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42-659: The Joseph Beale House is a historic residence located at 2301 Massachusetts Avenue , Northwest, Washington, D.C. , in the Embassy Row neighborhood. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 1973. The residence was built between 1907 and 1909 by Washington architect Glenn Brown , who designed several buildings along Massachusetts Avenue. Designed for Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Beale, Brown used 18th century Romanesque Revival architecture for his design. In November 1928, Margaret K.C. Brown sold

84-518: A $ 680,000 tunnel that would allow Massachusetts Avenue's through-traffic to pass under the circle. During construction of the underpass, most of the landscaping in the circle was removed. The tunnel opened on March 14, 1940. North-south running through-traffic lanes cutting through the center of the circle were added in 1952 to improve traffic flow, but left a minimal oval-shaped space around the statue which pedestrians could not access without jaywalking . Demolition of remaining buildings continued into

126-581: A mansion on the circle's northeast corner. The house was later owned by Andrew Wylie , an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia . During the Civil War , one of three homes on the circle was used as a military hospital for Union troops. After the war ended in 1865, a horse-drawn railway was installed on 14th Street, leading to development around and to the north of

168-568: A section of Massachusetts Avenue as Embassy Row. Several of these embassies are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The track of the avenue was not paved until the administration of Alexander Robey Shepherd in the early 1870s. It was extended beyond Boundary Road, now Florida Avenue , in the 1880s, and beyond Rock Creek to Wisconsin Avenue after 1900. In 1906, the District Commissioners approved extending it to

210-484: A variety of commercial ventures. Several single-family houses were demolished and replaced with office buildings. One positive addition to the lots surrounding the circle was the 1930 construction of the imposing National City Christian Church , designed by noted architect John Russell Pope , which is the national church of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) . In December 1938, construction began on

252-584: A view of the Anacostia River . It proceeds in a northwesterly direction crosstown. At 14th Street SE, it enters the neighborhood of Capitol Hill and Lincoln Park in Northeast Washington, D.C. After briefly converging with Columbus Circle as it curves around Washington Union Station , Massachusetts Avenue enters Northwest Washington, D.C. in a rapidly changing neighborhood which has transitioned from earlier blight and decay to in

294-508: Is a traffic circle in Northwest Washington, D.C. , United States. It is located at the intersection of 14th Street , M Street , Massachusetts Avenue , and Vermont Avenue NW. A portion of Massachusetts Avenue travels through a tunnel underneath the circle. The interior of the circle includes the equestrian statue of George Henry Thomas , a Union Army general in the Civil War . The area around present-day Thomas Circle

336-485: Is considered the starting point of Embassy Row . Massachusetts Avenue passes through the inner ring of Dupont Circle and curves north at Sheridan Circle , paralleling Rock Creek to Belmont Road NW. After crossing Rock Creek over Charles C. Glover Memorial Bridge , it curves around the United States Naval Observatory and Number One Observatory Circle , the official residence of

378-457: Is located two blocks west. The traffic circle measures 28,176 square feet (2,617.6 m ) and its dimension is 338.93 feet (103.31 m). Since the most recent reconfiguration of Thomas Circle in 2006, there are four sidewalks leading to the center, one from each direction. The sidewalks intersect at a smaller circle that is surrounded by wrought-iron fencing, a grassy area, and the equestrian statue of George Henry Thomas . The remainder of

420-453: Is located was once part of a large tract of land named Port Royal. The tract was leased to John Peerce in 1687. On March 30, 1791, ownership of the tract's areas where streets were to be built was given to the new federal government. The circle was mentioned in the 1791 L'Enfant Plan of the city's layout as No. 9, but the layout was only an intersection. The following year Andrew Ellicott released an updated map, and instead of an intersection,

462-544: The District line, although at the time they thought it would really only be used up to its intersection with Nebraska Avenue with the exception of pleasure drives. In the 1870s, residential development accelerated on Massachusetts Avenue, mostly around the circles located west of 9th Street NW. These brick and brownstone structures reflected the Queen Anne and Richardsonian Romanesque styles in vogue at

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504-547: The Metrobus N ;routes serve upper Northwest while a patchwork of routes serve Downtown , Northeast, and Southeast. The following Metrobus routes travel along the street (listed from west to east): DC Circulator travels along the street, connecting Georgetown in the west with Washington Union Station in the east. Ride On Route 29 serves Massachusetts Avenue in Maryland from Westmoreland Circle to

546-635: The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on July 16, 1973. The statue of Thomas was included in the Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C. , collective listing on the NRHP and DCIHS, on September 20, 1978, and March 3, 1979, respectively. The Greater Fourteenth Street Historic District was added to the DCIHS on May 26, 1994, and the NRHP on November 9, 1994. The 1994 designation included

588-669: The vice President of the United States , which forms the southwest boundary of the Massachusetts Heights neighborhood. Washington National Cathedral , located at the intersection of Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues , is usually considered the end of Embassy Row . At Ward Circle , Massachusetts Avenue delineates the American University Park neighborhood from Spring Valley , passing to

