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Early life

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Horace Whittier Peaslee, Jr. was born November 9, 1884, in Malden Bridge, New York.[1][2] He graduated from Chatham High School in 1902 and attended Cooper Union later that year. In 1906, Peaslee began his studies at Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, and graduated four years later as valedictorian with a major in architecture and a minor in landscape architecture. He completed a one-year fellowship at Cornell in 1912. During his fellowship, Peaslee received an award from the Beaux Arts Society and his design of the Chatham Town Hall was chosen in a competition. His design appeared in an issue of The American Architect in 1913.[1] According to Peaslee, his work on the town hall launched his career.[3]

Career

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Landscape designs and military service

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After his time at Cornell, Peaslee moved to Washington, D.C., where he began working as a landscape designer for the United States Office of Public Buildings and Grounds.[1] He taught landscape architecture as a visiting fellow at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 1914 to 1916.[4] In 1914, Peaslee joined other officials from his office and members of the United States Commission of Fine Arts on a tour of European gardens. Among those on the European trip was landscape architect George Burnap, whom Peaslee greatly admired. They visited France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland, seeking inspiration for planned gardens and parks in the United States. Peaslee studied the details of park designs in Europe, photographing and sketching water features and ornamentations.[1][4][5] At the time, Burnap was designing Meridian Hill Park, an urban park in Washington, D.C., but dropped out of the project in 1917. Peaslee was selected to replace him as lead designer, overseeing the park's construction from 1917 to 1935.[4][5] His work on Meridian Hill Park would become his best known design.[6]

According to Peaslee, "From a beginning as Landscape Architectural Designer in 1915, through successive stages as Landscape Architect, and then Architect of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, and finally as Architect or Consulting Architect in independent practice, I either personally prepared, or directly supervised the preparation of all drawings for the visible con­struction of [Meridian Hill Park] and drafted the specifications covering visible design."[4] He drew inspiration from the Villa Borghese gardens and Villa d'Este in Italy, intending to compliment the Renaissance Revival mansions being built along 16th Street NW.[7] In addition to his work on Meridian Hill Park, in the late 1910s Peaslee designed buildings in East Potomac Park, worked with Burnap to design Montrose Park in Georgetown, and designed the Fort Lincoln Cemetery chapel and gatehouse in Brentwood, Maryland.[8][9][10] He authored eight articles in The Park International in the early 1920s which were focused on park building designs.[2]

During World War I, Peaslee served as a captain in the United States Army Corps of Engineers, designing some of the temporary buildings on the National Mall and barracks at Camp Humphreys in Fairfax County, Virginia. Around this time Peaslee opened his own architectural practice in Washington, D.C. His designs and renovation works included residential, religious, educational, and public properties.[1] One of his early employees was Rose Greely, who would later become the city's first woman to be a licensed architect.[11] Another one of the city's early woman architects, Gertrude Sawyer, worked for Peaslee for around a decade.[12][13]

Residential designs

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Some of Peaslee's early residential designs included a house for Henry Berliner in 1922, located at 2829 Tilden Street NW in the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood, the Colonel William Robert Davis House in 1924, located at 3020 Albemarle Street NW in the Forest Hills neighborhood, 29 and 33 Kalorama Circle NW in 1925, and 3001 Garrison Street NW in 1928, also located in Forest Hills.[1][2][14] The 25-acre (10 ha) estate on Garrison Street NW was the residence of Charles Hook Tompkins, whose construction company built the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and the White House East Wing, and now serves as the Peruvian ambassadorial residence.[15][16] In 1925, Peaslee was hired to combine and expand two properties in Georgetown. The house, located at 3410 Volta Place NW, was expanded again several years later following designs by Greely.[17][18]

In 1925, Peaslee designed a house for Colonel Clarence O. Sherrill at 2440 Kalorama Road NW in Sheridan-Kalorama, incorporating salvaged items from a demolished building. Two years later, Peaslee designed the Dr. W. Calhoun Sterling House, located at 2618 31st Street NW in the Woodland Normanstone neighborhood. He incorporated arches into Sterling's house that were salvaged from the Hay–Adams House, shortly before it was demolished and replaced with the Hay–Adams Hotel. Peaslee also repurposed a door from the Hay-Adams House into a residence he designed at 3014 Woodland Drive NW in 1928, also located in Woodland Normanstone.[1][19]

Although many of Peaslee's residential designs were Colonial Revival, in 1927 he chose Art Deco when designing The Moorings apartment building at 1909 Q Street NW in Dupont Circle.[2][20] From 1931 to 1941, Peaslee worked with Greely and architect Harvey Baxter in designing Colony Hill, a planned community in Washington, D.C., consisting of a few dozen houses. The community's first eleven Colonial Revival houses were designed by Peaslee, some of which were featured in The American Architect, House Beautiful, and Architectural Forum.[1][21] Additional examples of residential buildings Peaslee designed include the house at 417 6th Street SE in Capitol Hill, built in 1937, and three houses in Forest Hills: 4600 Linnean Avenue NW, 3000 Garrison Street NW, and 5020 Linnean Avenue NW, built in 1931, 1938, and 1941, respectively.[2]

