwell ing is two bays wide with al ternating round and squareprojecting bays. Variations to the contiguous row are presented by the use of multiple roofforms, i nc luding mansard , conical , pyramidal , and hipped. Additionally , the many shapes andn u m b e r of sashes in th e window openings aid in creat ing individuality fo r th e row. Althoughthis is the case, foundations are identically clad in rough-cut s tone blocks beveled to create awatertable where it meets th e pressed brick. In keep ing with th e fashion in th e 1890s , cornicesconsist ing of corbelled brick rather than the more com m on appl ied wood or meta l detail ing. Themain b lock of th e structure consists of tw o full stories set above an Eng l i sh b a sem en t an d iscovered by a m ansa rd roof that obscures th e uppermost story. T he exis tence of this hidden storyis revea led through dormers an d th e top story of th e projecting bays. Although th e same heightas th e Getz's M Stree t buildings, Leon Dessez ' s ro w of houses at 218-224 N Street (1892) inSquare 555 appear to be more pet ite because of the lack of tel l tale openings in the roofs of th emain b lock an d projecting bays.


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N FS Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) OMB No. 10024-0018

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceN A T I O N A L REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACESContinuation S heetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number _7_ Page 5

Commercia l des ign did not substant ial ly differ from the residential t rends . Commercia lbui ldings, like those found a long 7 t h Street and N ew York A venu e , were three an d four stories inheight . The buildings were divided into tw o zones ; the lower devoted to public shopping spacean d the upper conta in ing offices and hotels . The storefronts, the majority of which have beensignif icantly al tered to provide wider window openings , were marked by a narrow cornice thatw as s impler in des ign com pared to the overhanging cornices at the roofl ine. T he facades w eretypically flat f ronted wi th heavi ly ornamented cornices of wood or metal. The ornamenta t ionfound on the roof cornice commonly mirrored the detail ing over th e window open i ngs of th eupper stories.O n e of th e mo st archi tecturally dist inguished group of late 19 t h century commercial bui ldings inth e M o u n t V e rn o n Square neighborhood are found in Square 450, within th e 1000 block of 7 t hStreet and the 6 40 block of L Street. Dating from the 1870s an d 1880s, th e buildings range inwidth from three to six bays wide. The ornate cornices that crown the facades denote eachbuilding individually , as each was des igned an d erected by different architects and builders . Them os t ornate structure in this grouping is the Isacc Levy and Son paint store at 1015-1 /2 7 t h Street,erected in 1888. This building's architectural detail ing is th e epitome of th e Italianate style withit s heavy window hoods and finely detailed cornice. Many of th e buildings used for commercia lpurposes today were original ly constructed as dwell ings . This is especially true of residentialstructures located on th e corner of major thoroughfares like N Street, N ew Je rs ey Avenue , an d4 t h Street.Early 2 0 t h Century A rchitecture of th e Mount Vernon Neighborhood: 1900-19 45Rowhouse cons t ruct ion w as primarily l imited to th e 19 t h century, as m os t of the area had beenconsiderably inf i l led by the turn of th e 2 0 t h century. Some of th e few remaining vacant lots inresidential blocks were developed with modest apartment bui ldings in the early 2 0 t h century tom e e t th e residential shifts taking place. The first of th e apartments w as th e N ew York Flats at115 N ew York Aven ue, cons t ructed in 1902 to th e design of Julius Wen ig . Other early examplesof apartment bui ldings are th e O a k m o n t Flats at 2 2 5 Morgan Stree t (1903) and 4 22 -4 24 R idgeStreet (190 4) . The brick and s tone apartment bui ldings each display th e fashionable styles of th eperiod, incorporating projecting bays, overhanging cornices , and molded l intels.T he national change in architectural tas te away from the eclecticism of th e Victorian periodtoward th e classical w as visible in Mou n t Vernon in the early 2 0 t h century, particularly in th e


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 1 1 -90 ) OMB No . 10024-0018

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F HISTORIC P L A C E SCon tinuat ion SheetMount Vernon Square Historic District, Washington, D CSection number 7 Page 6

design of apartment buildings and flats. O n e of th e best examples of architectural fashionsduring this period is seen in th e Classical Revival style flats along the alley kn o w n as MorganStreet. Constructed in 1906 to the designs of Appleton P. Clark, the seven buildings in Square555 were erected together as a ro w in a tripartite arrangement, with the center and end blocksprojecting. The remaining blocks are recessed with two-story, wood-frame porches. Thecontinuous ogee-molded cornice, watertable, an d two-story, wood-frame porches covering th efacades of the recessed blocks work to together to unify the face of th e row. Classical detailing isprominently displayed in the front gable roof of th e projecting blocks, the enclosed tympanumwith a semi-circular opening, segmental an d semi-circular arched openings, brick quoins,l imestone keystones, and Tuscan columns. The ro w is not only on e of th e first examples of th eClassical style in M o u n t Vernon , but illustrates a variation to th e projecting bay ideal that w as sopopular in th e latter part of th e 19 t h century.triAfter th e turn of th e 20 century, the construction of larger commercial buildings, warehouses,an d industrial structures began in earnest with th e erection of over te n such facilities. Primarilyconstructed as infi ll dev elopment, th e buildings were all constructed of brick with flat roofs. As

th e majority of the structures fronted 7 l Street an d N ew York Avenue , th e facades were oftendetailed w ith man y of th e same architectural elements displayed on the residential buildings. TheYale Steam Laundry Building at 437-443 N ew York Avenue on Square 514 stands as on e of th emost prominent illustrations of early 20 t h century industrial buildings in M o u n t Vernon . Theproperty consists of th e 1902 laundry cleaning plant, th e adjacent 1919 stable/garage, an d th e1924 addition to the east elevation of the original structure. Designed in a modest interpretationof Classical Revival, th e three-story laundry plant measures six bays wide with a tw o story,recessed entry bay detailed by l imestone keystones, semi-circular arched windows, stringcourses,an d columns. A b o v e th e third story is th e ogee-molded metal architrave, serving as th e base ofthe entablature. Within th e unadorned frieze are the words " Y A L E S T E A M L A U N D R Y . "Below th e overhanging cornice is th e bed molding, an ogee-molded metal profile that mimics th earchitrave. The metal cornice itself has heavy modillions on the soffit an d an ogee-molded profile.The building w as listed on th e D.C. Inventory of Historic R esources in 1998.The District of Columbia Police Station was constructed in th e mid-1930s on Square 482S.Historically, the triangular site contained th e Abbot t School, a white grammar school erected in1875. With th e closing of the school in 1934, th e building w as razed and the brick and concretepolice station was erected. The Colonial Re vival style facility is two-stories in height an d sevenbays wide, present ing a horizontal massing not traditionally exhibited in th e M o u n t Vernon


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 11 -90) 0 M B No . 10024-0018