630-722: The 21st century developing numerous high-rise apartment complexes. In the tradition of the acronym SoHo in Manhattan , realtors sometimes refer to this area as NoMa , standing for north of Massachusetts Avenue. It intersects with Interstate 395 , which runs underground at that point, at H Street  NW, and passes over Mount Vernon Square in front of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center . Continuing northwest, Massachusetts enters an underpass below Thomas Circle at 14th and M Streets NW, before curving around Scott Circle at 16th and N Streets NW; this

672-639: The Lutheran church. On April 24, 1997, the L'Enfant Plan was added to the NRHP. The Greater Fourteenth Street historic District was expanded in 2007, which included the National City Christian Church and an adjoining apartment building, on January 18 (DCIHS) and May 15 (NRHP). In October 2006, the District Department of Transportation completed a 2.5-year, $ 6 million reconstruction of Thomas Circle. The project included

714-402: The addition of bike lanes, pedestrian crosswalks mid-circle (which hadn't previously existed), new in-circle traffic lights, better street lighting, and new sidewalks and landscaping. The biggest change, however, came with the elimination of the 14th Street through-lanes. The circle was restored to its original design according to the L'Enfant Plan, which allowed for a larger landscaped area inside

756-474: The area was planned to be a circle. There was minimal development around the circle during the first half of the 19th-century. The first large building to be constructed on the circle was on the northwest corner, the residence of Secretary of the Treasury William H. Crawford . At that time, the surrounding area was considered part of the city's countryside. In 1843, businessman Thomas Coltman built

798-557: The avenue's terminus at Goldsboro Road. The M6, which travels from the Potomac Avenue Metro station to Fairfax Village, runs along Massachusetts Avenue between Alabama Avenue and Southern Avenue. The following Metrorail stations have stops located near Massachusetts Avenue: Washington Union Station , which is served by Amtrak , MARC , and Virginia Railway Express trains, is located on Massachusetts Avenue at Columbus Circle. Thomas Circle Thomas Circle

840-540: The bronze Luther Monument in 1884, which faces the circle. The dedication ceremony was attended by thousands of people. By the 1890s, some of the homes around the circle were sold or converted to other use, including the Crawford House, which became the Norwood Institute. This occurred because Dupont Circle and Logan Circle were seen as the more fashionable areas at the time. During the same decade,

882-489: The bronze equestrian statue of Civil War General George Henry Thomas was erected. It was sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward and installed in the center of the park. The statue's dedication ceremony was attended by thousands of soldiers and prominent individuals, including President Rutherford B. Hayes . After installation of the statue, which is considered one of the city's best equestrian statues, Memorial Circle became Thomas Circle. Luther Place Memorial Church installed

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924-488: The circle and build homes in new neighborhoods. During the first half of the 20th-century, the imposing National City Christian Church was built on the northwest edge of the circle. The other church facing Thomas Circle is Luther Place Memorial Church , built in the early 1870s. Many historic buildings, including the Wylie Mansion and Portland Flats, were replaced with office buildings and hotels. The circle itself

966-555: The circle are contributing properties to the Greater Fourteenth Street Historic District . Thomas Circle is on Washington, D.C. 's Reservation 66, in the northwest quadrant . It is the junction of 14th Street , M Street , Massachusetts Avenue , and Vermont Avenue NW. A portion of Massachusetts Avenue passes under the circle via a tunnel. The circle is on the boundary of the city's downtown and Logan Circle neighborhoods. Scott Circle

1008-399: The circle is an open grassy area, with a few trees and lampposts dotting the site. Because of its location, which is slightly taller than the surrounding area, there are vistas looking down 14th Street, Massachusetts Avenue, and Vermont Avenue. There are four traffic islands , two on the southern side of the circle, and two on the northern side. The area where present-day Thomas Circle

1050-468: The circle. In 1867, the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds leadership wanted to create a park in the middle of the circle. Fencing was installed around the circle, which was nicknamed Memorial Circle, due to citizens planting memorial trees. Paved roads and sewers soon followed, and the area quickly attracted wealthy residents. In dedication of the lives lost during the war and as a symbol of peace,

1092-623: The circle. The rehabilitation of Thomas Circle won an Honorable Mention in the "Historic Preservation" category of the Federal Highway Administration 's Excellence in Highway Design awards for 2006. As of the start of the 21st century, Thomas Circle is adjacent to the southern boundary of the Greater 14th Street and Logan Circle Historic District. The circle marks the boundary between "downtown 14th Street" and

1134-407: The east side of the Anacostia River . That section extends from 30th Street SE near District of Columbia Route 295 , to Southern Avenue SE at the border between Washington, D.C. and Prince George's County . Several notable institutions are located on Massachusetts Avenue, including: Multiple embassies and residences are located on Massachusetts Avenue, leading to the naming of

1176-402: The former Millionaires' Row is today well known as Embassy Row . Several overlapping historic districts have been created to preserve the character of the remaining neighborhoods. The Massachusetts Avenue Historic District encompasses the buildings between 17th Street and Observatory Circle on Massachusetts Avenue NW . While no Washington Metro lines run along Massachusetts Avenue,

