Tenleytown / Cleveland Park / Cathedral
This evening, we started our walk in Tenleytown and made our way through Cleveland Park to Cathedral Heights and the National Cathedral.
Along the way we passed the oldest house in Tenleytown built in the first years of the 1800s.
We also passed by Hearst Elementary School. Hearst, with just over 300 students, is named for Phoebe Hearst. Hearst (1842-1919) was an American philanthropist, feminist and suffragist. She was married to George Hearst, a wealthy miner (depicted not kindly in the HBO show, Deadwood) who became a U.S. Senator, bringing her to Washington. She was also the mother of William Randolph Hearst, the famous newspaper man. As a philanthropist, she was primarily involved in education. She was a major benefactor of the University of California, Berkeley, serving as its first female regent. She also contributed to the establishment of the National Congress of Mothers which eventually became the National PTA and helped start numerous free kindergartens throughout the United States. Hearst Elementary is not the only local educational link to Hearst. In 1900, she founded the nearby all girls National Cathedral School, which sits opposite the National Cathedral.
We loved this place with its beautiful front door.
It was a perfect time to visit the National Cathedral, glowing in the late afternoon sun.
The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, better known as the Washington National Cathedral is a neo-gothic cathedral of the Episcopal Church. Construction began in 1907 and wasn’t completed until 1990.
On the grounds of the Cathedral is the beautiful Bishop’s garden. It is one of the most tranquil spots in Ward 3.
And a great place to sit and contemplate
The view from the garden to the cathedral is spectacular
There is also a wonderful gazebo with great views and a gorgeous brick tile floor.
Walking back through Cleveland Park we passed by many large and beautiful homes. Here are a few.
Back on Wisconsin Avenue we liked this mid-century modern office building.
Further up Wisconsin Avenue we passed by Sidwell Friends School. Sidwell is a well-regarded private school that has educated the children of many prominent politicians, including a number of Presidents. Both Obama daughters attended the school, as did Chelsea Clinton. It is a quaker school, which we guess, is reflected in the low key school sign in the photo below. The house, itself, known as the Highlands, was built between 1817 and 1827 by the Nourse family, prominent Washingtonians whose friends included Dolly Madison and Thomas Jefferson. Prior to becoming administrative offices for the school, the house was home of a number of Washington high flyers, including Admiral Grayson, President Wilson’s personal doctor, and Allen Dulles, the first Director of the CIA.
Arriving back in Tenleytown, we saw and heard a number of fire trucks heading out with lights flashing and sirens blaring. So by the time we wandered by the back of the Tenleytown Firehouse a minute later, we found it empty and silent.
Walking The District 