Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Conserved
Government of the District of Columbia
Ivlarion S. Barry, Jr. Mayor
July, 1979
Historic Development
r'
~ .
Original boundary
of leDroit Park
McGill buildings 1873-1887
Buildings constructed
during 1880's & '90's
,.
"\
LeDroit
Conserved l
Washingtonians
OlSTRJCT OF COL .. :
PUBUC LIBRARY
prepared for the
D. C. Department of Housing
and Community Development
by
Carr, Lynch Associates
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OF HOUSING A-"-0 COMMUNITY DEVElOPMENT
WASHINGTON 0 C
,, ,
SEP 1 1979
To the Citizens of the LeDroit Park Historic District:
This book is for all the residents of the LeDroit Park
Historic District who wish to improve their homes or work
places. It is not a list of regulations; it is a guide
for the historic restoration of buildings in your community.
We had these guidelines prepared because your area is
unique and has historic significance worth preserving. The
Department supports this report and intends to use it as
a guide in all discussions with your community. The guide-
lines should assist staff and homeowners by expediting
reviews and avoiding mistakes that could cause delay.
For these, or any guidelines, to work successfully , the
staff and citizens must have a mutual respect and under-
standing for each other's objectives. The prime considera-
tion of these guidelines is the maintenance of the LeDroit
Park Historic District. We include in maintenance the
stabilization of the community's existing population , which
means we hope to avoid any displacement. For this reason,
what a person can afford when he or she wishes to fix up a
property must be taken into account. We intend to remain
sensitive to the needs and economic restraints of people in
LeDroi t Park while we also attempt to fulfill our public
responsibility to the area's historic character by keeping
unwelcome or unwanted changes to a minimum.
You will note that these guidelines are grouped in three
categories. The first , the preferred category, is labelled,
"this is the preferable way to do it," and contains changes
which are best practice. In the second category, "sometimes
a good way" are changes which, under certain circumstances ,
may be good practice. The last category , "generally
unacceptable" lists changes which are discouraged. We urge
people to choose the "preferable way," if they can afford it ,
for it will give the best results to the individual property
as well as help the community. The middle category, with the
sometimes acceptable items, recognizes that not everyone
chooses or can afford the recommendations of the preferable
category. We believe that this middle category gives
maximum opportunity for the DHCD to consider the individual
Wast!ingtoniana
V'T f) COU rl\1
2
conditions of each owner and i. 1::
moderat e ly priced improvements -
of c hanges are included in a peJi
application will undergo review.'
a permit applic ation is for chan
"preferable way " or in the "gene
We in the DHCD know that every c
its own mer its . For example. so
i terns ar e always wrong whil e. de
others may occasionally be ace ep
matter of ge neral practice, any
all his or her c hanges from t ~ e '
category can generally expect prl
review by our Department.
People do not have to do any til in!'
if they don't want to. so long a ~
regulations suc h as the Building
Zoning Regulations. It is also r
improve a home such as some lands
having to get permission f rom the
no requirement that owners must r
But if you want to do something t
building whi c h requir es a buildin
should be consult ed.
Under D.C. law, this Department r
appli c ation for demolitions. exte
construction within your historic
uses one of the government prog r ru
of this book , whi c h make money av:
distric ts or community de veloprnenl
furthe r reviews , as listed. All r ~
guidelines.
All of the staff of the Departmenr
assistance to the community as its
gu idebook. The e ntire contents ar
review and eva luation and possible
and the community take int o account
or the availability of r esour ces.
explanation of our int ent will r e ~
to our objectives and methods.
Contents
A Brief History 7
The Architecture of LeDroit Park 13
How to Conserve a House 45
Basic Principles 46
Wooden Walls 55
Masonry Wails and Chimneys 61
Roofs 66
Windows and Doors 71
Porches, Steps and Rails 79
Fences, Yards and Landscaping 86
Signs and Other Modern Fixtures 90
Minor Additions 94
New Buildings and Major Additions 96
Resources 99
The Process of Design Review 100
How to Check the Condition of
a House 103
Notes on Buying a House or Getting
a Building Permit 107
Glossary 108
\\'asbingtonia a Division
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PUBLIC LIBRARY
Introduction
The LeDroit Park Historic District lies just
south of the grounds of Howard University,
and above the junction of Florida and Rhode
lsland Avenues, between Bohrer Street and
2nd Street, N.W. It is an outstanding exam-
ple of the American Romantic suburb.
