O'Dea House (Berwyn Heights, Maryland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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O'Dea House
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O'Dea House, Berwyn Heights, Maryland, December 2008
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 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5804 Ruatan St., Berwyn Heights, Maryland |
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| Built | 1888 |
| Architect | Charlton Heights Improvement Co. |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000899 |
| Added to NRHP | June 04, 1987 |
The O'Dea House is a special old home in Berwyn Heights, Prince George's County, Maryland. It was built way back in 1888. This house is a great example of the Queen Anne style.
One of the coolest parts of the O'Dea House is its three-story tower. This tower has eight sides, making it look very unique! The house also has many different types of decorations on its outside walls.
What Makes the O'Dea House Special?
The O'Dea House is important for two main reasons. First, it shows us how Berwyn Heights grew. This town was first called Charlton Heights. It was one of the first "streetcar suburbs" near Washington, D.C.. A streetcar suburb is a town that grew because people could easily travel to the city using streetcars.
Second, the house is special because of its amazing architecture. It shows off the beautiful Queen Anne style.
How Berwyn Heights Grew
In the 1870s, the area around Washington, D.C., started to grow a lot. More and more people moved to the city. Towns like Berwyn Heights grew bigger as railroads and streetcars made it easier to live outside the city.
The O'Dea House was one of the homes built by a company called the Charlton Heights Improvement Company. They built houses like this to help their new community grow. Many of these company-built homes were ordered from special catalogs or pattern books. These books showed different house designs that people could choose from.
History of the O'Dea House
The O'Dea House was built in 1888. It was designed using a pattern from a book published that same year.
In 1939, a couple named Lawrence and Alice O'Dea bought the house. That's why it's called the O'Dea House today!
The house was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This means it's recognized as an important historic site in the United States.
- O’Dea House, Prince George's County, Inventory No.: PG:67-11, including photo in 1986, at Maryland Historical Trust website
