Brooks Mansion is a
Greek Revival
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...
plantation house and Category II Landmark owned by the District of Columbia government. It is located at 901 Newton Street,
Northeast, Washington, D.C.
Northeast (NE or N.E.) is the northeastern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It encompasses the area located north of East Capitol Street and east of North Capitol Street.
Geography
Northeast includes the 35 neighbor ...
, in the
Brookland neighborhood, next to the
Brookland–CUA (WMATA station).
History
The house was built around 1840 by Col.
Jehiel Brooks Colonel Jehiel Brooks (April 8, 1797 Albans, Vermont - February 6, 1886) was a soldier, territorial governor, and plantation owner.
Life
He was First Lieutenant, in the First Regiment of Infantry with the Ohio Militia, in the War of 1812.
He came ...
, a veteran of the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
who married Ann Margaret Queen, daughter of One of the largest landowners in the District of Columbia. After returning from the
Red River Indian Agency, they lived on a 246-acre plantation that they dubbed Bellair.
In 1887, the house and land were sold to an Ida U. Marshall, who sold to Benjamin F. Leighton and Richard E. Pairo. They subdivided Bellair, and developed the suburb of Brookland. The mansion house and 2 acres were sold to Elizabeth Varney, who operated a boarding house.
In 1891, the
Marist Brothers bought the Brooks mansion.
Three years later, they added a wing to the house. Eventually, they sold the house to the Benedictine Sisters.
In 1905, the Benedictine Sisters of Elizabeth, New Jersey moved to the Brooks Mansion. In 1906, they founded St. Anthony's Academy for young children, and operated a shelter for women.
In 1911, the
Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Roman Catholic research university in Washington, D.C. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by U.S. ...
began educating the sisters at the mansion.
In 1928, women were admitted to Catholic University of America, and the mansion became
St. Anthony's High School.
Public ownership
In 1970,
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA ), commonly referred to as Metro, is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington metropolitan area. WMATA was created by the United States Con ...
bought the mansion. It was listed in the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
on July 17, 1975. It was bought by the DC government in 1979, and is used by the Public Access Corporation for the District of Columbia (DCTV). It was named as an endangered place by the D.C. Preservation League in 1999.
See also
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington, D.C.
References
External links
http://brooklandavenue.com/blog/?p=687
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brooks Mansion
Brookland (Washington, D.C.)
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
Houses completed in 1840
Houses in Washington, D.C.
Greek Revival houses in Washington, D.C.
Plantation houses in Washington, D.C.