Garden Club of America Entrance Markers in Washington, D.C.

Garden Club of America Entrance Markers in Washington, D.C. MPS
Cartouche of the District of Columbia, 2012
ArchitectEdward W. Donn Jr.
Architectural styleLate 19th and early 20th Century Movements
NRHP reference No.64501007[1]
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The Garden Club of America Entrance Markers in Washington, D.C., are carven stone pylons installed along the border of the District of Columbia in 1932 and 1933 by local Garden Club of America chapters. Originally about five feet tall, the markers were placed at important entrance points to the national capital. Seven survive: sets of two markers in Westmoreland Circle, Friendship Heights, and Chevy Chase Circle; and a single marker along Georgia Avenue.[2][3] These surviving markers are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History and features of the markers[edit]

1942 photo of the Friendship Heights marker on the east side of Wisconsin Avenue.

The Garden Club decided to erect the markers in 1932 as part of the George Washington bicentennial celebration, which also saw the formal openings of the Arlington Memorial Bridge and the George Washington Memorial Parkway.[3] The markers were planned with the National Capital Parks and Planning Commission and reviewed by the Commission of Fine Arts.[3]

The markers were designed by architect Edward Donn, who based them on the milestones set up in 1761 along the Mason–Dixon line denoting the Pennsylvania-Maryland boundary.[4] Installed between April 1932 and October 1933,[3] the markers are composed of Aquia Creek sandstone and bear the Seal of Maryland on one side and the Cartouche of the District of Columbia on the opposite side. The cartouche depicts George Washington with Lady Justice, a laurel wreath, the rising sun, and the capitol dome.[3]

Each stone was originally surrounded by fences consisting of chains supported by four bollards and planting schemes designed by the Maryland and Virginia chapters of the Garden Club. As the Club intended that the markers would notify people that they were passing a boundary, not all sit precisely on boundary lines.[3]

The club installed at least 13 markers, including sets of two markers in Westmoreland Circle; Friendship Heights; Chevy Chase Circle; at the city's north portal at 16th Street NW near Silver Spring, Maryland; and at the Virginia ends of the Key Bridge and the Highway Bridge. A single marker was installed along Georgia Avenue.

The Virginia markers have disappeared, as have the 16th Street set.[3] However, an entrance marker that does not resemble any that the Garden Club erected now stands at the north portal inside Blair Circle at the junction of Eastern Avenue, 16th Street NW, N. Portal Drive, and Colesville Road.[5]

Each of the seven surviving markers show the effects of weathering, pollution, and other abuse. Motorists have knocked over some or all of these; many now stand well short of their original height. Some have been removed from their original locations and reinstalled nearby. The disposition of those that are no longer in place is now unknown.[3]

In 2007, the markers were collectively submitted to the NRHP as a Multiple Property Submission, or MPS; they were added in 2008.

Locations of the surviving markers[edit]

The current locations of the seven surviving markers are:

  • Westmoreland Circle (two markers): Junction of Western Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, NW. The markers are located opposite one another along the Western Avenue axis of the Circle, about two feet within the outside circumference of the circle. The westernmost marker stands beneath an oak tree and is surrounded by its original chain link fence. The easternmost marker stands in the open, without a protecting fence.[3][6][7] The markers are between the Northwest No. 5 and Northwest No. 6 boundary markers of the original District of Columbia.
  • Friendship Heights (two markers): Junction of Western Avenue and Wisconsin Avenue, near the Friendship Heights Metro Station. The markers are located on the east and west sides of Wisconsin Avenue, immediately north of Western Avenue.[8][9][10] These markers are between the Northwest No. 6 and Northwest No. 7 boundary markers of the original District of Columbia.
  • Chevy Chase Circle (two markers): Junction of Western Avenue and Connecticut Avenue. The markers are located well within the inside circumference of the circle, close to the Circle's east—west axis. Their sites are within the east and west sides of a grassy circle that lies between rings of azalea plantings and benches that form a perimeter around the centrally-placed Newlands Fountain. The plantings, grass and benches encircle a ring of stone paving that surrounds the fountain.[11][12][13] These markers are between the Northwest No. 7 and Northwest No. 8 boundary markers of the original District of Columbia.
  • Traffic island at the junction of Georgia Avenue, Alaska Avenue and Kalmia Road NW (one marker). The marker is located inside the triangular island's southeast corner, near the intersection of Georgia Avenue to the east and Kalmia Road to the south. A chain-link fence that bollards support surrounds the marker. A landscaped planting of shrubs is behind the marker.[14]
The marker was formerly located inside a median in the center of Georgia Avenue, just north of the Avenue's intersection with Kalmia Road and Alaska Avenue.[15][16] The marker is between the former site of the Northeast No. 1 and the present site of the Northeast No. 2 boundary markers of the original District of Columbia.