Having passed through many changes, it still
retains that basic character. Lying just outside
of the "Boundary Street" (now Florida
Avenue) of the original plan for Washington,
it is an early example of the growth of the
city as directed by private speculation. It is
also an example, much less frequently found,
of the successful integration of architectural
and subdivision design. The Secretary of the
Interior has formally recognized the heritage
and special qualities of the LeDroit Park
Historic District by listing it in the National
Register of Historic Places.
Historic preservation is a growing move-
ment which has shifted in recent years from
meticulously restoring individually significant
landmarks to conserving entire neighborhoods
for their residents. Change is recognized as a
necessary element of neighborhood conserva-
tion; if carefully managed, it can permit full
use and enjoyment by those who are living
today, while retaining and enhancing an
area's significant architectural and historical
qualities. This handbook is written in that
spirit, expressly for the citizens for the
LeDroit Park Historic District. Its purpose is
to help them improve their houses and their
streets.
A Brief History
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A Brief History
The LeOroit Park Historic District was origi -
nally located in Washington County just nort h
of the Federal City. This land was divided
into large tracts and was either uncultivated
or farmed. During the Civil War. the Camp-
bell Military Hospital was located in this
general area. and in 1865 it became the
Freedmen's Hospital. In 1869, Freedmen's
Hospital was moved to the grounds of
Howard University where buildings were
expressly constructed to house its needs .
Howard University, located on the northern
periphery of LeDroit Park, was chartered by
Congressional law on March 2, 186 7.
General 0.0. Howard (1830-1909), founder
of Howard, was the University's first presi -
dent, serving from 1869-73. General Howard
was also Commissioner of the Bureau of
D ~ ! - ~ - - D - ~ - ~ - - -- - _ J At_ 1 T
(the Freedmen's Bureau). This Bureau not
only assisted in providing food and work for
refugees and freedmen, but also provided
education for former slaves. General Howard
and the Freedmen. s Bureau were instru-
mental in establishing Howard University
-vvhich was to be open to all races. but has
tradionally been a black university.
Another trustee of the university, Am7.i L.
Barber, married the daughter of a successful
real estate broker named LeDroit Langdon.
resigned his trusteeship in the college and
purchased some 40 acres of University lands
on a Sl1 5,000 promissory note. without
down payment. In 1874, the Executive Com
mittee of Howard was in financial difficulties
and accepted an offer from A.L. Barber &
Company for $95.000 in full payment of
Langdon's note. Barber hired James McGill
to design his new development, and named it
for his father -in-law. The new subdivision
appears on the map in 1873, romantic in
intent and architecture, if not in its standard
street grid. Packaged for the affluent, it
emphasized seclusion, fine houses. a ''rural''
atmosphere, genteel neighbors and easy access
to the city. It was built for the "merchant,
professional man, or government clerk.'
Despite its origins and the proximity of
Hmvard University. leDroit Park was to be
exclusivelv white. It was enclosed by a wood
and iron fence along its public front. and a
high board wall at the rear (where Howard
University and a black settlement called
"Hmvard Town" lay). There were gates and
watchmen to keep out the unwanted. One
gate was at 3rd Street and Rhode Island
Avenue.
By 1877, 41 new houses had been erected.
at a cost of $200,000. Some were for clients
and some were built on speculation, but all
were designed by McGill. They were hand-
some examples of romantic eclecticism -
Italian Villa. Gothic Revival, Queen Anne,
Second Empire and Italianate -designed for
show and individuality. These buildings were
built at a time when architectural technology
was rapidly changing in the U.S. Building
'
nation, and machines could stamp, grind,
turn or cast complicated parts. McGill's cata-
logue lists such specialty services as bell
hangers, slate roofers. fresco painters and
stair builders, as well as suppliers of dumb-
waiters, bronze mantelpieces and
gas fixtures.
The houses were set back within formal
gardens. An ornamental park circle, decorated
with trees, flowers and a fountain, was estab-
lished at 3rd and T Streets as a focus for the
development. $50,000 was expended on
street improvements, including paving, water,
sewers, gas, brick walks, and ornamental
lighting, and $4,000 on planting alone.
There was a private trash collection service,
as well as the private watchmen.
The new development became the residence
of generals, professors, congressmen, busi -
nessmen, and bureaucrats, as well as McGill,
Barber, Langdon, and McClellan (one of the
original pre-war land owners). By 1887, there
were 64 houses here, but the pace of develop-
ment was slowed as LeDroit Park weathered
the economic catastrophes of the '70s.
Meanwhile, agitation arose to breaK tne
color ban. Legal action was at first unsuccess-
ful. A mob broke down the fence in 1888,
but the fence was replaced with barbed wire.
