National Park Seminary
Encyclopedia
National Park Seminary — later called National Park College — was a private girls' school open from 1894 to 1942. Located in Forest Glen, Maryland
, its name alludes to nearby Rock Creek Park
. The historic campus is to be preserved as the center of a new housing development.
residents. The retreat did not succeed financially, and the property was sold and redeveloped as a finishing school, opening in 1894 with a class of 48 female students. The architecture of the campus remained eclectic and whimsical. In addition to various Victorian styles
, exotic designs included a Dutch windmill
, a Swiss chalet, a Japanese pagoda
, an Italian villa, and an English castle.
Many of these small homes with international designs were built from blueprints obtained by competing sororities from buildings included in the 1892 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The campus also featured covered walkways, outdoor sculptures, and elaborately planned formal gardens. In 1936 it was renamed "National Park College" and its focus was realigned with more modern educational trends; it remained one of the most prestigious women's schools in the country.
, the United States Army
began planning for the medical needs of returning soldiers. In 1942, the property was acquired by Walter Reed Army Hospital
as a medical facility for disabled soldiers, thus closing the college. The Army paid $890,000 for the land and buildings that became the Walter Reed Forest Glen Annex
. The goal was to provide to seriously injured Servicemembers a quiet, green space for rehabilitation and recovery that was within a short drive from the heavily urbanized neighborhood surrounding the U.S. Walter Reed Army Hospital. Following World War II and the Korean War
, the U.S. Army attempted to maintain the space with progressively limited funds; the U.S. Army employed some of the unique sorority houses as base housing for military officers who organized themselves and enlisted soldiers to maintain the Seminary space. Eventually, however, the Army lost sufficient funding from the U.S. Congress during the 1960-1970s to maintain the space and was compelled to declare the property excess, pending transfer to the General Services Administration to find a new owner.
Although the U.S. Army was frequently criticized by local residents during the 1980-1990s for allowing the undeveloped portion of the property to remain economically stagnant, it was largely government ownership that protected the space from over-development. Once relinquished due to base maintenance funding cuts from Congress, the U.S. Army Walter Reed Medical Center ironically lost what once had been a quiet, rehabilitative area for Servicemembers recovering from post-war trauma during the 1940's just as the Iraq War began during 2003. The loss of the Forest Glenn annex as a military medical center for post-war rehab contributed to the necessity of leasing sub-standard space and the subsequent Walter Reed neglect scandal in 2007 that led to firing of the hospital commander and the U.S. Army Surgeon General.
on the National Register of Historic Places
. In the following years, the historical integrity of the property was threatened by neglect and vandalism
. The Greek Revival
Odeon Theater was lost to arson. Local preservation groups took action and "Save Our Seminary" (SOS) was formed in 1988. In the late 1990s, Senator Paul Sarbanes
was instrumental in encouraging the Army to make repairs to some of the buildings, and ultimately in releasing the property for development. With private donations, SOS began an exterior restoration project of the pagoda
in 1999, completed in 2003.
In 2003, a development team led by the Alexander Company began implementing a plan to preserve the campus as the core of a new residential neighborhood. The residential neighborhood as of fall 2009 consists of townhomes, condominiums, and apartments. The townhomes are in a variety of architectural styles from spanish mission to colonial. The apartments, some of which are affordable housing, are located in the main structure. Condominiums are located in several buildings that branch off of the main structure including the Senior House, Senior Annex, and Music Hall. There are also condominiums in the Chapel and Aloha House.
While preserving some of the historic buildings, the Forest Glenn townhouse development in 2003 has fundamentally altered much of the original character of the abandoned Seminary grounds. In the process of rapidly developing the land to take advantage of the United States real estate bubbles of the 2000s, developers cleared old growth forest from the grounds around the abandoned Seminary buildings. Traffic through the area has increased, resulting in elimination of a key green space for the surrounding neighborhoods.
Forest Glen, Maryland
Forest Glen is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The community hosts a U.S. Army installation, the Forest Glen Annex.-Geography:...
, its name alludes to nearby Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park is a large urban natural area with public park facilities that bisects Washington, D.C. The park is administered by the National Park Service.-Rock Creek Park:The main section of the park contains , or , along the Rock Creek Valley...
. The historic campus is to be preserved as the center of a new housing development.
