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Frederick A. Miller House

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Argyle Terrace
1900–1901, Paul Pelz. 2201 Massachusetts Ave. NW
  • (Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)
  • (Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)
  • (Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division)

The building permit for the Miller House, issued on March 27, 1900, stipulated a dwelling and “automobile house.” This small garage, apparently the first in Washington, still stands on 22nd Street and was untouched by the 1984 fire that gutted the main house. Although the exterior of the main house was rebuilt carefully following the original design, the new buff Roman bricks reveal the extent of the damage. Pelz is best known as one of the architects of the Library of Congress. Like it, the stylistic heritage of the Miller House is French, but Renaissance rather than Baroque in inspiration. Although the house is officially on Massachusetts Avenue, Pelz utilized the depth of the corner lot for the main facade, which has additional prominence due to the open street junction just in front. Two conical towers, ornamented by elaborate dormers, flank the imposing entrance that retains its ornate but weathered sandstone porch sculpture and extensive walls of its wide double entry staircase. Buff brick walls complement the richly carved sandstone details. Numerous nautical motifs were used in the decorative elements because Miller was a navy captain.

Writing Credits

Author: 
Pamela Scott and Antoinette J. Lee
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Data

Timeline

  • 1900

    Built

What's Nearby

Headquarters of the National Society, Daughters of the American Colonists
Embassy of United Arab Emirates, Military Department
Embassy of Greece, Commercial Section
American News Women's Club
Permanent Mission of Colombia to the Organization of American States

Citation

Pamela Scott and Antoinette J. Lee, "Frederick A. Miller House", [Washington, District of Columbia], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/DC-01-SK08.

Print Source

Buildings of the District of Columbia, Pamela Scott and Antoinette J. Lee. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993, 342-343.

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