Finally. the District government took over
control of the streets and they were opened to
public access. In 1893 the first black resident
moved in. A bullet went through his window
while he was sitting at dinner, but he refu ed
to leave. Gradually, other black professionals
and officials made their entrance into the
exclusive Park, which for a time was inte-
grated. Howard professors moved in, and t h ~
area received the nickname of "Collegetown."
In these same late years of the '80s, the
areas adjacent to LeDroit Park were sub-
divided and developed, and it became an inte-
gral part of the fabric of the city. The build-
ing of single houses for wealthy clients
ceased, within the original subdivision, and
the remaining lots were sold to speculators,
who began to erect rather elaborate Queen
Anne row houses. Along Florida A venue,
residential buildings were converted to com-
mercial use, and the new apartment hou es
incorporated shops into their ground floors.
By the beginning of World War I, almost
all of the white residents had moved away,
and the last row houses had been built.
LeDroit Park had become the most exclusive
area of black residence in the city. Many
prominent people lived there: scholars, law-
yers, musicians, journalists, and professional
of many kinds; Mary Church Terrell,
women's activist and first black woman on
the Board of Education; her husband, the first
black municipal judge; the first black con
gressman after Reconstruction; Paul Lawrence
Dunbar, the poet; Ralph Bunche, leader in
the UN, and first black Nobel Prize winner;
Senator Brooke of Massachusetts; and the
first black mayor of the city, Walter Washing
ton. Older residents remember lawn and block
parties, Sunday band concerts, and the fine
.
An elegant Row on 5th Street
Just before World War II, a second shift
began. Some of the population moved to the
upper northwest section of the city and the
northern suburbs. During the war, two large
halls were built to house government
workers, and these were later converted into
Howard dormitories, one of which is located
in the historic district. The trend accelerated
after the war, as low income blacks moved in
and the well-to-do fled. Some of the old
McGill houses were divided into apartments.
One of the finest of these, the original McGill
house, was demolished in the '60s to make
way for a Safeway store and its parking lot.
Absentee landlords and a lack of maintenance
allowed some of the structures to slide toward
LeDroit Park resi dent
decay. Street maintenance and trash collection
deteriorated, and the old park circle was bi-
sected by street paving. The benign relation
with Howard University turned to conflict, as
the institution sought to expand south into its
residential neighbor. Large new University
buildings arose on the edge of the area. The
University now owns a large number of
vacant houses, and has generated a traffic and
parking burden. Today, the population of the
area is mixed with both middle-income and
low-income blacks and Howard University
students.
Wasbingtoniana Di..: .
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The brick walks are spotted with asphalt
patches, streets are broken and many alleys
are unpaved. Most of the street trees are
gone, although small new ones have been
planted on 2nd and on Florida. On the
houses, lintel arches have fallen here and
there, corners are broken, slates are loose and
roof crestings gone. Some 60 houses are
boarded up, half of which belong to the Uni -
versity. But the neglect is recent and there
are signs of more recent recovery. Many of
the McGill and row houses have been main-
tained in good condition throughout their
existence and many more are being rehabili -
tated. The buildings \vere solidly built. and
they are still sound.
The undulating walls, complex rooflines.
elaborate cornices and window frames,
wrought iron steps and carved doors, and the
rich array of materials - molded brick, stone,
slate, pressed stone, terra cotta, wrought iron,
stained glass - all catch the eye. The houses
and rowhouses are boldly made. Much of this
detail can be recovered. a restoration of
the varied 19th century color schemes and
formal gardens would still further enrich the
landscape. Utilities have already been placed
underground, and some of the old street
lights remain. The LeDroit Park streets, rela-
tively treeless, narrow, and urban, depend on
h. c __ .L _:_ . : __ __ , __ , ..
A notable concentration of McGill houses
remains on the 400 block of U Street an
area to which the somewhat more modest
single and two-family houses \vere apparently
relegated in his plans. This complete row of
houses in the Italian Villa style may be
unique in the United States. A good number
of McGill houses still exist on the 500 block
of T Street, and at the focal circle at 3rd and
T Streets. Third and T were the two show
streets of the original development, and this
focus should be recreated. In sum, LeDroit
Park is a remarkably preserved specimen of
an early romantic suburb, in which street and
house designs were coordinated by one good
hand. More than that, LeDroit Park has
played a central role in the history of the
black leadership of this city.
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The Architecture of
LeDroit Park
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The Architecture of
LeDroit Park
The late nineteenth century architect or builder could
choose from a wide variety of styles and motifs in the design
of a house or shop. Roof types, styles and house plans varied
widely, and yet there was a consistency in material and
details. Pattern books and builder's catalogues were a com-
mon source of metal work, wood trim, ornamental brick,
stone and slate. Many of these decorative details are still
intact, and are worth conserving. By understanding the style
and components of a building, we can identify those ele-
ments that are critical to its appearance.
