2520 I STREET NW
Year Built
1911
Click photo below to see full sized image.
D. Vogt, 2022
Documents
History
The south side of the 2500 block of I Street features nine row houses built in 1911 (2512-2528 I St.). Even though these houses have more land than others in the neighborhood, they were built as low-cost housing for working people. The largest group of houses have set backs from the street that allow for a variety of terraced landscaping.
Nos. 2520-2528 were designed by Washington architect N.R. Grimm and built by Charles W. King, Jr. These houses are slightly wider and have slightly more ornate brickwork than Nos. 2512-2518. The covered porch at No. 2520 may not be original to this two-story, three bay first floor, two bay second floor house. The door has a transom and the dentilled wood cornice is shared with No. 2522. The house is 16'4" wide.
Resident/Owner
1870 - Rowser Edinburgh, laborer and Eliza Dorsey, widow (City Directory)
1880 - Dennis Hickey and wife Ellen (both b. 1840, Ireland). He works in the gas house and she is a housekeeper. They have four sons and one daughter. The eldest son was born in Ireland in 1864. The last child is born in 1878 in D.C. (Census)
1914 - Mrs. Annie Thomas
1920 - Thomas Bailey and wife Estelle. Both born in Virginia (1881, 1882) He is a laborer. They have a son and a daughter. (City Directory)
1930 - John T. and Abbie L. Harrod. He was born in D.C. in 1878 and worked as a carpenter and owned the house. She was a salary worker, born in 1881 in West Virginia. Son William H. (b. 1909, D.C.) was a special delivery boy and was involved in a accident while driving the delivery truck. Gwendolyn, worked as a maid (b. 1910, VA) and won a contest for her recipe. They have a son and a grandson living in the house. (Census)
1940 - Abbie L. Harrod is listed as the owner and lives in the house with her grandson, William H. (b. 1929, DC) (City Directory). In 1949 - Odessa Mann who has married James Harrod. who was previously married to Martha in 1935, but they divorce in 1948. (City Directory) In 1960. James is listed as the owner, and the house has a telephone.
1970 - vacant
Recollections
My Grandmother was known n the neighborhood as Mama Carmichael. Our family lived in 2512 around 1918? Until about 1957 or longer. My dad was born in that house in 1920. I was born in 1940 .
Family Matriarch- Eleanora Carmichael. The Carmichael’s Eleanora, her dad Anatole (Chalk) McKann- he didn’t live there-came to visit - Grandad Alonzo. (in photo -- Left front row Roland - my dad, Lloyd and Alonzo.
Dorothy Carmichael- lived there Bill Minor lived in both 2518 and 2520 I St. My sister Shelia Carmichael came over every summer. Lived across town with my Dad and his wife. Excerpt from email to Raj N, 2021
Source Material
Boyds City Directory, 1914
EHT Traceries, historic area house survey, 1983
FBA History Project, "Rows with Spacious Front Gardens." Clio: Your Guide to History. https://theclio.com/tour/2098/10
Street view (D. Vogt, May 2022)
2400-2402 I St (summer, prior to 2015) (Ellie Becker Collection, DC Hist Center)