W.C. and A.N. Miller
W.C. and A.N. Miller was a privately held Washington-area real estate development group best known for planned residential communities such as Spring Valley and Wesley Heights.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
W.C. and A.N. Miller was a group of related privately held real estate companies associated with the development of prominent residential neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Founded by brothers William Cammack Miller and Allison Nailor Miller, the business grew from small-scale house construction into one of the Washington region's most recognized early twentieth-century developers. The brothers grew up in Cleveland Park and received $2,000 and two vacant lots in Northwest Washington from their mother as an incentive to enter business. Their first known construction project consisted of two brick residences on Kenyon Street in the Pleasant Plains area. In 1912 they formalized their activities through the W.C. & A.N. Miller Development Company. During the company's first decade, it concentrated largely on constructing and selling rowhouses and other residences in Cleveland Park, Woodley Park, Petworth, and nearby neighborhoods. The company's major transition came with its move into planned subdivisions. In 1923 it acquired land for Wesley Heights, a neighborhood whose houses were designed largely by architect Gordon MacNeil. After World War I, land previously used by the U.S. Army and subsequently offered for sale by American University became available. The Millers acquired much of this property and in 1925 began developing Spring Valley as an affluent planned community. Wesley Heights and Spring Valley were influenced by planned communities in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and reflected the company's ambition to create a landscaped, suburban-style residential environment within the Washington metropolitan area. The company was incorporated in 1926. Architecture was an important part of the business model. Edward R. Spano joined the organization as a draftsman in 1929 and later became its chief architect after MacNeil's death, remaining in that role until his own death in 1993. The firm also expanded beyond original homebuilding. After the deaths of its founders, leadership passed through the Miller family, with Allison Miller's son Edward J. "Ted" Miller becoming president and later being succeeded by his son, Edward J. Miller Jr. Over subsequent decades, the organization added real estate brokerage, relocation, home improvement, lending, and commercial and residential property management activities. The company's legacy is also inseparable from its history of racial and religious exclusion. During civil-rights-era hearings, testimony described restrictive covenants in properties controlled by Miller-related companies that barred ownership or occupancy by Black people and people identified as Jewish or belonging to other groups. Such covenants had been rendered legally unenforceable by the United States Supreme Court in 1948, but their historical use remained a subject of public criticism and controversy. The company's past practices were also raised in opposition to the award of a Washington urban-renewal contract to an affiliated company in 1961. Spring Valley later became the site of a separate environmental and legal controversy. Investigations beginning in the 1980s examined whether former military land in the area had been used for wartime disposal of munitions. A pit containing explosives and chemical weapons, including lewisite, was discovered in 1993. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers subsequently undertook a long-running cleanup. The Miller Companies sued the federal government over business-related damage associated with the discovery and received a reported $2.1 million settlement in 1995. In 2007, the company announced the sale of its realty business and affiliated mortgage lender, Greenway Lending Group, to Long & Foster. The available reference material does not establish the precise status of every remaining Miller-related entity after that transaction. Historically, however, the W.C. and A.N. Miller name remains strongly associated with the planning, architecture, and development of several important Washington-area residential communities.
History
William Cammack Miller and Allison Nailor Miller were brothers raised in Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C. Their mother encouraged them to enter business by providing $2,000 and two vacant lots in the Pleasant Plains area. The brothers built two brick houses at 757 and 759 Kenyon Street, N.W., designed by Kendall & Smith, and in 1912 established the W.C. & A.N. Miller Development Company. For roughly the next decade, the firm built and sold residences in Cleveland Park, Woodley Park, Petworth, and other Washington neighborhoods. Much of this early work consisted of rowhouses, which became popular and helped establish the company's reputation. In 1923, the firm began its first major subdivision project at Wesley Heights. Architect Gordon MacNeil, who had joined the organization in 1914, designed many of the neighborhood's buildings. A second major opportunity followed the disposition of land that had been used by the U.S. Army and later sold by American University after World War I. The Miller organization acquired substantial portions of this property and in 1925 began Spring Valley, a planned community aimed at affluent residents. Wesley Heights and Spring Valley drew inspiration from planned communities in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The Millers promoted the concept as a landscaped residential setting and sought to make it a distinctive garden suburb of Washington. The company was incorporated in 1926. Edward R. Spano joined the firm as a draftsman in 1929. Following MacNeil's death, Spano became chief architect and held that position until his death in 1993. The company's work expanded after the founders' deaths. William C. Miller died in 1939, while Allison N. Miller remained active until 1951. Allison's son, Edward J. "Ted" Miller, then became president, followed later by his son Edward J. Miller Jr. Under later generations, the group broadened into real estate sales, relocation, home improvement, lending, and commercial and residential management. The company has a contested civil-rights legacy. Restrictive covenants used in developments controlled by Miller-related companies included exclusions directed at Black people and people identified as Jewish, among other groups. Although the Supreme Court had declared such covenants unenforceable in 1948, their historical use was discussed during 1959 hearings before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Spring Valley was considered particularly significant because of the prominence of many of its residents. The company's past discrimination was also invoked in public opposition to a 1961 urban-renewal contract involving an affiliated company. Spring Valley later became associated with the discovery of military munitions. The U.S. Army and American University investigated the possibility that portions of the area had been used for wartime disposal beginning in 1986, without informing the Miller Companies at that time. In January 1993, a pit near 52nd Court was found to contain high explosives and chemical weapons, including lewisite. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted a cleanup under the Formerly Used Defense Sites program, with work continuing into the early 2000s. The Miller Companies sued the federal government over damage to its business and reached a reported $2.1 million settlement in 1995. In 2007, the company announced that Long & Foster would acquire its realty business and affiliated Greenway Lending Group mortgage lender. The reference material does not provide enough information to determine the status of all Miller-related entities after the sale. The historical brand is principally remembered for its role in shaping several notable Washington-area residential communities.
