Plymouth, The

The Plymouth embodies the distinctive characteristics representative of early apartment houses developed for middle-income residents in Washington, D.C., at the turn of the century. Constructed in 1903, the building was erected during the first great wave of apartment house construction in Washington and is representative of the era, ca. 18901917, in which the apartment house was popularized in America. Of particular importance to the success of the apartment house form during this period was acceptance by the middle class, and The Plymouth is symbolic of this crucial middle-class approval. The significance of the building is heightened by the increasing scarcity of Washington apartment houses of this vintage. The Plymouth's importance also derives from exceptional architectural integrity, making the building a fine example of the NeoClassical Style as it was applied to the apartment house form.