National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-07
HISTORIC HOUSES.
PLACES OF INTEREST TO VISIT.
The Sumner Residenee-Seene OF the Seward Trss.
edy-The Webster Mansion-Nedical Nu.
seum-The Decatur H0me-The Old
Marcy Householder Places.

| Marcy Householder Places.
promised in The REPUBLICAN recently
we subjoin the mention of few of the NOR
prominent and accessible historic houses of Wash
| ington-those which visitors might pass man!
times without knowing the interest that centres il
them from association The Sumner residence
corners in on the Arlington block, seem
ing almost a part of it. The nucleus
of the Arlington Hotel is said to have been the
| residence of Hon. Lewis Cass during his many
| years in Washington. On Fifteenth and "a hal
| street, fronting Lafayette Square, very near the
Arlington, and separated by an alley from the ee
CANT old fashioned residence of Mrs. ogle Tayloe
is large sQuareset brick, painted red, with win
| doWs few and broad, a house not easily mista&a
BILE, IN which Mr.. Seward, Secretary of State, re-
sided, and in which he SO nearly lost his life 81
the hands of assassins the night OF i1ncolns
assassination. The scene of the latter tragedy is
| doubtless well known to most viSitorS-the old
theatre on Tenth street. between and F, now
converted into Medical Museum. Directly op-
posite is the house in which he breathed his last
| dstinguiskable by marble tablet TO that effect
inserted in the front wall. The alley where the
assassin mounted his horse and escaped is on T
street, between Ninth and Tenth.
The house built by John Quincy Adams On his
nom anu SIlll ONlltu
by the Adams family who rarely if ever sell landed
property Is Nos. 1888 and 1885 street. one-half of
which is now the residence of DR.. Dexter Dur
ing his sixteen subsequent years in the House
of Representatives the old man eloquent"
lived here, receiving guests On New
Years as punctiliously as when he was
President, aud here hisremains were brought after
his demise at the Capitol. There were then hand
some grounds around the mansion
The Webster House, now called the Webster
Law building, is on street, the second door from
Sixth. Here Daniel Webster lived during the
period of his greatest renown. The old Unitarian
Church, now the Police Court, at the corner of
Sixth and streets was in its founding literally
contributed to by John Quincy Adams and others
then prominent Itwas designed by Bulfnch, and
was provided with 4 bell of nine hundred pounds
weight, cast by Revere, of Boston. The Foundry
tMethodiSt Church, On G street and Fourteenth,
was built in 1915 and has an interesting history.
st. Johns (EpiseopaU Church, on Lafayette
Square, near Mr.. Corcoran's residence where
several of the older Presidents worshipped, was
consecrated in December, 1S16, and still retains
much of its ancient aspect Near to this, on the
west corner of street and Lafayette Square, is
General Beale's residence, where General Grant is
entertained when he visits Washington. 1t is the
old Decatur mansion, and was built by that officer
mum pilLC IGCcIfcu captures. here
he breathcd his last near the midnight following
his duel with Commodore Barron. No. % Lafay-
ette Square, near General Beales is the old Marcy
house, where that gentleman lived when Secre-
tary Of State, and few doors to the south
of it, in the same row, is a house quantity
frOnted with cream colored tiles. Here Dan
iel Siekles lived at the time he became the slayer
of Philip Barton Key. This tragedy occurred near
the corner of fifteenth and ahalf street and the
Avenue, and Mr. Key, (who was Attorney
General of the District Court, was taken into the
house already mentioned as the Seward house, to
breathe his last 1t was at that time fashionable
club house. The residence of Mr.. Key, the same
to which his remains were conveyed, and from
which the funeral was held, was at No 81 street
in square full of historic interest. Mrs Key had
formerly died in this house, and here also had
lived Francis Key, the author of the Star Spangled
Banner" Standing back in the yard next door is
low, square formed, heavily -corniced house
very bright gray, with very green blinds, where
Generals Schenek and Garfield boarded when they
first dotted the stars of military command and
made their debut in Congress. AT 3I7 very near
the above, DR.. Gamaliel Bailey lived while editor
Of the National Era, in which 81 Uncle Toms Cabin"
first appeared. 1t was a great rallying place for
he staunch Abolitionists. and on Saturday nights
Charles Sumner, Salmon p. Chase. Ben Wade and
lther great names, true to their good cause used
70 congregate at DR.. Bailey's receptions. "Gail |
Hamilton" though then but in her early girlhood
vas much h-prized governess in his family. |
Across the same street. at No. S34, lived Thomas H.
Benton for many years, and here young John c. |
Fremont came by stealth to court the fair |
md plucky Jessie. This part of the city was in
hose days aristocratic centre and it has a fla
'or of quiet g9ntilty still. Trinity Church, a
handsome red stone edifice at the corner of C and
Third streets, the first in the District to be
eized for hospital purposes during the war. At
he City Hall, a block farther up, occurred the
rials of Sickles and John Fl. Surratt, and return
ng to the northwest section Of the city, opposite
he Treasury, and adjoining the Department of
Justice, late the Freedman's Bank is a corner
louse which was General McClellan's headauar-
ers during the war. The Van Ness mansion the
lome of Marcia Burns Van Ness, the daughter and
eress of the original proprietor of Washington, is
t the foot of Seventeenth street, between B and
streets, and the old Octagon House, where the |
White House family removed when that mansion
Tas burned by the British, is at the corner of
Eighteenth street and New York avenue
he Metropolitan Hotel was once known as
Browns Indian Queen HOTEL and was noted
ostelry under that name. At the Washington
louise, corner of Third street and PENNSYLVANIA
venue, Vice President Wilson boarded to the
ast At Nillards Hotel the peace conference of
Sol was held, and at Normleysa a conference of
,ter date 1885, relating to the presidential sue
eSSionr still referred to, par excellence, as "The
iormley's Hotel Conference" At the corner of
econd and streets now owned by Justice Brad
y, was the residence of Stephen A. Douglas and
is beautiful wife.
Capitol Hill has many historic houses and only
few in other parts of the city have been named
1T of the multitude; but limited space forbids
lrther mention.