National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Georgia 54 Howell Street, NE Historic Structure Report August 2019 Cultural Resources, Partnerships and Science Division Southeast Region 54 Howell Street, NE Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Atlanta, Georgia Historic Structure Report August 2019 Prepared by: Panamerican Consultants, Inc. 2390 Clinton Street Buffalo, New York 14227-1735 Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. 330 Pfingsten Road Northbrook, Illinois 60062 WFT Architects, PA 770 North State Street Jackson, Mississippi 39202 Prepared for: National Park Service Southeast Regional Office 100 Alabama Street SW Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Cultural Resources, Partnerships and Science Division Southeast Regional Office National Park Service 100 Alabama Street, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30303 (404) 507-5787 About the front cover: View of the 54 Howell Street, NE, looking north, September 2016. This manuscript has been authored by Panamerican Consultants, Inc., with consultants Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., and WFT Architects, PA, under Contract Number P16PC00097 with the National Park Service. The United States Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes. 54 Howell Street, NE Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Atlanta, Georgia Historic Structure Report Contents List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................................. vii Project Team ............................................................................................................................................................... xi Foreword ................................................................................................................................................................... xiii Management Summary Historical Data ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 Treatment and Use ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 Administrative Data ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Project Scope and Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 6 Developmental History Historical Background and Context ......................................................................................................................... 11 African Americans in Nineteenth-Century Atlanta ................................................................................................. 11 Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park ..................................................................................................... 16 History of 54 Howell Street (LCS #090044) .............................................................................................................. 17 Chronology of Development and Use: 54 Howell Street Timeline ........................................................................ 25 Physical Description and Condition Assessment Site ............................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Residence .................................................................................................................................................................. 28 Exterior ...................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Description ......................................................................................................................................................... 30 Condition Assessment ....................................................................................................................................... 40 Interior ...................................................................................................................................................................... 46 Description ......................................................................................................................................................... 46 Condition Assessment ....................................................................................................................................... 61 Structural Systems ..................................................................................................................................................... 64 Condition Assessment ....................................................................................................................................... 66 Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems ........................................................................................................ 67 Significance and Integrity National Register of Historic Places ......................................................................................................................... 73 Significance Criteria ........................................................................................................................................... 73 National Register Status of 54 Howell Street, NE ................................................................................................... 74 Period of Significance ........................................................................................................................................ 76 Character-Defining Features .................................................................................................................................... 77 Assessment of Integrity ............................................................................................................................................ 77 Treatment and Use Requirements for Treatment and Use ..................................................................................................................... 79 Laws, Regulations, and Functional Requirements ........................................................................................... 79 Alternatives for Treatment and Use ........................................................................................................................ 81 Ultimate Treatment and Use .................................................................................................................................... 82 Guidelines for Treatment .................................................................................................................................. 82 Recommendations .................................................................................................................................................... 83 Exterior ............................................................................................................................................................... 83 Interior ............................................................................................................................................................... 84 Mechanical and Electrical Systems .................................................................................................................... 85 Recommendations for Further Research .......................................................................................................... 86 National Park Service v Resilience to Natural Hazards ........................................................................................................................... 86 Bibliography .............................................................................................................................................................. 89 Appendices Appendix A: Measured Drawings Appendix B: Hazardous Materials Report vi Historic Structures Report: Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park – 54 Howell Street, NE List of Figures Management Summary 1 Map of Georgia showing location of Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (black star) .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 2 Aerial photograph of Atlanta showing the location of Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park ......................................................................................................................................... 8 3 Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park showing the location of 54 Howell Street ............ 9 Developmental History 4 Front, east, and side, north, facades, 54 Howell Street (1931), originally a four-unit, now a three-unit, apartment building ..........................................................................................................