Between 1873 and 1887, James McGill designed some
sixty houses in LeDroit Park. Most of these detached single
or two family houses were built of brick, with wood and
pressed stone details. Many are illustrated by engravings in
the promotional literature for the neighborhood published as
LeDroit Park Illustrated (1877) and The Architectural
Advertiser ( 1879).
Like many architects of his day, McGill worked in many
styles, including Italianate, Italian Villa, Second Empire,
Victorian Gothic, and Queen Anne. Some houses combine
several styles. Although the roof shapes, building outlines
and decoration vary a great deal from house to house, these
McGill houses share a common exuberance of detail. This
can be seen at the window mouldings, string courses,
brackets, cornices, cupolas and towers, ornate porches, deco-
rative metal work and patterned slates on the roof. These
decorative elements are all part of the "high styled" home.
__________ low hipped roo
patterned vari-colored
slate roof
relative absence of ___ ....... i;"'TT
ornate details at
cornice and windows
light-colored painted ---+-
brick or stucco walls
plain wooden porch --+
posts with simple
brackets (if any)
Italian Villa
tall , narrow 2/2
arch-headed de
hung windows
a surprisingly r
window such a
is an example <
McGill's own d
invention
wooden porch
heavy cornice t
--symmetrical fa<
This style was inspired by the Italian farm
house, which often included a prominent, flat -
topped, corner tower, a simple box or
L-shaped plan, a low gable roof, and a plain
light-colored wall surface. It was popularized
in books such as those by Andrew Jackson
Downing as appropriate for the "country
gentleman'', symbolizing a simple and
pastoral life. The Italian Villa style houses of
LeDroit Park have L-shaped or symmetrical
plans with long porches, arched windows, and
gable roofs with deep overhanging eaves .
Origi nally, some of these residences had roof
cresting and truss work at the gable ends .. But
there is a noticeable absence of the elaborate
detailing of cornices and door and window
heads that is seen on other houses by McGilL
Wall surfaces are plainer and the original
color scheme simple - usually cream or buff
\Vith darker trim, although varied colors may
have hcen used later. Much of the 400 block
of U Street is in the Italian Villa style. Here,
rather than on the grander 3rd and T Streets.
McGill placed his more modest houses, and
they \Vere designed in a style appropriate to
more modest budgets. The survival of this
continuous row of houses in the Italian Villa
style produces a streetscape which is possibly b
unique in the U.S.
c
a) Shown here. the U Street blo<.k between llh .md 'Sth
Streets is perhap-. one of the mtlst in ld)r.nt
Park. It the only remaming street of enllreh
,\\cGill destgncd houses and looks very much todav J\ 11 thd
when the area wa\ first de\eloped.
b) An example of the type of Italian Villa house found 111 thts
block: notice the low pitch to the rooL the wmmetmal
facade. and the relative absence of ornate detail on corniCe.
doors and windows.
c) The plam light colored wall with contrasting tl.lrk tnm ts a
characteristic feature ot the Italian Villa stvle: the umformitv
of color treatment on houses on this block helps 10 'tsu.tlly.
tie the together a special group
d
e
d) Like the Italian farm houses which inspired this "villa"
style. this McGill -designed house on Elm Street between 2nd
and 3rd Streets is modest in siz:e and relatively plain in its
decorative treatment. The low pitched roof, deep overhanging
eaves. and wooden entry porch are common features of a
house style popular in the 1800's. as suitable for the
'country gentleman of modest means''
e) Ornate detail so characteristic of other McGill designed
houses is. in these 'Italian Villa'' examples. confined to
decorative chimneys, patterned slate roofs, iron roof crestings
and finials. and an occasional wooden pendant at the gable
end. A number of these decorative features can be seen in
this photo. Notice how dramatically different the house on
the left looks, stripped of its coat of light-colored paint. Such
major alterations can be questioned not only for their incon
sistency with the original style, but also for the potential
surface damage which may occur on the newly exposed brick
walls .
low hipped (or flat) roof
asymmetncal mass1ng
and facade
paired windows and
round-headed windows
are a hallmark of this
style
projecting wooden entry
porch with decorative
carved and turned
brackets, and posts
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deep projecting cornice
ornate wood brackets
frieze
bracketed hoods over
windows and doors
large 2/2 double hung
windows of tall, narrow
proportions
seen in brick, frame
or stucco
paired wooden doors
with a glass transom
In contrast to the simple detail and balanced
mass of McGill's Italian Villa houses, his few
ltalianate houses in LeDroit Park exhibit
asymmetrical facades and a greater variety of
wooden decorative trim. A low roof and deep
overhang are still seen, but the plain cornice
is replaced by elaborate brackets often accom-
panied by carved panels in the flat wo den
boarding just below the roof edge. Brackets
under the porch roof, and under the heavy
window and door hoods, are also characteris-
tic. (These ornate brackets are the hallmarks
of the style, but they caught the fancy of the
American builder, and may often be seen in
later buildings. ) Arched and paired windows
with ornate mouldings are common. There
are cupolas and panelled, decorative doors.
