| Garden Club of America Entrance Markers in Washington, D.C. MPS | |
| Architecture: | Late 19th and early 20th Century Movements |
| Refnum: | 64501007 |
The Garden Club of America Entrance Markers in Washington, D.C., are carven stone pylons installed along the border of the District of Columbia in 1932 and 1933 by local Garden Club of America chapters. Originally about five feet tall, the markers were placed at important entrance points to the national capital. Seven survive: sets of two markers in Westmoreland Circle, Friendship Heights, and Chevy Chase Circle; and a single marker along Georgia Avenue.[1] [2] These surviving markers are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Garden Club decided to erect the markers in 1932 as part of the George Washington bicentennial celebration, which also saw the formal openings of the Arlington Memorial Bridge and the George Washington Memorial Parkway.[2] The markers were planned with the National Capital Parks and Planning Commission and reviewed by the Commission of Fine Arts.
The markers were designed by architect Edward Donn, who based them on the milestones set up in 1761 along the Mason–Dixon line denoting the Pennsylvania-Maryland boundary.[3] Installed between April 1932 and October 1933, the markers are composed of Aquia Creek sandstone and bear the Seal of Maryland on one side and the Cartouche of the District of Columbia on the opposite side. The cartouche depicts George Washington with Lady Justice, a laurel wreath, the rising sun, and the capitol dome.
Each stone was originally surrounded by fences consisting of chains supported by four bollards and planting schemes designed by the Maryland and Virginia chapters of the Garden Club. As the Club intended that the markers would notify people that they were passing a boundary, not all sit precisely on boundary lines.
The club installed at least 13 markers, including sets of two markers in Westmoreland Circle; Friendship Heights; Chevy Chase Circle; at the city's north portal at 16th Street NW near Silver Spring, Maryland; and at the Virginia ends of the Key Bridge and the Highway Bridge. A single marker was installed along Georgia Avenue.
The Virginia markers have disappeared, as have the 16th Street set. However, an entrance marker that does not resemble any that the Garden Club erected now stands at the north portal inside Blair Circle at the junction of Eastern Avenue, 16th Street NW, N. Portal Drive, and Colesville Road.[4]
Each of the seven surviving markers show the effects of weathering, pollution, and other abuse. Motorists have knocked over some or all of these; many now stand well short of their original height. Some have been removed from their original locations and reinstalled nearby. The disposition of those that are no longer in place is now unknown.
In 2007, the markers were collectively submitted to the NRHP as a Multiple Property Submission, or MPS; they were added in 2008.
The current locations of the seven surviving markers are:
The marker was formerly located inside a median in the center of Georgia Avenue, just north of the Avenue's intersection with Kalmia Road and Alaska Avenue.[14] [15] The marker is between the former site of the Northeast No. 1 and the present site of the Northeast No. 2 boundary markers of the original District of Columbia.
The seven Garden Club of America Entrance Markers, beginning at Westmoreland Circle and proceeding clockwise.
| Name | Image | Address | Coordinates | Neighborhood | Date listed on NRHP | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Westmoreland Circle | Western Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, NW (Reservation 559) West side of Circle | 38.9488°N -77.1014°W | Westmoreland Circle | April 29, 2008 | 08000348 | |
| Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Westmoreland Circle | Western Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, NW (Reservation 559) North side of Circle | 38.9492°N -77.1008°W | Westmoreland Circle | April 29, 2008 | 08000348 | |
| Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Wisconsin Avenue | Wisconsin Avenue at Western Avenue West corner of intersection | 38.9608°N -77.086°W | May 12, 2008 | 08000394 | ||
| Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Wisconsin Avenue | Wisconsin Avenue at Western Avenue North corner of intersection | 38.961°N -77.0857°W | May 12, 2008 | 08000394 | ||
| Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Chevy Chase Circle | Western Avenue and Connecticut Avenue (Reservation 335A) West of center of Circle | 38.9676°N -77.0774°W | April 29, 2008 | 08000346 | ||
| Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Chevy Chase Circle | Western Avenue and Connecticut Avenue (Reservation 335A) East of center of Circle | 38.9676°N -77.0769°W | April 29, 2008 | 08000346 | ||
| Garden Club of America Entrance Marker at Georgia Avenue | Traffic island between Georgia Avenue, Kalmia Road and Alaska Avenue Southeast corner of island | 38.9839°N -77.0267°W | April 29, 2008 | 08000347 | ||
National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
. Historic Washington. December 20, 2020. December 20, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201220193147/https://www.historicwashington.org/docs/Historic%20Landmark%20Application/Westmoreland%20Circle%20Garden%20Club%20Markers.pdf. dead. .National Register Digital Assets
. National Park Service. 08000348. December 19, 2020.National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
. Historic Washington. December 20, 2020. December 20, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201220231335/https://www.historicwashington.org/docs/Historic%20Landmark%20Application/Wisconsin%20at%20Western%20Garden%20Club%20Markers.pdf. dead. .National Register Digital Assets
. National Park Service. 08000394. December 19, 2020.National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
. Historic Washington. December 20, 2020. December 20, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201220210616/https://www.historicwashington.org/docs/Historic%20Landmark%20Application/Chevy%20Chase%20Circle%20Garden%20Club%20Markers.pdf. dead. .National Register Digital Assets
. National Park Service. 08000346. December 19, 2020.National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
. Historic Washington. December 20, 2020. December 20, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201220213309/https://www.historicwashington.org/docs/Historic%20Landmark%20Application/Georgia%20Avenue%20Garden%20Club%20Marker.pdf. dead. .National Register Digital Assets
. National Park Service. 08000347. December 19, 2020.