School designs

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Peaslee designed buildings for two schools in the Washington, D.C. area. The first was the Maret School when it moved to a new facility in Sheridan-Kalorama in 1923. The former school building located at 2118 Kalorama Road NW now houses the Embassy of Algeria.[14] The second was the Landon School, which had moved in 1936 from 2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW to an estate in Bethesda, Maryland, previously owned by socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean. Peaslee, whose son attended the school, was hired to first restore and expand the estate's Andrews House. During the next three decades, he designed the school's first new building on campus, a gymnasium, and buildings for the lower school, administration, faculty residences, and academic center.[22]

Monument and public art designs

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In 1921, Peaslee designed a pedestal for the Dante Alighieri statue in Meridian Hill Park.[23][24] Several years later, he designed a base for the Noyes Armillary Sphere, also located in Meridian Hill Park.[25] In 1923, Peaslee designed a base for the Edmund Burke statue, located on Massachusetts Avenue NW in Burke Park.[26][27] That same year the Zero Milestone, located in President's Park south of the White House, was dedicated. Peaslee had been chosen to design the monument by Dr. S. M. Johnson, an advocate for the Good Roads Movement.[28][29] Peaslee was one five finalists in a competition to design the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, but architect Lorimer Rich was chosen in 1927.[30]

Peaslee and Nathan C. Wyeth served as associate architects on Frederick H. Brooke's design of the District of Columbia War Memorial, which was built on the National Mall in 1931.[31][32] In the 1950s, Peaslee was chosen to design the Marine Corps War Memorial (more commonly known as the Iwo Jima Memorial) along with sculptor Felix de Weldon, based on the photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima by Joe Rosenthal.[1][33] Peaslee also designed the 7.5-acre (3 ha) surrounding area, including a reviewing stand, pathways, and parking.[6][34] In order to match the 10-foot (0.3 m) base with the volcanic sand color of the large sculpture, Peaslee used black diabase granite from a Swedish quarry, mixing it with black sand and concrete.[6][35][36]

Restorations

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In addition to designing new buildings and landscape work, Peaslee also took part in restoration projects. Working with architect Fiske Kimball from 1928 to 1932, Peaslee's first major renovation project was the headquarters of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, which had purchased Dumbarton House in Georgetown.[1][37] Around this time Peaslee also oversaw exterior and interior renovations of Belle Grove Plantation's manor house near Middletown, Virginia.[38] Additional projects in the 1930s included reconstruction of the original 1676 Maryland State House in St. Mary's City, Maryland, and renovations and additions to the Friendship House in Capitol Hill.[1][39][40]

In the 1950s, Peaslee oversaw restoration of two churches designed by noted architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe: the Christ Church in Capitol Hill, and St. John's Episcopal Church, adjacent to Lafayette Square.[41][42] His work at St. John's included extensive renovations of the recently purchased Ashburton House, which was converted into a parish hall.[5][42] During the same decade Peaslee oversaw the restoration and expansion of the Bowie-Sevier House in Georgetown, and a major renovation project of the Townsend House in Dupont Circle, after it was purchased by the Cosmos Club.[43][44]