The Morningstar Baptist Church at 1901
6th Street, formerly a residence, is an excel-
lent representative of the more elaborate
Italianate house. 330 T Street is a good
example of a simpler, but handsome version.
Beautifully detailed brackets under the eaves
of the gable roof frame a central round arch
window.
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b
c
a
a) This impressive ltalianate McGill House. one of only a few
remaining in LeDroit Park, is on the corner of 6th and T
Streets. Although the color scheme is similar to the Italian
Villa style, (light walls with dark trim) the roof windows and
porch are all crowned with carved wooden brackets and heavy
overhanging cornices. These decorative features are the hall -
mark of the ltalianate style house.
b) Heavy brackets under the eaves, a round-headed window,
and bracketed wooden porch distinguish this brick residence
on 330 T Street as an ltalianate house.
c) A detail showing the deep over-hanging cornice and
elaborate! y caned brackets (or "consoles"' as they are some-
times called when of this shape) of the house on the corner of
T and 4th Streets.
d) Carved, lathe-turned, and sawn wooden ornamentation is
often seen on the ltalianate style house. Here. a detail of lath
turned \vooden porch posts.
d
decorative brick chimneys
with pressed brick panels
polychrome (many-colored)
patterned slate roof
narrow pointed arch windows
of modest size; a cottage" -
Victorian Gothic
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0 LeDroit Park Neighborhood '
tall , narrow proportions
to house
wooden pendant under
eave
J..<H..->.1-- sawn wooden bargeboard
along roof edge
brick (or frame)
surface and trim in
contrasting colors
The interest in medieval art began in Great
Britain in the 18th century as part of a funda-
mental shift in society and culture. The
Gothic Style caught on in the U.S. by 1830,
and was first used for churches and schools.
Few people could afford stone houses. but the
invention of the jigsaw allowed the con truc-
tion of light wooden imitations of Gothic
forms . with "gingerbread, detail. McGill
drew on the English and German Gothic
tradition as illustrated in the common pattern
books. As he promised in his advertisements,
he used his inventiveness to give each house
a unique appearance. But there are common
elements to these Gothic houses. These
include an irregular roofline, tall, pointed
gables and towers and an asymmetrical
arrangement of plan and window placement.
Pointed arches appear at windows and in the
gable. Wooden trusses and hanging pendants
at dormers or gable ends are common. Chim-
neys are often elaborate. Color was important
in the original designs: patterned roof slates
and high-contrast trim colors were used. The
colorful roofs remain today.
51 7 T Street is a perfect example of the
pattern book Gothic cottage. Many of its
original details are still intact.
b
c
a
a) Only two McGill -designed Gothic Revival houses remain.
This one, a particularly fine (and enchaming) example of the
style. is on T Street between 5th and 6th Streets. The steep.
narrow pitch to the gable roof is the most prominent dis-
tinguishing feature of the Gothic Revival style.
b) While quite different in character. this too is a Gothic
Revival house. as can be seen by the steep gable at the center
and the arch motif above the porch posts. This McGill house
is on the corner of 3rd and lJ Streets .
c) The same house on U and 3rd Streets. as originally
designed and dra\vn by architect McGill: this is reproduced
from the Arcbitectural Aduerti;;er of 1879.
d) A detail of the ,gable. The decorative carved board under
the roof edge is called a "bargeboard " (or "\ergchoard"'):
the vertical member suspended under the peak of the gable is
called a 'pendant'. T h i ~ decorate treatment at the top ut the
gable is common on Gothic Revival hou;,es. alt hough this
example is more elaborate than most.
