Rooms With a View

Rooms With a View (HM1RBG)

Location: Washington, DC 20009
Buy District Of Columbia State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 38° 54.84', W 77° 2.303'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 522 views
Inscription

Roads to Diversity

— Adams-Morgan Heritage Trail —

This hill, with its sweeping views of Washington and the Potomac, has tantalized visionaries since the 1800s. But few of their plans have been built.In 1873 businessman and city commissioner Thomas P. Morgan (whose name survives as part of Adams-Morgan) created Oak Lawn, a four-story, Second Empire mansion, where the upper edge of the Washington Hilton sits today. Oak Lawn honored the property's 400-year-old "Treaty Oak," said to be the site of treaty negotiations between English settlers and Native Americans. Over time the property appealed to George Washington University, the Grand Lodge of Masons, and even controversial modern architect Frank Lloyd Wright. But the university and the Masons couldn't raise needed funds, and Wright's elaborate scheme for "Crystal Heights" - 21 glass towers with apartments, hotel rooms, theater, restaurants, stores, 1,500 parking spaces, and roof-top gardens cascading down the hill - was rejected by city officials.Morgan's house remained until 1952, when it was razed. The Treaty Oak was thoughtlessly cut down a year later. Finally, in 1965 the Washington Hilton opened here. It became a noted Washington venue for conventions, inaugural balls, and political speeches. On March 30, 1981, the entrance behind you was the location of John Hinckley, Jr.'s attempt to assassinate President Ronald Reagan.To your right is the former site of Gunston Hall School, which educated young women here from 1906 until 1942. Margaret Truman, daughter of President Harry S. Truman, was a graduate.Captions:Oak Lawn mansion, built by Thomas Morgan, with the Treaty Oak at left.The Historical Society of Washington, D.C.Frank Lloyd Wright presents plans for Crystal Heights.One of Gunston Hall School's four buildings.Members of the Gunston Hall School Camera Club.Reverse:Caption:Oak Lawn estate, cleared for development.1955. Washington Division, D.C. Public Library.The Adams Morgan story begins with its breezy hilltop location, prized by Native Americans, colonial settlers, freedom seekers, powerful Washingtonians, working people, and immigrants alike. Unlike most close-in neighborhoods, Adams Morgan has never been dominated by any of these groups. Today's rich diversity is the legacy of each group that has passed through.
Follow the 18 signs of the Roads to Diversity: Adams Morgan Heritage Trail to discover the personalities and forces that shaped a community once known simply as "18th and Columbia." Along the way, you'll learn how school desegregation led to the name Adams Morgan, and you'll meet presidents and paupers, natives and immigrants, artists, activists and authors.Roads to Diversity: Adam Morgan Heritage Trail, a booklet capturing the trail's highlights, is available at local businesses. To learn about other DC neighborhoods, check out City Within a City: Greater U Street Heritage Trail, beginning at 16th and U streets, and visit: www.CulturalTourismDC.orgRoads to Diversity is dedicated to the memory of Carolyn Llorente (1937-2003).List of contributors and producers
Details
HM NumberHM1RBG
Marker Number14
Placed ByCultural Tourism DC
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Tuesday, March 29th, 2016 at 1:01pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 323271 N 4309208
Decimal Degrees38.91400000, -77.03838333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 38° 54.84', W 77° 2.303'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds38° 54' 50.4" N, 77° 2' 18.18" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)202
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling West
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 1739-1799 17th St NW, Washington DC 20009, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. This markers needs some tags to help categorize the marker
  3. What historical period does the marker represent?
  4. What historical place does the marker represent?
  5. What type of marker is it?
  6. What class is the marker?
  7. What style is the marker?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. This marker needs at least one picture.
  10. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  11. Is the marker in the median?