Rock Creek Nature Center and Planetarium, 5200 Glover Road NW, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Significance: Rock Creek Park was established by Congress in 1890. Jurisdiction of the park was transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) in 1933 and, two years later, a small wood-frame caretaker's residence was built in the center of the park. In 1959, the Rock Creek Nature Center and Planetarium was constructed at the site, incorporating elements of the residence. It was built as part of the Mission 66 program, an NPS program undertaken, in part, to upgrade visitor facilities in the national parks across the country. The Nature Center was designed in the International Style modernism popular at the time, by architect William Haussmann of the NPS National Capital Parks Office of Design and Construction. The Nature Center is notable for its V-shaped butterfly roof, and for the use of wood and fieldstone to complement the building's natural setting.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N2241
Survey number: HABS DC-251
Building/structure dates: 1959 Initial Construction