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceN A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER O F HISTORIC PLAC ESContinuation SheetM o u n t V e r n on Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 7 Page 7

neighborhood. Like it s neighbors, however , th e building is constructed of red brick with acorbelled brick corn ice and symm etrical ly placed openings .T he em ergence of th e automobile s ignificant ly impacted 2 0 t h century deve lopm en t an drevitalization efforts along 7 t h Street, L Street, an d N ew York A venu e . A u to showrooms, repairshops, an d gas stations appeared along these major thoroughfares in th e 1920s an d 1930s . O n eof th e oldest auto-related bui ldings in the area w as located at 601 N ew York A v e n u e in Square450. N ow razed, the wood-f rame gas station w as constructed in 1915. Extant examples ,constructed in brick, ar e located in th e 6 00 block of L Street. Industrial by des ign , the bui ldingsranged in height f rom one to two stories with flat roofs. Wide, roll-up garage doors of wood ormetal dominate th e first stories. Expansive multi - l ight windows with metal m unt i ns and widemullions pierce th e second stories.O n e of th e bes t examples of the shift from horse-drawn transportation to th e automobile is th estable and garage at th e Yale Steam Laundry. The stable/garage w as cons t ructed on th esoutheast corner of Lot 6 of Square 514 , front ing on N ew York Avenue . The brick and concre tebuilding, displaying it s commercial purpose, has a rectangular plan. The contractor for thebui ld ing w as W . E . M o o n e y ; A. B. Mullett an d C omp any furnished the outl ine survey. The threecourses of bricks on the fa9ade have been laid in a soldier-course, servin g as stringcourses aboveth e concrete l intels . This ornam ent , contrasting to the brick, mimics th e l imestone detai l ing ofth e 1902 main cleaning plant . The fa$ade an d side elevations present two stories, while th e northelevation reads f rom Brown s Court as a single story. The building historical ly con tained a stableon th e first floor accessed v ia New York Avenue , and a garage on the second floor that w asaccess ib le f rom Brown s Court because of th e slope at th e rear of th e site. I n less than ten yearsafter the construction of th e stable/garage, the Yale Steam Laundry ' s n ew stable would b ecom epartially obsolete as motor haulage began to dom inate the industry.Religious structures constructed dur ing this period in cluded th e building of three churches; eachsited on prom inen t com er lots. The earliest of these was Chris t Evangel ica l Lutheran Church(now k n o w n as Mount Lebanon Bapt i s t Church) at 1219 N ew Jersey A v e n u e in Square 555.Constructed in 1909, th e church was des igned by the architectural firm of Harding and U p m a n ,with W . E . M o o n e y serving as contractor. T he two-story church w as constructed of s tone andbrick with narrow lancet and large Gothic style s tained glass windows . The front gable facingN ew Je rs ey Avenue w as augmented by th e corner tower, measuring 37 ' by 6 0 . ' Occupy ing th esame square, the I tal ian Baptist Church (Chiesa del Redentore) w as constructed in 1923 at the


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United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceN A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER OF HISTORIC PLAC ESCon tinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 7 Page 8

corner of N ew York A v e n u e and Kirby Street to the designs of archi tect Claughton West. Likethe Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, the s tone and brick Baptist church exhibi ts GothicReviva l style detai ling includin g lancet arched windows , s ta ined glass, and corne r buttresses.B y th e 1940s , th e Mount Vernon Square communi ty was fully developed, with over 430resources. I t was comprised of ornamental , late 19 century residential rowhouses and early 2 0 *century commercia l an d industrial buildings . Predominately constructed of brick in a variety ofcolors, the architecture of th e neighborhood cont inued to be stylistically compatible, despite th evarying periods of development , architects, and property owners . While some signif icantbui ldings were lost during the 1968 riots and the subsequent urban redevelopment , many of th earea's landmarks survive intact and continue to characterize the phys ica l development of th ecomm uni ty f lank ing 7 t h Street.


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United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F HISTORIC P L A C E SCont inuat ion SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 1

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEThe M o u n t V e r n o n Square Historic District is signif icant as a Victorian-era commercial an dresidential neighborhood located within th e historic boundaries of th e District of Columbia ' sFederal City. Deve loped largely between 1865 an d 1910 , th e communi ty w as ini t ial ly known asth e Northern Libert ies , having at tained it s name from th e Northern Liberty Market , constructedin the 1840s on LEnfant's Reservation 8. With the relocation of the market , an d th e creation ofa landscaped park in the reservat ion, th e neighborhood w as unofficially titled " M o u n t Vernon . "T he developing ne ighborhood's rapid growth was in response to the citys i ncreased demand forhous ing following the Civil War , the extensive programs to modernize the city in th e 1870s, an dth e expans ion of th e national capital 's economy and population . Seventh Street, chartered as aturnpike in 1810 by an act of Congress , became the spine of th e neighborhood, as wel l as aprimary transportation artery into the center of th e city. Commercia l development migra tednorthward along 7 t h Street, just across Massachusetts A venu e to th e north, w h e n th e turnpike w asmacadamized in the early 1870s. The laying of streetcar rails along the north/south corridors of4 t h , 7 t h , 9 t h , an d 1 1 t h Streets, and east on N ew York Aven ue fur ther augmented development in theM o u n t V e r n o n community . The n ew streetcar technology opened up the Federal City fo rresidential development, making it more convenient than ever to com m ute downtown to workan d shop. Consequent ly , th e Mount Vernon area, like m a n y of it s surrounding neighborhoods ,grew as a cohesive residential neighborhood with nearly al l of th e rowhouses cons t ructed byspeculative bui lders an d real estate developers . M o s t of th e area's mid- to late 19 t h century brickarchi tecture remains intact along th e residential streets that radiate from th e transportationcorridors an d commercia l strips from which th e M ount Vernon ne ighb orhood evolved.The M o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District is also signif icant for it s i llustration of Wash ing ton ' surban history, specifically the residential patterns of th e working an d middle classes . AsWashington became increas ingly segregated, the M ount Vern on n eighborhood was s t ria ted wi thwhite residents l iving primari ly in dwel l ings facing onto the public streets, whi le work ing classAfrican Americans l ived within the al leyw ays. The numerous alleys, labyrinths l ined withdwell ings, stables, and commercial structures, were isolated from the everyday life found on th esurrounding public streets. During the late 19 t h and early 2 0 t h centuries , legislat ion and the


