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GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HISTORIC PRESERV A nON OFFICE

HlSTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW BOARD APPLICATION FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK OR HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGNATION

New Designation Amendment of a previous designation

Please summarize any amendment(s) _____________________

Property name ----J----------r--------------opLgtJ-gtopound--==-----gt--=--------~~~___d~~~--lt--gt---~___iI____~---- Qaf f(any part ofthe interior is b g nominated it must be specifically identified and described in the narrative statemen

Address5jI7-5 lt] ~q C-eCJ(2ic AUei uQ) tJ W Square and lot number(s) -=O qJLf - ______________----- -lIitzlt-------Cb--o--f3=---gtltf

Affected Advisory Neighborhood Commission _ _ L--f_------B---______________

Date of construction _----- _3 5_____- Date of major alteration(s) --t- -gt-=~=---------O-_5---____+0-=- (_9

If the applicant is an organization it must submit evidence that among its pUposes is the promotion ofhistoric preservation in the District of Columbia A copy of its charter articles of incoporation or by-laws setting forth slIch pwpose will satisfY this requirement

AddressTelephone of applicant( s) ~-7 y C 0 ~ ~ sA t- A va u~ I ~ Q ~ ~ 0~ C Z 0 =Z- ) 7 2 1 - Gs Y D J

Name and title of authorized representative U e (CG CJC) f~ j re 6 ck i-Signatureofrepresentative~ rJI~ Date ~ 4 Name and telephone of author of application ~C tegt CO (~) (z 0 7) 7Z -bS-~

Date received 9 lMI HPO staff raquo()

Office of Planning 801 North Capitol Street NE Suite 3000 Washington DC 20002 (202) 442-8800 fax (202) 535-2497

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NPS FOlm 10middot900 OMB No 10024middot0018 (Oct 1990)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Reg ister of Historic Places Registration Form

This form IS for use In nominatmg or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts See instructions in How to Complete the NatIOnal Reglstero Hrstonc Places RegIstration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A) Complete each Item by marking x in the appropriate box or by entenng IIle Information requested it any Item does not apply to the property berng documented enter NA for not applicable For functions architectural classification malenas and areas of significance enter only categories and subcategOries from the instructions Place additional entries and narrative Items on contnualon sheels (NPS Form 10middot900a) Use a typewriler word processor or compuler 10 complete all items

1 Name of Property

historic name Brightwood Street Railroad Company Car Barn

other names Electrical Generating Substation Number Five

2 Location

street amp number 5929 Georgia Avenue NW o not for publication

city or town Wash in9cton-=DC=--____________________ _ ____ o vicinity Distrrct of

state Colllmb ia code DC County code 001 zip code

3 StateFederal Agency Certification

As Ihe deSignated authority under Ihe National Historic Preservation Acl of 1966 as amended I hereby cenify that this [3] nomination 0 request for determl atlon of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meels the procedural and professional requiremenls sel forth in 36 CFR Part 60 In my opinion the property I)ltJ meets 0 does nol meel the Nabonal Register cntena I recommend that this property be considered significant 0 nationally 0 slatewlde 0 locally (0 See cont lrwa tlor Sheet for add itional comments)

Signature of certifying officlalfTitle Date

Slate or Federal agency and ~ureau

In my opin ion tnB proper1y 0 meels [] does not meellhe Nalional Regisler cnlena (0 See conlinuallon sheel for addilional commenIS)

Signatu re of cef1J fy lng officlalfTIlie Date

Siale or Federal agecy and bureau

4 National Park Service Certification

I hereby cer1 lfy thaI hIS property IS Signalure of Ihe Keeper Date of Action o entered in tne National Register

OSee co nliflUalJon sheet o detennlnea eligible for tne NatJonal

Register OSee cont1l1uatlon sheet

D Determined not eligible for the National Reg ister

D removed from th e Nati onal Register o other iexplailj

Comment [LPlj DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION

BREAK

x

5 Classification

Ownersh ip of Property Category of Property (Check as many poxes as apply) (Check only one box)

Private x building(s)

o public-local 0 District

o public-State 0 Site

o pubiic-Federal 0 Structure

0 Object

Name of related multiple property listing (Enter Ng If prcpeny s not part of a multple property listing)

Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862shy1962

6 Function or Use

Number of Resources within Property (Do nol include previously lisled resources in Ihe count)

Contributing Noncontributing

1 buildings

sites

structures

objects

Total

number of contributing resources previously

listed in the National Register

Historic Functions Current Functions (Enter categones from nstruclions) (Enter categories from instructions)

Transportation - Rail-related Vacant Industry - energy facility

7 Description

Architectural Class ification Materials (Enter categones from Instructions) (Enter ca tegories from Instrucllons)

Other - Early twentieth century Industrial Foundation _v_e_r_na_cJJl acr________________ walls _Bri ck- shy _____________

roof

other

Narrative Descripti on (Describe the hlstonc and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _7_ Page _1_

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Description Summary

The Brightwood Car Barn at 5929 Georgia Avenue NW has been continuously associated with transportation from its construction as street railroad car barn and electrical substation in 1909 through its many years as an automobile dealership The building is an example of the industrial vernacular style Its few classical architectural elements comprised of arched windows and engaged pilasters provide subtle complement to tihe building s fUllctional design These simple embellishments remain and echo its integrity to vernacular design despite modern additions Although the bui lding possesses architectural elements from both the streetcar and the automobile eras it retains its integrity of form as a street car service facility and power substation

General Description

The car barn wh ich faces west on Georgia Avenue a major north-south commercial artery is flanked on both sides by parking lots Other than a 1950s automobile showroom addition adjoining its west fayade and two additions on the north fayade the exterior of the building echoes its historic function as a streetcar facility and power substation

The car barn is one story in height and consists of two gable-roofed bays The reinforced brick masonry bearing walls and steel truss roofing system support the skylight-divided concrete roof These elements combined create a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Exposed truss systems large metal doors and gray painted brick walls oharacteriLe the industrial interior space

The two bays extend perpendicular to Georgia Avenue The exterior masonry of the northern bay and the southern bay are joined lengthwise The northern bay is twice as wide as the southern bay Currently two outbui ldings flank the exterior of the northern bay One a service and parts office attaches to th e bay s western corner A recent cinderblock fou r-car garage attaches to the rear of the bay (Photo 1)

The weste rn faC2de originally served as the entry and exit for streetcars Originally five sets of rails carried cars in and out under the front gabled roof bays (Photo 2) 1 Today a 1950s storefront covers the majority of the west fayade The storefronts stucco frame surrounds large display windows which once showcased new Chevrolets (Photo 3) The waiting room area mirrors the glass storefront addition on a smaller scale While the dealersh ip was in operation automobiles were driven between the showroom and the waiting room through the front of the original brick fayade

Theodore Horydczak Potomac Elec tric Power Co substations Brightwood Station Car 8arn (Ubrary of Congress 1920 ca ) LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

NPS Form 1D-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _7_ Page _ 2_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The car barns modern entryways and exits mirror architectural elements of the original car barn Engaged pi lasters segment the north favade into eights to the rear of the service addition Four of these engaged pilaster segments contain brick voussoirs in an arch The centered brick arches indicate the presence of an arched window under which the rectangular six over six windows are centered today A large metal garage door is centered in a rear engaged pilaster segment The door is a new addition displaying the adaptability of the building from a car barn for streetcars to one for automobi les The final engaged pilaster segments are concealed by the rear garage addition (Photo 4)

The decorative engaged pilaster motif continues around Ihe east and south facades The rear of the building reveal s the valley-ed roofline created by the engagement of the rear south bay and the north bays roofli nes Nine six over six windows pierce the rear facade with the voussoired pattern above The original window openings have been filled in with brick These are currently six over six metal warehouse windows (Photo 5) The mixing of historic and contemporary attributes manifests the building s eclectic and functional character

The south facade best shows the historic function of the car barn (Photos 6 amp 7) although some original w indows have been filled in with brick or glass block (Photo 6) The segmented pilastershydecorated planes of this facade possess two symmetrical window openings per segment decorated by a brick voussoi red arch and a concrete sill The window material is either brick fill or glass block a modification or the original respectively The masonry-filled window openings contrast against the wall masonry outlin ing original window openings (Pnoto 6) The masonry probably replaced the original glass block after the neighboring building was erected The south bay width expands as it continues towards the rear eastern end of the building which has a large wooden door The interior of this bay is for the sales staff rathe r than being mechanics space

Currently the bays are accessed from the exterior by metal garage doors (Photos 8 amp 9) Metal garage doors also allow interior passage through the massive reinforced brick masonry In addition the building has two interior large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Wear and tear on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveals two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay (Photo 10)

The roof of each bay is comprised of a steel truss system The truss-roof system provides the expansive space of the bays to be sheltered from the weather and lighted naturally The strong truss system supports the li ghtweight glass roof and ~emoves the need for massive roof supports dividing the bays Th is functionality of the roof improves working conditions for past streetcar employees and present day car mechanics This roofing system is also less of a fire conductor a historically important cho ice for the new Brightwood Car Barn especially during its service as an electrical substation

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section _7_ Page _3_ County and State

The modest appearance of the Brightwood Car Barn created by its heavy massing and minimal ornamentation represents its industrial functions Its mix of late 19th century and mid 20-th century architectural characteristics reflects the modernization of transportation during this time period It retains imporrant characteristics of integrity such as design materials setting feeling and association qualifying it for Criteria C of the National Registerfor Historic Places

Comment [LP2) DO NOT I DELETE THIS IS A SECnON

BREAK

NPS Form D-BOG-s (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _1_

OMS Approval No 1024middot0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Brightwood Car Barn Washington DC Name of Propeny County and State

8 Statem n of Significa nce

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark x In one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Regls[er listing)

x A Propey IS associated with events that have made a slgmficant contribution to the broad pattern of our

History

B Property associated with the lives of persons sign ificant In our past

C ProperTy embod ies the dlstlnGtive characteristics of a type penod or method of construction or represents The worK of a master or possesses high artistic values or represents 2 significant and distinguishable entity Whose co ponents lack individual distinction

D 0 Property has yelded or is likely to yield information Important In prehistory or history

Crite ria Considerations (Mark x In llhe Doxes t at apply)

Property is

D A Owned ~y a eliglous Institution or used for rel igious pu rposes

D B removed iron ts onglnallocatlon

D C a blfihplace or grave

D 0 a cemetery

D E a recorslrccted b IId ing object or structure

D F a commemoralile property

D G less tnan 50 years of age or achieved significance withm I ~e past 50 years

Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the sIgnIficance of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

Area of Significance (E nter categories from instructions)

Architecture

Period of Significance 1909-1 955

Significant Dates

Significant Person (Complete if Critenon B is mar1lted above)

Cultural Affiliation

ArchitectBuilder William B Upton

NPS Form 10-90Qa (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page ~

9 Major Bibliograph ical References

OMS Approval No 102 4-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Bibiiography (Cite the books nicles and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets)

Previous doc mentation on files (NPS)

o preliminary cetermmation of indiVidual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested

o prevously 15ed in the Nationa l Reg ister o preViously determined elig ible by the National Register o desig naleG a lationa l Historic Landmark o recorced oy Hstori c American Buildings Survey

----~~~~~--~--~-------o recorded by Historic American Engineering Record

---------------------------- shy

Primary location of additional data

o State Historic Preserva tion Office o Other State agency o Federal agency o Local government o University o Other

Name of repository

NPS Form 10-900-shy(8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _3_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Summary Statement of Significance

Three car barns have been listed in the DC Inventory and the National Register of Historic Places the Fourteenth and Boundary Street Car Barn (now known as Manhattan Laundry 1877) at 1346 Florida Avenue NW the East Capitol Street Car Barn at 1400 East Capitol Street NE (1896) and the Georgetown Car Barn at 3600 M Street NW (1895) 2

