Bunker Hill School
Bunker Hill Elementary School was entered as a historic landmark in the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on April 26, 2012, and listed by the National Register of Historic Places in May, 2014.
The school building is significant as an exemplar of an extensible school of the early 20th century and of the Colonial Revival design concept by Nathan C. Wyeth, third Municipal Architect. Bunker Hill Elementary was completed in 1940 after 15 years of advocacy by the Michigan Park Citizens Association which led a group of Northeast citizens associations in demanding a new school. The new building replaced a two-classroom building constructed in 1911 and remembered fondly by many senior neighborhood residents. Bunker Hill Elementary was named for the road (now Michigan Avenue) that led to the Civil War Fort Bunker Hill. In keeping with the original concept, extensions were added in 1952 and 1967 to accommodate larger number of students.
Approval of Historic Landmark Application 11-20 marked the end of four years of efforts by members and neighbors of the Michigan Park Citizens Association. The goal was to preserve the school building following the February 2008 announcement by DCPS to close Bunker Hill School. Led by Hayden Wentzel and David Conrad, and with the support of School Board member, Mr. Mark Jones, and ANC Commissioner Tim Thomas, the Association researched and applied for historic designation of the exterior of the original, 1940, building facade. MPCA officials Mr. Paul Wood, Mr. David Conrad, Ms. Roxanne Carter and Mr. Hayden Wetzel attended the meeting of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and Zoning Board and testified in support of the application for historic designation.
Bunker Hill School is located at 1401 Michigan Avenue, NE.
