Embassy of Latvia, Washington, D.C.

Last updated
Studio House
Embassy of Latvia, Washington, D.C..jpg
Location map Washington DC Cleveland Park to Southwest Waterfront.png
Red pog.svg
Location2306 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C.
Coordinates 38°54′42.5″N77°3′4.2″W / 38.911806°N 77.051167°W / 38.911806; -77.051167
Built1902
Architect Waddy Butler Wood
Architectural style Spanish Colonial Revival, Arts and Crafts
NRHP reference No. 95000528
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 27, 1995 [1]
Designated DCIHSDecember 15, 1994

The Embassy of Latvia (historically known as the Alice Pike Barney Studio House or Studio House) in Washington, D.C., is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Latvia to the United States. It is located at 2306 Massachusetts Avenue NW on Embassy Row in the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood. [2]

Contents

The current ambassador is Māris Selga. [3]

Building history

Alice Pike Barney Studio House

Designed by Waddy Butler Wood in 1902, the former studio house of Alice Pike Barney is an example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. [4] It was used by Barney until her death and her daughters Natalie Barney and Laura Dreyfus-Barney held the house until 1961. [5]

Smithsonian Institution

In 1961 the Barney women donated the house to the Smithsonian Institution. In 1976 it was opened as part of the National Museum of American Art to be used as a house museum. After more than 14 years the building had succumbed to significant structural damage. Since it would cost more than $2 million to renovate the house, the building was closed and the building and its furnishings were put up for sale. [5]

The Friends of Alice Pike Barney Studio House was incorporated in 1993 to buy the house and pay for its renovations. Alice Pike Barney: Her Life and Art, written by curator of the house, Jean L. Kling was the subject of a book party to raise funds in 1994. The same year, the association attempted a working relationship with the Smithsonian Institution to preserve the building. Unable to raise sufficient funds, the house was listed for sale by the Smithsonian Institution in 1999 and the following years attempts to have the building zones for use as a School of Arts. Its ownership was passed to the Latvian government in 2001, with the intention of hosting events in memory of Alice Pike Barney and her art. [5]

Embassy of Latvia

The renovated house is used as a residence for the Latvian ambassador and an embassy. [5]

National Register of Historic Places

In addition to being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building is a contributing property to the 'Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District' and Massachusetts Avenue Historic District. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dupont Circle</span> Place in the United States

Dupont Circle is a historic roundabout park and neighborhood of Washington, D.C., located in Northwest D.C. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is bounded approximately by 16th Street NW to the east, 22nd Street NW to the west, M Street NW to the south, and Florida Avenue NW to the north. Much of the neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. However, the local government Advisory Neighborhood Commission and the Dupont Circle Historic District have slightly different boundaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smithsonian Institution Building</span> United States historic place

The Smithsonian Institution Building, more commonly known as the Smithsonian Castle or simply The Castle, is a building on the National Mall housing the Smithsonian Institution's administrative offices and information center. Built as the first Smithsonian museum building, it is constructed of Seneca red sandstone in the Norman Revival style. It was completed in 1855 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embassy Row</span> Informal name for the section of Massachusetts Avenue NW

Embassy Row is the informal name for a section of Northwest Washington, D.C., with a high concentration of embassies, diplomatic missions, and diplomatic residences. It spans Massachusetts Avenue N.W. between 18th and 35th street, bounded by Scott Circle to the south and the United States Naval Observatory to the north; the term is often applied to nearby streets and neighborhoods that also host diplomatic buildings, such as Kalorama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwest (Washington, D.C.)</span> Quadrant in the United States

Northwest is the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and is located north of the National Mall and west of North Capitol Street. It is the largest of the four quadrants of the city, and it includes the central business district, the Federal Triangle, and the museums along the northern side of the National Mall, as well as many of the District's historic neighborhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arts and Industries Building</span> Smithsonian Institution building in Washington, D.C., US

The Arts and Industries Building is the second oldest of the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Initially named the National Museum, it was built to provide the Smithsonian with its first proper facility for public display of its growing collections. The building, designed by architects Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze, opened in 1881, hosting an inaugural ball for President James A. Garfield. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971. After being closed since 2004 for repair and renovation, the building reopened in 2021 with a special exhibition, Futures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renwick Gallery</span> United States historic place

The Renwick Gallery is a branch of the Smithsonian American Art Museum located in Washington, D.C. that displays American craft and decorative arts from the 19th to 21st century. The gallery is housed in a National Historic Landmark building that was opened in 1859 on Pennsylvania Avenue and originally housed the Corcoran Gallery of Art. When it was built in 1859, it was called "the American Louvre", and is now named for its architect James Renwick, Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn Quarter</span> Neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States

Penn Quarter, often referred to as Old Downtown, is a historic neighborhood of Downtown Washington, D.C., located north of Pennsylvania Avenue, in Northwest D.C. Penn Quarter is roughly equivalent to the city's early downtown core near Pennsylvania Avenue and 7th Street NW, Penn Quarter is an entertainment and commercial hub, home to many museums, theaters, cinemas, restaurants, bars, art galleries and retail shops. Landmarks include the Capital One Arena, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Harman Center for the Arts, among others. The area is also home to a popular farmers market and several food, wine, art, and culture focused festivals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheridan Circle</span> Traffic circle in Washington D.C.