College
The campus began in 1887 as "Ye Forest Inne," a summer vacation retreat for Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
residents. The retreat did not succeed financially, and the property was sold and redeveloped as a finishing school, opening in 1894 with a class of 48 female students. The architecture of the campus remained eclectic and whimsical. In addition to various Victorian styles
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
, exotic designs included a Dutch windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
, a Swiss chalet, a Japanese pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
, an Italian villa, and an English castle.
Many of these small homes with international designs were built from blueprints obtained by competing sororities from buildings included in the 1892 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The campus also featured covered walkways, outdoor sculptures, and elaborately planned formal gardens. In 1936 it was renamed "National Park College" and its focus was realigned with more modern educational trends; it remained one of the most prestigious women's schools in the country.
Walter Reed Forest Glen Annex
With the onset of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
began planning for the medical needs of returning soldiers. In 1942, the property was acquired by Walter Reed Army Hospital
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center was the United States Army's flagship medical center until 2011. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it served more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military...
as a medical facility for disabled soldiers, thus closing the college. The Army paid $890,000 for the land and buildings that became the Walter Reed Forest Glen Annex
Forest Glen Annex
The Forest Glen Annex is a U.S. Army installation in the Forest Glen neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. It is situated between Brookville Road and Linden Lane...
. The goal was to provide to seriously injured Servicemembers a quiet, green space for rehabilitation and recovery that was within a short drive from the heavily urbanized neighborhood surrounding the U.S. Walter Reed Army Hospital. Following World War II and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, the U.S. Army attempted to maintain the space with progressively limited funds; the U.S. Army employed some of the unique sorority houses as base housing for military officers who organized themselves and enlisted soldiers to maintain the Seminary space. Eventually, however, the Army lost sufficient funding from the U.S. Congress during the 1960-1970s to maintain the space and was compelled to declare the property excess, pending transfer to the General Services Administration to find a new owner.
Although the U.S. Army was frequently criticized by local residents during the 1980-1990s for allowing the undeveloped portion of the property to remain economically stagnant, it was largely government ownership that protected the space from over-development. Once relinquished due to base maintenance funding cuts from Congress, the U.S. Army Walter Reed Medical Center ironically lost what once had been a quiet, rehabilitative area for Servicemembers recovering from post-war trauma during the 1940's just as the Iraq War began during 2003. The loss of the Forest Glenn annex as a military medical center for post-war rehab contributed to the necessity of leasing sub-standard space and the subsequent Walter Reed neglect scandal in 2007 that led to firing of the hospital commander and the U.S. Army Surgeon General.
Preservation and Development
On September 14, 1972, a 27 acre (0.11 km²) National Park Seminary Historic District was listed as a national historic districtHistoric district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. In the following years, the historical integrity of the property was threatened by neglect and vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
. The Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
Odeon Theater was lost to arson. Local preservation groups took action and "Save Our Seminary" (SOS) was formed in 1988. In the late 1990s, Senator Paul Sarbanes
Paul Sarbanes
Paul Spyros Sarbanes , a Democrat, is a former United States Senator who represented the state of Maryland. Sarbanes was the longest-serving senator in Maryland history, having served from 1977 until 2007. He did not seek re-election in 2006, when he was succeeded by fellow Democrat Ben Cardin...
was instrumental in encouraging the Army to make repairs to some of the buildings, and ultimately in releasing the property for development. With private donations, SOS began an exterior restoration project of the pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
in 1999, completed in 2003.
In 2003, a development team led by the Alexander Company began implementing a plan to preserve the campus as the core of a new residential neighborhood. The residential neighborhood as of fall 2009 consists of townhomes, condominiums, and apartments. The townhomes are in a variety of architectural styles from spanish mission to colonial. The apartments, some of which are affordable housing, are located in the main structure. Condominiums are located in several buildings that branch off of the main structure including the Senior House, Senior Annex, and Music Hall. There are also condominiums in the Chapel and Aloha House.
While preserving some of the historic buildings, the Forest Glenn townhouse development in 2003 has fundamentally altered much of the original character of the abandoned Seminary grounds. In the process of rapidly developing the land to take advantage of the United States real estate bubbles of the 2000s, developers cleared old growth forest from the grounds around the abandoned Seminary buildings. Traffic through the area has increased, resulting in elimination of a key green space for the surrounding neighborhoods.
External links
- The History and Homes of National Park Seminary
- Save Our Seminary at Forest Glen
- The Seminary at Forest Glen
- National Seminary Geocache page
- Forest Glen Info on eastghost.com and many pictures: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
- National Park Seminary Historic District, Montgomery County, at Maryland Historical Trust