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) 0 M B No . 10024-0018

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park Service

N A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER OF HISTORIC PLAC ESContinuation SheetM o u n t V e r n o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 2

humanitarian efforts of social organizations and individuals improved th e welfare of the alleyinhabitants , eventually eradicat ing al ley dwell ings altogether. This prompted northwardmigration to th e nearby U Street neighborhood, which was emerging as th e center ofWash ing ton ' s African Am er i can commun ity . Consequen t ly , the Mount Vernon neighborhoodevolved into a predomina tely white an d middle class area by the second quarter of th e 2 0 t hcentury.Today, the M ount Vernon ne ighborhood is def ined by the many original mid- to late 19 t h centurybuildings, including residential and commercial s tructures fronting on both public streets andal leyways. This building s tock includes l imited examples of th e wood-f rame houses tha t predate the Civ i l War and that represent th e long history of residential occupation in th eneighborhood. T he middle-class dwell ings oriented to th e public streets illustrate a variety ofbuilding types and the changing fashions in architectural design with vernacular interpretationsof th e late 19 t h and early 2 0 t h century revival styles. The resources are typical ly brick rowhousesf lanked by one - and two-story commercial buildings , churches , and multi -s tory apartmentbui ldings. Within the interiors of th e squares, th e extant alleys feature a m ix of utilitarianresidential , comm ercial, an d auxiliary buildings such as stables an d garages.Def i ned by 2 0 t h -century development , the M ount Vernon Square Historic D istrict meets Nat iona lRegister cri teria A a n d C, an d is signif icant under th e themes of architecture an d communi typlanning/development wi th th e period of s ign ificance ex tending from 1845 to 1945. T he areacomprising th e M o u n t V e r n o n Square neighborhood consis ts of 42 0 historic properties , th emajority of which are residential resources . Of the 420 properties, 40 7 contribute to the historicdistrict, while twelve ar e non-cont r ibu t ing.A lthough pla tted as part of the Federal City in 1790 , the area saw little deve lopm en t in the periodb e tween 1790 an d 1820 . During this t ime, there was little turnover of property, an d most of th ereal estate holdings we re large and general ly unim proved. In fact, w h e n the federal governm en tarrived in 1800, only 109 "perm anen t " structures (brick or stone) stood in all of Washing ton tohouse th e 5 00 families already residing there an d the addit ional 300 civi l ian members of th egovernment . The District Commissioners reported 372 dwel l ings as "habitable," but as a cab inet


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N FS Form 10-900( R e v . 11-90) O M B N o. 10024-0018


N A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER OF HISTORIC PLAC ESContinuation SheetMount Vernon Square Historic District, Washington , D CSection number 8 Page 3

officer noted, "mos t of them [are] small miserable huts ." 1 The commerc ia l sector consisted of afew warehouses , wharves , an d an abandoned hotel. 2The completion of 7 t h Street by 1822 laid the foundation for commercia l development an dresidential growth north of Massachusetts A venue . The second phase of development , ex tendingfrom th e Civil W ar period to th e turn of th e 2 0 t h century, i nvolved th e resubdivision of the largesquares into smaller lots, th e sale of these lots, th e im provem en t of th e area's infrastructure, an dth e em ergence of a residential community burgeoning around commercial an d transportationcorridors . The final phase of development , from 1900 to 1945, saw the decl ine of alleydwel l ings an d construction of gas stations, automobile garages, stores, laundries , and warehousesalong the princ ipa l comm uter routes of 7 t h Street and N ew York A venu e .The M o u n t V e r n o n Square neighborhood retains some of its original early 19 t h centuryresidential an d commercial bui ldings, an d m a n y of it s late 19 t h and early 2 0 t h century buildings.T he grea tes t developmen t phase for th e area occurred in the las t four decades of th e 19 t h century,with th e majority of the resources erected an d des igned by local builders an d architects forspeculative developers . Primarily dwell ings , the buildings comprise an intact and cohes ivecollection of brick, flat- and bay-fronted rowhouses execu ted in a variety of s tyles andexpressions. The form, massing, and s it ing of these buildings was shaped by the municipa lbui lding codes first enacted in 1871, and the mass production of building elements avai lable toth e speculative builder. This communi ty is also signif icant fo r it s intact alley dwel l ings and it scommercia l resources . The al ley buildings are primari ly composed of two-story, flat-frontedresidential bui ldings. The commercial resources general ly front 7 t h Street and N ew YorkA v e n u e , an d stand two- to three-stories in height with storefronts on th e first floor. Thesemercanti le bui ldings range in date from the middle part of th e 19 t h century to the early 2 0 t hcentury, docum en t i ng the exis tence of th e signif icant transportation system that serviced th ecom m uni ty as it grew northward. Collect ively, th e architecture of th e M o u n t Vernon Squareneighborhood has achieved s ignificance as an em b od im en t of a distinctive period with artistic

1 James Sterl ing Young, The Washington Communi ty , 1800-1828, (New York, NY: Columbia Universi ty Press,1966) , p. 2 2 .2 Young , pp . 2 2 - 2 3 .


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NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACESContinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number _8_ Page 4

value of ornamenta t ion , style, an d form.

Early History of th e Mount Vernon Area: 1790 -1840Prior to the organization of th e City of Washington , the entire territory that became the FederalCi ty was part of some thirty tracts of land, k n o w n in their ent irety s ince 1715 as R o c k CreekHu ndred . R ock Creek Hundred w as originally part of Charles County and, later, Prince George'sCounty , Maryland. M o s t of the settlers of th e territory were farmers who raised tobacco, wheat ,corn , an d cattle. Other individuals , including merchants , bricklayers, and carpenters , w howorked and l ived in Georgetown or th e larger municipal i ty of Montgom ery County , Maryland,began in th e mid-18 t h century to purchase land in the area as a speculative venture . I n 1791,w h e n th e choice for a site to be the n ew nat ion ' s capital was officially decided, nearly half of th eoriginal proprietors who had deeded their land in trust for the n ew city were the merchants an db us i nes sm en anticipating to benef i t from th e birth of th e city.At this t ime, the area that would become the Moun t Vernon ne ighb orhood w as part of a tract ofl and k n o w n as Por t Royal, which originally encompassed 500 acres patented by John Peerce in1687. With th e subdivision of th e vast tract by 1791, Joseph Coombs , Jr., purchased the easternthird that i nc luded the Mount Vernon area. Clarification of th e t itle , how ever, did not occur until1794, after which Coom b s was forced to convey ownership to William Bayly. By January 1796 ,Dom in ick Ly nch an d Comfort Sands of N ew York City ow ned the M ount Vernon area. 3Pierre LEnfant's 1791 plan for the n ew Federal C ity included th e M ount Vernon ne ighborhood ,wi th Reserva t ion 8 an d it s intersecting diagonal avenues and broad vistas as the focal point.Reserva t ion 8 w as created by 7 t h an d 9 t h Streets where Massachusetts an d N ew Y ork Avenuesintersected at K Street. The rectangular square was eventually bisected by 8 t h Street, thuscreating tw o smaller squares. More commonly known today as M o u n t V e r n o n Square,Reserva t ion 8 was not one of the seven teen government reserva t ions des igna ted for public3 Priscilla W . McNei l , "Rock Creek Hundred : Land Conveyed for the Federal City." Washington History, Vol. 3,N o. 1 , Spring /Summer 1991 , p. 50.


