Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-18
THE CENTER OF FASHION.
How the Residence Portions OF % Ctty
Change.
THE TENDENCY OF IMPROVEMENT IN THE HIS
TORY OF THIS CrTy-How THE srBusits aRs
BEING LAID OUT AND IMPROVED.

enNnge.
THE TENDENCY OF IMPROVEMENT IL THE Hfs
TORY OF THIS crTy-How THE srBu Rfs Ans
BEING LAID OUT AND IMPROVED.
Those interested I'm the growth and develop.
ment OF this city. whether from a desir. 10 sec
their property enhanced In value or from specu.
lative motives, watch with keen eyes the ten.
denotes towards particular locations or sectious
The advantage OF being able to anticipate hy n
few months or year the direction which real
estate Investments Will take IL fully Appreciated
and so the rather erraiic promptings OF fashion
In localities Is closely watched. But fashion. I'm
this particular. like IL Is in women's dress, for
instance Is subject to all sorts of strange yava
rcs. which make predictions based upon any
thing else than mere chance almost entirely
worthless The history 81 this city affords a
good illustration al the ncklcness of fashion IN
city localities. and So the center OF fashionable
lie has moved early and often. When the
citr was born, i'm 100, there wns n cob
where the arsenal now stands. and these
We're occupied 10y merchants aud wealthy plan
ters, and was PERHAPS ~ thai time the artistic
was established the river trade collected n pop
uiaiion In the vicinity OF Greenlears Point and
Navy Yard. The houses that now remain
standing I'm the midst m decay and ruin show
evidences of the wealth OF the builders. During
the early years OF the present century this was
the fashionable quarter ot the town. aud IL sue
cessfally competed with the vicinity OF the
Capitol and the White House. which was
thought would be the ceniers OF population
The superior attractions of Georgetown made AZ
q more desirable place OF residence. aud the
fashion OF the capital ely migrated across Rock
creek. As the years went on 4 street aud In.
diana avenue became the West End, aud Mis-
souri, avenue was very
STYLISH NErGHBoRHoop
Then the location west OF eth street and south
OF the avenue became popular as place of resi-
dence, and many handsome houses were
erected there. At times Capito Hin bade fair TO
become the center of high life. and while the
hckie Fashion made visits she never remained
there for any great length Of time. IL was
thought by some before the present tendency
towards the West End had manifested itself
that the northeast section would become the
resident portion of the city, and many anxious
10 be there TO meet the rush OF investors bought
large tracts of land. For many years the direc-
tion Of the movement OF wealth and fashion
was extremely uncertain, aud IL wandered
from point to point In very distracting man.
ner. Finally the Inauguration of the era OF i'm
provements and the new life OF the city, which
began In 1871, gave an impetus 10 Inn.
provements which tended 10 the northwest and
this tendency has far remained Unchecked
The growth has been rapid that already
room for future expansion and improvement
is demanded, aud To meet this demand there
mas been subdivision into city lots OF large
tracts of land in the suburbs 10 the north and
northwest 81 the city. An the land lying on
the ridge OF bills which bound the CITY, extend
Ing from 9Th west To the valley OF Rock Creek
has been laid cut into lots and placed ON the
uaTkct. n large mum Ter OF residences have
been erected In these suburbs and IL is pre-
dicted that the future growth OF the fashionable
section oil the city Will cross the boundary and
cover the hills with elegant residences.
THE WATER WORKS ExrENsroN.
The extension OF the water works through
this section. the improvement OF the roads, and
the heathfulncss OF the high ground are some
OF the reasons given for the future growth of
these suburban places. The desirability OF a
country residence I'm this climate has always
haS RAlxxs
trict. In the early years person of any PRONE
thence always had his country place within
easy access Oh the city. and the entire country
dotted with fine residences formerly occupied
by Old and wealthy families. The lay ing out OF
lively recent date. Mount Pleasant was about
the nrst of any importance Of these subdiyi-
s,ons. and this was purchased by Mr.. :: p. Brown
about the year 1871. The owner was Mr.. Seiden
AT one time marshal OF the District, who oc-
cupied "a fine house In the midst Of the one hum
dred acres which constituted this purchase and
which comprises the ground upon which the
village Of Mount Pleasant now stands. Mr.
Brown paid 500 per acre for this land, which
Is now worth between four and five thousand
dollars per acre. Mount Pleasant L. now "A very
pretty village, and the addition each year OF
handsome residences and the improvement OF
the streets add to its attractiyeness as a niaca
OF residence. Another early subdivision was
the land lying on each side Of the 9Th street
road by W. T. Todd, Walter y. Cox and others
Columbia Heights which lies between l4th
and 18th streets and running back To Whitney
avenue, Is another SUBDIVISION which gives
promise OF good future. number of houses
have already been erected there, notably tho
fine stone residence oil Mr.. A. l.. Barber sur.
rounded 10y a handsome lawn.
The old Columbian College property has been
subd1vlded by the owner, Mr.. w. &. Han, and
Its elevated location affords fine building sites
Meridian Hill, Lanier Heights and Washing.
ton Heights, comprise a great part of the land
extending TO the west of 18th street, and run.
hing back TO Mount Pleasant and Rock creek.
THE ROCK CREEK PARK.
The project OF the government purchasing o
portion of the Rock creek valley and turning it
into public park has been frequently spoken
OF, and the beauty OF the scenery and the prox.
unity to the city are features which strongly
recommend this enterprise. The land lying
on each side OF Massachusetts avenue e nded
beyond Rock creek, and known n kaiorama
Heights. has not yet been sub-diyided, but IL 10
probable that this Will soon be offered for sale
lr convenient lots. In addition TO these suburb.
an localities, there are numerous subdivisions
Ing into the city, and number Of
Settlements have sprung up where the
CITY residents spend the summer. On
both the lines of the Metropolitan aud
Baltimore branch OF the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, and on the line or the Pennsylvania
road are country residences and small villages,
while across the river on the Virginia shore
built up by those whose business is in the city.
The tendency towards suburban property is a
prominent feature OF the real estate market in
this city, and while there seems TO be n large
amount of contiguous land available for this
purpose. yet values are increasing all the time
and the progress of improvements, while not
rapid, are steady and continuous.