Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-22

k'Pretty Prospect'' and its History
The House Purchased for the Presf.
dent,


One of the pleasantest drives In this vicinity
is out over the fine military road from George
town TO Tenleytown and by the winding coun-
try roads through the beautiful scenery OF Rock
creek valley to Brightwood and the 14th street
road in the return to the city. Any pleasant
evening carriage after carriage may be seen
rolling along these roads, the occupants enjoy
ing the fresh, cool air and the pictureso ne
views which come in sight at every turn. The
beauty of the scenery and the healthfuluess OF
the locality is not a recent discovery, rs any
one can see who glances at the fine old houses
which may be seen along the road, surrounded
with fine lawns and forest trees In fact as
soon as Washington was located, these sites were
taken up by people in some cases OF wealth
who preferred "A residence i'm the country to
one In the city. IL is in this paradise OF SUI
DURHAM homes that the President has selected
his country residence. and the people who
drive out along the Tenleytowu road may
the two-story stone house with its old-fashioned
nip ROOT, nestled among the old forest trees
where the W cooley Lane road intersecis with
the Tenleytown road. The house is now occu-
pied by Mr.. \. r. Green, and il has come 10
him from his grandfather, Uriah Forrest who
In L sSl, purchased a large tract OF land known
as Pretty Prospect. This tract extended down
nearly 10 the city limits, and has since been
very much subdivided. Mr. Forrest WAS a resi-
dent OF Georgetown. aud when the city OF
Washington was laid out he became quite a
large speculator in city lots. During the Revo-
lutionary war he served on Washington's staff
ana Kept up an acquaintance with the
y
he went TO England a commission merchant
for the Maryland tobacco planters and added
materially TO his large fortune On his return
he became interested with Robert Morris, the
hnancier of the Revolution, in his extensive
real estate transactions in this city, and when
that daring speculator went down Mr. Forrest
was submerged in the crash. lie managed To re-
tain a portion OF Pretty Prospect, which he
called Rosedale. The rest he disposed OF 10 his
brother-ln-law, Philip Barton Key, who was the
brother OF Francis Scott Key, the author OF the
star Spangled Banner and the father OF the
Key who was shot in this city by Sickles.
Philip Barton Key called his place Woodley
and erected there IN 1S05 an elegant white
frame house, which cost in those days the en-
orInous sum of 100000.
The house is still standing, and may be seen
by those passing along the Woodley Lane road.
IL is now occupied by CHIEF Engineer Hender-
son, U. >. y. Mr.. Forrest built upon his place,
Rosedaie, frame house, which is still standing,
although much changed and is now occupied by
Two OF Mr.. Green's sisters AT his death the
place was left TO his two sons and two daugh-
ters the latter being Mrs. DIR. Bowie, OF George
town, and Mrs. Green. The sons died without
heirs and the property descended to the two
daughters. In 1865 Rosedale subdivided,
and upon the 2Si2 acres which has just been
purchased Tor the President, for S2I, 800, was
erected a two-story stone house. To the east of
this was another subdivision, consisting of six
teen acres, which belongs to Madame Iturbide,
one OF the daughters Of Mrs. Green, who, some
year ago married Count lturblde, who was then
the minister from Mexico. The son by this
marriage was adopted by King Macmillan,
and in this way became the heir to the throne
OF Mexico before the republic established.
Mrs lturbide and her son now Living in
Mexico.
The house occupied by Mr.. Green. as well as
the grounds, will need some Improvements be-
fore the President can take possession. The
house is already roomy, there being a wide
central hall and rooms each side with
spacious porches 1t is understood that il is the
attention To replace the present high roof with
a nlansard, and at one corner build "A tower from
which view can be had, it is said, Tar down
the river Mount Vernon. The elevation of
the house is 3oo feet above the tide.