Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District | |
 (left to right)Equestrian statue of Philip Sheridan,Dutch ambassadorial residence,Embassy of China's staff residence, Austrian ambassadorial residence, Mitchell Park, The Dresden,Miller House,Embassy of Luxembourg | |
| Location | Roughly bounded byRock Creek Park,Connecticut Avenue,Florida Avenue, 22nd Street, and P Street Washington, D.C., U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°54′56.6″N77°3′2.7″W / 38.915722°N 77.050750°W /38.915722; -77.050750 |
| Area | 190 acres (77 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001743[1] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 30, 1989 |
| Designated DCIHS | September 25, 1989 |
TheSheridan-Kalorama Historic District is a neighborhood and historic district located in thenorthwestquadrant ofWashington, D.C. The boundaries of the historic district includeRock Creek Park to the north and west,P Street to the south, and 22nd Street andFlorida Avenue to the east. On the southwestern edge of the neighborhood is a stretch ofEmbassy Row onMassachusetts Avenue. The other neighborhood and historic district that lies to the east of Sheridan-Kalorama isKalorama Triangle Historic District. The two neighborhoods are divided byConnecticut Avenue. For many years both neighborhoods were geographically connected before the stretch of Connecticut Avenue was installed toward theTaft Bridge. Oftentimes, both neighborhoods are simply called "Kalorama" or "Kalorama Heights".
There are two traffic circles in Sheridan-Kalorama: Kalorama Circle andSheridan Circle. The latter is a park centered on theequestrian statue of GeneralPhilip Sheridan. The name "Kalorama" means "fine view" inGreek. There are several parks in Sheridan-Kalorama, including Mitchell Park and theUkrainian Independence Park. A large number of buildings and sites in the neighborhood are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP) andDistrict of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites (DCIHS). Four of these buildings areNational Historic Landmarks and over 600 structures arecontributing properties to the Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District, which was listed on the NRHP and DCIHS in 1989.
The original inhabitants of present-day Sheridan-Kalorama were theNacotchtank andMattawoman tribes. During the 17th century, Sheridan-Kalorama was part of a large estate, named Widow's Mite. Various portions of the land were sold throughout the years, and a large house built in the area was named Belair. The house was renamed Kalorama byJoel Barlow in the early 19th century. The house was commandeered during theCivil War and caught fire in 1865. Due to a sharp increase of the city's population after the war, people began looking beyond the city's boundary, as Sheridan-Kalorama was part ofWashington County, D.C., at the time. Some of the lots during this time were developed for housing, often large homes for wealthy people, intellectuals, and high-ranking government and military officials. TheDistrict of Columbia Organic Act of 1871 moved the city's boundary to its current size, thus Sheridan-Kalorama joined Washington, D.C.
After Connecticut Avenue was extended north ofFlorida Avenue, streetcars lines were installed on the road, drawing more people to buy or build houses in the surrounding area. Speculative real estate in the neighborhood began in the 1890s, as ornate rowhouses were built along the neighborhood's main streets. Unlike Kalorama Triangle, which mostly catered to the middle-class, Sheridan-Kalorama catered to the upper-class. The houses in Sheridan-Kalorama were larger and more grand. Some of these rowhouses and the older homes were demolished and replaced with large apartment buildings. One of the most popular architectural styles built in early 20th-century Sheridan-Kalorama wasColonial Revival, although many other styles are represented in the neighborhood. Decatur Circle was renamed Sheridan Circle and large palatial homes were built in the immediate area.
During theGreat Depression, many of the mansions and ornate rowhouses were sold to foreign governments. This process has continued for decades and the neighborhood is home to dozens of embassies, ambassadorial residences, and other diplomatic buildings. Many of them are located along Embassy Row or on streets near it. By 1993, almost 200 buildings in the neighborhood were used as diplomatic offices or residences. The neighborhood has attracted these nations due to the prestige and quiet suburban-like setting. Six U.S. presidents have lived in Sheridan-Kalorama, includingBarack Obama. Other notable figures who have lived in the neighborhood include justices of theU.S. Supreme Court, members ofCongress, presidential secretaries, and military leaders.
The Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District encompasses the entire 190 acres (77 ha) Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood, located in thenorthwestquadrant ofWashington, D.C. The rough boundaries of the historic district areRock Creek Park to the north and west,P Street to the south, and 22nd Street andFlorida Avenue to the east. The surrounding neighborhoods are also historic districts,Dupont Circle to the south and east, andKalorama Triangle to the northeast.[2]
Massachusetts Avenue, another historic district, bisects the neighborhood from the south to the northwest. The properties along the west side of Massachusetts Avenue abut Rock Creek Park. Like many other neighborhoods outside the original 1791L'Enfant Plan, some of the roads in Sheridan-Kalorama do not share the same grid pattern.[2]
In addition to the major roads marking the boundary, the primary roads in Sheridan-Kalorama are 23rd Street, 24th Street, California Street, Kalorama Road, S Street, and Wyoming Avenue. There is one residential circle, Kalorama Circle, on the northern edge of the district, andSheridan Circle on the southern edge. There are a few parks in the district, including the largest, Mitchell Park, as well asRobert Emmet Memorial Park, Sheridan Circle park, and theUkrainian Independence Park.[2][3]
Lots on the southern portion of the historic district tend to be flat, while the land gradually rises the further north one goes in the neighborhood. The highest point is at Mitchell Park and the surrounding lots. The land drops sharply behind the properties on Massachusetts Avenue, Belmont Road, Kalorama Circle, and Kalorama Road, due to the geography of Rock Creek Park.[2]
The area now known as Sheridan-Kalorama was originally inhabited byNative American tribes, theNacotchtank andMattawoman. During the 17th century, they came into conflict with white settlers moving to the area. One of the settlers, John Langworth, had been given a 600 acres (240 ha) tract of land in 1663 byCharles II of England. The tract was later called Widow's Mite and owned by the Anthony Holmead family at some point in the late 18th or early 19th century. The land was located outside the boundaries of the District of Columbia, and was a part ofMaryland for many years.[2][4]
Anthony Holmead II emigrated fromEngland to the U.S., to take possession of the land his uncle owned. He built two houses, one called Rock Hill located around 23rd and S Streets, where he raised a large family. In 1791, theCity of Washington was laid out, but its furthest reach going north was Boundary Street (now Florida Avenue). The neighborhood became part ofWashington County, D.C. at that time. Holmead sold his house and a portion of his land in 1794, moving just to the east of his former land. The new owner, Gustavus Scott, called his estate Belair, but overspent while trying to improve the estate. He sold two portion of his land, which soon became the site of a paper mill and grist mill.[2][4]
Scott died in 1803 and the next owner of Belair was politicianWilliam Augustine Washington, nephew ofGeorge Washington. He only owned the land for a few years before selling it to poetJoel Barlow, who renamed the estate Kalorama, which means "fine view" inGreek. Barlow improved the estate and built a second house on the highest portion of his land. The original house was renovated and expanded following the designs of Barlow's friend,Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Barlow had many influential people visit his estate, including PresidentThomas Jefferson and inventorRobert Fulton.[2][4][5]
Barlow died while on a trip to Europe, and his widow, Ruth, continued living in their house with her sister and brother-in-law ColonelGeorge Bomford. After Ruth's death, the property was passed on to her brother, Associate Justice of the Supreme CourtHenry Baldwin. Bomford bought the property and some of the surrounding land, owning it until 1846. The next owner of Kalorama, Thomas R. Lovett, purchased the property for his mother. At this time, the Holmeads were still neighbors living on the adjoining property to the east.[2][4]
Kalorama was commandeered by theUnion Army during theCivil War and used as asmallpox hospital. This continued until 1865 when a fire destroyed the house.[4] The site where Kalorama once stood is now Mitchell Park.[6] After the war ended, there was a large increase of people moving to Washington, D.C., and with them the need for additional homes and apartments. Between 1865 and 1880, an increasing amount of lots were sold, resulting in the loss of previous vast estates. One of the most prominent residences built during this time was an octagonal house where formerOhio GovernorWilliam Bebb lived. The house remained until 1949 when it was demolished.[2]