The National Register Multi-Property Nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 terms the car barn a significant property type for its role in the early public transportation system of the District of Columbia the car barn holds a principle role as the most prevalent example of a property type constructed during the reign of the streetcar The car barns represent the transportation systems direct influence on the growth of the city as well as the development and the socialeconomic status of its residents 3

For the period between 1862 and 1962 car barn resources are eligible under Criterion A Car barns are also eligible under Criterion C if they include resources exhibiting elements of the functional industrial vernacular style The eligible property must retain its original form as well as the streetcar entry openings For both criteria enough of the railway tracks should exist on the interior to represent the original site configuration and function of the resource The eligible car barns must retain integrity of location wo rkmanship feeling design setting materials and association

Electri ca l substations are similarly eligible under Criteria A and C if they retain sufficient contributing elements that represent the original design and function of the resource

The Brightwood Car Barn which includes Electrical Generating Substation Number Five retains sufficient retain integrity of location workmanship feeling design setting materials and association to be eligible under both Criteria A and C The car barn is eligible under Criteria A as the last survivi ng functional building associated with the Brightwood Street Railroad a major factor in the development of the Brightwood community

The Brightwood car barn is also eligible under Criterion C Its existing reinforced brick masonry bearing wa lls and steel truss roofing system that supports the skylight-divided concrete roof reflect the technology of its era in creating a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Its interior has two large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Patterns on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveal two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay interior (Photo 10) The engaged

2 Bunting Jennifer Am anda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar and Bus Resources oi Washmgton DC 1862-1962 Nationa l Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005 p 72 3 Streetcar and B s Resources of Washi ngton DC 1862-1962 P 73

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 2: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS FOlm 10middot900 OMB No 10024middot0018 (Oct 1990)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Reg ister of Historic Places Registration Form

This form IS for use In nominatmg or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts See instructions in How to Complete the NatIOnal Reglstero Hrstonc Places RegIstration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A) Complete each Item by marking x in the appropriate box or by entenng IIle Information requested it any Item does not apply to the property berng documented enter NA for not applicable For functions architectural classification malenas and areas of significance enter only categories and subcategOries from the instructions Place additional entries and narrative Items on contnualon sheels (NPS Form 10middot900a) Use a typewriler word processor or compuler 10 complete all items

1 Name of Property

historic name Brightwood Street Railroad Company Car Barn

other names Electrical Generating Substation Number Five

2 Location

street amp number 5929 Georgia Avenue NW o not for publication

city or town Wash in9cton-=DC=--____________________ _ ____ o vicinity Distrrct of

state Colllmb ia code DC County code 001 zip code

3 StateFederal Agency Certification

As Ihe deSignated authority under Ihe National Historic Preservation Acl of 1966 as amended I hereby cenify that this [3] nomination 0 request for determl atlon of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meels the procedural and professional requiremenls sel forth in 36 CFR Part 60 In my opinion the property I)ltJ meets 0 does nol meel the Nabonal Register cntena I recommend that this property be considered significant 0 nationally 0 slatewlde 0 locally (0 See cont lrwa tlor Sheet for add itional comments)

Signature of certifying officlalfTitle Date

Slate or Federal agency and ~ureau

In my opin ion tnB proper1y 0 meels [] does not meellhe Nalional Regisler cnlena (0 See conlinuallon sheel for addilional commenIS)

Signatu re of cef1J fy lng officlalfTIlie Date

Siale or Federal agecy and bureau

4 National Park Service Certification

I hereby cer1 lfy thaI hIS property IS Signalure of Ihe Keeper Date of Action o entered in tne National Register

OSee co nliflUalJon sheet o detennlnea eligible for tne NatJonal

Register OSee cont1l1uatlon sheet

D Determined not eligible for the National Reg ister

D removed from th e Nati onal Register o other iexplailj

Comment [LPlj DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION

BREAK

x

5 Classification

Ownersh ip of Property Category of Property (Check as many poxes as apply) (Check only one box)

Private x building(s)

o public-local 0 District

o public-State 0 Site

o pubiic-Federal 0 Structure

0 Object

Name of related multiple property listing (Enter Ng If prcpeny s not part of a multple property listing)

Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862shy1962

6 Function or Use

Number of Resources within Property (Do nol include previously lisled resources in Ihe count)

Contributing Noncontributing

1 buildings

sites

structures

objects

Total

number of contributing resources previously

listed in the National Register

Historic Functions Current Functions (Enter categones from nstruclions) (Enter categories from instructions)

Transportation - Rail-related Vacant Industry - energy facility

7 Description

Architectural Class ification Materials (Enter categones from Instructions) (Enter ca tegories from Instrucllons)

Other - Early twentieth century Industrial Foundation _v_e_r_na_cJJl acr________________ walls _Bri ck- shy _____________

roof

other

Narrative Descripti on (Describe the hlstonc and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _7_ Page _1_

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Description Summary

The Brightwood Car Barn at 5929 Georgia Avenue NW has been continuously associated with transportation from its construction as street railroad car barn and electrical substation in 1909 through its many years as an automobile dealership The building is an example of the industrial vernacular style Its few classical architectural elements comprised of arched windows and engaged pilasters provide subtle complement to tihe building s fUllctional design These simple embellishments remain and echo its integrity to vernacular design despite modern additions Although the bui lding possesses architectural elements from both the streetcar and the automobile eras it retains its integrity of form as a street car service facility and power substation

General Description

The car barn wh ich faces west on Georgia Avenue a major north-south commercial artery is flanked on both sides by parking lots Other than a 1950s automobile showroom addition adjoining its west fayade and two additions on the north fayade the exterior of the building echoes its historic function as a streetcar facility and power substation

The car barn is one story in height and consists of two gable-roofed bays The reinforced brick masonry bearing walls and steel truss roofing system support the skylight-divided concrete roof These elements combined create a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Exposed truss systems large metal doors and gray painted brick walls oharacteriLe the industrial interior space

The two bays extend perpendicular to Georgia Avenue The exterior masonry of the northern bay and the southern bay are joined lengthwise The northern bay is twice as wide as the southern bay Currently two outbui ldings flank the exterior of the northern bay One a service and parts office attaches to th e bay s western corner A recent cinderblock fou r-car garage attaches to the rear of the bay (Photo 1)

The weste rn faC2de originally served as the entry and exit for streetcars Originally five sets of rails carried cars in and out under the front gabled roof bays (Photo 2) 1 Today a 1950s storefront covers the majority of the west fayade The storefronts stucco frame surrounds large display windows which once showcased new Chevrolets (Photo 3) The waiting room area mirrors the glass storefront addition on a smaller scale While the dealersh ip was in operation automobiles were driven between the showroom and the waiting room through the front of the original brick fayade

Theodore Horydczak Potomac Elec tric Power Co substations Brightwood Station Car 8arn (Ubrary of Congress 1920 ca ) LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

NPS Form 1D-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _7_ Page _ 2_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The car barns modern entryways and exits mirror architectural elements of the original car barn Engaged pi lasters segment the north favade into eights to the rear of the service addition Four of these engaged pilaster segments contain brick voussoirs in an arch The centered brick arches indicate the presence of an arched window under which the rectangular six over six windows are centered today A large metal garage door is centered in a rear engaged pilaster segment The door is a new addition displaying the adaptability of the building from a car barn for streetcars to one for automobi les The final engaged pilaster segments are concealed by the rear garage addition (Photo 4)

The decorative engaged pilaster motif continues around Ihe east and south facades The rear of the building reveal s the valley-ed roofline created by the engagement of the rear south bay and the north bays roofli nes Nine six over six windows pierce the rear facade with the voussoired pattern above The original window openings have been filled in with brick These are currently six over six metal warehouse windows (Photo 5) The mixing of historic and contemporary attributes manifests the building s eclectic and functional character

The south facade best shows the historic function of the car barn (Photos 6 amp 7) although some original w indows have been filled in with brick or glass block (Photo 6) The segmented pilastershydecorated planes of this facade possess two symmetrical window openings per segment decorated by a brick voussoi red arch and a concrete sill The window material is either brick fill or glass block a modification or the original respectively The masonry-filled window openings contrast against the wall masonry outlin ing original window openings (Pnoto 6) The masonry probably replaced the original glass block after the neighboring building was erected The south bay width expands as it continues towards the rear eastern end of the building which has a large wooden door The interior of this bay is for the sales staff rathe r than being mechanics space

Currently the bays are accessed from the exterior by metal garage doors (Photos 8 amp 9) Metal garage doors also allow interior passage through the massive reinforced brick masonry In addition the building has two interior large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Wear and tear on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveals two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay (Photo 10)

The roof of each bay is comprised of a steel truss system The truss-roof system provides the expansive space of the bays to be sheltered from the weather and lighted naturally The strong truss system supports the li ghtweight glass roof and ~emoves the need for massive roof supports dividing the bays Th is functionality of the roof improves working conditions for past streetcar employees and present day car mechanics This roofing system is also less of a fire conductor a historically important cho ice for the new Brightwood Car Barn especially during its service as an electrical substation

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section _7_ Page _3_ County and State

The modest appearance of the Brightwood Car Barn created by its heavy massing and minimal ornamentation represents its industrial functions Its mix of late 19th century and mid 20-th century architectural characteristics reflects the modernization of transportation during this time period It retains imporrant characteristics of integrity such as design materials setting feeling and association qualifying it for Criteria C of the National Registerfor Historic Places

Comment [LP2) DO NOT I DELETE THIS IS A SECnON

BREAK

NPS Form D-BOG-s (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _1_

OMS Approval No 1024middot0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Brightwood Car Barn Washington DC Name of Propeny County and State

8 Statem n of Significa nce

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark x In one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Regls[er listing)

x A Propey IS associated with events that have made a slgmficant contribution to the broad pattern of our

History

B Property associated with the lives of persons sign ificant In our past

C ProperTy embod ies the dlstlnGtive characteristics of a type penod or method of construction or represents The worK of a master or possesses high artistic values or represents 2 significant and distinguishable entity Whose co ponents lack individual distinction

D 0 Property has yelded or is likely to yield information Important In prehistory or history

Crite ria Considerations (Mark x In llhe Doxes t at apply)

Property is

D A Owned ~y a eliglous Institution or used for rel igious pu rposes

D B removed iron ts onglnallocatlon

D C a blfihplace or grave

D 0 a cemetery

D E a recorslrccted b IId ing object or structure

D F a commemoralile property

D G less tnan 50 years of age or achieved significance withm I ~e past 50 years

Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the sIgnIficance of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

Area of Significance (E nter categories from instructions)

Architecture

Period of Significance 1909-1 955

Significant Dates

Significant Person (Complete if Critenon B is mar1lted above)

Cultural Affiliation

ArchitectBuilder William B Upton

NPS Form 10-90Qa (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page ~

9 Major Bibliograph ical References

OMS Approval No 102 4-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Bibiiography (Cite the books nicles and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets)

Previous doc mentation on files (NPS)

o preliminary cetermmation of indiVidual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested

o prevously 15ed in the Nationa l Reg ister o preViously determined elig ible by the National Register o desig naleG a lationa l Historic Landmark o recorced oy Hstori c American Buildings Survey

----~~~~~--~--~-------o recorded by Historic American Engineering Record

---------------------------- shy

Primary location of additional data

o State Historic Preserva tion Office o Other State agency o Federal agency o Local government o University o Other

Name of repository

NPS Form 10-900-shy(8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _3_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Summary Statement of Significance