- 2007
Realty operations sold to Long & Foster
[1]The company announced the sale of its realty business and Greenway Lending Group to Long & Foster.
- 1993
Spring Valley munitions pit discovered
[1]A pit containing explosives and chemical weapons was discovered near 52nd Court in Spring Valley, leading to a major federal cleanup.
- 1951
Family succession
[1]After Allison N. Miller's death, his son Edward J. "Ted" Miller assumed the presidency.
- 1939
Death of William C. Miller
[1]Co-founder William C. Miller died, leaving Allison N. Miller to continue leading the organization.
- 1926
Company incorporated
[1]The development business was incorporated as it expanded its planned-community activities.
- 1925
Spring Valley development begins
[1]The company started Spring Valley on land associated with American University, targeting an affluent residential market.
- 1923
Wesley Heights development begins
[1]The company acquired vacant land and began developing Wesley Heights, its first major planned subdivision.
- 1912
Development company established
[1]William Cammack Miller and Allison Nailor Miller formally organized the W.C. & A.N. Miller Development Company after beginning with small residential construction projects.
Products and positioning
Historically positioned as a high-end Washington metropolitan-area residential developer, with an emphasis on planned communities, architect-designed homes, landscaped settings, and affluent suburban neighborhoods. The group later operated across a broader set of real estate and housing-related services.
Residential subdivision · 1923
Wesley Heights
A planned residential community in Washington, D.C., begun in 1923. The development formed part of the company's effort to adapt garden-suburb and planned-community ideas to the Washington market. Many buildings were designed by Gordon MacNeil, who was associated with the firm from 1914.
Residential subdivision · 1925
Spring Valley
An affluent planned community in Washington, D.C., begun in 1925 on land acquired after property associated with American University and former military use was made available. It became one of the company's best-known developments and later figured prominently in civil-rights controversy and the Spring Valley munitions cleanup.
Residential subdivision
Sumner
A residential community in Bethesda, Maryland, developed after World War II and named for nearby Fort Sumner in what is now Brookmont. It was among the company's principal Maryland projects.
Residential subdivision
Potomac Falls
A residential development in Potomac, Maryland, included among the communities associated with the Miller Companies.
Residential community
American University Park
A Washington, D.C., community listed among the company's development projects.
Residential subdivisions
Other Washington-area developments
The company was also associated with Overlook and Spring Hill in Bethesda, Spring Meadows in Gaithersburg, and Spring Ridge in Vienna, Virginia.
Controversies
1993
Spring Valley military-munitions contamination
A pit containing high explosives and chemical weapons, including lewisite, was discovered in Spring Valley. The discovery prompted a lengthy Army Corps of Engineers cleanup and litigation by the Miller Companies concerning damage to its business.
1959
Restrictive racial and religious covenants
Civil-rights hearings documented restrictive covenants associated with Miller-controlled developments that excluded Black residents and people identified as Jewish or belonging to other specified groups. Although such covenants had been declared unenforceable by the Supreme Court in 1948, the company's historical use of them became a focus of public criticism.
Brand decisions
2007
Sell realty and mortgage operationsM&ABackground
The Miller Companies had expanded beyond development into brokerage, lending, and other real estate services.
Action taken
The company announced the sale of its realty business and affiliated Greenway Lending Group to Long & Foster.
Aftermath
The transaction transferred the identified realty and mortgage operations to Long & Foster; the status of other Miller-related entities is not established by the available material.
1925
Develop Spring Valley for affluent buyersStrategyBackground
Land formerly connected with American University and prior military use became available after World War I.
Action taken
The company acquired land and began Spring Valley as a high-end planned community influenced by Shaker Heights-style suburban planning.
Aftermath
Spring Valley became one of the firm's signature developments and later a major site of historical controversy and environmental remediation.
1923
Move from individual houses into planned subdivisionsStrategyBackground
After roughly a decade focused on building and selling residences and rowhouses, the company sought larger-scale development opportunities.
Action taken
It acquired land and began Wesley Heights, establishing a model based on planned residential communities.
Aftermath
The move helped make the firm one of Washington's most prominent early twentieth-century residential developers.
Recent events
- 2007
Long & Foster acquired Miller realty business and Greenway Lending Group[1]
M&A
The company announced the sale of its realty operations and affiliated mortgage lender Greenway Lending Group to Long & Foster.
- 1995
Spring Valley munitions discovery led to federal cleanup and settlement[1]
Lawsuit · Other
After the discovery of explosive and chemical munitions in Spring Valley, the Miller Companies pursued a claim against the federal government and received a reported $2.1 million settlement.
Sources1 sources
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