Penrose Historic District facts for kids
|
Penrose Historic District
|
|
 Location in District of Columbia
Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Roughly bounded by Arlington Blvd., S. Courthouse Rd., S. Fillmore St., S. Barton St. S, and Columbia Pike, Arlington, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Area | 125 acres (51 ha) |
| Built | 1882-1943 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000112 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 2004 |
The Penrose Historic District is a special neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia. It's a place where many old buildings, sites, and objects are protected because they are important to history. This district helps us learn about how people lived long ago.
What Makes Penrose a Historic District?
A historic district is like a special zone where old buildings are kept safe. The Penrose Historic District has 486 buildings, 2 sites, and 2 objects that help tell its story. These are called "contributing" items because they add to the area's historical importance.
This neighborhood was created over many years. It started with 12 different land areas that were planned out, or "platted," between 1882 and 1943. This means people divided the land into lots for homes during that time.
A Look at the Homes
The houses in Penrose show different styles from the late 1800s and early 1900s. You can see homes built in a "vernacular" style, which means they were built using local traditions and materials. There are also houses in more specific styles:
- Queen Anne: These homes often have towers, turrets, and decorative details.
- Italianate: Look for low-pitched roofs, wide eaves, and tall, narrow windows.
- Colonial Revival: These houses bring back ideas from early American colonial homes, like simple shapes and classic details.
Many homes in the Penrose Historic District are also "prefabricated kit" or "mail-order" houses. This means people could order all the parts for their house from a catalog, and then build it themselves or hire someone to put it together. It was like getting a giant LEGO set for your home!
Becoming a Protected Place
Because of its unique history and architecture, the Penrose Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. This is a list kept by the United States government. Being on this list means the district is recognized as important to the history of the nation. It helps protect these special places for future generations to enjoy and learn from.
