Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-30
wAsHINGTON's HISTORIC HOUSES.
The Effort to Preserve Them and
Properly Mark Them.

Mr. ]. H Hic, cox. writing to The Ameri-
can Geographical Society Bulletin from this
city. says:
THE Memorial Association of the Dis
trict of Columbia he's been recently or
ganized for the purpose % of preserving
the most noteworthy houses at the capital
that have been made historic by the resi-
dence OF the nations greatest men: (2) of
suitably marking. by tablets or otherwise,
the houses and places throughout the city
Of chief interest. The title to any historic
houses or places preserved by the labors of
the association will vest in the United
States.
The first effort Of this association will
be to purchase the house in which Presl-
dent Lincoln died 1t will be restored to
the condition 1t then was. both externally
and Internally The association has a lease
of the premises, with the option of pur-
chase. The house now contains about 900
relics Of Lincoln. Other historic objects
that may be purchased or marked with
tablets are: The first tavern in the District,
located in Georgetown, where Gen. Wash
fngton met the architects. commissioners
and landowners to arrange for the survey
OF the District and the purchase and trans
fer Of the property to the government; the
Octagon House, on 18th street, where Pres
ident Madison resided after the burning of
the White House and where the treaty of
Client was signed. The first dwelling built
on Lafayette Square. The lot was purchas
ed by Commodore Decatur in 1919 who
built on it large mansion. Decatur was
killed In a duel with Commodore Baron in
1870. Subsequent occupants have been
Clay. Van Buren,, Edward Livingston. Sir
Charles Vaughan, Baron de Melville. How
ell Cobb. j. P. Benjamin and John A. and
James @. King. The residence of the poet.
Joel Barlow. Robert Fulton was a fire.
quent visitor at this house. and here began
his experiments in steam navigation on
Rock creek. David Burns cabin and the
Van Ness house, not eXcelled in its day
by any private dwelling in the country.
1t is said to have cost S35.0OO. very large
sum in that day. The bricks for it were
brought from England. The marble man.
tells were sculptured by ThorwaldSen. Mo-
sales were let into the walls, and costly
woods added their share to the general
sunptuousnesS of the place. Burns plan
tation covered the largest portion of the
present business section of Washington,
and descended in 1902 to his only child.
who married Gen. John p. Van Ness, a
Representative in Congress from New
York The house owned and occupied by
Mrs. James Madison. and after her death
by Admiral Charles Wilkes of the famed
exploring expedition" In 1862 1t was the
headquarters of Gen. Mcclellan. John J.
Crittenden occupied IL at one time. and
also Gen. Belknap when Secretary of War.
The mansion occupied by the late Mr..
Blaine, built by Commodore Rodgers. 1t
has been occupied also by Chief Justice
~
Seward resided when the attempt to take
his life was made by Payne. The house
occupied by John G.. Calhoun while he was
Secretary of War under Monroe. situated
on Georgetown Heights, as is also Tudor
Place, built on the plan of the Mount YER
non mansion. and occupied by the grand
daughter of Martha Washington. On the
corner of Both and VI streets was once the
most popular hotel of the first half of the
century. Louis Philippe, Humboldt, Full
ton, TalleyraEd, Irving. John Randolph
were guests there. a prominent florist now
occupies the site. The first school house
In Washington, which was located at the
southeast corner of 18th and G. streets.
Thomas JeffersoC built it for stable when
he was Secretary of State In another
section of the city is a house built and &C.
cupied by Stephen y. Douglas and after
ward by Justice Joseph P. Bradley of the
Supreme Court Near by, the house given
by New York friends to Gen. Grant, where
he lived until he removed to the White
House, when Ii became the home of Gen.
Sherman. The home of the great financier
of the rebellion. Salmon p. Chase, now
club house for wealthy and prominent He
brews. and not far from IL, the last Wash
lngtOn house Of Webster, now used for
law offices.
among the directors of the Memorial
Association are Chief Justice Fuller, Gen.
Schofield. Prof Langley. John Hay, c. G.
Glover and Teunis s. Hamlin. These and
other gentlemen-eighteen in all-are ap-
pointed under a resolution of Congress by
the President, Vice President and the
Speaker Of the House of Representatives"