National Register of Historic Places Registration Form

NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 10244018
(MB)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
CLEVELAND PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT
WASHINGTON D.C.
Section number 8 page 26
2821 and 2820 Ordway all of which were built of brick and local stone in 1904-
05. In spite of heavy advertising and two attractive real estate brochures,
this subdivision was also unsuccessful until the second and third decades of
the twentieth century. It is now an integral part of Cleveland Park.
It was the brothers, W.C. and A.N. Miller who carried on the spirit and
tradition of the Cleveland Park Company. They too were paternalistic
developers, although this became more apparent when they moved to Wesley
Heights. In 1912 they built their first houses on land in Cleveland Park
given to them by their mother after the death of the father and just as they
were completing their higher education. Their first two houses were almost
next door to their family home "Woodlawn" at 3155 Highland Place. The Miller
brothers were introduced to their first architects, B.F. Meyers and Gordon E.
MacNeil, by Mr. Fetzer who was their first contractor. They were responsible
for architect-designed houses of high quality. They generally did not repeat
their designs and they used high quality materials, often brick and stone.
The Miller brothers were responsible for houses located through-out the
neighborhood, from Woodley Road to the Melvin Hazen Park. Concentrations of
Miller-built houses can be seen on Woodley Road between 34th and 36th Streets,
on 35th Street between Macomb and Newark, and on 34th Street between Highland
Place and Ordway. These three streetscapes give an indication of their
concern for the overall appearance and for the way in which the houses relate
to each other and the street. The houses themselves are of differing shapes
and sizes with varied decorative details. An article in The Leaves emphasizes
the Millers' skill in this area. "In 1920, the Miller brothers expanded their
operations by developing two blocks of Woodley Road (this section is not in
Cleveland Park). Here they brought a "new look 1 to the previously
conventional row house by varying the exterior appearance of the homes, yet
maintaining a harmonious blend with the adjoining buildings. This approach to
a pleasing over-all ~community look 1 was to become a hallmark of the future
Miller-built communities." (Seventy Years of Service, The Leaves, January,
1983, Vol. 57, No. 1, p. 14)
The Millers built the Cleveland Park Congregational Church at 34th and
Lowell Streets which was designed by C.L. Harding in 1922. This is the only
church that falls within the Historic District boundaries. They continued to
build in Cleveland Park until the mid-1920's when they moved to Wesley Heights
which they developed as a planned community.
Gordon E. MacNeil, who started out working with their first architect, B.
Frank Meyers, was born in Oklahoma but moved to Washington as a boy. He
studied architecture at Columbian College, now George Washington University,
and studied art at the Corcoran School of Art. He became associated with the
W.C. and A.N. Miller Company in 1914 and remained with them until his death in
1945. He was active in Cleveland Park designing houses for the Miller
brothers before they moved their operation to Wesley Heights, where he
demonstrated his skill in the planning of communities through his design of
the overall layout and landscaping.
William C. Miller was born in Washington. He was educated at Yale
University and then studied law at George Washington University. Allison N.