Franklin School
United States historic place in Washington, District of Columbia. Added to the National Register in 1973, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
The Franklin School is a building designed by Adolf Cluss in the German round-arch style, located on Franklin Square at 13th and K Streets in Washington, D.C. It was constructed in 1869 and initially served as a flagship school building. It later took on various other educational roles, and became a homeless shelter in the 2000s. In 2020, it became the location of the Planet Word museum after its interior was largely gutted.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 13th and K Sts., NW., Washington, DC |
| County | District of Columbia |
| Listed | Apr 11, 1973 |
| Listed for | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Reference number | 73002085 |
| Architect | Adolf Cluss |
| Type of place | school building |
| Style | Rundbogenstil |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 13th and K Sts., NW., Washington, DC |
| Coordinates | 38.9021° N, 77.0293° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Washington | 675 listed places in Washington → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Ford's Theatre National Historic Site · under a mile · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Fort Dupont Park Picnic Areas 4 miles · Rock Creek Park Group Picnic Areas (Dc) 4 miles · Greenbelt Park Ranger Station 9 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 8 records ↗
Map
Nearby in District of Columbia
Local history books for Washington
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Guidebooks to historic places in Washington, D.C.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Franklin School listed on the National Register?
Apr 11, 1973. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Who designed Franklin School?
Adolf Cluss, working in the Rundbogenstil style.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Franklin School?
Yes. Franklin School is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Franklin School?
13th and K Sts., NW., Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia. The nearest national park unit is Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, under a mile away.
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Franklin School?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Franklin School?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Franklin School?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Fort Dupont Park Picnic Areas, 4 miles away. Rock Creek Park Group Picnic Areas (Dc) is 4 miles away, and Greenbelt Park Ranger Station is 9 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Franklin School?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 73002085. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.