National Register of Historic Places Registration Form

NPS Form 10-900-a 0MB Approval No. 10244018
(M6)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
CLEVELAND PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT
c WASHINGTON D.C.
Section number 10 Page 3
BOUNDARY JUSTIFICATION
architectural structures of a different type and a different time period
behind the neighborhood shops on the western side of the avenue.
North Boundary. The northern boundary is a natural boundary formed by the
open space playing fields of the Sidwell Friends School and the Hearst
Playground (both are outside the boundaries of the historic district), the
steep revine to the immediate north of the houses on Rodman Street, the Melvin
Hazen Park (included inside the historic district) and the grounds of the
Embassy Complex and Intelsat approached from Van Ness St. N.W. (outside the
boundaries of the historic district). These are natural topographical
features including open fields, a steep revine, wooded land and hills which
historically marked the northern boundary of the development pattern
exemplified within the Cleveland Park Historic District.
East Boundary. The eastern boundary is formed by Connecticut Avenue, with
non-conforming buildings on the eastern side of the avenue excluded. This
boundary is based upon a visual barrier formed by newer construction of
apartment buildings of a different style of architecture from the buildings
which form the integral core of the Cleveland Park Historic District. Both
sides of Connecticut Avenue within the commercial precinct have always been an
integral part of Cleveland Park as is evident from early maps and buildings
permits. At the turn of the century the residential section of Cleveland Park
extended on Macomb Street across Connecticut to the Indian Embassy on the hill
overlooking Rock Creek Park. The shops and the apartment houses along
Connecticut Avenue which are contemporary with the development of the
residential portion of Cleveland Park and were built to complement and serve
the residential neighborhood are an integral part of the Cleveland Park
Historic District. The boundary line is drawn along the alley behind these
significant contributing buildings to separate them from the more recently
built condominiums and apartment buildings.
South Boundary. The southern boundary is formed by natural topographical
features formed by the woodland and steep ravines of Klingle Valley and the
Tregaron and Twin Oaks Estates (included inside the historic district) and the
open space of the grounds of the National Cathedral (outside the boundaries of
the historic district). The residences to the south of these natural
boundaries are part of Woodley Park which is a distinctly separate community
in terms of its development history and stylistic tendencies.