Sheridan Circle is a traffic circle and park in the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The traffic circle, one of two in the neighborhood, is the intersection of 23rd Street NW, Massachusetts Avenue NW, and R Street NW. The buildings along this stretch of Massachusetts Avenue NW are part of Embassy Row, which runs from Scott Circle to Observatory Circle. Sheridan Circle is a contributing property to the Massachusetts Avenue Historic District and the Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In addition, the equestrian statue of General Philip Sheridan is 1 of 18 Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C., that were collectively listed on the NRHP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Pike Barney</span> American painter

Alice Pike Barney was an American painter. She was active in Washington, D.C., and worked to make Washington into a center of the arts. Her two daughters were the writer and salon hostess Natalie Clifford Barney and the Baháʼí writer Laura Clifford Barney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Penhallow Henderson</span> American artist

William Penhallow Henderson was an American painter, architect, and furniture designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Evans Hughes House</span> Historic house in Washington, D.C., United States

Charles Evans Hughes House is a historic house at 2223 R Street, NW in the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Built in 1907, it was from 1930 to 1948 the home of Charles Evans Hughes (1862–1948), a prominent Republican politician and from 1930 to 1941 the Chief Justice of the United States. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1972 and is a contributing property to the Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District. It presently serves as the official residence of the Ambassador of Myanmar to the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embassy of North Macedonia, Washington, D.C.</span>

The Embassy of North Macedonia in Washington, D.C., also known as the Moses House, is the diplomatic mission of North Macedonia to the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embassy of Turkey, Washington, D.C.</span> Diplomatic mission of the Republic of Turkey to the United States

The Embassy of Turkey in Washington, D.C. is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Turkey to the United States. It is located at 2525 Massachusetts Avenue, Northwest in the Embassy Row neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equestrian statue of Philip Sheridan (Washington, D.C.)</span> Bronze sculpture by Gutzon Borglum

General Philip Sheridan is a bronze sculpture that honors Civil War general Philip Sheridan. The monument was sculpted by Gutzon Borglum, best known for his design of Mount Rushmore. Dedicated in 1908, dignitaries in attendance at the unveiling ceremony included President Theodore Roosevelt, members of the President's cabinet, high-ranking military officers and veterans from the Civil War and Spanish–American War. The equestrian statue is located in the center of Sheridan Circle in the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The bronze statue, surrounded by a plaza and park, is one of eighteen Civil War monuments in Washington, D.C., which were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The sculpture and surrounding park are owned and maintained by the National Park Service, a federal agency of the Interior Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C.</span> United States historic place

The French ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C. is located at 2221 Kalorama Road, N.W., in the Kalorama neighborhood of northwest Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embassy of Laos, Washington, D.C.</span>

The Embassy of Laos in Washington, D.C. is the Lao People's Democratic Republic's diplomatic mission to the United States. It is located at 2222 S Street N.W. in Washington, D.C.'s Kalorama neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embassy of Mauritania, Washington, D.C.</span> Embassy of Mauritania in the USA

The Embassy of Mauritania in Washington, D.C. is the Islamic Republic of Mauritania's diplomatic mission to the United States. It is located at 2129 Leroy Place N.W. in Washington, D.C.'s Kalorama neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appleton P. Clark Jr.</span> American architect

Appleton Prentiss Clark Jr. was an American architect from Washington, D.C. During his 60-year career, Clark was responsible for designing hundreds of buildings in the Washington area, including homes, hotels, churches, apartments and commercial properties. He is considered one of the city's most prominent and influential architects from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of his designs are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Kent Stoddard</span> American painter

Alice Kent Stoddard (1883–1976) was an American painter of portraits, landscapes, and seascapes. Many of her works, particularly portraits, are in public collections, including University of Pennsylvania's portrait collection, Woodmere Art Museum, and other museums. She lived and painted on Monhegan Island in Maine, an enclave of artists. During World War II, she worked as a combat artist and drafted designs for airplanes. She married late in life to Joseph Pearson, who had been a friend and taught at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District</span> United States historic place

The Sheridan-Kalorama Historic District is a neighborhood and historic district located in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. The boundaries of the historic district include Rock Creek Park to the north and west, P Street to the south, and 22nd Street and Florida Avenue to the east. On the southwestern edge of the neighborhood is a stretch of Embassy Row on Massachusetts Avenue. The other neighborhood and historic district that lies to the east of Sheridan-Kalorama is Kalorama Triangle Historic District. The two neighborhoods are divided by Connecticut Avenue. For many years both neighborhoods were geographically connected before the stretch of Connecticut Avenue was installed towards the Taft Bridge. Often times, both neighborhoods are simply called "Kalorama" or "Kalorama Heights".

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. The Embassy of Latvia. Embassy. Retrieved on 2014-03-10.
  3. "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia: Staff". Mfa.gov.lv. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
  4. 1 2 Alice Pike Barney Studio House Registration Form. National Register of Historic Places. April 27, 1995. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Friends of Alice Pike Barney Studio House. National Museum of Woman in the Arts. Retrieved March 9, 2014. pp. 2-3