List of the markers[edit]

The seven Garden Club of America Entrance Markers, beginning at Westmoreland Circle and proceeding clockwise.

Name Image Address Coordinates Neighborhood Date listed on NRHP Designation
Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Westmoreland Circle[3] Western Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, NW
(Reservation 559)
West side of Circle 		38°56′56″N 77°06′05″W / 38.948813°N 77.101362°W / 38.948813; -77.101362 (Garden Club of America entrance marker on west side of Westmoreland Circle) Westmoreland Circle April 29, 2008 08000348
Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Westmoreland Circle[3]
2008
 Western Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, NW
(Reservation 559)
North side of Circle 		38°56′57″N 77°06′03″W / 38.949218°N 77.100844°W / 38.949218; -77.100844 (Garden Club of America entrance marker on north side of Westmoreland Circle) Westmoreland Circle April 29, 2008 08000348
Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Wisconsin Avenue[8]
2012
 Wisconsin Avenue at Western Avenue
West corner of intersection 		38°57′39″N 77°05′09″W / 38.960848°N 77.085955°W / 38.960848; -77.085955 (Garden Club of America entrance marker in west corner of intersection in Friendship Heights) Friendship Heights May 12, 2008 08000394
Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Wisconsin Avenue[8]
2005
 Wisconsin Avenue at Western Avenue
North corner of intersection 		38°57′40″N 77°05′09″W / 38.9610041°N 77.08571°W / 38.9610041; -77.08571 (Garden Club of America entrance marker in north corner of intersection in Friendship Heights) Friendship Heights May 12, 2008 08000394
Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Chevy Chase Circle[11] Western Avenue and Connecticut Avenue
(Reservation 335A)
West of center of Circle 		38°58′03″N 77°04′38″W / 38.967624°N 77.077353°W / 38.967624; -77.077353 (Garden Club of America entrance marker in west side of Chevy Chase Circle) Chevy Chase Circle April 29, 2008 08000346
Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Chevy Chase Circle[11]
2008
 Western Avenue and Connecticut Avenue
(Reservation 335A)
East of center of Circle 		38°58′03″N 77°04′37″W / 38.967589°N 77.076948°W / 38.967589; -77.076948 (Garden Club of America entrance marker in east side of Chevy Chase Circle) Chevy Chase Circle April 29, 2008 08000346
Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Georgia Avenue[15]
2011
 Traffic island between Georgia Avenue, Kalmia Road and Alaska Avenue
Southeast corner of island 		38°59′02″N 77°01′36″W / 38.983913°N 77.026734°W / 38.983913; -77.026734 (Garden Club of America entrance marker at Georgia Avenue) Shepherd Park April 29, 2008 08000347

