Logan Circle in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Honest Labor
A Fitting Tribute
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For 65 years, Louise Hand Laundry occupied what is now a private residence at 1405 12th Street, across the street. Founder Margaret Nicodemus built this building for her successful six-year-old business in 1918. Known for handling delicate and expensive fabrics, the laundry became an institution. The White House sent its French embroidered curtains here for cleaning. The Smithsonian trusted the Louise with garments belonging to John Quincy Adams, and Mount Vernon sent George Washington's bedspread. One employee recalled, "the proudest days of my life were when I was washing President Kennedy's clothes." the plant's dedicated second owner, Beulah Hall, led employees in prayer each morning until her retirement at age 87 in 1977, when the laundry closed.
As the black and white middle classes moved to the suburbs in the 1950s and '60s, this area's handsome but declining buildings drew attention from the fledgling historic preservation movement. Architect Francis D. Lethbridge led the Joint Committee on Landmarks in identifying DC structures and places worth saving. When the list included Logan Circle's houses, they began
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After Louise Hand Laundry closed in 1977, its open, industrial space appealed to architect Robert Lewis and artist Sanford Shapiro. Through what is now known as "adaptive reuse," they created elegant, modern living and working spaces inside the former laundry.
Erected 2012 by Cultural Tourism DC; Logan Circle Community Association; Events DC; District Department of Transportation; U.S. Department of Transportation. (Marker Number 8.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers • Women. In addition, it is included in the Logan Circle Heritage Trail series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1405.
Location. 38° 54.575′ N, 77° 1.689′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: John Logan Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); When Gordon Met Ella (about 300 feet away); Major General John A. Logan (about 400 feet away); If These Mansions Could Talk (about 400 feet away); Logan Circle, Just Ahead (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named Logan Circle (about 500 feet away); Old Korean Legation in Washington, D.C. (about 500 feet away); The Old Korean Legation in Washington D.C. (about 600 feet
Other markers no longer nearby. A Neighborhood Reborn (was about 500 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Old Korean Legation Museum (was about 500 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on July 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 24, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 135 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 24, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
