Frelinghuysen University, Former Classroom Building

Frelinghuysen University, Former Classroom Building
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location	1800 Vermont Ave., NW Washington, D.C.
Coordinates	38°54′54″N 77°1′37″W / 38.91500°N 77.02694°WCoordinates: 38°54′54″N 77°1′37″W / 38.91500°N 77.02694°W
Built	1879
Architectural style	Queen Anne
Part of	Greater U Street Historic District[1] (#93001129)
NRHP Reference #	95001228 [2]
Added to NRHP	November 6, 1995

Frelinghuysen University, Former Classroom Building, also known as the Edwin P. Goodwin House, is an historic structure located in the Shaw neighborhood in the Northwest Quadrant of Washington, D.C. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

History

The Washington branch of the Bible Educational Association was established in 1906 at the home of Jesse and Rosetta C. Lawson.^[3] Kelly Miller was chosen to be the president. At the same time they established the Inter-Denominational Bible College and named Jesse Lawson as its president. Frelinghuysen University was founded in 1917 when the two organizations combined. It was named for New Jersey senator Frederick T. Frelinghuysen. He and Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts promoted civil rights during Reconstruction and was Secretary of State during the Chester A. Arthur administration. The school's mission was to provide academic, vocational and religious education for African American working-class adults.^[4] Its programs were held in private homes and businesses throughout Washington until 1921. The Goodwin House served as the school’s first permanent building from 1921 to 1927. It was sold so as to move into a larger facility. The school was accredited starting in 1927 and conferred degrees from then until 1937. After that time Frelinghuysen lost its accreditation and started to decline until it was dissolved in the 1950s.

Architecture

Diller B. Groff built the house in 1879.^[4] It was built for Edwin P. Goodwin, an insurance agent, and his family. The structure is a two-story brick Queen Anne style building. It follows a triangular plan with an octagonal corner tower. Other architectural features include corbelling, patterned slate roof and intricate iron finials.^[4]

References

1. Trieschmann, Laura V.; Sellin, Anne; Callcott, Stephen (November 1998), National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Greater U Street Historic District (PDF), retrieved March 31, 2015.
2. National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
3. "Frelinghuysen University Jesse and Rosetta C. Lawson, African American Heritage Trail". Cultural Tourism DC. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
4. "Frelinghuysen University (Edwin P. Goodwin House)". DC Preservation. Retrieved 2011-11-16.