Home > Maryland > Silver Spring > National Park Seminary, American Bungalow, 2885 Dewitt Circle, Silver Spring, Montgomery County, MD
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Item Title
National Park Seminary, American Bungalow, 2885 Dewitt Circle, Silver Spring, Montgomery County, MD
Location2885 Dewitt Circle,
Silver Spring, MD
Find maps of Silver Spring, MD
Created/Published
Documentation compiled after 1933.
Notes
Survey number HABS MD-1109-H
Building/structure dates:
1898 initial construction
Building/structure dates:
1919 subsequent work
Significance: The American bungalow is one of five buildings erected during the Cassedy's first year of construction in 1898. It was the first of eight sorority houses on campus. It was the home of the Alpha Epsilon Pi sorority. Its shingle siding, broad overhanging roof, wide veranda and central dormer exemplifies the bungalow style of architecture. The bungalow was a popular form of suburban architecture from the 1890s through the early twentieth century. Because of its ubiquitous presence, it became an emblem of the American home. Judging by the great wealth of the NPS students, this modest dwelling were probably not going to be their future house design. They were like playhouses on the NPS campus. They were idyllic representations of home in which the young women perfected their domestic skills. Their small scale and prototypical suburban house and garden designs added essential domestic elements to the large academic institution whose primary aim was to train young women to be ideal mothers and wives. They were constructed in a variety of eclectic designs. Most styles highlighted the innate, natural qualities of the building materials and were intended to blend well with the natural surroundings. The American bungalow was the most conventional of all the sorority houses built on the NPS campus.
Subjects
EducationOfficers' QuartersDomestic Life
Related Names
Alpha Epsilon Pi Sorority
Cassedy, John Irving A.
Ott, Cynthia, Historian
Boucher, Jack, Photographer
Collection
Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)
Contents
Photograph caption(s):
Perspective view of the west (front) elevation looking from DeWitt Circle
Closer view looking to the southwest corner
West (front) elevation, with scale
Detail view of the porch to show windows, with scale
Perspective view of the south elevation looking from the southwest
South elevation, with scale
Interior view, view looking from the up stairs to fireplace (west to east)
Interior view, perspective from stair landing
Interior view, detail view to show stone fireplace, with scale
Interior view, detail view to show balusters, handrail, and turned post of stair, with scale
Interior view, perspective view looking from the northeast corner
Interior view, upper floor looking north to window with transom
Interior view, main floor southeast corner
Interior view, basement view looking to stair
Copy image of "The Bungalow Club" (NPS year book, p. 32)
Perspective view looking from the southwest, close to that shown in MD-1109-H-15
Copy image of the "Roadway between Main and Alpha" (NPS view book, p. 24)
Perspective view from DeWitt Circle to approximate that seen in MD-1109-H-17
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