Three car barns have been listed in the DC Inventory and the National Register of Historic Places the Fourteenth and Boundary Street Car Barn (now known as Manhattan Laundry 1877) at 1346 Florida Avenue NW the East Capitol Street Car Barn at 1400 East Capitol Street NE (1896) and the Georgetown Car Barn at 3600 M Street NW (1895) 2

The National Register Multi-Property Nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 terms the car barn a significant property type for its role in the early public transportation system of the District of Columbia the car barn holds a principle role as the most prevalent example of a property type constructed during the reign of the streetcar The car barns represent the transportation systems direct influence on the growth of the city as well as the development and the socialeconomic status of its residents 3

For the period between 1862 and 1962 car barn resources are eligible under Criterion A Car barns are also eligible under Criterion C if they include resources exhibiting elements of the functional industrial vernacular style The eligible property must retain its original form as well as the streetcar entry openings For both criteria enough of the railway tracks should exist on the interior to represent the original site configuration and function of the resource The eligible car barns must retain integrity of location wo rkmanship feeling design setting materials and association

Electri ca l substations are similarly eligible under Criteria A and C if they retain sufficient contributing elements that represent the original design and function of the resource

The Brightwood Car Barn which includes Electrical Generating Substation Number Five retains sufficient retain integrity of location workmanship feeling design setting materials and association to be eligible under both Criteria A and C The car barn is eligible under Criteria A as the last survivi ng functional building associated with the Brightwood Street Railroad a major factor in the development of the Brightwood community

The Brightwood car barn is also eligible under Criterion C Its existing reinforced brick masonry bearing wa lls and steel truss roofing system that supports the skylight-divided concrete roof reflect the technology of its era in creating a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Its interior has two large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Patterns on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveal two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay interior (Photo 10) The engaged

2 Bunting Jennifer Am anda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar and Bus Resources oi Washmgton DC 1862-1962 Nationa l Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005 p 72 3 Streetcar and B s Resources of Washi ngton DC 1862-1962 P 73

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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x

5 Classification

Ownersh ip of Property Category of Property (Check as many poxes as apply) (Check only one box)

Private x building(s)

o public-local 0 District

o public-State 0 Site

o pubiic-Federal 0 Structure

0 Object

Name of related multiple property listing (Enter Ng If prcpeny s not part of a multple property listing)

Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862shy1962

6 Function or Use

Number of Resources within Property (Do nol include previously lisled resources in Ihe count)

Contributing Noncontributing

1 buildings

sites

structures

objects

Total

number of contributing resources previously

listed in the National Register

Historic Functions Current Functions (Enter categones from nstruclions) (Enter categories from instructions)

Transportation - Rail-related Vacant Industry - energy facility

7 Description

Architectural Class ification Materials (Enter categones from Instructions) (Enter ca tegories from Instrucllons)

Other - Early twentieth century Industrial Foundation _v_e_r_na_cJJl acr________________ walls _Bri ck- shy _____________

roof

other

Narrative Descripti on (Describe the hlstonc and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _7_ Page _1_

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Description Summary

The Brightwood Car Barn at 5929 Georgia Avenue NW has been continuously associated with transportation from its construction as street railroad car barn and electrical substation in 1909 through its many years as an automobile dealership The building is an example of the industrial vernacular style Its few classical architectural elements comprised of arched windows and engaged pilasters provide subtle complement to tihe building s fUllctional design These simple embellishments remain and echo its integrity to vernacular design despite modern additions Although the bui lding possesses architectural elements from both the streetcar and the automobile eras it retains its integrity of form as a street car service facility and power substation

General Description

The car barn wh ich faces west on Georgia Avenue a major north-south commercial artery is flanked on both sides by parking lots Other than a 1950s automobile showroom addition adjoining its west fayade and two additions on the north fayade the exterior of the building echoes its historic function as a streetcar facility and power substation

The car barn is one story in height and consists of two gable-roofed bays The reinforced brick masonry bearing walls and steel truss roofing system support the skylight-divided concrete roof These elements combined create a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Exposed truss systems large metal doors and gray painted brick walls oharacteriLe the industrial interior space

The two bays extend perpendicular to Georgia Avenue The exterior masonry of the northern bay and the southern bay are joined lengthwise The northern bay is twice as wide as the southern bay Currently two outbui ldings flank the exterior of the northern bay One a service and parts office attaches to th e bay s western corner A recent cinderblock fou r-car garage attaches to the rear of the bay (Photo 1)

The weste rn faC2de originally served as the entry and exit for streetcars Originally five sets of rails carried cars in and out under the front gabled roof bays (Photo 2) 1 Today a 1950s storefront covers the majority of the west fayade The storefronts stucco frame surrounds large display windows which once showcased new Chevrolets (Photo 3) The waiting room area mirrors the glass storefront addition on a smaller scale While the dealersh ip was in operation automobiles were driven between the showroom and the waiting room through the front of the original brick fayade

Theodore Horydczak Potomac Elec tric Power Co substations Brightwood Station Car 8arn (Ubrary of Congress 1920 ca ) LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

NPS Form 1D-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _7_ Page _ 2_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The car barns modern entryways and exits mirror architectural elements of the original car barn Engaged pi lasters segment the north favade into eights to the rear of the service addition Four of these engaged pilaster segments contain brick voussoirs in an arch The centered brick arches indicate the presence of an arched window under which the rectangular six over six windows are centered today A large metal garage door is centered in a rear engaged pilaster segment The door is a new addition displaying the adaptability of the building from a car barn for streetcars to one for automobi les The final engaged pilaster segments are concealed by the rear garage addition (Photo 4)

The decorative engaged pilaster motif continues around Ihe east and south facades The rear of the building reveal s the valley-ed roofline created by the engagement of the rear south bay and the north bays roofli nes Nine six over six windows pierce the rear facade with the voussoired pattern above The original window openings have been filled in with brick These are currently six over six metal warehouse windows (Photo 5) The mixing of historic and contemporary attributes manifests the building s eclectic and functional character

The south facade best shows the historic function of the car barn (Photos 6 amp 7) although some original w indows have been filled in with brick or glass block (Photo 6) The segmented pilastershydecorated planes of this facade possess two symmetrical window openings per segment decorated by a brick voussoi red arch and a concrete sill The window material is either brick fill or glass block a modification or the original respectively The masonry-filled window openings contrast against the wall masonry outlin ing original window openings (Pnoto 6) The masonry probably replaced the original glass block after the neighboring building was erected The south bay width expands as it continues towards the rear eastern end of the building which has a large wooden door The interior of this bay is for the sales staff rathe r than being mechanics space

Currently the bays are accessed from the exterior by metal garage doors (Photos 8 amp 9) Metal garage doors also allow interior passage through the massive reinforced brick masonry In addition the building has two interior large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Wear and tear on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveals two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay (Photo 10)

The roof of each bay is comprised of a steel truss system The truss-roof system provides the expansive space of the bays to be sheltered from the weather and lighted naturally The strong truss system supports the li ghtweight glass roof and ~emoves the need for massive roof supports dividing the bays Th is functionality of the roof improves working conditions for past streetcar employees and present day car mechanics This roofing system is also less of a fire conductor a historically important cho ice for the new Brightwood Car Barn especially during its service as an electrical substation

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section _7_ Page _3_ County and State

The modest appearance of the Brightwood Car Barn created by its heavy massing and minimal ornamentation represents its industrial functions Its mix of late 19th century and mid 20-th century architectural characteristics reflects the modernization of transportation during this time period It retains imporrant characteristics of integrity such as design materials setting feeling and association qualifying it for Criteria C of the National Registerfor Historic Places

Comment [LP2) DO NOT I DELETE THIS IS A SECnON

BREAK

NPS Form D-BOG-s (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _1_

OMS Approval No 1024middot0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Brightwood Car Barn Washington DC Name of Propeny County and State

8 Statem n of Significa nce

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark x In one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Regls[er listing)

x A Propey IS associated with events that have made a slgmficant contribution to the broad pattern of our

History

B Property associated with the lives of persons sign ificant In our past

C ProperTy embod ies the dlstlnGtive characteristics of a type penod or method of construction or represents The worK of a master or possesses high artistic values or represents 2 significant and distinguishable entity Whose co ponents lack individual distinction

D 0 Property has yelded or is likely to yield information Important In prehistory or history

Crite ria Considerations (Mark x In llhe Doxes t at apply)

Property is

D A Owned ~y a eliglous Institution or used for rel igious pu rposes

D B removed iron ts onglnallocatlon

D C a blfihplace or grave

D 0 a cemetery

D E a recorslrccted b IId ing object or structure

D F a commemoralile property

D G less tnan 50 years of age or achieved significance withm I ~e past 50 years

Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the sIgnIficance of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

Area of Significance (E nter categories from instructions)

Architecture

Period of Significance 1909-1 955

Significant Dates

Significant Person (Complete if Critenon B is mar1lted above)

Cultural Affiliation

ArchitectBuilder William B Upton

NPS Form 10-90Qa (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page ~

9 Major Bibliograph ical References

OMS Approval No 102 4-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Bibiiography (Cite the books nicles and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets)

Previous doc mentation on files (NPS)

o preliminary cetermmation of indiVidual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested

o prevously 15ed in the Nationa l Reg ister o preViously determined elig ible by the National Register o desig naleG a lationa l Historic Landmark o recorced oy Hstori c American Buildings Survey

----~~~~~--~--~-------o recorded by Historic American Engineering Record

---------------------------- shy

Primary location of additional data

o State Historic Preserva tion Office o Other State agency o Federal agency o Local government o University o Other

Name of repository

NPS Form 10-900-shy(8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _3_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Summary Statement of Significance

Three car barns have been listed in the DC Inventory and the National Register of Historic Places the Fourteenth and Boundary Street Car Barn (now known as Manhattan Laundry 1877) at 1346 Florida Avenue NW the East Capitol Street Car Barn at 1400 East Capitol Street NE (1896) and the Georgetown Car Barn at 3600 M Street NW (1895) 2

The National Register Multi-Property Nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 terms the car barn a significant property type for its role in the early public transportation system of the District of Columbia the car barn holds a principle role as the most prevalent example of a property type constructed during the reign of the streetcar The car barns represent the transportation systems direct influence on the growth of the city as well as the development and the socialeconomic status of its residents 3

For the period between 1862 and 1962 car barn resources are eligible under Criterion A Car barns are also eligible under Criterion C if they include resources exhibiting elements of the functional industrial vernacular style The eligible property must retain its original form as well as the streetcar entry openings For both criteria enough of the railway tracks should exist on the interior to represent the original site configuration and function of the resource The eligible car barns must retain integrity of location wo rkmanship feeling design setting materials and association

Electri ca l substations are similarly eligible under Criteria A and C if they retain sufficient contributing elements that represent the original design and function of the resource

The Brightwood Car Barn which includes Electrical Generating Substation Number Five retains sufficient retain integrity of location workmanship feeling design setting materials and association to be eligible under both Criteria A and C The car barn is eligible under Criteria A as the last survivi ng functional building associated with the Brightwood Street Railroad a major factor in the development of the Brightwood community

The Brightwood car barn is also eligible under Criterion C Its existing reinforced brick masonry bearing wa lls and steel truss roofing system that supports the skylight-divided concrete roof reflect the technology of its era in creating a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Its interior has two large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Patterns on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveal two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay interior (Photo 10) The engaged

2 Bunting Jennifer Am anda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar and Bus Resources oi Washmgton DC 1862-1962 Nationa l Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005 p 72 3 Streetcar and B s Resources of Washi ngton DC 1862-1962 P 73

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

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2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

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Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 4: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _7_ Page _1_