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev . 1 1 -90 ) OMB No. 10024-0018


N A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER OF HISTORIC PLAC ESContinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic Dis trict , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 5

buildings. Rather, the square was on e of the original f i fteen public squares to "be d ivided amongth e several states in th e Union for each of them to improve." 4 L'Enfan t proposed that th e centerof each square "wil l admit the Statues , Columns, obel isks , or any other ornaments , such as th edifferent States may choose to erect...." 5 L'Enfant ' s plan for th e fifteen "State" squares was n e v e rimplemented; al though th e federal governm en t had purchased 2.78 acres of land to be designatedas Reserva t ion 8 f rom Lyn ch an d Sands .In addit ion to the public reservations, th e L'Enfan t plan divided the capital city into a grid ofsquares , which were t hen num b ered and subdivided. The acres not devoted to governm en t usewere divided into city blocks or squares, and each square further subdivided into lots. The init ialdeve lopm en t plans were des igned to benef i t th e original proprietors an d to encourage bui ld ingconstruction. Squares were divided in half; on e half remained th e property of th e proprietor,while th e second half w as to be publicly auctioned by the city commiss ioners to raise m o n e y forWash ing ton ' s development . The first sale of lots on October 17, 1791 w as i n tended to attractresidents and speculators, an d to promote sales of small parcels of land. On ly se l ling thirty-onelots, the auction w as n ot deemed a success. Thus, in 1793, th e Commiss ioners abandoned th eidea of lo t auctions, an d attempted to sell lots privately. This w as equally un successful . De spiteth e citys attempts to encourage development by subdiv iding and platting land, few propertieswere improved. The citys development lagged, th e product of seeming disinterest, an d the lackof serious com m i tm en t by Con gress . Factors that discouraged early deve lopm en t in th e M o u n tVernon neighborhood specifically inc luded th e lack of rel iable roads an d the area's distance fromth e cen tral residen tial core, then located to the south of Massachusetts A v e n u e .In the early 19 t h century, sett lement occurred primarily in the area of Georgetown, Capitol Hill,th e N a v y Yard, the Whi te House , and F Street, N .W. In 1809 , An Act to Prevent Swine fromGoing At Large was passed. This act des igna ted Massachuset ts Avenue as th e southern

4 Alison K. Hoagland, "The Carnegie Library: T he City Beaut iful Comes to M t. Vernon Square," WashingtonHistory, volume 2 , n umb er 2 , Fall/Winter 1990-1991. (Wash ing ton , D.C.: T he Historical Society ofWashing ton, D.C., 1990) , p. 80 .5 Hoag land , p. 80.


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United States Department of the InteriorNational Park Service

N A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER OF HISTORIC PLAC ESContinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number _8_ Page 6

boundary beyond which p igs were al lowed to roam. 6 Thus , with Massachuset ts A v e n u ebisecting the M o u n t Vernon neighborhood, th e area became firmly established at th e northernlimit of th e city. By th e 1830s, the area w as k n o w n as th e "Northern Liberties ," a labelcommonly g iven to regions b ey ond the limits of th e city. 7 Bounded approximately by 3 r d , 15 t h ,G , an d O Streets, the Northern Libert ies area of Washington , D.C. experienced virtually n odeve lopm en t initially, save a few scat tered wood frame dwell ings surrounded by vas t squares ofopen land.With m any streets little more than cow trails, deve lopm en t in the nation's capital w assignif icantly hampered in the first quarter of th e 19 t h century. Houses were so fe w and farb e tween that the inhabitants found it necessary to ident ify their place of residence in directoriesn ot by house num b er o r street bu t by th e nearest public bui lding - "a few paces f rom theCapitol ," "near th e pres iden t ' s house, " "wes t of th e W ar Office," "opposi te th e Treasury." A slate as 1817, a cab inet officer gave his address to th e Congressional Directory as "h igh groundnorth of P enn sy lvan i a A venue . " 8Growth in th e Northern Libert ies was spurred by th e creation of th e 7 t h Street Turnpike.Chartered by Con gress in 1810, th e turnpike ran northward f rom C enter Marke t on P ennsy lvan i aA v e n u e to the District l ine , where i t traveled west to Rockvil le , Maryland. Seventh Street, laidb e tween 1818 an d 1 82 2 , became the spine of th e Northern Liberties, as wel l as a primarytransportation artery into th e center of th e city. Development , primarily of a commercia l nature,com m enced at th e southern end of 7 t h Street, an d gradual ly spread northward towardMassachuset ts A v e n u e .

6 Sue Kohler, "Massachusett s A venue , " in The Grand American Avenue 1850-1920, eds. Ja n Cigliano an d SarahBradford Landau (San Francisco: Pomegranate Artbooks, 1994) , p. 178.7 T he term "Northern Libert ies" w as used in similar commun ities in Philadelphia and Savannah, to n ame just two.James M . Goode, Capital Losses, (Washington, D.C. : The S mithsonian In st itute , 1979) , pp. 264 -265 ; an dDonald E . Jackson, "LEnfant's Washing ton: A n Architect ' s View," Records of he Columbia HistoricalSociety, Volume 50 (Wash ing ton , D.C.: Columbia Historical Society, 1980) , p. 410.8 Young , pp. 42-43 .


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) O M B No. 10024-0018

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F HISTORIC P L A C E SCon tinuat ion SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number _8_ Page 7

Subdivision and Residential Improvements: 1840-187 0With the growing population of th e city to th e south of the Northern Libert ies , migrationnorthward was inevitable. To support th e establ ished res ident ial an d commercia l areas, as wellas future deve lopm en t to the north, the Northern Libert ies Fire Company constructed a fl rehouseon th e western portion of th e as yet undeveloped Mount Vernon Square . The f i rehouse w aserected in October 1840 between 8 t h an d 9 t h Streets. To th e east, Pres ident James K. Polkauthorized th e erection of th e Northern Liberty Market in March 1846 on th e eastern half of th esquare. The market became a focal point as development moved n orth of Massachuset ts A v e n u e ,assist ing in the establishment of a comm ercial comm un ity and residential ne ighborhood. In fact,subsequent market s tructures erected in the area fol lowed the commercia l an d residentialdeve lopm en t northward along 7 t h Street, cu lminat ing in the construction of th e O Street Marke t in1881.A report prepared by General Montgom ery C. Meigs in 1853 attests to th e area's character priorto th e Civil War , as wel l as th e impact 7 t h Street had on development . An important des igner increating several of th e citys post-Civi l War arch i tec tural monuments , Meigs served with th eE n g i n e e r Corps of Uni ted States A rmy. His report w as prepared in preparation of a n ewmunic ipa l water system, which Congress funded with the largest outlay of funds fo r a s ingleproject s ince appropriations had been provided fo r th e construction of the Capitol. Meigs w asappointed chief eng ineer for th e new wa te r system, preparing a detai led report in 1853 on th edeve lopm en t of th e nat ion ' s capital and it s future needs. His report documents that only tw o ofthe n ine squares comprising th e Mount Vernon Square neighborhood were improved. Fronting7 t h Street , Squares 449 and 450 col lect ively contained f i f ty-seven houses an d four stores.D e v e l o p m e n t of th e ent ire Mount Vernon area w as limited to 7 t h Street with the greatestconcentration of growth centered on Reservation 8 and the Northern Liberty Market . 9Construction typical ly consisted of modest , two-story, wood-f rame rowhouses wi th cont inuousside gable roofs and flat facades. These vernacular structures exhibi ted little applied ornam en t ordetai l ing on their two-bay wide facades.

