Built By Women
Historic Patterson estate— designed by a woman—hosts traveling exhibit
On the heels of International Women’s Day—and just in time for the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment—Maryland’s Jefferson Patterson Park is showcasing the accomplishments of women in the building industry.
The traveling exhibit Built by Women comes to the Park & Museum in St. Leonard March 13 through June 24. The exhibit celebrates the contributions of women in fields related to building: Architecture, engineering and construction.
More than 30 winning sites of a juried competition will be featured. Sites are located in and around the Washington, D.C. region where women were directly responsible for leading the design or construction of the project.
First seen at the National Building Museum in 2016, the traveling exhibit has visited the University of DC, Howard University and Catholic University.
Maryland’s choice for where to showcase it fits in well.
The exhibit is on display on the first floor of The Patterson House, designed and built by Gertrude Sawyer one of the earliest female architects to practice in the state. She worked on the Colonial Revival-style home from 1932 to 1934.
During your tour of the exhibit, look for some of the features Sawyer incorporated into the house, including a formal pillared entry and classical moldings.
The house sits surrounded by gardens designed by Rose Greely, a landscape architect who was the first female licensed architect in Washington, D.C.
The free exhibit is open Wednesdays and Saturdays March 13—June 24 from 1-4pm. Special showings are available by request. www.jefpat.maryland.gov