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Description Summary

The Brightwood Car Barn at 5929 Georgia Avenue NW has been continuously associated with transportation from its construction as street railroad car barn and electrical substation in 1909 through its many years as an automobile dealership The building is an example of the industrial vernacular style Its few classical architectural elements comprised of arched windows and engaged pilasters provide subtle complement to tihe building s fUllctional design These simple embellishments remain and echo its integrity to vernacular design despite modern additions Although the bui lding possesses architectural elements from both the streetcar and the automobile eras it retains its integrity of form as a street car service facility and power substation

General Description

The car barn wh ich faces west on Georgia Avenue a major north-south commercial artery is flanked on both sides by parking lots Other than a 1950s automobile showroom addition adjoining its west fayade and two additions on the north fayade the exterior of the building echoes its historic function as a streetcar facility and power substation

The car barn is one story in height and consists of two gable-roofed bays The reinforced brick masonry bearing walls and steel truss roofing system support the skylight-divided concrete roof These elements combined create a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Exposed truss systems large metal doors and gray painted brick walls oharacteriLe the industrial interior space

The two bays extend perpendicular to Georgia Avenue The exterior masonry of the northern bay and the southern bay are joined lengthwise The northern bay is twice as wide as the southern bay Currently two outbui ldings flank the exterior of the northern bay One a service and parts office attaches to th e bay s western corner A recent cinderblock fou r-car garage attaches to the rear of the bay (Photo 1)

The weste rn faC2de originally served as the entry and exit for streetcars Originally five sets of rails carried cars in and out under the front gabled roof bays (Photo 2) 1 Today a 1950s storefront covers the majority of the west fayade The storefronts stucco frame surrounds large display windows which once showcased new Chevrolets (Photo 3) The waiting room area mirrors the glass storefront addition on a smaller scale While the dealersh ip was in operation automobiles were driven between the showroom and the waiting room through the front of the original brick fayade

Theodore Horydczak Potomac Elec tric Power Co substations Brightwood Station Car 8arn (Ubrary of Congress 1920 ca ) LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

NPS Form 1D-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _7_ Page _ 2_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The car barns modern entryways and exits mirror architectural elements of the original car barn Engaged pi lasters segment the north favade into eights to the rear of the service addition Four of these engaged pilaster segments contain brick voussoirs in an arch The centered brick arches indicate the presence of an arched window under which the rectangular six over six windows are centered today A large metal garage door is centered in a rear engaged pilaster segment The door is a new addition displaying the adaptability of the building from a car barn for streetcars to one for automobi les The final engaged pilaster segments are concealed by the rear garage addition (Photo 4)

The decorative engaged pilaster motif continues around Ihe east and south facades The rear of the building reveal s the valley-ed roofline created by the engagement of the rear south bay and the north bays roofli nes Nine six over six windows pierce the rear facade with the voussoired pattern above The original window openings have been filled in with brick These are currently six over six metal warehouse windows (Photo 5) The mixing of historic and contemporary attributes manifests the building s eclectic and functional character

The south facade best shows the historic function of the car barn (Photos 6 amp 7) although some original w indows have been filled in with brick or glass block (Photo 6) The segmented pilastershydecorated planes of this facade possess two symmetrical window openings per segment decorated by a brick voussoi red arch and a concrete sill The window material is either brick fill or glass block a modification or the original respectively The masonry-filled window openings contrast against the wall masonry outlin ing original window openings (Pnoto 6) The masonry probably replaced the original glass block after the neighboring building was erected The south bay width expands as it continues towards the rear eastern end of the building which has a large wooden door The interior of this bay is for the sales staff rathe r than being mechanics space

Currently the bays are accessed from the exterior by metal garage doors (Photos 8 amp 9) Metal garage doors also allow interior passage through the massive reinforced brick masonry In addition the building has two interior large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Wear and tear on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveals two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay (Photo 10)

The roof of each bay is comprised of a steel truss system The truss-roof system provides the expansive space of the bays to be sheltered from the weather and lighted naturally The strong truss system supports the li ghtweight glass roof and ~emoves the need for massive roof supports dividing the bays Th is functionality of the roof improves working conditions for past streetcar employees and present day car mechanics This roofing system is also less of a fire conductor a historically important cho ice for the new Brightwood Car Barn especially during its service as an electrical substation

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section _7_ Page _3_ County and State

The modest appearance of the Brightwood Car Barn created by its heavy massing and minimal ornamentation represents its industrial functions Its mix of late 19th century and mid 20-th century architectural characteristics reflects the modernization of transportation during this time period It retains imporrant characteristics of integrity such as design materials setting feeling and association qualifying it for Criteria C of the National Registerfor Historic Places

Comment [LP2) DO NOT I DELETE THIS IS A SECnON

BREAK

NPS Form D-BOG-s (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _1_

OMS Approval No 1024middot0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Brightwood Car Barn Washington DC Name of Propeny County and State

8 Statem n of Significa nce

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark x In one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Regls[er listing)

x A Propey IS associated with events that have made a slgmficant contribution to the broad pattern of our

History

B Property associated with the lives of persons sign ificant In our past

C ProperTy embod ies the dlstlnGtive characteristics of a type penod or method of construction or represents The worK of a master or possesses high artistic values or represents 2 significant and distinguishable entity Whose co ponents lack individual distinction

D 0 Property has yelded or is likely to yield information Important In prehistory or history

Crite ria Considerations (Mark x In llhe Doxes t at apply)

Property is

D A Owned ~y a eliglous Institution or used for rel igious pu rposes

D B removed iron ts onglnallocatlon

D C a blfihplace or grave

D 0 a cemetery

D E a recorslrccted b IId ing object or structure

D F a commemoralile property

D G less tnan 50 years of age or achieved significance withm I ~e past 50 years

Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the sIgnIficance of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

Area of Significance (E nter categories from instructions)

Architecture

Period of Significance 1909-1 955

Significant Dates

Significant Person (Complete if Critenon B is mar1lted above)

Cultural Affiliation

ArchitectBuilder William B Upton

NPS Form 10-90Qa (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page ~

9 Major Bibliograph ical References

OMS Approval No 102 4-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Bibiiography (Cite the books nicles and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets)

Previous doc mentation on files (NPS)

o preliminary cetermmation of indiVidual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested

o prevously 15ed in the Nationa l Reg ister o preViously determined elig ible by the National Register o desig naleG a lationa l Historic Landmark o recorced oy Hstori c American Buildings Survey

----~~~~~--~--~-------o recorded by Historic American Engineering Record

---------------------------- shy

Primary location of additional data

o State Historic Preserva tion Office o Other State agency o Federal agency o Local government o University o Other

Name of repository

NPS Form 10-900-shy(8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _3_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Summary Statement of Significance

Three car barns have been listed in the DC Inventory and the National Register of Historic Places the Fourteenth and Boundary Street Car Barn (now known as Manhattan Laundry 1877) at 1346 Florida Avenue NW the East Capitol Street Car Barn at 1400 East Capitol Street NE (1896) and the Georgetown Car Barn at 3600 M Street NW (1895) 2

The National Register Multi-Property Nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 terms the car barn a significant property type for its role in the early public transportation system of the District of Columbia the car barn holds a principle role as the most prevalent example of a property type constructed during the reign of the streetcar The car barns represent the transportation systems direct influence on the growth of the city as well as the development and the socialeconomic status of its residents 3

For the period between 1862 and 1962 car barn resources are eligible under Criterion A Car barns are also eligible under Criterion C if they include resources exhibiting elements of the functional industrial vernacular style The eligible property must retain its original form as well as the streetcar entry openings For both criteria enough of the railway tracks should exist on the interior to represent the original site configuration and function of the resource The eligible car barns must retain integrity of location wo rkmanship feeling design setting materials and association

Electri ca l substations are similarly eligible under Criteria A and C if they retain sufficient contributing elements that represent the original design and function of the resource

The Brightwood Car Barn which includes Electrical Generating Substation Number Five retains sufficient retain integrity of location workmanship feeling design setting materials and association to be eligible under both Criteria A and C The car barn is eligible under Criteria A as the last survivi ng functional building associated with the Brightwood Street Railroad a major factor in the development of the Brightwood community

The Brightwood car barn is also eligible under Criterion C Its existing reinforced brick masonry bearing wa lls and steel truss roofing system that supports the skylight-divided concrete roof reflect the technology of its era in creating a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Its interior has two large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Patterns on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveal two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay interior (Photo 10) The engaged

2 Bunting Jennifer Am anda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar and Bus Resources oi Washmgton DC 1862-1962 Nationa l Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005 p 72 3 Streetcar and B s Resources of Washi ngton DC 1862-1962 P 73

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

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2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

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Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 5: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 1D-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _7_ Page _ 2_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The car barns modern entryways and exits mirror architectural elements of the original car barn Engaged pi lasters segment the north favade into eights to the rear of the service addition Four of these engaged pilaster segments contain brick voussoirs in an arch The centered brick arches indicate the presence of an arched window under which the rectangular six over six windows are centered today A large metal garage door is centered in a rear engaged pilaster segment The door is a new addition displaying the adaptability of the building from a car barn for streetcars to one for automobi les The final engaged pilaster segments are concealed by the rear garage addition (Photo 4)

The decorative engaged pilaster motif continues around Ihe east and south facades The rear of the building reveal s the valley-ed roofline created by the engagement of the rear south bay and the north bays roofli nes Nine six over six windows pierce the rear facade with the voussoired pattern above The original window openings have been filled in with brick These are currently six over six metal warehouse windows (Photo 5) The mixing of historic and contemporary attributes manifests the building s eclectic and functional character

The south facade best shows the historic function of the car barn (Photos 6 amp 7) although some original w indows have been filled in with brick or glass block (Photo 6) The segmented pilastershydecorated planes of this facade possess two symmetrical window openings per segment decorated by a brick voussoi red arch and a concrete sill The window material is either brick fill or glass block a modification or the original respectively The masonry-filled window openings contrast against the wall masonry outlin ing original window openings (Pnoto 6) The masonry probably replaced the original glass block after the neighboring building was erected The south bay width expands as it continues towards the rear eastern end of the building which has a large wooden door The interior of this bay is for the sales staff rathe r than being mechanics space

Currently the bays are accessed from the exterior by metal garage doors (Photos 8 amp 9) Metal garage doors also allow interior passage through the massive reinforced brick masonry In addition the building has two interior large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Wear and tear on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveals two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay (Photo 10)

The roof of each bay is comprised of a steel truss system The truss-roof system provides the expansive space of the bays to be sheltered from the weather and lighted naturally The strong truss system supports the li ghtweight glass roof and ~emoves the need for massive roof supports dividing the bays Th is functionality of the roof improves working conditions for past streetcar employees and present day car mechanics This roofing system is also less of a fire conductor a historically important cho ice for the new Brightwood Car Barn especially during its service as an electrical substation

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section _7_ Page _3_ County and State

The modest appearance of the Brightwood Car Barn created by its heavy massing and minimal ornamentation represents its industrial functions Its mix of late 19th century and mid 20-th century architectural characteristics reflects the modernization of transportation during this time period It retains imporrant characteristics of integrity such as design materials setting feeling and association qualifying it for Criteria C of the National Registerfor Historic Places

Comment [LP2) DO NOT I DELETE THIS IS A SECnON

BREAK

NPS Form D-BOG-s (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _1_

OMS Approval No 1024middot0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Brightwood Car Barn Washington DC Name of Propeny County and State

8 Statem n of Significa nce

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark x In one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Regls[er listing)

x A Propey IS associated with events that have made a slgmficant contribution to the broad pattern of our

History

B Property associated with the lives of persons sign ificant In our past

C ProperTy embod ies the dlstlnGtive characteristics of a type penod or method of construction or represents The worK of a master or possesses high artistic values or represents 2 significant and distinguishable entity Whose co ponents lack individual distinction

