Robert Simpson Woodward House
Description and history
The Robert Simpson Woodward House is located a short way north of Scott Circle, on the east side of 16th Street NW between P and Church Streets. It is a four-story brick building with Romanesque styling, and is not of particular architectural significance. Prominent features include hipped dormers with tile roofing, the entrance recessed under a rounded arch, and the right-side curved window bay that extends to the third floor.
The house was built in 1895 and designed by William M. Conley. Robert Simson Woodward lived in this house from 1904 to 1914. He apparently moved frequently in his lifetime, and this building is one of his longest residencies. A native of Michigan, Woodward studied civil engineering at the University of Michigan before landing a job at the United States Geological Survey. In a long and distinguished career, Woodward made substantive contributions to the fields of astronomy, mathematics, surveying, and geology. He was also known as an effective administrator, serving as dean of the Columbia University School of Pure Science before becoming the first head of the Carnegie Institution in 1903.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in the District of Columbia
- National Register of Historic Places listings in the upper NW Quadrant of Washington, D.C.