National Register of Historic Places

Ammendale Normal Institute

Beltsville, Prince George's County, Maryland
Listed
April 13, 1975
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
75002081

About this property

The Ammendale Normal Institute is a U.S. historic location in Beltsville, Maryland. Bought in 1880, it was a school and novitiate operated by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The Ammendale area is named after the previous owner, Daniel Ammen. Construction of the main building began in 1883 and was completed in 1884 with Thomas C. Kennedy as the leading architect. Also known as "Christian Brothers" and "Ammen Institute," the building had seen several uses over its lifetime. Though it last served as a sort of "retirement home" for aging or retired Brothers; in recent history, it was also used as an active monastery. Peter Boyle is a notable alumnus of what has been described as the monastery's 'boot-camp'. The main building suffered a devastating fire in April, 1998. Its ruins stood until late 2006 when what was left of the building was demolished. Ammendale was one of many historical buildings in the region with valuable real estate that was developed after a fire set to the structure, including Troy Hill (1990), Avondale Mill (1991), St. Mary's College (1997), Henryton State Hospital (2007), (2011) In 2014, NAI Michael placed 8 acres containing the foundation of the Normal Institute and the remaining historic brick barn up for sale. The nearby St. Joseph's Catholic Chapel is a recognized historic site. There is also a parish cemetery and one for the Brothers. St. Joseph's Catholic Chapel, built in 1880, on 20 acres of land for a novitiate plus five acres for the church donated by Admiral Daniel Ammen, from whom the Ammendale name is derived. It is a front-gabled brick chapel with ornate Queen Anne detail. Jigsawn vergeboards adorn the eaves of the principal gable front, the gothic-arch windows are filled with stained glass, and the interior walls and ceilings are sheathed with pressed tin in a pattern of fleurs-de-lis, palmettes, and a rich, multicourse cornice. A large cemetery adjoins the chapel. Media related to Ammendale Normal Institute at Wikimedia Commons U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ammendale Normal Institute Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. MD-974, "Ammendale Normal Institute, 6101 Ammendale Road, Beltsville, Prince George's County, MD", 8 photos, 3 data pages, 1 photo caption page

Location

Beltsville, Prince George's County, Maryland
39.05294, -76.90214

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURERELIGION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

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1.7 mi
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Baltimore-Washington Parkway
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Greenbelt Historic District
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Snow Hill
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Nearby Battles

Battle of Bladensburg (Burning of Washington)
1814Early Republic
7.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ammendale Normal Institute listed on the National Register?

Ammendale Normal Institute was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 13, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Ammendale Normal Institute?

Ammendale Normal Institute is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Ammendale Normal Institute?

The period of significance for Ammendale Normal Institute is recorded as the industrial era.

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