D 0 Property has yelded or is likely to yield information Important In prehistory or history

Crite ria Considerations (Mark x In llhe Doxes t at apply)

Property is

D A Owned ~y a eliglous Institution or used for rel igious pu rposes

D B removed iron ts onglnallocatlon

D C a blfihplace or grave

D 0 a cemetery

D E a recorslrccted b IId ing object or structure

D F a commemoralile property

D G less tnan 50 years of age or achieved significance withm I ~e past 50 years

Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the sIgnIficance of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

Area of Significance (E nter categories from instructions)

Architecture

Period of Significance 1909-1 955

Significant Dates

Significant Person (Complete if Critenon B is mar1lted above)

Cultural Affiliation

ArchitectBuilder William B Upton

NPS Form 10-90Qa (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page ~

9 Major Bibliograph ical References

OMS Approval No 102 4-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Bibiiography (Cite the books nicles and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets)

Previous doc mentation on files (NPS)

o preliminary cetermmation of indiVidual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested

o prevously 15ed in the Nationa l Reg ister o preViously determined elig ible by the National Register o desig naleG a lationa l Historic Landmark o recorced oy Hstori c American Buildings Survey

----~~~~~--~--~-------o recorded by Historic American Engineering Record

---------------------------- shy

Primary location of additional data

o State Historic Preserva tion Office o Other State agency o Federal agency o Local government o University o Other

Name of repository

NPS Form 10-900-shy(8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _3_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Summary Statement of Significance

Three car barns have been listed in the DC Inventory and the National Register of Historic Places the Fourteenth and Boundary Street Car Barn (now known as Manhattan Laundry 1877) at 1346 Florida Avenue NW the East Capitol Street Car Barn at 1400 East Capitol Street NE (1896) and the Georgetown Car Barn at 3600 M Street NW (1895) 2

The National Register Multi-Property Nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 terms the car barn a significant property type for its role in the early public transportation system of the District of Columbia the car barn holds a principle role as the most prevalent example of a property type constructed during the reign of the streetcar The car barns represent the transportation systems direct influence on the growth of the city as well as the development and the socialeconomic status of its residents 3

For the period between 1862 and 1962 car barn resources are eligible under Criterion A Car barns are also eligible under Criterion C if they include resources exhibiting elements of the functional industrial vernacular style The eligible property must retain its original form as well as the streetcar entry openings For both criteria enough of the railway tracks should exist on the interior to represent the original site configuration and function of the resource The eligible car barns must retain integrity of location wo rkmanship feeling design setting materials and association

Electri ca l substations are similarly eligible under Criteria A and C if they retain sufficient contributing elements that represent the original design and function of the resource

The Brightwood Car Barn which includes Electrical Generating Substation Number Five retains sufficient retain integrity of location workmanship feeling design setting materials and association to be eligible under both Criteria A and C The car barn is eligible under Criteria A as the last survivi ng functional building associated with the Brightwood Street Railroad a major factor in the development of the Brightwood community

The Brightwood car barn is also eligible under Criterion C Its existing reinforced brick masonry bearing wa lls and steel truss roofing system that supports the skylight-divided concrete roof reflect the technology of its era in creating a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Its interior has two large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Patterns on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveal two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay interior (Photo 10) The engaged

2 Bunting Jennifer Am anda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar and Bus Resources oi Washmgton DC 1862-1962 Nationa l Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005 p 72 3 Streetcar and B s Resources of Washi ngton DC 1862-1962 P 73

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

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2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

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Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 6: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

OMB Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section _7_ Page _3_ County and State

The modest appearance of the Brightwood Car Barn created by its heavy massing and minimal ornamentation represents its industrial functions Its mix of late 19th century and mid 20-th century architectural characteristics reflects the modernization of transportation during this time period It retains imporrant characteristics of integrity such as design materials setting feeling and association qualifying it for Criteria C of the National Registerfor Historic Places

Comment [LP2) DO NOT I DELETE THIS IS A SECnON

BREAK

NPS Form D-BOG-s (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _1_

OMS Approval No 1024middot0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Brightwood Car Barn Washington DC Name of Propeny County and State

8 Statem n of Significa nce

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark x In one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Regls[er listing)

x A Propey IS associated with events that have made a slgmficant contribution to the broad pattern of our

History

B Property associated with the lives of persons sign ificant In our past

C ProperTy embod ies the dlstlnGtive characteristics of a type penod or method of construction or represents The worK of a master or possesses high artistic values or represents 2 significant and distinguishable entity Whose co ponents lack individual distinction

D 0 Property has yelded or is likely to yield information Important In prehistory or history

Crite ria Considerations (Mark x In llhe Doxes t at apply)

Property is

D A Owned ~y a eliglous Institution or used for rel igious pu rposes

D B removed iron ts onglnallocatlon

D C a blfihplace or grave

D 0 a cemetery

D E a recorslrccted b IId ing object or structure

D F a commemoralile property

D G less tnan 50 years of age or achieved significance withm I ~e past 50 years

Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the sIgnIficance of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

Area of Significance (E nter categories from instructions)

Architecture

Period of Significance 1909-1 955

Significant Dates

Significant Person (Complete if Critenon B is mar1lted above)

Cultural Affiliation

ArchitectBuilder William B Upton

NPS Form 10-90Qa (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page ~

9 Major Bibliograph ical References

OMS Approval No 102 4-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Bibiiography (Cite the books nicles and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets)

Previous doc mentation on files (NPS)

o preliminary cetermmation of indiVidual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested

o prevously 15ed in the Nationa l Reg ister o preViously determined elig ible by the National Register o desig naleG a lationa l Historic Landmark o recorced oy Hstori c American Buildings Survey

----~~~~~--~--~-------o recorded by Historic American Engineering Record

---------------------------- shy

Primary location of additional data

o State Historic Preserva tion Office o Other State agency o Federal agency o Local government o University o Other

Name of repository

NPS Form 10-900-shy(8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _3_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Summary Statement of Significance

Three car barns have been listed in the DC Inventory and the National Register of Historic Places the Fourteenth and Boundary Street Car Barn (now known as Manhattan Laundry 1877) at 1346 Florida Avenue NW the East Capitol Street Car Barn at 1400 East Capitol Street NE (1896) and the Georgetown Car Barn at 3600 M Street NW (1895) 2

The National Register Multi-Property Nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 terms the car barn a significant property type for its role in the early public transportation system of the District of Columbia the car barn holds a principle role as the most prevalent example of a property type constructed during the reign of the streetcar The car barns represent the transportation systems direct influence on the growth of the city as well as the development and the socialeconomic status of its residents 3

For the period between 1862 and 1962 car barn resources are eligible under Criterion A Car barns are also eligible under Criterion C if they include resources exhibiting elements of the functional industrial vernacular style The eligible property must retain its original form as well as the streetcar entry openings For both criteria enough of the railway tracks should exist on the interior to represent the original site configuration and function of the resource The eligible car barns must retain integrity of location wo rkmanship feeling design setting materials and association

Electri ca l substations are similarly eligible under Criteria A and C if they retain sufficient contributing elements that represent the original design and function of the resource

The Brightwood Car Barn which includes Electrical Generating Substation Number Five retains sufficient retain integrity of location workmanship feeling design setting materials and association to be eligible under both Criteria A and C The car barn is eligible under Criteria A as the last survivi ng functional building associated with the Brightwood Street Railroad a major factor in the development of the Brightwood community

The Brightwood car barn is also eligible under Criterion C Its existing reinforced brick masonry bearing wa lls and steel truss roofing system that supports the skylight-divided concrete roof reflect the technology of its era in creating a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Its interior has two large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Patterns on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveal two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay interior (Photo 10) The engaged

2 Bunting Jennifer Am anda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar and Bus Resources oi Washmgton DC 1862-1962 Nationa l Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005 p 72 3 Streetcar and B s Resources of Washi ngton DC 1862-1962 P 73

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

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2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

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Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 7: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form D-BOG-s (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _1_

OMS Approval No 1024middot0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Brightwood Car Barn Washington DC Name of Propeny County and State

8 Statem n of Significa nce

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark x In one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Regls[er listing)

x A Propey IS associated with events that have made a slgmficant contribution to the broad pattern of our

History

B Property associated with the lives of persons sign ificant In our past

C ProperTy embod ies the dlstlnGtive characteristics of a type penod or method of construction or represents The worK of a master or possesses high artistic values or represents 2 significant and distinguishable entity Whose co ponents lack individual distinction

D 0 Property has yelded or is likely to yield information Important In prehistory or history

Crite ria Considerations (Mark x In llhe Doxes t at apply)

Property is

D A Owned ~y a eliglous Institution or used for rel igious pu rposes

D B removed iron ts onglnallocatlon

D C a blfihplace or grave

D 0 a cemetery

D E a recorslrccted b IId ing object or structure

D F a commemoralile property

D G less tnan 50 years of age or achieved significance withm I ~e past 50 years

Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the sIgnIficance of the property on one or more continuation sheets)

Area of Significance (E nter categories from instructions)

Architecture

Period of Significance 1909-1 955

Significant Dates

Significant Person (Complete if Critenon B is mar1lted above)

Cultural Affiliation

ArchitectBuilder William B Upton

NPS Form 10-90Qa (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page ~

9 Major Bibliograph ical References

OMS Approval No 102 4-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Bibiiography (Cite the books nicles and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets)

Previous doc mentation on files (NPS)

o preliminary cetermmation of indiVidual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested

o prevously 15ed in the Nationa l Reg ister o preViously determined elig ible by the National Register o desig naleG a lationa l Historic Landmark o recorced oy Hstori c American Buildings Survey

----~~~~~--~--~-------o recorded by Historic American Engineering Record

---------------------------- shy

Primary location of additional data

o State Historic Preserva tion Office o Other State agency o Federal agency o Local government o University o Other

Name of repository

NPS Form 10-900-shy(8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _3_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Summary Statement of Significance

Three car barns have been listed in the DC Inventory and the National Register of Historic Places the Fourteenth and Boundary Street Car Barn (now known as Manhattan Laundry 1877) at 1346 Florida Avenue NW the East Capitol Street Car Barn at 1400 East Capitol Street NE (1896) and the Georgetown Car Barn at 3600 M Street NW (1895) 2

The National Register Multi-Property Nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 terms the car barn a significant property type for its role in the early public transportation system of the District of Columbia the car barn holds a principle role as the most prevalent example of a property type constructed during the reign of the streetcar The car barns represent the transportation systems direct influence on the growth of the city as well as the development and the socialeconomic status of its residents 3

For the period between 1862 and 1962 car barn resources are eligible under Criterion A Car barns are also eligible under Criterion C if they include resources exhibiting elements of the functional industrial vernacular style The eligible property must retain its original form as well as the streetcar entry openings For both criteria enough of the railway tracks should exist on the interior to represent the original site configuration and function of the resource The eligible car barns must retain integrity of location wo rkmanship feeling design setting materials and association

Electri ca l substations are similarly eligible under Criteria A and C if they retain sufficient contributing elements that represent the original design and function of the resource

The Brightwood Car Barn which includes Electrical Generating Substation Number Five retains sufficient retain integrity of location workmanship feeling design setting materials and association to be eligible under both Criteria A and C The car barn is eligible under Criteria A as the last survivi ng functional building associated with the Brightwood Street Railroad a major factor in the development of the Brightwood community

The Brightwood car barn is also eligible under Criterion C Its existing reinforced brick masonry bearing wa lls and steel truss roofing system that supports the skylight-divided concrete roof reflect the technology of its era in creating a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Its interior has two large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Patterns on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveal two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay interior (Photo 10) The engaged