Mansard roof
projecting entry
bay and porch
carved brackets and posts
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Second Elllpire
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LeDroit Park Neighborhood '-. ..f>c;:::::'
round-headed w1ndows
often seen
11."1t'M--- scalloped slate roofing
brackets
Second Empire architecture developed in
France under Napoleon III. His rebuilding of
Paris made it the most modern city in the
world, and two international exhibition popu-
larized French design. The style was influen-
tial in the U.S. from 1860 until the decline of
French prestige in the 1880's. The steep
Mansard root originally used to circumvent
the legal height limits in the rebuilding of
Paris, is the distinguishing feature of the
style. It will also show up in later LeDroit
Park row houses. (Today, in degraded shingled
form, it is a cliche for giving "style" to a
commercial building along many a U.S. high-
way. ) Other Second Empire details are similar
to ltalianate: window mouldings, porch
details, brackets, eaves, and prominent cor-
nices and string courses. The Second Empire
house is usually square or rectangular in plan
with a projecting bay window and an entry
porch. Ornate metalwork, patterned, multi -
colored slates, and elaborate dormers are
characteristic roof features .
The residence at 525 T is a particularly
handsome example of the Second Empire
Style. However, there are relatively few
examples of this style in LeDroit Park.
a) A page from the Architectural Advertiser, printed in 1879
to advertise for sale the early McGill houses in LeDroit Park.
A good proportion of the houses are no longer standing: this
is a fortunate survivor.
b) One of the few McGill -designed Second Empire style houses
remaining in the neighborhood. [n June 1978, when this
photo was taken, the building was boarded up. It was recently
renovated by new owners. The preservation of this McGill
building represents a major contribution towards maintaining
the features of LeDroit Park which make it a unique
Washington neighborhood.
c) A detail showing the characteristic "Mansard" roof with
its decorative slate covering. The decorative ironwork around
the edge of the small corner tower is called ''cresting''.
..
c
,.-,r--------------tall decorative chimneys
finial -----....
r /J'"."'iM-------t1--- decorative wooden gable
a Queen Anne window --+++llbl
type: small square panes
of glass in upper sash
end
double hung
windows
asymmet ri cal
facade often mixes - facade
different building
materials, textures,
colors (often different
from floor to floor)
1+-K--tl-+..-large porch with
carved wooden panels
brackets (or classical
columns)
Queen Anne
r--- _rjJo-::::: .. . 1
,' "" ""'l
<CiiL Jf--' iD ; ;f;
!
, .U' 1;
........
....... . ..
. ....... ,__.-
LeDroit Park Neighborhood -.......
The Queen Anne style began in England in
the 1860's and \\'as popularized in this
country by the 1876 Centennial. Basically. it
was a revival based on the medieval English
country house. J\kGill designed a number of
houses in this style: 421 T Street is an
example. The Queen Anne house is
usuall y a large one. and most often a frame
structure. It includes many kinds of materials
and decorative treatments. >vhich \vork to-
get her to produce a rich. exuberant appear-
ance. The silhouette of the Queen Anne
building is complex, asymmetrical. with tur-
rets, ornate chimneys. and projecting dormers
and bays. The surface is highly modelled .
often using decorative shingles. The texture
rna v vary from floor to floor. The Queen
Anne house was multi -colored - different
colors being used to emphasize the variety of
surface materials, texture and detail. A brick
building could be elaborated with pressed or
carved stringcourses, ornate brickwork, terra-
cotta panels, and metal or wood details
chosen freely from the many pattern books of
the day. Many sizes and kinds of double hung
windows are combined. The bottom sash is
usually a single piece of glass, while the upper
one is divided into small panes of colored or
plain glass.
a
b c
a) A McGill -designed Queen Anne house on 3rd Street.
Typically Queen Anne houses are very large buildings: this
house is no exception. The variety of roof shapes, the porch.
the decorative chimneys, and the small panes in the upper
sash of the windows, are all characteristic of the Queen Anne
style.
b) Perhaps because of their large size, (and cost to heat and
maintain) many Queen Anne houses have succumbed to
decay and demolition. as has this house on U Street (between
3rd and 4th Streets). where only a portion of the original
structure remains standing.
c) Among the ruins, a few fine Queen Anne detaib remain;
this "sun burst" designed bracket is a decorative pattern
seen frequently on this style ot architecture.
d) This porch bracket on a later LeDroit Park building is also
derived from the Queen Anne "sunburst" or "fan" design.
Row Houses
In the late 1880's, the construction of the large single and
double family houses designed by McGill came to an end.
For the next three decades, row houses filled the empty
spaces, creating a higher density residential pattern. The
days of the suburban retreat were not over, but the urban
housing type was changing to accommodate the smaller,
servantless household.