Personal life and legacy

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According to architectural historian and author Kim Prothro Williams, Peaslee's "architecture and landscape work and professional and civic activism in the realm of urban planning, historic preservation, and architectural design review has significantly shaped the development of the District of Columbia."[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Architects Bios P-S" (PDF). District of Columbia Office of Planning. pp. 8–13. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Williams, Kim. "Historic Preservation Review Board: 3020 Albemarle Street NW" (PDF). District of Columbia Office of Planning. pp. 2–4. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  3. ^ Krattinger, William E. (May 2015). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Tracy Memorial Village Hall Complex". National Park Service. p. 8. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Horace Peaslee". National Park Service. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Horace W. Peaslee: A Biographical Minute". Landscape Architecture. 9 (4): 257–258. 1959.
  6. ^ a b c "Horace Peaslee, Architect and Landscape Designer". The Evening Star. May 19, 1959. pp. C-9. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  7. ^ Goode, James M. (2003). Capital Losses: A Cultural History of Washington's Destroyed Buildings, Second Edition. Smithsonian. p. 131. ISBN 9781588341051.
  8. ^ "Historic American Buildings Survey: East Potomac Park Golf Course, Field House" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  9. ^ "Montrose Park Cultural Landscape". National Park Service. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  10. ^ Feinberg, Bruce D.; Aleshire, William A.; Sellers, Robert F.; Maher, James (August 15, 1978). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - Fort Lincoln Cemetery" (PDF). National Park Service. pp. 1, 29. Retrieved December 30, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Allaback, Sarah (2008). The First American Women Architects. University of Illinois Press. p. 86. ISBN 9780252033216.
  12. ^ "Sawyer, Gertrude". AIA Baltimore. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  13. ^ "Gertrude Sawyer". United States Commission of Fine Arts. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  14. ^ a b Eig, Emily Hotaling; Mueller Julie (July 1989). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form - Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District" (PDF). District of Columbia Office of Planning. pp. 54–56. Retrieved December 30, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "DC Builders & Developers Directory" (PDF). District of Columbia Office of Planning. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  16. ^ Evers, Donna (January 20, 2012). "Inside Homes: Great Estates". Washington Life. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  17. ^ Orton, Kathy (April 22, 2021). "From humble beginnings, a notable Georgetown house". The Washington Post. ProQuest 2517129364. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  18. ^ "3410 Volta Place NW" (PDF). United States Commission of Fine Arts. p. 4. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  19. ^ Kohler, Sue A.; Carson, Jeffrey R. (1978). Sixteenth Street Architecture Volume 1. United States Commission of Fine Arts. p. 64.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ Striner, Richard; Blair, Melissa (2014). Washington and Baltimore Art Deco: A Design History of Neighboring Cities. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 23. ISBN 9781421411620.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Griffitts, Eric; Hessian, Carleigh (May 10, 2019). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - Colony Hill Historic District" (PDF). District of Columbia Office of Planning. pp. 6, 40–42. Retrieved January 5, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ EHT Traceries (October 9, 2020). "Historical Summary and Evaluation: Landon School" (PDF). Montgomery County Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings. pp. 8–12. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  23. ^ "Historic American Buildings Survey: Meridian Hill Park" (PDF). National Park Service. p. 32. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  24. ^ "Dante Alighieri, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  25. ^ "Noyes Armillary Sphere". National Park Service. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  26. ^ Scott, Gary (October 3, 1977). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - American Revolution Statuary". National Park Service. p. 6. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  27. ^ "Edmund Burke, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  28. ^ Weingroff, Richard F. "Zero Milestone - Washington, D.C." United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  29. ^ "Zero Milestone, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  30. ^ "Historic American Buildings Survey: Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Ampitheater and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" (PDF). Arlington National Cemetery. April 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  31. ^ "District of Columbia War Memorial, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  32. ^ "Historic American Buildings Survey: District of Columbia War Memorial" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  33. ^ "The United States Marine Corps War Memorial, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  34. ^ "U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial". The Cultural Landscape Foundation. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  35. ^ Morris, Roy, Jr. (Spring 2020). "Monument Man". MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History. 32 (3). ProQuest 2357307684.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: year (link)
  36. ^ Leigh, Catesby (October 14, 2006). "A Sculptor's Heroic Effort". The Wall Street Journal. p. 18. ProQuest 399055524. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  37. ^ Snyderman, Lois (May 30, 1990). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - Dumbarton House". National Park Service. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  38. ^ Gentry, John; Vonesh, Sarah; Hessian, Carleigh (August 2020). "National Historic Landmark Nomination Form - Cedar Creek Battlefield and Belle Grove Plantation" (PDF). National Park Service. p. 94. Retrieved December 30, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  39. ^ Heintzelman, Patricia (February 3, 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form - St. Mary's City Historic District" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. p. 7. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  40. ^ Ganschinietz, Suzanne (November 1, 1971). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - Friendship House". National Park Service. p. 19. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  41. ^ Taylor, Nancy C. (May 6, 1969). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form - Christ Church, Washington Parish". National Park Service. p. 5. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  42. ^ a b Moeller, Gerard Martin (2006). AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 162. ISBN 9780801884689.
  43. ^ "Historic American Buildings Survey: Bowie-Sevier House" (PDF). National Park Service. p. 3. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  44. ^ Sibley Jennings Jr., J. L.; Kohler, Sue A.; Carson, Jeffrey R. (1973). Massachusetts Avenue Architecture Volumes 1-2. United States Commission of Fine Arts. pp. 194–196.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peaslee, Horace}} [[Category:1884 births]] [[Category:1959 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century American architects]] [[Category:21st-century American military personnel]] [[Category:American Institute of Architects]] [[Category:American landscape architects]] [[Category:Architects from Washington, D.C.]] [[Category:Cooper Union alumni]] [[Category:Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning alumni]] [[Category:People from Columbia County, New York]] [[Category:United States Army Corps of Engineers personnel]] [[Category:United States Army personnel of World War I]] [[Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty]]

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