1218-495: The horse-drawn railway on 14th Street was replaced with an electric streetcar , leading to neighborhoods forming north of the circle. The park in the circle was redesigned several times in the 1900s-1910s, and by the 1920s, most of the plants and trees had been removed. The ornate lamps around the statue were replaced with standard lampposts. During this period, the houses around the circle were often no longer used as residences. Owners converted them into office space, embassies, and

1260-464: The mid-20th century. The Wylie House was demolished after a devastating fire in 1947. The Washington Plaza Hotel, designed by Morris Lapidus , was built on the site in the early 1960s. The Portland Flats was demolished in 1962 and replaced with a building that now serves as a hotel. A few small rowhouses and an apartment building that lined the southern portion of the circle were demolished in the 1960s-1970s. The Annie Cole House survived until 1974 when it

1302-410: The north of American University . It crosses the border between Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland at Westmoreland Circle. In Maryland , the road continues signed as Maryland Route 396 , waving through residential sections of Bethesda until terminating at Goldsboro Road, also known as Maryland Route 614 . Another section of Massachusetts Avenue, discontinuous from this one, lies on

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1344-411: The northern boundary of downtown and the city's Embassy Row . Massachusetts Avenue is tied with Pennsylvania Avenue as the widest road in Washington, D.C., at 160 feet (49 m). The two roads run in parallel through much of the city, Massachusetts about seven blocks north of Pennsylvania Avenue. Massachusetts Avenue was long considered the city's premier residential street, and Pennsylvania Avenue

1386-402: The ornate Luther Place Memorial Church was built on the north side of the circle in the early 1870s. By that time, in addition to fencing, the park had sidewalks, gas lamps, and shrubbery, but most of the plantings had to be removed in 1872 because they were not planted deep enough and died. During the leadership of Alexander "Boss" Shepherd , there were additional improvements to the circle and

1428-567: The residence to the government of Egypt for $ 150,000. Since then, it has served as the official residence of the Egyptian ambassador to the United States. Massachusetts Avenue (Washington, D.C.) Massachusetts Avenue was part of Pierre Charles L'Enfant 's original plan for the development of Washington, D.C. The avenue crosses three of Washington, D.C.'s four quadrants . It intersects every major north–south street and passes numerous Washington landmarks. Massachusetts Avenue represents

1470-428: The streets surrounding it. New plants were installed after the site was excavated and replaced with high-quality soil. A fountain, outdoor furniture, and ornamental iron vases were also installed during the next several years. In 1879, one of the city's first apartment buildings, Portland Flats , was constructed on the south side of the circle. It was designed my prominent local architect, Adolf Cluss . That same year

1512-642: The time. Luxurious Georgian Revival and Beaux-Arts mansions on Massachusetts Avenuewere late inhabited by wealthy and influential Washingtonians. The section between Sheridan Circle and Scott Circle became known as "Millionaires' Row". The Great Depression forced many to relinquish their homes on Millionaires' Row. After World War II , Massachusetts Avenue was seen as less fashionable than newer areas such as upper 16th Street . Many residences were sold and demolished to make way for office buildings, particularly around Dupont Circle and to its east. Many others, however, survived as embassies and society houses;

1554-510: Was dedicated in 1879, the same year one of the city's first apartment buildings was constructed, the Portland Flats . During the late 19th-century, the area became less desirable due to Dupont Circle and Logan Circle becoming more popular with upper-class citizens. Several of the old homes were replaced or used for non-residential purposes. The horse-drawn rail car was replaced with streetcars , allowing more people to travel north of

1596-554: Was demolished and replaced with the National Association of Home Builders headquarters. Historic preservation of remaining buildings took place in the second half of the 20th-century. The National City Christian Church, Luther Place Memorial Church, including the statue of Luther, and the circle itself as part of the L'Enfant Plan, were added to the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites (DCIHS) on November 8, 1964. The Lutheran church and statue were added to

1638-522: Was included as an intersection in the 1791 L'Enfant Plan , but plans to make it a circle took place the following year. Development around the circle was slow, due to the area being in the city's "countryside." A few large houses were built around the circle before the Civil War, but major changes took place in the second half of the 19th-century. The circle was improved with landscaping, a horse-drawn rail for commuters, and sewer lines. The statue of Thomas

1680-585: Was its most sought-after business address. The two avenues are named Massachusetts and Pennsylvania , two states that played a leading role in securing American independence in the American Revolution and the subsequent Revolutionary War . The historic district is an 81-acre (33 ha) area in Northwest Washington, D.C. that includes 150 contributing buildings and three contributing structures . In 1985, Massachusetts Avenue

1722-468: Was listed on the National Register of Historic Places . It includes multiple properties that are individually listed on the National Register. The main section of Massachusetts Avenue begins at 19th Street Southeast , just to the west of the former District of Columbia General Hospital site and one block north of Congressional Cemetery . At the hospital, Massachusetts Avenue commands

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1764-474: Was significantly altered in the 1950s by building new traffic islands around the statue, eliminating access to the park and statue. This was reversed in the 2000s, restoring the original design of Thomas Circle. The Lutheran church, the Thomas statue, and the circle itself are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites (DCIHS). Both churches on

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