D ISTRICT OF C OLUMBIA W ORKHOUSE AND R EFORMATORY National Register Nomination prepared for: County of Fairfax, Department of Planning and Zoning Fairfax, Virginia prepared by: John Milner Associates, Inc. Charlottesville and Alexandria, Virginia September 2005 USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District Fairfax County, Virginia Page 1 ============================================================================ NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Rev. Aug. 2002) (Expires Jan. 2005) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REGISTRATION FORM This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the information requested. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional entries and narrative items on continuation sheets (NPS Form 10-900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to complete all items. ============================================================================ 1. Name of Property D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District ============================================================================ other names/site number District of Columbia Correctional Facility Lorton Prison ============================================================================ 2. Location ============================================================================ street & number _Between Silverbrook Road, Lorton Road, Ox Road and Furnace Road________________________________ not for publication____ city or town _Lorton__________________________________ vicinity _X_ state _Virginia____________ code _VA_ county ____Fairfax______ code _059_ zip code _22079_________ ============================================================================ 3. State/Federal Agency Certification ============================================================================ As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this __X__ nomination ____ 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 property _X__ meets ____ does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant ___ nationally _X_ statewide ___ locally. (___See continuation sheet for additional comments.) ________________________________________________ _______________________ Signature of certifying official Date ________________________________________________________________________ State or Federal Agency or Tribal government USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District Fairfax County, Virginia Page 2 ============================================================================ In my opinion, the property ____ meets ____ does not meet the National Register criteria. ( See continuation sheet for additional comments.) ________________________________________________________________________ Signature of commenting official/Title Date ________________________________________________________________________ State or Federal agency and bureau ============================================================================ 4. National Park Service Certification ============================================================================ I, hereby certify that this property is: ____ entered in the National Register ______________________ _________ ___ See continuation sheet. ____ determined eligible for the ______________________ _________ National Register ___ See continuation sheet. ____ determined not eligible for the ______________________ _________ National Register ____ removed from the National Register ______________________ _________ ____ other (explain): _________________ __________________________________ ______________________ _________ Signature of Keeper Date of Action ============================================================================ 5. Classification ============================================================================ Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply) _X_ private _X_ public-local ___ public-State ___ public-Federal Category of Property (Check only one box) ___ building(s) _X_ district ___ site ___ structure ___ object USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District Fairfax County, Virginia Page 3 ============================================================================ Number of Resources within Property Contributing Non-contributing (and not yet determined) _110_ _20__ buildings __14_ __8__ sites __47_ _29__ structures __23_ _ 7__ objects _194_ _64 _ Total Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register _0_ Name of related multiple property listing (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing.) ____N/A_________________________________________ ============================================================================ 6. Function or Use ============================================================================ Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Cat: _Government_________________ Sub: _Correctional facility______ _Domestic___________________ _Institutional housing______ _Industry/Processing________ _Manufacturing facility_____ _Religion___________________ _Religious facility_________ _Recreation_________________ _Sports facility____________ _Agriculture/Subsistence____ _Agricultural field_________ _Agriculture/Subsistence____ _Animal facility____________ _Agriculture/Subsistence____ _Agricultural outbuilding___ Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Cat: _Recreation _____________ Sub: _Sports Facility____________ _Vacant/Not in use__________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________ ============================================================================ 7. Description ============================================================================ Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) _Colonial Revival________________________ _Beaux Arts______________________________ _Bungalow/Craftsman______________________ Materials (Enter categories from instructions) foundation _brick, concrete __________ __ roof _slate, asbestos, asphalt, metal____ _ walls _brick, weatherboard, concrete, metal other _________________________________ __ Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form D.C. Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District Fairfax County, Virginia Page 4 ============================================================================ Summary The District of Columbia Workhouse and Reformatory Historic District extends across 511.32 acres near the community of Lorton, Virginia. It encompasses the primary built features and a broad representative area of the agricultural and industrial lands that formerly comprised a Progressive era penal institution. The district includes numerous historic buildings, structures, sites, and objects that survive from the 1910-1961 period of significance and continue to convey their important historic associations. Established in 1910, the Workhouse was designed to house prisoners who had not been convicted of violent crimes, and were to serve short sentences. Prisoners at the Workhouse were to be rehabilitated in part by working on an industrial farm developed in conjunction with the prison complex. In 1914, the District of Columbia established the Reformatory nearby, which was to house prisoners with longer sentences. Progressive rehabilitation was focused on industrial production and vocational training. Both of these facilities were run as open institutions with no bars or walls. Overcrowding of Federal penitentiaries in the late 1920s led to the placement of serious offenders in the Reformatory. Because the open plan did not adequately address the security risks associated with some of the new inmates, construction of a walled Penitentiary complex was initiated as a division of the Reformatory in 1930. The physical design and composition of the three main prison campuses—the Workhouse, Reformatory, and Penitentiary—embody the social ideals of Progressive era penal reform, intended to promote the rehabilitation of prisoners through diminishment of harsh conditions and physically imposing containment barriers, encouragement of constructive social interaction, promotion of a work ethic, and access to vocational training. In support of these ideals, all three of the campuses comprising the Reformatory and Workhouse complexes were designed around a central quadrangle reminiscent of a college campus, and are both individually as well as collectively of interest as they address a range of needs. Each includes a series of prison “dormitories” sited around a central open space intended to promote positive social interaction. The buildings