Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington, D.C.

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Clarence Moore House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, District of Columbia
Coordinates: 38°53′34″N 77°5′22″W / 38.89278, -77.08944Coordinates: 38°53′34″N 77°5′22″W / 38.89278, -77.08944
Built/Founded: 1909
Architect: Price & de Sibour
Architectural style(s): Beaux Arts
Added to NRHP: April 03, 1973
NRHP Reference#: 73002076

[1]
Governing body: Private

The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington, D.C., also known as the Clarence Moore House and the Old Canadian Embassy, is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the United States and a contributing property to the Massachusetts Avenue Historic District.[2] The embassy is located at 1746 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C. between Scott Circle and Dupont Circle.[3] Constructed in 1909, the Clarence Moore House is an example of Beaux Arts architecture in blond Roman brick with limestone dressings; it was used by the Canadian government until the 1980s. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1973.[4]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Ownership by the Moores

Clarence Moore, a coal magnate from West Virginia and member of private clubs in Paris and New York City, chose the New York City-based architect Bruce Price and the Washington-based Jules Henri de Sibour to design his home in Washington, D.C.[5] At the time, Sibour was a prominent architect of large residences in Washington, DC, including the Thomas T. Gaff House, Andrew Mellon Building, and the ambassadors' residences of Portugal, France, and Luxembourg.[6] Moore purchased the land from Edward J. Stellwagen for $37,422, and construction began in September 1906 and was completed in 1909.[7][8] Moore only lived in the house for three years. On April 15, 1912, Moore was one of the 1,517 passengers who drowned during the sinking of the RMS Titanic.[9][10] After Moore's death, his widow, Mabelle, remarried and only used the home for diplomatic and social events.[7]

[edit] Canadian embassy

On May 28, 1927, Mabelle sold the home to George V and the government of Canada for $375,000. A portion of the home's furnishings were purchased for an additional $100,000. At the time, Canada's representation to the United States government was still controlled by the United Kingdom. In 1943, the legation was raised to embassy status and Leighton McCarthy became the first Canadian ambassador to the United States. From 1927 until 1946, the Clarence Moore House served as the Canadian chancery as well as the residence of the Canadian Minister, and later the ambassador. In 1946, the ambassador's residence was constructed at 2825 Rock Creek Drive and the Clarence Moore House was then used soley for embassy office space.[7] The government of Canada purchased land on Pennsylvania Avenue in 1978 for $5 million dollars for use as a new embassy location. They continued to use the Clarence Moore House as a chancery until 1988 when they moved to their new location.[10][9]

[edit] Uzbekistan embassy

After diplomatic relations between the United States and Uzbekistan were established on February 19, 1992, the government of Uzbekistan purchased the Clarence Moore House. The new embassy opened in February 1993 and advocates Uzbekistan's political, commercial, and economic interests to the government of the United States.[11][12] The current ambassador of Uzbekistan to the United States is Abdulaziz Kamilov.[13] As of 2008, the value of the Clarence Moore House property is $11,985,600.[14]

[edit] Architecture

Drawing designs by de Sibour of the Clarence Moore House
Drawing designs by de Sibour of the Clarence Moore House

[edit] Exterior design

The Clarence Moore House is a classic example of the Beaux Arts architectural style and features a Louis XV-style exterior. The four-and-one-half story structure includes a basement and comprises brick walls, a concrete floor, and a steel roof. The building measures 79.5 feet (24.2 m) in height and the walls are made of Roman brick. A limestone Tuscan entablature with a bracket cornice separate the third and fourth floors. The building's north entrance on Massachusetts Avenue has a 6 x 6 foot (1.8 x 1.8 m) stoop flanked by limestone balustrades. Above the entrance and ground floor windows are limestone corbels and guttae. The corbels support limestone second floor balconies and a vase balustrade. The third floor balconies are made of limestone and feature cast iron railings. The second, third, and fourth floor window and architraves are set in a quoined limestone ground. Six limestone chimneys, capped with Tusance entablature, are visible from the ground level. Two chimneys are located at the front and back of the house and a chimney is located on the eastern and western sides. The slate mansard roof has a limestone and metal ridge.[7]

[edit] Interior design

Entrance to the Embassy of Uzbekistan
Entrance to the Embassy of Uzbekistan

The home's interior features 16th, 17th, and 18th century French and English details. The building is heated by an oil-burning, hot air furnace and contains an Otis passenger elevator and freight elevator. The passenger elevator is wood-paneled and the freight elevator measures 5 x 4 feet (1.5 x 1.2 m) in diameter. The flooring consists of black and white marble squares and the walls are plastered to simulate limestone. In the back of the house is a five bay entrance hall and staircase. The library entrance is located on the right side of the hallway and two reception rooms and a lavatory are located on the left side. Near the end of the hall are service rooms, service elevator, dining room (now the ambassador's office), and a breakfast room. A lavatory is located beneath the main staircase. At the end of the hall are two parlors and a large drawing room. The second floor contains three bedrooms, two baths, and a service area. One of the bedrooms, the master suite, contains a separate staircase that gives access to the upper floors. The third floor contains bedroom suites and a playroom in the southeast corner. The fourth floor contains additional bedrooms and servants' quarters.[7]

[edit] Popular culture

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2008-06-06).
  2. ^ "Massachusetts Avenue Historic District". National Park Service (2008-06-06).
  3. ^ "Uzbekistan - Country Specific Information". United States Department of State (2007-11-02). Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  4. ^ "District of Columbia - District of Columbia County". National Park Service (2008-06-06).
  5. ^ Evers, Donna. "The Ballad of Chevy Chase". National Park Service. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  6. ^ "Thomas T. Gaff House". embassy.org (1997-08-26). Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Clarence Moore House (Canadian Chancery)". National Park Service. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  8. ^ Williams, Paul (2000), Dupont Circle, Arcadia Publishing, pp. 87, ISBN 0738506338 
  9. ^ a b Moeller, Gerard (2006), AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C., JHU Press, pp. 257, ISBN 0801884683 
  10. ^ a b Gorham, Beth (2008-02-26). "Canadian Embassy in Washington gets facelift for more visitors". Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  11. ^ "About the Embassy". Embassy of Uzbekistan. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  12. ^ Martirosyan, Tigran (2004), Scholars' Guide to Washington, D.C. for Central Asian and Caucasus, M. E. Sharpe, pp. 69, ISBN 0765615797 
  13. ^ "Uzbekistan - His Excellency Abdulaziz Kamilov". The Washington Diplomat. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  14. ^ "Property Detail". Government of Washington, D.C.. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
  15. ^ "Memorable quotes for Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2008-06-06.

[edit] External links

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