Gallaudet College Historic District
Florida Ave. and 7th St., NE., Washington, District of Columbia
Map
Coordinates:
+38.90532, -76.9962038°54'19" N, 76°59'46" W
Quadrangle map:Washington East
Description
Founded in 1864 as the National Deaf Mute College, this has been since its inception the only institution of higher learning in America devoted specifically to the education of the deaf; in 1894, the name was changed to Gallaudet in honor of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (1787-1851), founder of the country's first permanent school for the deaf (1817). The college's campus was planned by the firm of Olmsted, Vaux, & Co., who felt that since the students lacked the ability to hear extra care should be taken so that "the senses of sight and smell are gratified in a most complete and innocent way." -- National Historic Landmark statement of significance, December 21, 1965
National Register information
- Status
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966
- Reference number
- 66000856
- Architectural style
- Victorian: Gothic
- Areas of significance
- Education; Architecture; Social History
- Level of significance
- National
- Evaluation criteria
- A - Event; C - Design/Construction
- Property type
- Building
- Historic function
- College
- Current function
- College
- Period of significance
- 1875-1899
- Significant years
- 1867; 1870