Rowhouse styles ranged from the highly detailed and tur-
reted Queen Anne of the earlier years to the more austere
Georgian Revival of the final filling-in. A strong street facade
is created by the uniform setback, the long attached rows,
and the consistent two and three story elevations. The street
wall is decorated with the ornamental iron steps, handrails,
and fencing. Color and contrast are provided by the mixing
of materials and details, and by the shifting forms of window
openings, projecting bays and irregular rooflines. Small yards
at front and rear are common, although some rowhouses
(along Florida A venue in particular) are built to the lotline.
Toward the tum of the century, the LeDroit Park row-
house was noticeably less adorned. The rich wall surfaces of
the earlier Florida Avenue rowhouses, for example, with
their slate, stone, and terra-cotta details, can be contrasted
with the straightforward metal cornices and plain wall
surfaces of 2nd Street's Georgian Revival rows.
finials T1
+
projecting bays
and towers
r---, :t cresting
tall decorative ,
towers, bays project up v
from roof and out from entry to create complex facade 0 ..., [
and rhythm along street !1. r 111 double hung wind
decorative pressed brick
or terra cotta panels
. ... II" ;;;.:;.
-til--+- round-headed window
often seen
I highly textured surfac
lsp;l J;;:;;;il i---1\
1
L often mixing brick
lt:J I \ l I 1 .. It Ll and stone
Queen Anne
Brick
-
Complex, slate-covered, steep roofs and tur-
rets with varied gables and dormers are char-
acteristic of these more ornate LeDroit Park
row houses, built in the late 1880's and early
1890's. Brick, stone, terracotta, and metal
features are imaginatively combined. Orna-
mental iron and ceramic tile frequently
enhance the entrance, which often has a tran-
som and a recessed entry bay. Basement
apartments and above grade entrances are
common. There may be a rusticated stone
base with Romanesque details.
Straight or segmental arch rusticated stone
sills and lintels, and molded brick voussoirs
(the wedge-shaped pieces that make up an
arch), frequently surround the tall, "one over
one'' window. (That is, the window has a
single piece of glass in each vertically sliding
sash. and thus has 'one over one' ' panes of
glass.) Windows and doors may be paired.
Rounded bays and oriel windows (small pro-
jecting bays) accent the front facade, in addi-
tion to stone and brick stringcourses, pressed
brick panels. and stained glass.
Characteristic Queen Anne rowhouse
streets include: the 400 to 600 blocks of
Florida Avenue; portions of the 300 block of
U Street: 1900-1921 2nd Street; the 1800
block of 5th Street: and portions of the 300
block of Elm Street.
b
c
a) This street vie\Y could have been taken in any one ot .1
number of Washington areas. since the Queen Anne brick
row house a common building type throughout the district.
on 2nd Street).
b) Two story examples on .'lrd Street.
c) Three storv Queen Anne row houses along Florida
Avenue.
d) Examples of the decorative detail characteristic of the
Queen Anne Row; one ot the earliest and mmt elaborate of
d
W'!lk"'c------"'=-t- scalloped or hexagonal
shingles in gable end
clapboard on main body paneled frame around
of house bay windows painted
contrasting color
shingles
fishscale shingles
mult i-paned upper sash
in double-hung windows
(often 6/1)
projecting 2-story bay -fll-ftH-+
wilh variety of materials
and color
QueenAnne-
Fratne
While of the same basic style, the wooden
Queen Anne rowhouses are quite different in
effect. The facade is still exuberantly
modelled, but the general appearance is sim-
pler and more domestic The walls are covered
in clapboard, with patterned shingles in the
gables or above the projecting bays. The roofs
are simpler in form. There is an entry porch,
and sometimes one on the second story, as
well. The windows are rectangular and more
uniform, with small divided panes of glass in
the upper sash. Wooden panels occur below
the first floor windows, or panelled frames
appear at the sides of windows. Textures and
colors are designed to contrast with each
other.
A good example of the Queen Anne frame
rnw I1P "PPn nn thP P::J"t "iriP of 6th Street.
a
b
a) A view of six Queen Anne wood frame houses along 6th
Street. The repetitive gable fronts and front porches make
this an unusual and particularly interesting LeDroit Park
Street.
b) Good examples of the LeDroit Park Queen Anne frame
house. Notice the small panes of glass in the upper window
sash, and the triangular panes of glass in the gable window
on the house on the right .
c) The front porch is a major feature of these houses . Porches
can go across the full front, or can be smaller entry porches,
as seen on these houses along T Street between 5th and 6th
Streets. Renovation which strips these buildings of their
decorative shingles , clapboards and small paned as
in the house at the left. can cause an irreversible change in
their character.
c
tall, narrow dormers
a distinctive Chateauesque
window type
Chateauesque
"half timbering" effect
A - - - - . . . . . 4 ~ - + - + - dark trim with light wall
surface
brick (or stone) construction
The Chateauesque st.yle was derived from the
design of middle 16th Century French build-
ings. Briefly popular around 1880 in the
USA, residences in this style are character-
ized by an inventive mixture of Renaissance
and Gothic elements.
