Western Bus Garage (WMATA) Washington, D. C.
- Year Built: 1934
- Architect: Arthur B. Heaton, Jr.
- Built By: Samuel J. Prescott Company
Case # 06-03: The Western Bus Garage is one of two known extant bus garages in the District of Columbia built specifically for the storage and servicing of buses.
In 1998 E.H.T. Traceries, Inc. submitted a multi-property nomination for streetcar and bus facilities in the District of Columbia. This comprehensive document details the history of streetcars and buses from the 1862 establishment of the Washington and Georgetown Railway to 1962 when the electric trolleys made their last runs.
The Western Bus Garage’s main facade on 44th Street is built of reinforced concrete, steel and brick in a trapezoidal shape and is given monumental treatment in tapestry brick and limestone. While utilizing modernistic motifs of the 1930s Art Deco/Art Moderne period, this facade might be described as stripped classical in style. The color and texture of the brick create the sense of architectural style.