2 Bunting Jennifer Am anda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar and Bus Resources oi Washmgton DC 1862-1962 Nationa l Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005 p 72 3 Streetcar and B s Resources of Washi ngton DC 1862-1962 P 73

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

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2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

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Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 8: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 10-90Qa (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page ~

9 Major Bibliograph ical References

OMS Approval No 102 4-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Bibiiography (Cite the books nicles and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets)

Previous doc mentation on files (NPS)

o preliminary cetermmation of indiVidual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested

o prevously 15ed in the Nationa l Reg ister o preViously determined elig ible by the National Register o desig naleG a lationa l Historic Landmark o recorced oy Hstori c American Buildings Survey

----~~~~~--~--~-------o recorded by Historic American Engineering Record

---------------------------- shy

Primary location of additional data

o State Historic Preserva tion Office o Other State agency o Federal agency o Local government o University o Other

Name of repository

NPS Form 10-900-shy(8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _3_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Summary Statement of Significance

Three car barns have been listed in the DC Inventory and the National Register of Historic Places the Fourteenth and Boundary Street Car Barn (now known as Manhattan Laundry 1877) at 1346 Florida Avenue NW the East Capitol Street Car Barn at 1400 East Capitol Street NE (1896) and the Georgetown Car Barn at 3600 M Street NW (1895) 2

The National Register Multi-Property Nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 terms the car barn a significant property type for its role in the early public transportation system of the District of Columbia the car barn holds a principle role as the most prevalent example of a property type constructed during the reign of the streetcar The car barns represent the transportation systems direct influence on the growth of the city as well as the development and the socialeconomic status of its residents 3

For the period between 1862 and 1962 car barn resources are eligible under Criterion A Car barns are also eligible under Criterion C if they include resources exhibiting elements of the functional industrial vernacular style The eligible property must retain its original form as well as the streetcar entry openings For both criteria enough of the railway tracks should exist on the interior to represent the original site configuration and function of the resource The eligible car barns must retain integrity of location wo rkmanship feeling design setting materials and association

Electri ca l substations are similarly eligible under Criteria A and C if they retain sufficient contributing elements that represent the original design and function of the resource

The Brightwood Car Barn which includes Electrical Generating Substation Number Five retains sufficient retain integrity of location workmanship feeling design setting materials and association to be eligible under both Criteria A and C The car barn is eligible under Criteria A as the last survivi ng functional building associated with the Brightwood Street Railroad a major factor in the development of the Brightwood community

The Brightwood car barn is also eligible under Criterion C Its existing reinforced brick masonry bearing wa lls and steel truss roofing system that supports the skylight-divided concrete roof reflect the technology of its era in creating a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Its interior has two large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Patterns on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveal two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay interior (Photo 10) The engaged

2 Bunting Jennifer Am anda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar and Bus Resources oi Washmgton DC 1862-1962 Nationa l Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005 p 72 3 Streetcar and B s Resources of Washi ngton DC 1862-1962 P 73

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

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2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

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Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 9: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 10-900-shy(8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _3_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Summary Statement of Significance

Three car barns have been listed in the DC Inventory and the National Register of Historic Places the Fourteenth and Boundary Street Car Barn (now known as Manhattan Laundry 1877) at 1346 Florida Avenue NW the East Capitol Street Car Barn at 1400 East Capitol Street NE (1896) and the Georgetown Car Barn at 3600 M Street NW (1895) 2

The National Register Multi-Property Nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 terms the car barn a significant property type for its role in the early public transportation system of the District of Columbia the car barn holds a principle role as the most prevalent example of a property type constructed during the reign of the streetcar The car barns represent the transportation systems direct influence on the growth of the city as well as the development and the socialeconomic status of its residents 3

For the period between 1862 and 1962 car barn resources are eligible under Criterion A Car barns are also eligible under Criterion C if they include resources exhibiting elements of the functional industrial vernacular style The eligible property must retain its original form as well as the streetcar entry openings For both criteria enough of the railway tracks should exist on the interior to represent the original site configuration and function of the resource The eligible car barns must retain integrity of location wo rkmanship feeling design setting materials and association

Electri ca l substations are similarly eligible under Criteria A and C if they retain sufficient contributing elements that represent the original design and function of the resource

The Brightwood Car Barn which includes Electrical Generating Substation Number Five retains sufficient retain integrity of location workmanship feeling design setting materials and association to be eligible under both Criteria A and C The car barn is eligible under Criteria A as the last survivi ng functional building associated with the Brightwood Street Railroad a major factor in the development of the Brightwood community

The Brightwood car barn is also eligible under Criterion C Its existing reinforced brick masonry bearing wa lls and steel truss roofing system that supports the skylight-divided concrete roof reflect the technology of its era in creating a fire-retardant structure maximizing natural light Its interior has two large fireproof doors remnants of the streetcar barn (Photo 9) Patterns on the glazed concrete floor slabs reveal two sets of streetcar tracks in the south bay interior (Photo 10) The engaged

2 Bunting Jennifer Am anda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar and Bus Resources oi Washmgton DC 1862-1962 Nationa l Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005 p 72 3 Streetcar and B s Resources of Washi ngton DC 1862-1962 P 73

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

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2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

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Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 10: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Section _ 9_ age _4_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

pilasters tha segment the building s facrade and contain brick voussoirs in an arch the centered brick arches with in-fil led arched windows and gable roof sections are characteristic of the industrial vernacular style cllthough some additions have been appended to the structure its original unique footprint of add-size bays remains intact Although metal garage doors cover its original entrances they are sti ll discernable

The car barns peri od of significance begins in 1909 when the current building was designed in a major reworking of existing street railroad buildings on the site and ends in 1955 when it was converted to an automobile dealership

Resource His ory and Historic Context

1 Street Cars and the Early Development of the District of Columbia

After the Civ il War the population density of DC vastly increased due to the Unions vested interest in the development of the central government4 The city developed along the routes established by Pierre LEnfants 1791 plan for the nations capital Major corridors radiated from the center of the city to outlying fie l s and plantations

Early omnibus horse car and streetcar lines linked commercial districts within the original city limits of Washington DC On May 17 1862 Congress chartered the Washington and Georgetown Railroad the city s first local street railway company which operated horse cars on metal rails Although th i~ line ori ginally linked the city of Georgetown to Washingtons downtown commercial districts the Washington and Georgetown and its rivals the Metropolitan and Columbia Railroad Companies soon spurred the development of outlying areas like LeDroit Park which lay just across Bounda ry Street (now Florida Avenue) the original border of the L Enfant city plan

After a lull in the incorporation of new railways ended in 1888 street ra ilroad lines became increasingly important fo rces in the development of the District of Columbia outside the original L Enfant plan boundaries The earliest railways sought profits by providing transportation in heavily settled areas Whi le the newer railways sought to make outlying areas attractive to residential development They were not expected to generate immediate profits as routes ran through largely vacant land Rather such real estate speculators as George Truesdale who founded the Eckington and Soldiers Heme Railroad to service his Eckington subdivision and AM Randle who developed the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad to connect his Congress Heights and Randle Heights subdivisions to the city built ra ilways to realize bolster the prices of new residences and building lots

4 John Reps Town Planning In Frontier America (Princeton University Press 1969) p 341

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

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2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

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Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 11: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 1G-9CO-a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Sece

Nationa_Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _ 9_ Page _ 5_

OMB Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The powerhouses and substations that street railway entrepreneurs built only powered the cars but also provided su ch amenities as residential electricity and streetlights to their real estate developments Occa sionally these promoters built amusement parks or provided other recreational opportunities at the ends of lines to attract potential customers to newly subdivisions and to bolster ridership on weekends Developers also sometimes improved the public roadbed to accommodate railway tracks Thus streetcar lines enhanced the citys infrastructure and real estate values became directly correlated with proximity to their routes

Between 1888 and 1890 the number of streetcar companies in the city more than doubled Increasing from five to eleven and while track mileage grew from 29 to 45 However it was the 1890s which saw the greatest expansion of service with track mileage more than quadrupling to over190 miles5 It was uring this period that the city expanded into the hitherto rurai areas north of Boundary Street fol lowing he routes of the streetcar lines

Technology played a key role in this expansion Boundary Road traced the foot of a steep escarpment that essentially crosses Washington DC Traversing the steeper ~rades above Boundary Road sometimes requ ired that cars be pulled by teams of up to seven horses Although attempts were made to conq er the grades with cable cars the development of the hilly areas north of Boundary Road was facilitated greatly by the development of the electric street car

In 1888 Edison associate Frank J Sprague installed twelve miles of trolley lines with overhead electric power In Ric mo d Virginia quickly rendering horses obsolete Congress mandated the end of horseshydrawn traction wic j the original boundaries of the Federal City in the District of Columbia Appropriation Act of 1890 (enacted March 2 1889) which required that all lines operating within the city switch to other form of motive power within two years In 1892 Congress altogether forbade horsepower allowing two years for every line to convert to electric power or lose its corporate franchise

The need to eliminate horse power led to experimentation For example the Metropolitan Railroad hired CO Mailloux to supervise installation of a storage battery system S which failed because of limited battery life Other lines attempted to use magnetic power or compressed air propulsion

As of 1894 Congrmiddotess mandated that no overhead wires be allowed in Washington DC s city limits DC prided its aesthetic beauty and saw visible wires as scars on the architectural beauty of the city Overhead wire were limited to the outskirts of the city and underground power was mandated within

5 Streetcar ana Bels Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 5 6 Ibid P 30 7 United States Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 52 Cong 1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 bull Washington Pesmiddotll Works like a Charm August 21 1890 p 8

NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

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Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

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Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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NPS Form 1O-900-a (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK SeNice

National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ Page _ 6_

OMS Approval No 1024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

the city By the summer of 1896 the first successful electrical conduit operation was operating along the Fourteenth Street line leading to the end of the cable car usage within three years The cabre car and the streetcar or trolley shared many qualities making the transition between the two powered vehicles fairly seamless

2 The Development of the Brightwood Street Railroad Company

At the beg inning of the peak period of streetcar system expansion Congressional Bill 931 chartered the Brightwood Street Railroad Company The companys trackage ran north from the City of Washington s boundary along Brightwood Road (now Georgia Avenue) The Brightwood Railroad shared tracks with the Metropolitan Railroad Company line for three quarters of a mile but it was planned that it ultimately would extend its own tracks four miles north to the District of Columbia line and from there mto Silver Spring Maryland A District of Columbia Committee Report that accompanied bill S931 predicted that this system will furnish more rapid transportation and improve facilities for clerks and citizens for reaching cheap homes in the suburbs g

Two years after its incorporation the Brightwood Street Railroad had purchased more trackage from the Metropolitan Line but was still not close to reaching the District line Tracks were laid only as far as Brightwoo one and one-half miles short of the expected terminus in Maryland 1O Originally the company was authorized to use only horses or underground steel cables with electric power thus precluding t e overhead trolley system that had proven so successful on the Eckington line To meet the challenge of hits hilly terrain the company was experimenting with an alternative technology Alongside tl16 1orse tracks of the Metropolitan Railroad the Judson Pneumatic Street Railway Company began con structing a single-track road from Boundary Street (todays Florida Avenue) to Rock Creek Church Road 11 LeRoy O King Mrs history 100 Years of Capital Traction describes the Judson system as

Consist[i gj of two parallel tubes six or eight inches in diameter which were installed in an underground conduit and revolved against a set of staggered friction wheels attached to and depending from the car and impelled the car on the principle of the screw The rota ry motion was imparted to the tubes by small engines about 500 ft apart along the tubes As the air escaped from the exhaust it absorbed so much heat from the surrounding atmosphere that the ice so generated clogged the gearing of the engines

9 United States house Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Bill 931 50 Cong o 1 sess Rep No 294 Washington 1888 10 Streetcar ard Bu~ Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 49 11 King LeRoy 1-00 Years of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publ ishing Co Washington DC 1972 p 41

