Monroe Courts Historic District

Monroe Courts is a group of 39 two-story brick row houses arranged in four rows along North Nelson and North Monroe streets in Arlington, Virginia. Built in 1938 for middle-class commuters to Washington, D.C., the houses were designed by architect John Cobb for developer Clarence W. Gosnell in a restrained Colonial Revival style. Variety comes from alternating front-gable, false gambrel and false side-gable slate roofs, while door surrounds and symmetrical facades supply the style's character. Some rows have pedimented center houses with blind fanlights. The development matters because row houses were unusual in a suburb of mostly freestanding homes, and Arlington County began prohibiting them through zoning in June 1938, soon after permits were issued here. It remains one of the few such developments in the county. Replacement windows, awnings and rear additions have been made over time, but the original form, scale and materials are largely preserved. Three modern sheds are the only noncontributing resources.