The 1853 Meigs Survey can be found in th e Report of he Commissioners of he District ofColumbia, 1875.


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) OMB No. 10024-00 18

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F HISTORIC PLACE SContinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 8

Taking advantage of th e i nexpens ive land prices , religious institutions m o v e d into th e area. Thefirst church in the Mount Vernon Square area was Fletcher Chapel , at 4 t h Street and N ew YorkA v e n u e in Square 514. This building w as buil t on the outskirts of the city b e tween 1854 an d1857 as a mission chapel for the M cKendree Methodis t Episcopal Church (established 1845 onMassachuset ts Avenue between 9 t h an d 10 t h Streets). The small but act ive congregation attainedi ndependen t status from t he M cKendree M . E . Church by 1868 with over e ighty mem bers , thusbecoming k n o w n as th e Fletcher Chapel . Although modes t in size, th e building was wel l s i tedan d possesses a strong spiritual presence within the neigh borhood. A s such, the 1874assessments on improvements noted the wood-frame church at $2 ,000 , a value equal toneighboring masonry structures.During the Civil War , Washington, D.C. ' s daily life w as interrupted by it s duties as the supplyan d strategy center for the Un ion. Troop m ovem ent s displaced everyday commerce an d madephys ical improvem ents to the citys infrastructure difficul t. M any public works projects, such asstreet paving which had begun in the 1840s an d 1850s , came to a halt, as did m os t deve lopm en tof th e city. In contrast to the lack of physical growth, Washington , D.C.'s population explodedw ith m il itary personnel , governm en t workers , and vas t nu mbers of displaced Afr ican Am er i cansw ho came from the ravaged south seeking refuge and work. The capital city experienced it sgreatest s ingle population j ump during the 1860s - almost seventy-five percent - creating severehous ing shortages.Despite a reduction in public works projects and the decreased funds for governm en tconstruction, some improvements an d major construction projects cont inued during the waryears . The installation of streetcar rail l ines along principal roads improved accessibi l i ty fromthe downtown core to th e citys new "northern suburbs ." In 1862 , th e Washington an dGeorgetown Railway Company instal led three horse-drawn streetcar l ines within the officialboundaries of th e nation's capital - along 14 t h Street from P Street to Florida Avenue, on 7 t hStreet b e tween th e Potomac River an d Florida Avenue , and a long P enn sy lvan i a Aven ue f rom th eNavy Yard to Georgetown. Tw o years later, th e streetcar l ines on 7 t h an d 14 t h Streets wereextended north pas t the official boundaries of the city at Florida A v e n u e . In M o u n t Vernon , as inm a n y of Wash ing ton ' s new est neighborhoods , improvements in the city infrastructure fol low edth e streetcar l ines , with real estate values directly tied to a lot's proximity to the streetcar route.


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NF S Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) OMB No. 10024-00 18

United States Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F HISTORIC P L A C E SContinuation SheetM o u n t Vernon Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number _8_ Page 9

This f inal ly prompted construction east and wes t of 7 t h Street, particularly on the developingtransportation arteries of N ew York A venu e , 4 t h Street, an d M Street where migra ting merchantsan d t radesmen could get housing near their commerc ia l space. For example , Joseph P ra ther (415M Street, 1866) , an d John Myers (440 M Street, 1869) - both butchers w ho mainta ined stalls atthe Center an d Northern Liberty Markets - buil t houses along M Street . Richard C. Lewis , apurveyor of gent leman ' s furnishings , buil t a house at 1211 4 t h Street in 1867, an d grocerTheodore L. B o w e n erected the adjacent dwell ing at 1213 4 t h Street in th e per iod betwee n 1864-1869 . T he typical property owner bui l t a house for himself an d another for sale or rent , thuspaving th e w ay for speculat ive development of th e neighborhood in th e latter part of th e 19 t hcentury. 1 0Interestingly, more buildings were initially constructed on the squares wes t of 7 t h Street, whilethose to the east remained sparsely improved, and development remained south of O Street. 1 1 Toattract development, owners of th e larger lots began to further subdivide their holdings intosmaller and smaller parcels -, some of which had n o access to th e streets excep t through th eal leyways. The grea tes t dev elopment w as residential construct ion, particularly brick rowhouseserected on M Street, 4 t h Street, an d N ew Jersey A venue . Dur ing this period, construction in th ealleys appears to have been l imited to Ridge Street, with th e erection of modes t , two-story, woodframe rowhouses . The alley dwell ings from this period were constructed primari ly between 1855an d 1870.

Late 19 t h Century Development; 1870-1900The Terri torial Governmen t and Municipal Building CodesThe greatest boost to the physical composit ion of th e city and it s lagging amenit ies occurredduring th e short- lived admin istration of the Territorial Govern men t . In February 1871, Congresspassed a bill establishing a n ew governm en t for the District of Columbia that w as composed of a1 0 Don't Tear I t D o w n , " L ower Shaw/Mount Vernon Eas t Survey Final Report ," 1984, p. 4.1 1 Lloyd Van Derveer , M ap of he City ofWashington, D.C., 1851.


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) OMB No. 10024-00 18

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F H I S T O R IC P L A C E SCont inuat ion SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 10

legislat ive assembly, a f ive-member Board of Public Works, and a governor. U n d e rCom m iss ioner A lexander R. "Boss" Shepherd, the Board of Publ ic Works began a massiveprogram to modernize the city and improve the intolerable road condit ions . The Board le tcontracts for laying public sewers and water mains , planting thousands of trees, and grading an dpaving streets. The $20 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 ultimately expended by th e Board w as i n tended to ensure tha tthe City of W ashington w ould remain the national capital.Immedia te an d rapid improvements were targeted for the "center ci ty ," an area defined by th eMall on th e south, P Street on th e north, N ew Jersey Avenue on th e east, an d N ew Hampshi reA v e n u e o n th e west . In addit ion, special consideration w as paid to th e im provem en t of certainthoroughfares in order to facilitate the transport of produce to the markets . Seven th Street inparticular w as graded and macadamized. Nin th an d 1 1 t h Streets w ere graded and streetcar l ineswere ins tal led. By 1874, s ewer lines, gas mains , and water pipes were laid along 9 t h Street.O n e of th e f i rs t projects undertaken by th e Board of Public Works was the enac tm en t of n ewbuilding codes . George Washington ' s original 1791 prohibi t ion against wooden bui ld ings hadb een eased in 1796 and, thus , wood-frame houses became dominant , in both type and nu mber .T he n ew 1872 building regulations still al lowed wooden structures to be constructed within th ecity limits, though not wi th in twenty- four feet of any house buil t of brick or other non -combustible material. Eventua l ly , th e construction of wooden bui ld ings w as forbidden within anarea cal led the "f ire limits," def ined as the limits of the City of Washington and the southern partof Georgetown. Al though exis t ing wooden bui ld ings were n ot demolished, th e buildingregulations essen tially required that after 1877 all new dwel l ings would be of brick and/or stone.This regulation had a dramatic influence on the architectural deve lopm en t of Washington, D.C.,specifically such residential neighborhoods as M ount Vernon where rows of modest, wood-framedwel l ings housed th e middle class. Consequent ly , during the late 1870s an d 1880s , rows ofattached brick houses were buil t along the main public streets. These new brick rowhouses werebuil t adjacent to and often replaced their wood frame predecessors , creat ing a second phase ofarchi tectural deve lopm en t in M o u n t Vernon . Larger and conta in ing more architecturalembel l i shments than th e wood-f rame houses , the brick bui ldings ref lected contemporaryarchi tectural trend s in residential design an d featured elaborate corn ices , metal , s tone or moldedbrick window surrounds, an d other applied ornam ental elemen ts .


