- State:
- WASHINGTON-DC
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Tennis Courts, Lodges, Ranger Stations and Visitor Centers, Paths and Trails, Playgrounds, Athletic Courts and Fields
- New Deal Agencies:
- Public Works Administration (PWA), Public Works Funding, Work Relief Programs, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Works Progress Administration (WPA)
- Started:
- 1935
- Completed:
- 1936
- Designer:
- Thomas Chalmers Vint
- Quality of Information:
- Very Good
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
Palisades Playground and Park was developed by New Deal agencies in the mid-1930s. The field house was built with Public Works Administration (PWA) funds in 1936. That same year, the Washington Post reported that Works Progress Administration (WPA) workers had been hired by the District for rehabilitation and improvement of the park. In addition, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) also did work on Palisades Playground, according tothe Historic American Buildings Survey of CCC activity around Washington.
Palisades Playground and Park contains tennis courts, a soccer field, basketball court, skate spot, baseball field, and play areas, plus a notable field house on the southeastern portion of the property.
The field house is a Colonial Revival building, one-and-one-half-story, three-part, and side-gabled. Its design draws inspiration from the field house type developed by Municipal Architect Albert Harris in 1931 for Mitchell Park, but in this case National Park Service architect and landscape architect Thomas Vint greatly enlarged the structure, creating a unique design reminiscent of vernacular domestic architecture. The field house is built of red brick and includes second floor dormers on the eastern wing.
The site also includes the remains of three original fire grates and four park benches placed to provide a scenic overlook of the Potomac Gorge below. (Boese 2015)
Source notes
“Ickes Will be Asked to Approve Contract.” The Evening Star, Nov. 28, 1935, p. C-2.
“Ickes Loses Fight on Pan-American Union Structure.” The Evening Star, Feb. 1, 1936, p. A-16.
Howard F. Wentworth, “Authorities justify million expended on district parks,” Washington Post, June 7, 1936, p. X7
“New Field House is City’s Model.” The Evening Star, Feb. 28, 1937, p. D-4.
“600 Relief Workers To Get Park Places,” Washington Star, May 23, 1937.
Kent Boese, unpublished historic landmark nomination for the site, submitted 2015
Site originally submitted by Kent Boese on March 1, 2015.
Additional contributions by Brent McKee - wpatoday.org.
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