After theDistrict of Columbia Organic Act of 1871 was passed, Washington County became part of the District of Columbia. Improvements were made to transportation routes and sewer lines were installed north of Boundary Street. Massachusetts Avenue was extended past Boundary Street, before gradually making a sharp turn going northwest along modern-day Embassy Row. Development rapidly occurred in Dupont Circle, and gradually reached farther north to Kalorama Triangle whenstreetcars were installed along the new portion of Columbia Road and Connecticut Avenue.[2][4][6]
Even though rowhouses were being constructed at a rapid pace in Dupont Circle, most of Sheridan-Kalorama was still rural, except for the few landowners who had not sold their properties to developers. Land value tripled as development moved north, and most of old Sheridan-Kalorama was platted and divided into lots. Local officials announced in 1886 that a bridge would be built on Massachusetts Avenue crossing Rock Creek. Despite this, houses were not being constructed at the expected pace. Kalorama Triangle grew before Sheridan-Kalorama, thanks to the two streetcar lines commuters could ride.[4][6][7]
Extending Connecticut Avenue north of Boundary Street to a planned bridge crossing Rock Creek divided Kalorama Triangle from Sheridan-Kalorama, then known as Kalorama Heights. The latter was to be the preferred neighborhood for wealthier residents, while Kalorama Triangle was composed of mostly middle class residents.[7] Although the interior of Sheridan-Kalorama remained undeveloped, except for the lots near the streetcar line on Connecticut Avenue, the lots along Massachusetts Avenue quickly developed with large, elaborate houses.[4]
By the late 1890s, speculative housing was constructed in the interior of the neighborhood, along S Street, Wyoming Avenue, Leroy Place, and Bancroft Place. Examples include stand-alone houses on Wyoming Avenue, California Street, and Kalorama Road, built in 1892. One of these houses is now theEmbassy of North Macedonia.[6] Typical rowhouses were also built in the 1890s, including ones along 22nd Street, Florida Avenue, Q Street, and R Street.[2]
Development in the early 20th century permanently changed the character of the neighborhood. Estates spread out over the Sheridan-Kalorama area were purchased, the land plotted, and new suburban-like homes were built. The two neighborhoods partially sharing the same name were divided due to changes in the road layout. By 1900, there were 114 structures in the neighborhood, representing almost 20 percent of houses that remain today. In 1901, a stone bridge was installed carrying Massachusetts Avenue over Rock Creek. That bridge was later replaced in the early 1940's with the currentCharles C. Glover Memorial Bridge.[2]
While Kalorama Triangle catered to the middle-class with rowhouses and apartment buildings, Sheridan-Kalorama included apartment buildings, large stand-alone houses, places of worship, schools, and embassies. Land in Sheridan-Kalorama was triple the value of an already built rowhouse in other parts of the city. The palatial homes built along Massachusetts Avenue during the early 20th century set the tone of the neighborhood's other areas. Ornate, larger rowhouses were built in Sheridan-Kalorama, catered to the upper class, with houses designed by local and national architects. Most of the early households in Sheridan-Kalorama consisted of a husband, wife, children, and one servant, or sometimes more servants depending on the house size. This changed within several years due to large houses being built that required multiple servants. Amongst the people living in the neighborhood were diplomats, members ofCongress, lawyers, journalists, and military officers.[2]
Several houses built in the 1880s and 1890s were demolished and replaced with grander residences. Some of these buildings torn down were previously owned by noted figures, including Supreme Court Chief JusticeCharles Evans Hughes and Speaker of the House of RepresentativesChamp Clark. Many of the neighborhood's rowhouses located near Connecticut Avenue were demolished and replaced with large apartment buildings. Throughout the neighborhood, new houses were often designed in theColonial Revival style.[2][4] Additional architectural styles popular during the neighborhood's growth includeFederal,Georgian Revival,Beaux-Arts,Romanesque Revival, andMediterranean Revival.[6]
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By this time, Decatur Circle had been renamed Sheridan Circle, in honor of the Civil War hero whose statue stands in the middle of the circle. Thus, the first half of the neighborhood's name was changed. Sheridan-Kalorama had become a distinct neighborhood, with subtle differences between Dupont Circle, including house sizes, and commercial developments. The only commercial building in Sheridan-Kalorama is 2160-2162 California Street.[2]
