NPS Porm 10-900 OMfl Mo. f 024-00 jj <R*v 9-M) United States Department of the interior National Park Service -•" 141390 National Register of Historic Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts. See instructions in Guidelines for Completing National Register Forms (National Register Bulletin 16). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the requested information. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, styles, materials, and areas of significance, enter only the categories and subcategories listed in the instructions. For additional space use continuation sheets (Form 10-900a). Type all entries. 1. Name of Property ___ ________________ ___ ___ ___ historic name Wetzel, Margaret/ House__________________^ other names/site number Alumni House, The George Washington University 2. Location street & number 714 21st Street, N.W. "I I not for publication N/A~ city, town Washington I 1 vicinity N/A state District of code DC county District of code 001 zip code 20052 Columbia Columbia 3. Classification Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property fx| private [x] building(s) Contributing Noncontributing I I public-local I I district 1 ____buildings I 1 public-State Osite ____ _____ sites I I public-Federal C~] structure _______ ______ structures I I object ____ ____ objects _1__ ____ Total Name of related multiple property listing: Number of contributing resources previously IN / £\ listed in the National Register _Q_______ 4. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this LX| nomination I I request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the propertyI LXJf——I meets I_If——I does not meet the National Register criteria. I_If——I See continuation, sheet,, ————————*————*——-————t———————————————————————————————— —*—f——t——————— Signature of certifying official / SHPO Date State or Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property LJ meets Ljdoes not meet the National Register criteria. LJSee continuation sheet. Signature of commenting or other official Date State or Federal agency and bureau 5. National Park Service Certification I, hereby, certify that this property is: (3/jentered 'n ^e National Register. I 1 See continuation sheet. O determined eligible for the National Register. [_jSee continuation sheet. [HI determined not eligible for the National Register. [ ] removed from the National Register. Q other, (explain:) ___________ r ^fryf0 ' Signature of the Keeper Date of Action 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (enter categories from instructions DOMESTIC/Single dwelling____ EDUCATION/College_______ 7. D< Materials (enter categories from instructions) Architectural Classification (enter categories from instructions) foundation Brick MID-19th CENTURY/ltalian Villa walls __ Brick roof _ Asphalt other S tone Describe present and historic physical appearance. Alumni House, located at 714 21st Street, N.W., between H and G Streets, is one of the few substantial free-standing brick dwellings remaining in the Foggy Bottom/West End area. Dating from 1853-1857, this structure is a good example of Italian Villa residential design so common in Washington during the middle years of the nineteenth century. The fine proportions and detailing of the main facade attest to the time when the West End was a fashionable residential neighborhood. This three-story house of common-bond brick faces east on 21st Street, with its main facade arranged in three bays. The basement is raised approximately five feet; sandstone steps lead to a recessed entrance area with tile flooring. A glass transom fills the upper portion of the entrance opening and the existing door is a recent alteration that does not reflect the Italian Villa style of the house. This central entrance at the first floor is flanked by tall windows with ornamental iron balconies. On the second floor, the center window is longer than the other two windows, emphasizing the importance of the central entry bay. The third-floor windows are smaller than those on the lower floors. The front facade windows feature one-over-one, double-hung sashes, and stone sills. One exception is the northern window on the first floor, which has one-over-two double-hung sash. The smooth planar surface of the walls is broken by a string course of molded brick with a greek Key motif, below the third-floor window sill, and by a continuous stone lintel above the third-story windows. The projecting cornice features a row of dentils beneath a row of scroll modillions. It is separated from the continuous lintel by a few rows of bricks. The first-floor windows have segmentally arched molded surrounds that match the arch over the door. However, the panes in these windows have flat tops, unlike the arch-topped glass in the entry transom. Above the second-floor windows are circular arch moldings with an elaborate fanlight design. The fanciful floral motifs of the door and window surrounds are highly decorative and contrast sharply with the simplicity of the massing and design of the house. The roof of Alumni House is gently pitched with side gables. It has been re-roofed with asphalt and gravel. The side and rear brick walls have been painted white. These elevations of the house are characteristically void of ornamentation. A fire escape currently lines the south elevation. Except for Hcl See continuation sheet 8. Statement of Significance Certifying official has considered the significance of this property in relation to other properties: D nationally D statewide H locally Applicable National Register Criteria BA CUB £]C LJD Criteria Considerations (Exceptions) QA DB D c D D ^E DP Significant Dates Areas of Significance (enter categories from instructions) Period of Significance 1853-57 ADPUTTTrr'TTTDlT 1853-57 circa 1925-30 EDUCATION Cultural Affiliation Architect/Builder Siignificant Person unknown N / A Alumni House, a free-standing Italian Villa style house dating from circa 1855, is one of the few residences of this type still standing in Foggy Bottom. It reflects the residential character of the neighborhood during a period when Foggy Bottom was a fashionable place to live. Purchased by The George Washington University in 1931, the house has played a significant and long standing role in the development of the institution. Students, faculty, and alumni alike have used this building as a campus center and the structure has played a vital role in campus life for many years. As a fine example of a mid-nineteenth century free-standing Italian Villa style house, Alumni House embodies the distinctive characteristics of an architectural style and a building type (Criteria C). It is one of the few remaining examples of this building type in Foggy Bottom. Through its long and important role in the development of the University, Alumni House has been associated with an institution that has contributed significantly to the broad patterns of development of the National Capital (Criteria A). The building retains its integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. The significance of the building has been recognized by its listing as a Historic Landmark of the District of Columbia. The George Washington University, by virtue of its academic ranking and its physical presence, stands as a significant institution in the District of Columbia. The history and development of the school, from its early-nineteenth century beginnings to its current status as a major urban university, is inextricably linked to the history and development of Washington. Alumni House is noteworthy among the campus buildings, both as an architectural landmark and as a significant element in the history of the George Washington University. Alumni House was built in the mid-1850©s as the home of Margaret Wetzel. The house is one of the few substantial free-standing mid-nineteenth century houses left in Foggy Bottom. It stands as a reminder of the era when Foggy Fx] See continuation sheet 9. Major Bibliographical References Application to the Joint Committee on Landmarks of the National Capital for Designation of Alumni House as a Historic Landmark Submitted by The George Washington University and Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2A; April, 1987. Application to the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board for Designation of The George Washington University Campus Historic District prepared for the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2A by Emily Eig, Traceries, Inc., Washington, D.C., December 12, 1984. JLaj.st©s Real Estate Atlas of Surveys of Washington, D.C., Vol. 1, plan 9, Philadelphia: G.W. Baist, 1965. "The Campus Plan for the Year 1985 Through the Year 2000", The George Washington University, Office of the President, April 30, 1986. Goode, James M., Cap ital Losses, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1979 . fxl 5ee continuation sheet Previous documentation on file (NPS): I I preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) Primary location of additional data: has been requested fx] State historic preservation office previously listed in the National Register I 1 Other State agency c previously determined eligible by the National Register i \ Federal agency I designated a National Historic Landmark I I Local government [~ recorded by Historic American Buildings I I University Survey 0 __________________ I I Other dU recorded by Historic American Engineering Specify repository: Record #____ __ _________ 10. Geographical Data Acreage of property less than 0.1 acre UTM References A I VM PI 2, 2|4 ,6, 0| |4,3|0.7| 3,3 ,0 B Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing Cl i I I I .