This style in LeDroit Park is seen in a
number of developer-built, 3-story row houses.
1900- 1906 6th Street are good examples.
While modest relative to the grand New York
City Vanderbilt mansion which typifies the
style. (and modest. too. relative to the earlier
McGill houses), the Chateauesque design fea-
tures on this middle class housing type are
distinctive. These houses are always of brick
or stone, with very steep sided roofs. Some
are Hat -fronted with the upper story made to
look like a roof with a pointed gable pattern.
A tower (or "tourelle ' as they are called
when, as here, they project out from the
second story), or oriel window is the single
major feature. Gothic elements such as nar-
row windows topped by steep gables. and
Renaissance details like the low round-
headed arch, are seen freely mixed on the
same facade. Decorative panels of pressed
brick, terra cotta or metal, are common. The
floor levels are marked with horizontal bands.
Typically, the entry is close to street level.
a) Chateauesque style row houses on Florida Avenue.
bl The major features of the LeDroit Park Chateauesque row
house can be easily S('<"n on this 6th Street house: pointed
gable form. dark wooden banding around a lighter colored flat
wall surface: oriel v.:indows at the second story.
c 1 This row house on 6th Street is a fine example of the
Chateauesque style as seen in the LeOroit Park neighborhood.
T vpical of the later revival style row houses, the building is
basically a flat -roofed box. However. a builder-designer.
through the inventive addition of a few touches. has created a
building with a good deal of interest and pleasing character.
The application of a dark outlined gable form on the top of
the building recalls th<> appearance of the steeply pitched roofs
and the "halt timbering wooden bracing with light
colored swcco intill - .seen on the early English hou\('S
which inspired thi\ stvlr. The .'>ccond story hay window
lcalled an "oriel" window. when. as here. the h.l\' does nm
extend to the base of the house ). is also a hallmark of the
Ch..tteauesque stde.
b
c
d
e
d,e) Other Chateauesque style row houses in LeDroit Park.
---single house--- -::-H-:--------double house-------
deep projecting llllllllllIJ-'U i!Ut ;t rH ilt:"iUIIIJ.II'I.IUI cornice
corbeled brick 1::1 ElJ J111UI I 0 0 0 0 . d Q .0 0 D a [J tl tj [J 0 ,___ decorative brick
" brackets" under paneling below
cornice L ' . ;;;;;;;
brick (often =-- D D r--1-lll.._ - Ill _,, . 1, J oriel
pressed brick) r l o, bd
facade t ; 11 1/1 double hung
_ ll windows
transom window !.._ .. . often
above entry
i .
.
::. .
. . .:;. .:: . >.
corbeled brick "brackets"
1/1 (sometimes 2/2) windows
r----, ---- ..---..... l stone lintels and sills
transom over door
raised entry with iron
stair and handrail
grade __
Renaissance
Revival
The Renaissance Revival was a later imitation
of Italian building. In this case, however
modest the copy, it was the urban Italian
palace of the 16th and 17th centuries that
was the model: solid, dignified, and rather
austere. These rows are flat-fronted, two or
three stories high, and the entry is typically
nearly at grade. The facade is brick, but
usually the first floor is faced with large,
rough surfaced stones (a ''rusticated' front ).
There is a tall projecting brick or wooden
cornice. supported by brick corhelling which
may be shaped to imitate brackets. There are
decorative brick fri ezes below the cornice,
brick panels below the windows . Stone lintels
or segmental brick arches bridge the open-
ings. The windows themselves are "one over
one or two over two. and sometimes are
round-headed. Those of the top story are
often shorter than those belm.v. Examples of
the Renaissance Revival may be found on Elm
Street between 3rd and 5th Streets.
c
d
a) Unlike earlier style\, the Renaissance Revival row house
ahvays ha:, a flat front facade. In this three story example.
notice the rusticated first tloor.
b,c,d) The variety of surface texture created by demrative
brick construction detail gives strong visual interest to an
othPrwir m oitP nl,.in hnnP tvnP !ThPP Px:lmniPs ~ r P on Elm .
steep (almost vertical) sloped slate
u covered roof
JEffil
dormer
... wooden classical cornice with dentils
- ....
l ltr.: L=.,..l--._ light colored lintels and sills on windows
EtB B 6/6 (or 1/1) double hung windows
tm e
I