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 1 1 -90 ) OMB No. 10024-0018


N A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER OF HISTORIC PLAC ESContinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 11

T he passage of the Bui ld ing Project ion Act in 1871 was equal ly formative in its impact on thephysical form of buildings in M o u n t Vernon . The act al lowed builders to erect projecting baysas m uch as four feet deep past the building line into the property at th e front of the bui lding,k n o w n as th e parking area. Architectural ly , th e first bays were tentative in des ign , typically onlyone s tory in height, of wood construct ion, an d appearing as if tacked onto exist ing f lat f rontedhouses . On ce gen eral ly accepted, the projecting bay became almost universal ly used inWashing ton rowhouse construct ion, an d builders constructed larger bays that were betterintegrated into the body of the house.Another major ini t iat ive of th e Board of Public Works affect ing M o u n t V e r n o n w as it simprovements to Washington, D.C.'s dilapidated older markets . I n time, the Northern LibertyMarke t had become th e "intolerable nuisance" that all such markets became before Wash ing ton ' ss ewer system was created. In 1860 , local citizens filed an unsuccessful peti t ion seeking th eremoval of the unsani tary facilities. I n 1867, th e market w as described in the fol lowing words:

O n market days th e m os t offensive matter accumulates in th e adjoining streets,greatly de trime ntal to th e health of th e residents of th e neighborhood. The refusevegetable matter thrown from the wagons of th e hucksters , an d th e offal from th estall of th e butcher, mingle with th e filth created by the many animals which ar ebrought an d al lowed to s tand around the place, caus ing a most disagreeables tench, especially in th e summer . 1 2I t was not unti l 1872 , however , that action was taken , as Shepherd not i f i ed vendors that th eNorthern Liberty Market was to be closed. When they refused to move, he h ad a largedemoli t ion crew raze the building at night; the fal l ing debris accidental ly killed tw o marketworkers . Shepherd ' s act ions were highly controvers ial , an d l i tigation w en t on for years . 1 3 Afterthe demoli t ion, some of th e dealers formed th e Northern Liber ty M arket Com pany and purchased1 2 George J. Olszewski, Mount Vernon Square, Washington, D.C. (National Park Service, Office of HistoricArchitecture Eastern Service Cen ter, 1970), p. 7.1 3 Olszewski, p. 8.


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United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceN A T I O N A L R E G I S T E R OF HISTORIC PLAC ESCon tinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 12

"Savage Square" bounded by K, L, 5 t h an d 6 t h Streets, just south of th e Mount Vernon Squareneighborhood in Square 483. James McGil l , a prom inen t Washington , D.C. architect, des ignedth e n ew Northern Liberty Market , which w as completed in 1874. Dis t inguished by towers,dormers, an d rich brickwork, th e new m arket w as touted as on e of th e most inn ovat ive structuralachievements in Washington : the i ron and steel truss roof spanned the full l ength and width ofth e building. W hile many M ount Vernon res idents mainta ined stalls in th e new m arke t , it n e v e rachieved the anticipated success, as i t was unable to defeat the draw of th e es tab l ished Cen terMarke t on P ennsy lvan i a A ven ue. A ddit ional ly, the market was to be too far from th e majortransportation artery of 7 t h Street.For the remaining displaced vendors , Shepherd allocated space at 7 t h an d O Streets (Square 4 2 2 )fo r th e site of a n ew market . A s was his pract ice, Sh epherd aw arded the construction contracts tofirms in w hich he o w n e d large amounts of stock. With th e discovery of his corrupt practices,Shepherd promptly abandoned his post. Consequent ly , m a n y of th e commissioner ' simprovements , whether in th e planning s tages or underway, were deserted. Construction of th enew market s t ructure in Mount Vernon w as delayed until 1881. Com m only known as th e OStreet Market , th e market is a rectangular, one-s tory brick building with a standing seam metalroof capped by a monitor. The dom inan t feature of the structure is a two- level square tower witha tall pyramidal roof. A t th e t ime of it s construct ion, th e nat ion ' s capital conta ined between sixto eight markets . Re cogn ized as a local landmark in 1968 , th e O Street Marke t s tands today ason e of only three e xtant 19 t h cen tury publ ic markets in the city.With the removal of the Northern Liberty Market , the immediate future of Reserva t ion 8 w asuncertain; yet, for th e surrounding community, the square was an essential element to it s identity.Al though n ot officially declared, years earlier Reservation 8 became k n o w n as M o u n t V e r n onSquare (or Place) . The report of Brevet Brigadier General Nathaniel Michler of the Office ofPublic Buildings, Grounds , an d Works appears to be on e of th e first documented sources to labelth e site as M o u n t V e r n o n Place. 1 4 This 1867 report included city wide recommendat ions forlandscapin g improv eme nts , with particular atten tion paid to Reservation 8:

1 4 The Office of Public Buildings, Grounds, and Works was the processor to the Board of Public Works.


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United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F H I S T O R IC P L A C E SContinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 13

In p lann i ng th e city, a large reservat ion, k n o w n as Mount Vernon place, was laidou t at th e intersections of K street north with N ew York an d Massachuset tsavenues . M ost un fortuna tely for the ornam en t an d health of that part of th e city,th e original d esign has n ot been perfected. Eighth street has n ot only b een openedthrough it , separat ing it into two parts, but on on e of these divisions has beenerected a m os t unsightly bui lding fo r a market house. The latter, with it sa t tending annoyances , forms an intolerable nuisance, which should be abated atonce.... By w hat authori ty th e market is located on this pub l ic reserva tion cann otbe ascertained. I t [the market] should be removed, and arrangements s imilar tothose in al l our large cities be adopted to supply wants of th e communi ty . T hegrounds could then be improved and become wha t they were original ly intendedto be. 1 5

Of course, n o on e eve r knew for certain what the grounds were original ly intended to be, saveon e of LEnfant's public reservations devoted to th e states of the Union . Thus , in an effort toprovide a more direct route through th e area, both Massachusetts an d N ew Y ork Avenues weresubsequent ly ex tended through Moun t Vern on Square . Asphal t carriage roads divided the squareinto several triangles. In spite of th e bisecting roads, landscaping improvements were graduallycarried out. I n 1877, th e District Board of Public Works constructed concrete roadways an dplanted l awns and shrubbery in the square. It also installed s idewalks , curbing, an d anornamental i ron fountain on a m o u n d at the center of th e square. Despi te these improvements ,th e condi t ions in th e square were unpleasant and of ten dangerous . I ts central m ound p roved tobe th e only safe poin t for pedestrians w ho sought to escape the wheels of rapidly passingcarriages. A rea property owners were displeased and s igned a peti t ion requesting th e removal ofth e roadways an d im provem en t of th e park area. I n 1882 , this situation was addressed: thecarriage roadways were closed an d eventual ly removed, an d in their place were gent ly curvingfootpaths surfaced with gravel. Drinking fountains and lampposts were ins tal led, f lowerbedswere planted, and the ornamenta l founta in was given a n ew coat of paint. 1 6 Park visitation

1 5 Nathan ie l Michler, " Ap p en d ix T ," Repor t of he Secretary ofWar, p. 524 .1 6 Olszewski, pp . 9-10 .