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Dr

L -----~- N W --shy

bull IVbj ~ Lrshy~ -

bull PEABODY N Vol

tlbull

- ~~l

3 z

r- - -~-1

I ~ Z

0 -- RITJ

29B8

_ ___rbull

649

~ ~I Pasr OC- ~ It) ~ ON 6i OR ~ ~ if ND

J r~ ~L COOl-S II~~MS

lto~ ~lr ~~ ~

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Page 13: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 10-900-8 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National ParK Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section _9_ age _ 7_

OMS Approval No 1024-001 8

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

by w Ich the pipes were turned and was an insuperable obstacle to efficient operation of the device 1 2

When the Judson systems failure became obvious the Brightwood Railroad decided to electrify In hopes for a satisfactory completion of the line to Silver Spring Congress orl July 26 1892 amended the railroads cnarter to allow an overhead trolley system13 However the railroad demanded controversial exensions of the electrification deadline to prevent losing its charter 14 Eventually it converted to steam-generated electricity transmitted through overhead lines

On January 16 1896 the struggling Brightwood line was dealt a potentially mortal blow At about 8 PM Night Superintendent Gilmore noticed flames in a tool and equipment room behind his office in the Brightwood Avenue car stables Despite the best efforts of the staff on premises the two year old frame building PoNO stories tall fifty feet wide and two hundred feet long was quickly engulfed in flame Abandoning the stable and the thirteen cars it contained the workers switched their focus to saving the brick powerhouse and generating station at its rear By demolishing the portion of the stables closest (0 the powerhouse to create a firebreak they were able to save the other company buildings despite a long delay in reporting the tire because of a broken alarm box and the inability of the ti re department to pump water from a frozen creek The Washington Post reported that at ten oclock all that remained of the stables was a mass of embers andl a great pile of smoking coal15 Providentialy for t e company most of its rolling stock was out on the rails and it was able to continue in business

A year later an arti cle from Street Railways the Capitol Traction magazine reported that the electrified Brightwood Line

supplements two of the principal city lines and thereby connects the business center of Washington with Brightwood Soldiers Home Petworth Takoma Park North Takoma Silver Springs and other points in a well developed and growing portion of the suburbs Its passenger traffic is regular and large 1 6

However this article probably is an early example of corporate spin In 1898 that Congress ordered the Brightwood ne to switch to an underground electric conduit system 17 However the railroad

12 King p 301 13 United Sta tes Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Act of 1888 5200 Cong 1 sess Mis Doc 54 Washington 1892 14 Ibid 5 The Washington Dost Car Stables Burned Jan 25 1895 p 1 6 The Evening Scar The Fight Against Overhead Wires (Street Railways 1902) 7 Ibid

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 14: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 10-900-3 (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior National Pa rk Servce

National Register of Historic Places Continua- ion Sheet

Section --iJ-gtage _ 8_

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

never abanooned its overhead power lines which for decades were strung from a line of poles that ran down the center of Georgia Avenue8 During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the Washington Post reported myriad complaints from streetcar riders a disproportionate number of wrJich seemed to i volve the Brightwood streetcars The Brightwood Civic Association had begun complain ing aoou poor service when the line was new in 1891 19 In 1898 1904 and 1908 the Post reported citizens protests about poor service and unfavorable changes in the railroad s free transfer policy 20 In 19 1 the Citizens Association threatened to start a line of auto jitneys to compete with the streetcar service if its complaints weren t resolved 21

In January i 90 8 the president of the Petworth Citizens Association told the House District Committee at the operations of the Brightwood line were a disgrace to the capitaln A week later the Petworth Brig twood and Takoma Park Civic Associations asked the Senate to investigate streetcar operations23 In Apri l 1908 Senator Elmer Burkett of Nebraska told the Brightwood Civic Association that the transfer station at Seventh Street and Florida Avenue was an abominable place of work for which there is no excuse24 Eventually the District Commissioners appointed a committee to deal with these i s es but controversy continued For its part the railroad complained that it wasnt profitable and th reatened to go out of business if it was forced to buy new equipment or raise its level of se-rvice 2 5

By 1908 as Jart of an industry-wide trend toward consolidation the Brightwood Street Railroad was one of a dozen-od Di strict of Columbia lines controlled by a holding company called the Washington Railway and Electri c Company26 In early 1909 the railroad filed for a permit to build a new car barn at the site of old stables Designed by engineer WB Upton who had designed the Eckington Car Barn in 189627 the brick car barn was to be erected by the Samuel Prescott Company on the foundation of the oid stables28 Apparently it incorporated the power plant facilities as it was

18 In the spring and sum mer of 1926 a controversy raged in the press about the relocation of trolley power poles from the center of Georgia AienUe to the side of the road as a safety measure See the Washington Post articles Side Poles Likely on Georgia Avenue May 20 1926 p 22 Georgia Avenue Poles Will Be Changed to Side of the Street May 25 1926 p 22 and t1eMova l of Poles on Georgia Avenue Protested Jul 2 1926 p 22 19 Washington Pes Better Facil ities Wanted April 18 1891 p6 20 Washington Post Want A Free Transfer November 13 1898 p 11 Public Hearing Day March 24 1904 p 10 and Through Cars eeded October 6 1908 P 2 21 Washing on Post 8oycott on the Road August 29 1901 p 2 22 Washington Pas Want More Tracks January 17 1908 p 1 23 Washingto Pes Senate Gets Petitions January 23 1908 p 4 24 Washington Pas Criti cize Railway Service April 11 1908 p 2 ~5 Washington DostI1 ay Drop Car Line June 12 1908p 1 6 Washington Post VViIi Force Railways November 17 1908 P 5 27 Washinglo Pos Building Permits Issued January 27 1906 p 2 28 Hopkins Map 1896 v 3 pi 20 amp Baists Map 1903 v3 comparison

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

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Page 15: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 1 D-ge a OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18 (8 -86)

United States epartment of the Interior National ParK Se vce

Nationa _ egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section ~ Page _9_ County and State

described as ooublin g the existing building providing a street frontage of 108 feet and a depth of 275 feet 29

As Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 describes3o car barns housed colling stock provided repair and maintenance facilities served as parts depots and were generally the location were personnel began and ended their tours of duty _Early car barns like the original Brightwood Taciity were often large shed-like facilities which doubled as horse stables Most were one-story but they shared wood frame construction and a rectangular plan with the original Brightwood facirty

With the elecrrificati on of the railway system in 1886 car barns became more commonly constructed of brick thereby I-educing the potential for severe fire damage from mechanical or electrical equipment faolL re Floor plans included rectangular L-shaped U-shaped trapezoidal and even pentagonal footprints An intricate system of tracks typically ran through the barns interior allowing the streetcars to b e efficiently moved in and out Often car barns stood adjacent to an open storage yard

Most District of Columbia car barns were constructed before 1900 with forty-eight percent constructed in Ihe 1890s when electrification was facilitating expansion of the railway lines_ The MultishyProperty nomination Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 studied twentyshynine car barns constructed between 1862 and l 941 representing diverse architectural styles_ The majori ty of the reso rces display characteristics of the imposing Romanesque Revival style while a limited nUmcer exhibit detailing of the Classical Revival style or the more modest elements of industrial verracular like the Brightwood car barn 31

By 1905 ca barns frequently housed the main power generators for the electric traction systems _ The Brightwood car barn was Electrical Generating Substation Number Five of the Washington Railway amp Electric Company today known as Pepc0 32 The building s modest vernacular appearance was standarci for substations which were generally designed to blend in with neighboring buildings in contrast to full-fledged powerhouses which were often built in high style to showcase the railway company Th s arra ngement remained common until improvements in electric generation the building of the Benning Road Power Plant and changes in service made the older small electrical generation sites uneconomical

29 Wa shing ton ~o t A Month s Review of the Building Trades January 31 1909 P CA6 and Build ing Permit 3082 February 23 19Camp Washlnaton DC_ 3D Streetcar and Bus Reso~rces of Washington D C 1862-1962 p 72-74 31 Ibid p 72-74 32 Ibid p 92

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Dr

L -----~- N W --shy

bull IVbj ~ Lrshy~ -

bull PEABODY N Vol

tlbull

- ~~l

3 z

r- - -~-1

I ~ Z

0 -- RITJ

29B8

_ ___rbull

649

~ ~I Pasr OC- ~ It) ~ ON 6i OR ~ ~ if ND

J r~ ~L COOl-S II~~MS

lto~ ~lr ~~ ~

~i ) J ~ ~ I

JC)~ ~r ~ I I 1

ltrL bull bull bullbull~I ~~T--=--_ _ _J

- Z8 - - bull I 3 2 8

L S R SHcO

shy ____ - shy __ _ ___ ---- shy - shy

eoHHECHINCER amp CO LUMBERamp BUILDING SUPPLIES

ls~c~oI2 986

12

LL

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Page 16: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS orm 10-90C-E (8-86)

United States epartment of the Interior National Park Sefllce

Nationa Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Section ~ Page ~

OMS Approval No 1024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

The new car barn provided room for additional rolling stock which helped to meet the District Railway Commissior s 1911 order that the company provide larger cars and more frequent service 33 Theodor Horydczak s 1920s photograph shows the car barn with a web of overhead wires casting shadows onto the tracks below Five sets of rail tracks exit from the north bay and one set of rail tracks emerges from t 12 south bay The combination of cables and tracks reveals the dual functions of the Brightwood Car Barn

During the early decades of the twentieth century the Brightwood streetcar line continued to power the comme C 3 a residential development of the Georgia Avenue corridor The economic implicatio s of a transportation mute manifested itself in increased property values opportunity for commerce and mobil ity for residents During the World War I era and 1920s many cross-streets filled in with row house developments and detached house developments constructed on speculation by bu ilders ana rea estate companies The Brightwood neighborhood developed as a middle class community wit many commuters because of the streetcar line Georgia Avenue developed as a commercial corridor th rough the linkage the streetcar provided between downtown and the burgeoning suburban community of Silver Spring

The Brig htwood streetcar line remained in business for decades after the completion of the car barn Gradually owever competition from automobiles and busses began to take its toll on the streetcar industry In bull 92 1 the Washington Rapid Transit Company began operating bus routes throughout DC with ten OUI_lex buses each one of which seated 21 passengers with a single driver During its first year t e company added several buses and expanded its routes By 1922 the company was running 36 buses and in 1925 it purchased four double-decker buses seating 51 passengers each 34

Private automobie ownership grew rapidly in Washington during the 1920s Although growth in registratio r was fl attened somewhat by the depression Washington had roughly 14 more vehicles in 1935 than n 1929 When Kass Realty hired world-renowned architect John Eberson to design the Sheridan Thea~re in the 6100 block of Georgia Avenue in 1936 the project included a Park and Shop plaza with an off-street parking forecourt35 Historian Brian Kraft has described the cumulative effect of the automobile on the neighborhood of Brightwood The first three decades of the 20 th century brought erormots changes to Brightwood as family farms sprouted rows of houses and the extended grid of ~ i ty streets accommodated a crush of automobiles36

By 1936 there was talk of replacing some Brightwood streetcar runs with bus service Over the course of the next two decades buses and private cars proved streetcars obsolete and

33 Washington PostOmiddotders Belier Car Service November 9 1911 p 14 l4 Streetcar and Bus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 P 70 35 National Regls2r of -listoric Places Nomination Form Sheridan Theatre and Park and Shop 2005 36 Bn an Kraft Bngn[lood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Dr

