Woodland-Normanstone
Neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Map of Washington, D.C., with Woodland-Normanstone highlighted in red
Map of Washington, D.C., with Woodland-Normanstone highlighted in red
Coordinates: 38°55′15″N 77°03′39″W / 38.9207°N 77.0608°W / 38.9207; -77.0608
CountryUnited States
DistrictWashington, D.C.
WardWard 3
Government
 • CouncilmemberMatthew Frumin
Area
 • Land0.331 sq mi (0.86 km2)

Woodland Normanstone is a small, residential neighborhood in Northwest Washington, D.C., adjoining the larger neighborhoods of Woodley Park, Massachusetts Avenue Heights, and Observatory Circle.

The Woodland Normanstone neighborhood is bounded on by Garfield Street to the north, Cleveland Avenue and Calvert Street to the northeast, 28th Street to the east, Rock Creek Park to the southeast, Massachusetts Avenue to the southwest, and 34th Street to the west.[1] It is served by the Woodley Park Metro station on the Washington Metro Red Line.

Woodland Normanstone Neighborhood Association, established in 1989, represents the neighborhood.[2] [3] There are no commercial businesses; it is a neighborhood of detached single-family homes.

Of the 160 houses in the neighborhood, 24 are residences for embassies.[1]

The neighborhood is not well known elsewhere in the city.[4] It is reportedly home to a number of government officials.[4]

History

Woodland Normanstone - 34th St NW and Fullton St NW (September 2020)

In the late 19th century, the land was the home of two farms and some woods and trees.[1]

Following approval by the District Commissioners,[5] Massachusetts Avenue was extended by way of a bridge over Rock Creek in 1904.[6]

In 1910, the 61st Congress allowed an exception to the typical street layout to a little bit of wilderness right in the middle of Washington. By curving around the hills, and by preserving the trees rather than cutting them, the developers created a neighborhood unlike most others in D.C.

A group of real estate investors, called the Massachusetts Heights Company, purchased the 212-acre (0.86 km2) area for over $2,000,000 in 1911.[7] At the time of the sale, the new owners said they wanted to convert the wooded area into a "magical city".[7] The land was developed by Amos H. Plumb and American Security and Trust Company.[8] The developers built wide streets that conformed to the natural hilly topography.[8]

In 1917, the land was sold for several million dollars, which was the largest individual sale of real estate in the District of Columbia at the time.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c MacGraw, Eliza (June 28, 2013). "Where We Live: Woodland Normanstone in Northwest Washington". The Washington Post.
  2. ^ Twomey, Steve (September 30, 1989). "Massachusetts Ave. Heights: Paradise Found". The Washington Post. p. F13. ProQuest 307171884.
  3. ^ Records related to neighborhood overlay and development from the Woodland Normanstone Neighborhood Association, Special Collections Research Center, Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, The George Washington University.
  4. ^ a b Sadon, Rachel (February 5, 2019). "Trump Officials Have Reportedly Retreated To Woodland Normanstone. Uuumm … Where Is That?". DCist. Archived from the original on February 9, 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  5. ^ "Real Estate Market: Importance of the Extension of Massachusetts Avenue". The Washington Post. October 25, 1903. p. D3. ProQuest 144376895.
  6. ^ "Real Estate Market: Important Developments Planned for Rock Creek". The Washington Post. January 10, 1904. p. A3. ProQuest 144466506.
  7. ^ a b "Millions in Realty: Involved in Deal Made Yesterday by Syndicate". The Washington Post. February 4, 1911. p. 1. ProQuest 145083885.
  8. ^ a b c "Record Property Sale: Massachusetts Avenue Heights Bring Millions of Dollars". The Washington Post. April 29, 1917. p. 12. ProQuest 145560584.
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