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ (1) "Garden Club Entrance Markers" (PDF). Inventory G of Historic Sites and Districts. District of Columbia Office of Planning. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 29, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020..
    (2) "Garden Club Entrance Markers" (PDF). District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites: Alphabetic Version. District of Columbia Office of Planning. September 30, 2009. p. 62. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 1, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020..
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Williams, Kim, District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office, Washington, D.C. (October 2006). "Garden Club of America Entrance Markers at Westmoreland Circle" (PDF). United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Historic Washington. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link).
  4. ^ Patner, Myra Mensh (April 11, 2001). "Return of the sandstone pylons". Gazette.net. Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  5. ^ (1) "D.C. Boundary Marker at Silver Spring traffic circle" (photograph). Wikimedia Commons. December 4, 2011. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
    (2) Coordinates of entrance marker at north portal: 38°59′32″N 77°02′11″W / 38.992322°N 77.036326°W / 38.992322; -77.036326 (Entrance marker at north portal)
  6. ^ "Garden Club of America Entrance Markers at Westmoreland Circle". National Register of Historic Places: National Register Digital Assets. National Park Service. 08000348. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  7. ^ Coordinates of entrance markers in Westmoreland Circle:
    (1) West side of circle: 38°56′56″N 77°06′05″W / 38.948813°N 77.101362°W / 38.948813; -77.101362 (Garden Club of America entrance marker on west side of Westmoreland Circle)
    (2) North side of circle: 38°56′57″N 77°06′03″W / 38.949218°N 77.100844°W / 38.949218; -77.100844 (Garden Club of America entrance marker on north side of Westmoreland Circle)
  8. ^ a b c Williams, Kim, District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office, Washington, D.C. (October 2006). "Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Wisconsin Avenue (at Western Avenue)" (PDF). United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Historic Washington. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link).
  9. ^ "Garden Club of America Entrance Markers at Wisconsin Avenue". National Register of Historic Places: National Register Digital Assets. National Park Service. 08000394. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  10. ^ Coordinates of entrance markers in Friendship Heights:
    (1) North corner of intersection: 38°57′40″N 77°05′09″W / 38.9610041°N 77.08571°W / 38.9610041; -77.08571 (Garden Club of America entrance marker in north corner of intersection in Friendship Heights)
    (2) West corner of intersection: 38°57′39″N 77°05′09″W / 38.960848°N 77.085955°W / 38.960848; -77.085955 (Garden Club of America entrance marker in west corner of intersection in Friendship Heights)
  11. ^ a b c Williams, Kim, District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office, Washington, D.C. (October 2006). "Garden Club of America Entrance Markers at Chevy Chase Circle" (PDF). United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Historic Washington. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link).
  12. ^ "Garden Club of America Entrance Markers at Chevy Chase Circle". National Register of Historic Places: National Register Digital Assets. National Park Service. 08000346. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  13. ^ Coordinates of entrance markers in Chevy Chase Circle:
    (1) West side of grassy circle: 38°58′03″N 77°04′38″W / 38.967624°N 77.077353°W / 38.967624; -77.077353 (Garden Club of America entrance marker in west side of Chevy Chase Circle)
    (2) East side of grassy circle: 38°58′03″N 77°04′37″W / 38.967589°N 77.076948°W / 38.967589; -77.076948 (Garden Club of America entrance marker in east side of Chevy Chase Circle)
  14. ^ Coordinates of entrance marker in traffic island at intersection of Georgia Avenue, Alaska Avenue and Kalmia Road NW: 38°59′02″N 77°01′36″W / 38.983913°N 77.026734°W / 38.983913; -77.026734 (Garden Club of America entrance marker at intersection of Georgia Avenue, Alaska Avenue and Kalmia Road NW)
  15. ^ a b Williams, Kim, District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office, Washington, D.C. (October 2006). "Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Georgia Avenue (at Kalmia Road and Alaska Avenue)" (PDF). United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. Historic Washington. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link).
  16. ^ "Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Georgia Avenue". National Register of Historic Places: National Register Digital Assets. National Park Service. 08000347. Retrieved December 19, 2020.

External links[edit]

Media related to Garden Club of America Entrance Markers at Wikimedia Commons

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