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NF S Form 10-900(Rev. 1 1 -90) 0 M B No. 10024-0018

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceN A T I O N A L REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACESContinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection n umber 8 Page 14

i ncreased as a result of these improvements and, in 1884, twenty-f ive n ew b enches were placedalong th e walks .W ith the loss of th e Northern Liberty Market and the decl ine of it s successor on Square 483 , th esurrounding communi ty w as deprived of it s nam esake. Fortunately, the new pa rk sett ing ofM o u n t V e rn o n Square provided the area with a nuc leus from which to take it s identity, thus th eneighborhood to the north of K Street, along N ew York and Massachuset ts Avenues w aschristened Mo u n t Vernon. T he name Northern Liberties cont inued to denote the communi ty ,however , in off icial documents such as city directories and maps unt il the late 1870s, w h e nimprovements to the landscaped square encouraged overwhelming acceptance of the sobriquet" M o u n t V e r n o n " for the surrounding neighborhood.

T h e Victorian Build ing B oomCom b ined w i th a s trong, rapidly growing nat ional and local economy throughout much of th elast quarter of th e 19 t h cen tury , W ashington , D.C. exper ienced a tremendous residential bui ldingboom during th e Victorian period. According to a survey by th e Wate r Department, taken inOctober 1875 , the boom had transformed th e northern areas of th e city, part icular ly MountVernon . Commercial activi ty remained l imited to 7 t h Street, with twenty-eight of th e thirty-sixstores in the neighborhood wi thin Squares 449 an d 450. Residential construction had spreadfrom Squares 449 an d 450 , fronting 7 t h Street, to include Square 514 along N ew Y ork Avenuean d Squares 513 an d 52 3 on M Street. The survey documents th e existence of over four hundreddwell ings, the majori ty of which were constructed of brick rather than wood frame. T he mostimproved residential area was found in the square bounded by 4 t h , 5 t h , M , an d N Streets (Square513) . Conta in ing over 130 residential bui ldings, the square was bisected by Ridge Street , one ofth e first alleys to be improved in the neighb orhood. Square 449 retained th e grea tes t num ber ofwood-f rame dwell ings, as residential con struction had com m enced there prior to the Civil War.Masonry cons t ruct ion , as the bui lding codes regulated, appeared throughout the area, with thegreatest concentra t ion within Square 513.


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 11 -90 ) OMB No. 10024-0018

United States Department of th e InteriorNational Park ServiceNATIONAL REGISTER O F H I S T O R IC P L A C E SCon t inuat ion SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSect ion number 8 Page 15

T he almost uniform residential development pattern consisted of rows of buildings joined byparty walls, with archi tectural e mphasis placed only on the s treet- front ing facades . Builders tookadvantage of an econom y of scale in bu i lding rows of ident ical houses , us ing mass-producedbuilding e lements . Fireplace mante l s , windows , doors, interior woodwork, stair elements , gaslight fixtures , an d bathroom fixtures, as wel l as brackets , finials, molded bricks and cast ironstairs were all mass-produced e lements that were purchased an d pieced together by residentialbui lders in infinite variet ies . Often entire blocks of rowhouses were des igned an d constructed atth e same time, typically with ident ical mass ing an d architectural detai l ing whose repeti t ion w asoffset by projecting or recessed bays, turrets, oriels, dormers , an d applied ornamentation inwood , brick, s tone and metal . Row s ranged from two houses to an ent ire block th roughout th eM ount Vernon ne ighborhood . M os t of th e buildings in th e area were des igned, an d oftenf inanced, by small-scale speculat ive builders. M a n y of the investors were carpenters , masons,an d other bui lding craftsmen w ho evolved into developers , but frequently they interchangedamong the roles of tradesman, hired builder, an d equity-holding bui lder/developer.Styl is t ical ly , row house s in th e 1880s an d 1890s in Was h ing ton , D.C. were inspired by eclectic,medieva l sources, including th e Engl i sh Goth ic and Q u een A nne , Romanesque, and FrenchSecond Empire des ign motifs. Hou s es tended to be asymmetrical in form - emphas ized byprojecting an d recessed bays - an d constructed with a dark palette of red brick an d brownstone,f inished by wood and metal trim pain ted in somber tones . Architectural emphasis w as placed onthe fronts of th e building, and sides of corner buildings; rear elevations were utilitarian, mostoften with ancillary ells. Al though dwel l ings prior to 1875 were typical ly tw o stories in height,houses cons t ructed in the late 1870s an d 1880s, particularly along the public streets, t ended to bethree stories (some times two floors with a raised E nglish baseme nt) . By the 1890s , houses in thearea were more typically four full stories.Commercia l development , as seen a long 7 t h Street at the time, mimicked th e archi tectural trend sillustrated on the surrounding residential buildings . The two-part commercial bui ldings had asingle-story lower zone at street level that indicated public spaces. T he upper floors were moreprivate spaces , including residences, offices, hotel rooms, or meet ing halls. The lower an d upperzones were distinctly separated from one another by projecting cornices , transoms, an d expans ivew indow openings . T he upper stories were heavily ornamented with applied detai l ing including


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NFS Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) OMB N o. 10024-0018