L -----~- N W --shy

bull IVbj ~ Lrshy~ -

bull PEABODY N Vol

tlbull

- ~~l

3 z

r- - -~-1

I ~ Z

0 -- RITJ

29B8

_ ___rbull

649

~ ~I Pasr OC- ~ It) ~ ON 6i OR ~ ~ if ND

J r~ ~L COOl-S II~~MS

lto~ ~lr ~~ ~

~i ) J ~ ~ I

JC)~ ~r ~ I I 1

ltrL bull bull bullbull~I ~~T--=--_ _ _J

- Z8 - - bull I 3 2 8

L S R SHcO

shy ____ - shy __ _ ___ ---- shy - shy

eoHHECHINCER amp CO LUMBERamp BUILDING SUPPLIES

ls~c~oI2 986

12

LL

0lw bull III PII

~ II II 1 1 Ii ~ 11 11 II

~ ~ 1l~1I~11 _ _ --Jlit) ~ ~l ~tI~II ~~1I

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= =b-- I II II I rU I = == II II JIJjJ7

I I a1gt==~ CONroAO II 1 II 1r 1 Q II ~I n ~

q J s 1I II ~~n ~ 6shy

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J It ~I ~ ~I ~ q 1 11 -II ~tI lti

( ~~ t II nlfil II I I

(I II I 1 II

tI

Page 17: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form 10-900 a (8-86)

United States Department of the Interior Nationa l Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Continuaion Sheet

Section ~_ gtage _11_

OMB Approval No 1 024-0018

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

uneconomica l Between 1956 and early 1962 all the remaining streetcar lines were eliminated or converted to bus routes 37

In 1955 Pepco sold th e car barn38 which was converted to a new transportation-related use as the Hicks Chevrolet dealership and service center 39 At this time the storefront with large display windows was added to the front faltade of the car barn After twenty-one years the deed was transferred to Curtis DworK2r1 4o who opened Curtis Chevrolet During the 1980s the buildings around the south boundary of the building were razed and the lots used for showing cars Curtis Chevrolet remained a family business Jntil 2007 when Abdo Development purchased the property Today the car barn stands solita riy amongst large vacant parking lots

The Brightw a Car Barn is not alone in DC as an adaptively reused car barn The Georgetown Car Barn and tnpound Eckington Car Barn are extant buildings from the streetcar era The Georgetown Car Barn is usee as the headquarters for the MBA program at the Georgetown University Business School The Eckington Car Barn serves as the Capital Vehicle Maintenance Facility for the United States Posta l Service

37 Streetcar and Sus Resources of Washington DC 1862-1962 3 Book 10344 gtage 27 DC Register of Deeds Pepco-Hicks Chevrolet 39 Deed 359 6 of 1976 DC Regi ster of Deeds Sarasou-CDworken

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Dr

L -----~- N W --shy

bull IVbj ~ Lrshy~ -

bull PEABODY N Vol

tlbull

- ~~l

3 z

r- - -~-1

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649

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ls~c~oI2 986

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Page 18: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form il-lllCmiddota OMS Approval No 1024-00 18 (8-86)

United Sates Department of the Interior National Park Service

National egister of Historic Places Continuation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC Section ~ Page _ 1 2_ County and State

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Dr

L -----~- N W --shy

bull IVbj ~ Lrshy~ -

bull PEABODY N Vol

tlbull

- ~~l

3 z

r- - -~-1

I ~ Z

0 -- RITJ

29B8

_ ___rbull

649

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lto~ ~lr ~~ ~

~i ) J ~ ~ I

JC)~ ~r ~ I I 1

ltrL bull bull bullbull~I ~~T--=--_ _ _J

- Z8 - - bull I 3 2 8

L S R SHcO

shy ____ - shy __ _ ___ ---- shy - shy

eoHHECHINCER amp CO LUMBERamp BUILDING SUPPLIES

ls~c~oI2 986

12

LL

0lw bull III PII

~ II II 1 1 Ii ~ 11 11 II

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Page 19: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form ~ 0-900-3 OMB Approval No 1024-0018 (8-86)

Un ited States Department of the Interior National Pak Service

Nationa egister of Historic Places Contin ation Sheet

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

Section _ 9_ Page ~ County and State

Majo Bibliographical Referen ces

1 Anderson Ajex Greater Washington Suburban Electric Railways Alex D Anderson 1897 Street Railways Capital Traction Compa ny Special Col lections Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library

2 825S Map of Washington D C plate 20 block 2986 1915 3 BlJntng Jennifer Amanda Didden Laura V Trieschmann Robin J Weidlich and Kim Williams Streetcar

and Bus Resources of Washington D C 1862-1962 National Park Service Multiple Property Documentation Form June 2005

4 orydczak Theodore Potomac Electric Power Co substations Brightwood station car barn Theodore Horycdzak Collection Library of Congress 1920 ca LC-H814-1026 ltPampPgt[PampPj

5 lting LeRoy 100 Yea rs of Capital Traction The StOry of Streetcars in the Nations Capital Taylor Publishing Co Wasrnngton D C 1972

6 Kraft Bnan Brightwood Crossroads Community in Upper Northwest 2005 7 ReDs John Town Planning in Frontier America Prince ton University Press Princeton NJ 1969 8 Sucy of Ine Buildi ng Permits on Georgia Avenue NW Between 5700 and 6199 District of Columbias

rl ismiddotoric Preservation Office 2007 9 The Evening Star The Fight Against Overhead Wires 16 Dec 1902 Street Railways Capital Traction

COMpany Special Collect ions Lib Martin Luther King Jr Library 10 Ui1Ied Stares Senate Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company

Act of 1888520 Cong 1S1 sess MisDoc54 Washington 1892 11 Uried States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Incorporation of the Brightwood

1S1 ilWay Company 50th Cong sess Rep No2575 Washington 1888 Unred States House Committee on the District of Columbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company Elill S ~98 51st Cong 1 sess RepNo2894 Washington 1890

13 Unted Stales Senate Committee on the District of COlumbia Hearing on the Brightwood Railway Company on BII 93 50th Cong 1 sess RepNo 294 Washington 1888

14 Nasmnglon DC City Directory 1952 15 Tile Nasnington Post Published daily at Washington DC 1877-present

Comment [LP3] DO NOT DELETE THIS IS A SECTION BREAK

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Dr

L -----~- N W --shy

bull IVbj ~ Lrshy~ -

bull PEABODY N Vol

tlbull

- ~~l

3 z

r- - -~-1

I ~ Z

0 -- RITJ

29B8

_ ___rbull

649

~ ~I Pasr OC- ~ It) ~ ON 6i OR ~ ~ if ND

J r~ ~L COOl-S II~~MS

lto~ ~lr ~~ ~

~i ) J ~ ~ I

JC)~ ~r ~ I I 1

ltrL bull bull bullbull~I ~~T--=--_ _ _J

- Z8 - - bull I 3 2 8

L S R SHcO

shy ____ - shy __ _ ___ ---- shy - shy

eoHHECHINCER amp CO LUMBERamp BUILDING SUPPLIES

ls~c~oI2 986

12

LL

0lw bull III PII

~ II II 1 1 Ii ~ 11 11 II

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Page 20: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

Bri htwood Car Barr _____ ______ _ Washington DC 1 arne of Properly county and State

10 Geographca Data

Acreage of Property

UTM Referen ces (Place addll10nal LiTM references on a continuation sheet)

~ I I 3 W ~~l--~-----I --I~------L-JI 1 Zone castng Northing Zone Easting North ing

2 4I~I 1

o See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the bOLln danes OT the property on a continuation sheet)

Boundary J ustificstior (Explain why the boucdanes were selected on a continuation sheet)

11 Form Prepared By

- d 1 1nametitle c i(j~ ( lt C 11 Organizatior J3 (j k-t4-w_o v -- r----=-- ~- - - --~ - - $ t-~ ~ I- ------- f-- ~-~r-fr-7 - -poundu --~- ---1 -------~-I--street amp number 0_11- Cc 1-1 l -1 telephone 3J i =-2(-(i 1-1shycity or town VVasniflQtocn--_ ________ state -=DC=---_ ______ zip code ~7( C

Additional Doc mentation Submit the follewpound i e r1 S with the completed form

Cantin uation Sneels

Maps

A USGS map 7 5 or 15 minute series) indicating the propertys location

A Sketcn m ap or nlstonc districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources

Photographs

RepresenarJe black and white photographs of the property

Additional Items (Check Nith me SrlPO 0- FPO for any addi tional items)

Property Owne (Complete hiS t 11 a the equest of SHPO or FPO)

Name

street amp numbe telephone _ _ ___ _ _ _ _- - ---- - ----- --- -----shyCity or town state zip code

Paperwork Red uctOn Statement This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for Js~tng 0 e termlne eligibil ity fo r listing to list properties and to amend existing listings Responseo this request Is required 10 obtain a benefit In accordance WIt)- the National Historic Preservation Act as amended (16 US C 470 et seq)

Estimated Burdo Statement Publ ic reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 181 hours per response mduding the time for reviewing instructions gathenll~ and maintaining data and completing and reviewing the form Direct comments regarding this burden estlmaie or any aspect of th iS form to the Chief gtcmll1ltstrative Senllces Division National Par1lt Service P O Box 37127 Washington DC 20013middot 7127 and the Office of Management ane Seoge Daperwork Reduct ions Prolect (1024-0018) Washington DC 20503

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Dr

L -----~- N W --shy

bull IVbj ~ Lrshy~ -

bull PEABODY N Vol

tlbull

- ~~l

3 z

r- - -~-1

I ~ Z

0 -- RITJ

29B8

_ ___rbull

649

~ ~I Pasr OC- ~ It) ~ ON 6i OR ~ ~ if ND

J r~ ~L COOl-S II~~MS

lto~ ~lr ~~ ~

~i ) J ~ ~ I

JC)~ ~r ~ I I 1

ltrL bull bull bullbull~I ~~T--=--_ _ _J

- Z8 - - bull I 3 2 8

L S R SHcO

shy ____ - shy __ _ ___ ---- shy - shy

eoHHECHINCER amp CO LUMBERamp BUILDING SUPPLIES

ls~c~oI2 986

12

LL

0lw bull III PII

~ II II 1 1 Ii ~ 11 11 II

~ ~ 1l~1I~11 _ _ --Jlit) ~ ~l ~tI~II ~~1I

I~ ~1I~11I~1 I~ irl~11

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= =b-- I II II I rU I = == II II JIJjJ7

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(I II I 1 II

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Page 21: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

NPS Form lO-900-a (886)

United States Jepartment of the Interior National Park Se-vice

Nationa Register of Historic Places Contin a -ion Sheet

Section ~ Page _1_

Verbal 30 ndary Description

The Bnghtwooc Cltr Sarn occupies lot 856 of Square 2986

Sou ary Justification

OMB Approval No 1 024-00 18

Brightwood Car Barn

Name of Property

Washington DC

County and State

Dr

L -----~- N W --shy

bull IVbj ~ Lrshy~ -

bull PEABODY N Vol

tlbull

- ~~l

3 z

r- - -~-1

I ~ Z

0 -- RITJ

29B8

_ ___rbull

649

~ ~I Pasr OC- ~ It) ~ ON 6i OR ~ ~ if ND

J r~ ~L COOl-S II~~MS

lto~ ~lr ~~ ~

~i ) J ~ ~ I

JC)~ ~r ~ I I 1

ltrL bull bull bullbull~I ~~T--=--_ _ _J

- Z8 - - bull I 3 2 8

L S R SHcO

shy ____ - shy __ _ ___ ---- shy - shy

eoHHECHINCER amp CO LUMBERamp BUILDING SUPPLIES

ls~c~oI2 986

12

LL

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~ II II 1 1 Ii ~ 11 11 II

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Page 22: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

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Page 23: Brightwood Car Barn HPRB app

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