Twelfth Street YMCA Building facts for kids
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Twelfth Street YMCA Building
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Washington, D.C.
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1816 12th St. NW, Washington, D.C. |
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| Area | .395 acres (1,600 m2) |
| Built | 1908-12 |
| Architect | William Sidney Pittman |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Part of | Greater U Street Historic District (ID93001129) |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003523 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 3, 1983 |
| Designated NHL | October 12, 1994 |
The Twelfth Street YMCA Building, also known as the Anthony Bowen YMCA, holds a special place in history. It was home to the very first African American chapter of the YMCA. This important group was started in 1853 by a man named Anthony Bowen. You can find this historic building at 1816 12th Street NW in the U Street Corridor neighborhood of Washington, D.C..
The building got a new life and reopened on February 20, 2000. It was renamed the Thurgood Marshall Center. This name honors Thurgood Marshall, who was the first African American to serve as a judge on the United States Supreme Court. Today, the Thurgood Marshall Center is a busy community center. It helps people living in the U Street Corridor and Shaw neighborhoods. An important group, the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, was also officially started in the Bowen Room of this building.
The building itself was finished in 1912. It was designed in the Renaissance Revival style. The architect was William Sidney Pittman, who was one of the first African American architects in the United States. He was also the son-in-law of the famous leader Booker T. Washington. Because of its importance, the building was named a National Historic Landmark in 1994. It is also a key part of the Greater U Street Historic District.
Contents
About the Building and Its History
What the Building Looks Like
The Thurgood Marshall Center is on the west side of 12th Street NW. It sits between S and T Streets. It is a big, rectangular building with four stories. It is made of red brick with special trim of limestone and gray brick.
The front of the building has a main entrance in the middle. This entrance has a fancy porch with columns. The bottom floor looks like rough stone, made from gray brick. The upper floors are red brick with gray brick corners. There are also stone bands that separate the floors. The top of the building has a decorative ledge and a low railing. The windows are in pairs and have special stone decorations above them.
The YMCA's Beginnings
The international YMCA organization started in Great Britain in 1844. The first American branch opened in 1851. Just two years later, in 1853, Anthony Bowen started the first African American branch in Washington, D.C. This was only one year after a YMCA branch for white people opened in the city.
In its early years, the organization had money troubles. It wasn't officially a company until 1892. The group moved into its first permanent home on 11th Street in 1891. But they had to sell it later because fewer people were joining.
A New Home and a Famous Donation
After a big effort to get more members, the organization grew stronger. They received a promise of $25,000 from John D. Rockefeller Sr.. This was a huge amount of money at the time. People from across the nation's African American community also raised money to match Rockefeller's donation. This was likely the first time such a big fundraising campaign happened in that community.
The current building was completed in 1912. It was designed by the talented African American architect William Sidney Pittman.
Renaming and Reopening
In 1973, the Twelfth Street YMCA was officially renamed the Anthony Bowen YMCA. This was done to honor its founder. However, the building closed in 1982. This was due to fewer members and high costs to keep the building in good shape.
After being carefully repaired and restored, the building reopened in 2000. It became the Thurgood Marshall Community Center. It continues to serve the community today.
Images for kids
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The historic Twelfth Street YMCA Building, now known as the Thurgood Marshall Center.