N A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER OF HISTORIC PLAC ESCon tinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 16

elongated window openings , hoods and lintels, paneled friezes, brackets, cornices, an d parapets .The m os t ornate example of a commercial building displaying th e fashionable archi tecturaldetailing typically found on residential bui ldings is 1015-1 /2 7 t h Street in Square 450, constructedin 1888 fo r I saac Levy and Son to the des igns of architect John G. Meyers . T he parapetcrowning th e highly d etai led I tal ianate building, original ly used as a paint store, docum en t s th eoriginal o w n e r an d construction date.A s seen throughout Was h ing ton , D.C. during the latter part of th e 19 t h century, the speculativeventures were f inanced by friends and relat ives , in the case of small builders , and byneighborhood-based building and loan associat ions that lent more economically and freely an drequired n o commiss ion or b ond against liens. In general , larger builders relied on traditionalbanks ; these men f requent ly had the connect ions to find out where the governm en t w as planningroad grading an d s ewer laying, permitt ing them to purchase land ahead of p lanned civicimprovem en ts . Partnerships, formed by builders , investors , relat ives , and friends fo r th eexpressed purpose of development , were the norm. As t ime progressed, th e building industry inWashington became increas ingly divided between very large and very small constructionbus inesses , both ventur ing into speculat ive building. During the 1870s, approximately 5 0% ofall building in the city were buil t on speculat ion; by the mid-1880s , th e percentage j umped to7 5 % . 1 7 F o r M o u n t Vernon , the paving of streets, th e extens ion of streetcar l ines, and improvedameni t i es augmented th e residential bui lding boom. The development w as characterized by th erapid subdivision of undeveloped squares and by infil ling empty lots between ex is ting structures.For example, to more fully utilize th e property in Square 555 , Kirby and Morgan Streets wereopened, an d almost completely improved by 1906 with th e modest rowhouses ofarchi tect/developers, D . Carrol l Diggs and Charles V . Trott, and the flats of architects, AppletonP. Clark an d Osterman Bulter.Exam ples of small speculative rows throughout Mount Vernon can be found at 1221-1231 4 t hStreet (Square 5 23 ) , constructed in 1870 by property owner/developer James G. Naylor. T he rowof si x buildings, al though n ot constructed at the same t ime, presents th e appearance of unity an dcohes iveness through form an d ornamentat ion , a deliberate statement to identi fy the work of on e

'Greater U Street" National Register Nominat ion A pplicat ion, (1998) , Sect ion 8, pp. 10-11.


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N A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER O F HISTORIC PLAC ESContinuation SheetMount Vernon Square Historic District, Washington, D CSection number _8_ Page 17developer. The structures at 1221 -1227 4 t h Street were constructed of wood framing, while 1 229an d 1231 4 t h Street were erected at a later date in masonry. The buildings ar e al l tw o stories withtwo-bay wide facades connected by a continuous wooden cornice with modillions. N ay lo r w asalso responsible fo r th e construction of th e ro w of identical houses at 1129-1143 5 t h Street(Square 514) between 1878 an d 1880. Again , the dwellings were two stories in height an d tw obays wide. The projecting canted bays of th e first story visually unified the row, as did themansard roof an d front gabled dormers.Diller B. Groff w as another prominent Washington , D.C. developer who was personallyresponsible for des igning small and large rows of speculat ive houses . Groff s work in th e M o u n tVernon Square neighborhood was limited to the dwel l ings at 1120 -1128 6 t h Street, erected in1881 on Square 449. Finished with pressed brick facades, the five two-s tory row houses are eachtwo bays wide , consist ing of a s ingle en t ry open ing and projecting canted bay pierced withw indow open ings . The buildings , with th e exception of 1 1 2 0 6 t h Street, are identicallyornamented wi th mul t i - l ight transoms, granite l intels, corbelled brick cornices , and metalcrenel lat ions.The m os t p rom inen t speculat ive development in the Mount Vernon Square neighborhood w asundertaken by property owner Thomas Franklin Schneider, who served as architect, while th epartnership of Darby and Davis constructed the buildings . Schn eider (1858-1938) w as a nativeof Washington, D.C. , who worked at th e age of 16 in the local architectural firm of Cluss andSchulze. A t the t ime, Cluss and Schulze was a successful enterprise responsible fo r des igningthe Franklin School (1865-1869) , the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building (1876) , an d th eDepar tm en t of Agriculture Building (1867, demolished) . In 1883, after eight years with th e firm,Schneider established an i ndependen t practice at 929 F Street, N . W . Schneider ' s career w as totake h im into real estate speculation in addition to architecture, as he persona l ly f inanced most ofhis own des ign work. In 1893, after te n years of private practice, Schneider pu bl ished a book ofphotographs an d fifteen renderings depicting his work to date. Selections from Work of T.F.Schneider, Architect, Washington, D.C. were supported by advertisements purchased by hissubcontractors; th e construction firm of Darby and Davis inc luded. The publication includedrowhouses on both sides of Q Street from 17 t h to 18 t h Streets, the Forest I n n at Fores t Glen ,Maryland, his own f i f ty-room house at 18 t h an d Q Streets, and the soon to be constructed Cairo


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NF S Form 10-900(Rev. 11-90) OM B No. 10024-00 18


N A T I O N A L R E G I S T ER OF HISTORIC PLAC ESContinuation SheetM o u n t V e rn o n Square Historic District , Washington, D CSection number 8 Page 18

Apar tm en t Building. In the Mount Vernon Square neighborhood, Schneider ' s deve lopm en t w aslimited to Square 482, and encompassed th e construction of fifty-three rowhouses in 1890 fo r anestimate cost of $250 ,0 0 0 . The design inc luded rows of three-story dwel l ings , all constructed ofbrick with l imestone detailing. In an effort to create individuality fo r each dwell ing, Schneideral ternated each bui ld ing 's form and size, applied detail ing, and opening configurations. Yet,some motifs were repeated to visually unify the rowhouses , almost to th e point of indicating as ingle archi tect an d developer conducted th e work. Each dwel l ing was faced with pressed brickan d l ined by continuous molded brick stringcourses.Tax assessments from the 1880s an d 1890s indicate that new brick dwell ings, such as thoseconstructed by Naylor an d Schneider, ranged great ly in v alue from $500 up to $15,000 in a fewinstances, while pre-1871 wood frame dwel l ings tended to be assessed from $100 to $1 ,500 .Accord i ng to newspaper advertisements in 1879-1880, th e most expens ive houses in th e nat ion ' scapital fronted L afayette Square ($65,000) , w hi le a mansion along V e r m o n t A v e n u e just south ofLogan Circle w as listed for $16 ,000. In th e Mount Vernon area, a brick rowhouse could costanywhe re f rom $1 ,0 0 0 to $7,000 depending on th e size, location, an d n u m b e r of rooms.R ent i ng a house w as com m on at al l economic levels during this period. Costs varied greatlydepending aga in on the bui lding ' s size and locat ion. A s with sale prices, the area around th ePresiden t ' s House was the most desirable and the most expens ive . Yet, th e M o u n t V e r n o n areaw as alluring for it s conven i en t proximity to downtown, the s treetcars , an d the markets . The 1880census does n ot indicate whether the occupants owned their dwell ings , bu t th e Washington Starreported in 1882 that m os t governm en t clerks considered thei r employmen t to be so insecure thatthey were re luctant to buy houses , an d therefore preferred to either ren t or live in boardinghouses . The Civil Service A ct of 1883 enhanced the job security of federal employees , an dthereby increased their ability to become hom eowners in th e M ount Vernon ne ighb orhood . 1 8T he inf lux of European immigrants an d African Americans expanded th e population of th e city,an d had an impact on th e Mount Vernon neighborhood. Although th e area remained a desirableresidential community for the middle class well into th e 2 0 t h century, M ount Vernon b egan to be

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Documents

Mt Vernon Square - Nat'l Register Registration Form (1999)