This Multiple Property Documentation (MPD) form facilitates the nomination to the registers of houses in Arlington County, Virginia, that represent the modernistic architectural expression known as the Streamline Moderne style as it was interpreted between 1936 and 1945 in this Washington, D.C. suburb. The simplified, yet stylized, design of Streamline Moderne, coupled with its inexpensive construction costs, proved nationally popular in the 1930s and early 1940s. In spite of this being a period of great economic and social instability as the nation emerged from the Great Depression and faced another world war, the Streamline Moderne was designed to convey a sense of movement and speed and of modernity. The style was quickly adapted to transportation forms such as ships, airplanes, automobiles and bicycles. The style also carried over to the design of household products such as toasters, radios, and vacuum cleaners and even to jewelry and clothing. Although a short-lived vogue, Streamline Moderne eventually influenced architectural design, most significantly in urban centers and planned subdivisions throughout the United States.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Programs
DHR has secured permanent legal protection for over 700 historic places - including 15,000 acres of battlefield lands
DHR has erected 2,532 highway markers in every county and city across Virginia
DHR has registered more than 3,317 individual resources and 613 historic districts
DHR has engaged over 450 students in 3 highway marker contests
DHR has stimulated more than $4.2 billion dollars in private investments related to historic tax credit incentives, revitalizing communities of all sizes throughout Virginia