By 1914, the neighborhood included scores of new houses, representing 45 percent of the extant buildings. The last of the rowhouses typically found in other local neighborhoods, 2224-2238 Decatur Place, were built in 1904. The remaining rowhouses built in the 1900s were much larger and more ornate. A movement to building larger houses or apartment buildings became popular during the early 20th century. During the 1900s, there were seven apartment buildings constructed in the neighborhood. Due to the building sizes, the majority of Sheridan-Kalorama residents lived in apartment buildings byWorld War I.[2] By 1940, there were 30 apartment buildings in Sheridan-Kalorama. Examples include the first apartment building constructed in the neighborhood,The Highlands, in addition toThe Dresden, the St Nicholas, andWindsor Lodge.[2][6]
In addition to residential buildings, there were also schools, includingThe Field School, theLandon School, theHolton-Arms School, thePotomac School, and theMaret School, all of which have since relocated or closed. Places of worship in the neighborhood that were built in the late 19th century and 20th century includeSt. Margaret's Episcopal Church, theChurch of the Pilgrims, theFriends Meeting House, theFazl Mosque and the imposingIslamic Center of Washington.[2][6]
As the 20th century progressed, many of the neighborhood's houses were sold to foreign governments. TheBritish embassy relocated from Dupont Circle to a lot along Massachusetts Avenue, northwest of Sheridan-Kalorama. The first nation to buy a lot for an embassy or ambassadorial residence in Sheridan-Kalorama was France, when it purchased land on S Street between 22nd and 23rd Streets. Up until that time, there were only four embassies in the city, as most countries rented space in existing buildings. Germany purchased land on what is now Mitchell Park, across the street from the French. This made for awkward relations during World War I, which may be why neither country built anything and sold the properties. Other countries though began purchasing the neighborhood's residences. The first purpose-built embassy constructed in the neighborhood was theEmbassy of Siam (now Thailand).[2]
Development in the 1920s grew dramatically, and by 1929, 74.2 percent of the current buildings had been constructed. The neighborhood became known as a place where wealthy people and intellectuals lived. There was minimal growth during theGreat Depression, with some of the last houses along Connecticut Avenue being demolished and replaced with additional apartment buildings. The mansions and grand rowhouses along Massachusetts Avenue were sold to foreign governments. Dozens of the houses throughout the neighborhood were converted into embassies or ambassadorial residences, a trend that continued for several decades.[2][6] There was an influx of temporary residents duringWorld War II, but the neighborhood kept a suburban feel. The city'swhite flight had little effect on Sheridan-Kalorama. Most residents stayed in the neighborhood and housing prices remained stable.[2]
The construction of diplomatic buildings, along with the conversion of houses into these buildings, continued into the late 20th century. Most neighborhood citizens did not mind the presence of the embassies, but they were wary of how many other diplomatic offices and cultural centers were buying so many properties. Due to pressure from Sheridan-Kalorama residents in the 1980s, the local government set aside 47 acres (19 ha) for embassies to be built inNorth Cleveland Park.[8] After four years of attempts to have the neighborhood declared a historic landmark, it was listed on theDistrict of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites (DCIHS) andNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1989. Supporters argued this would help preserve the historic nature of the Sheridan-Kalorama.[9] Even with the landmark designation, by 1993 more than 25 percent of the neighborhood's 686 buildings were owned by foreign nations.[10]
During the early 21st century, there was continued development of some embassy buildings. The former apartment building, St. Alban's, had been purchased by China in the 1970s. It was demolished, except for one historic wall, and replaced with an apartment building forChinese embassy staff.[11] Sheridan-Kalorama has always been home to wealthy people and prominent officials, including several presidents, with the latest being PresidentBarack Obama, who moved into a large Sheridan-Kalorama house with his family in January 2017.[12] During thefirst presidency of Donald Trump, his daughter and son-in-law,Ivanka Trump andJared Kushner, lived in Sheridan-Kalorama.[13] Previous U.S. presidents that lived in Sheridan-Kalorama includeWilliam Howard Taft,Woodrow Wilson,Warren G. Harding,Herbert Hoover, andFranklin D. Roosevelt.[6] Another prominent resident isJeff Bezos who bought adjoining buildings on the 2300 block of S Street. His property, purchased in 2017 for $23 million, is the largest house in Washington, D.C.[14]
Many of the historic landmarks andcontributing properties in Sheridan-Kalorama are also included in theMassachusetts Avenue Historic District. In addition to the aforementioned Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District, added to the DCIHS on September 25, 1989, and the NRHP on October 30, 1989, there are numerous historic landmarks throughout the neighborhood. Ones listed on the NRHP and DCIHS include the following:Alice Pike Barney Studio House; theJoseph Beale House; theCodman-Davis House; theMeeting House of the Friends Meeting of Washington; theAnthony Holmead Archeological Site; theEmbassy of Japan;The Lindens (disassembled in Massachusetts and reassembled in Sheridan-Kalorama from 1935-1938); theequestrian statue of Philip Sheridan (1 of 18Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C. that were collectively listed on the DCIHS and NRHP); and theTucker House and Myers House (previously home to theTextile Museum). There are 4National Historic Landmarks in the neighborhood: theCharles Evans Hughes House; theWoodrow Wilson House; theWilliam E. Borah Apartment at the Windsor Lodge; and theFrances Perkins House.[15]
Significant contributing properties in Sheridan-Kalorama include the following: The Army and Navy at 2540 Massachusetts Avenue NW; theChurch of the Pilgrims at 2201 P Street NW; The Decatur at 2131 Florida Avenue NW; the Diplomatic Apartments at 2500 Massachusetts Avenue NW; The Dresden at 2126 Connecticut Avenue NW; theEmbassy of Thailand's Consular Section at 2300 Kalorama Road; theEdward Hamlin Everett House at 1606 23rd Street NW; the Gibson Fahnestock House at 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW; The Farnsboro at 2129 Florida Avenue NW; the Emma S. Fitzhuh House at 2253 R Street NW; the Florence Court at 2153/2205 California Street NW; theFrench ambassadorial residence at 2221 Kalorama Road; the Henrietta M. Halliday House at 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW;, theChristian Hauge House at 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW;The Highlands at 1914 Connecticut Avenue NW; The Hightowers at 2000 Connecticut Avenue NW; theIndian Consulate at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW; theIslamic Center of Washington at 2551 Massachusetts Avenue NW, the apartment building at 2120 Kalorama Road NW; theEmbassy of Malaysia's chancery at 2401 S Street NW; theMiller House at 2201 Massachusetts Avenue NW; the headquarters of theNational Society Daughters of the American Colonists at2205 Massachusetts Avenue; the Mrs. Francis B. Moran House at 2315 Massachusetts Avenue NW; Saint Margaret's Episcopal Church at 1820 Connecticut Avenue NW; The Saint Regis at 2219 California Street NW; theSpanish Steps at 22nd Street and Decatur Place; the Wendell Mansions at 2339 Massachusetts Avenue NW; The Westmoreland at 2122 California Street NW; the Mrs. Sarah S. Wyeth House at 2305 Massachusetts Avenue NW; and theEmbassy of Slovenia at 2410 California Street NW.[15]
Diplomatic buildings, including dozens of embassies, in the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood include the following: theEmbassy of Algeria; theEmbassy of Armenia; theEmbassy of the Bahamas; theEmbassy of Barbados; theEmbassy of Belize; theEmbassy of Benin; theEmbassy of Bulgaria; theEmbassy of Burkina Faso; theEmbassy of Cameroon; theEmbassy of Costa Rica; theEmbassy of Cote d'Ivoire; theEmbassy of Croatia; theEmbassy of Cyprus; theEmbassy of the Dominican Republic; theEmbassy of Estonia; theEmbassy of Greece; theEmbassy of Guatemala; theEmbassy of Guinea; theEmbassy of Guyana; theEmbassy of Haiti; theEmbassy of Ireland; theEmbassy of Japan; theEmbassy of Kenya; theEmbassy of South Korea; theEmbassy of Kyrgyzstan; theEmbassy of Laos; theEmbassy of Latvia; theEmbassy of Lesotho; theEmbassy of Luxembourg; the Embassy of Madagascar; theEmbassy of Mali; theEmbassy of the Marshall Islands; theEmbassy of Mauritania; theEmbassy of Moldova; theEmbassy of Niger; theEmbassy of North Macedonia; theEmbassy of Paraguay; theEmbassy of Romania; theEmbassy of Slovenia; theEmbassy of Togo; theEmbassy of Turkey; theEmbassy of Turkmenistan; the Embassy of Yemen; and theEmbassy of Zambia. TheEmbassy of Afghanistan closed in March 2022 and theEmbassy of Syria has been suspended since 2014.[13][16]
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