The morning times., 1896-10-04
"Clifton,' the Country Residence of Ambassador
Patenotre, Just Beyond Georgetown.
GRAND ESTATES OF FAMOUS MEN AND WOMEN
Red Top and Woodley," Where President Cleveland Has
Passed Two Administrations Oaks and
Calumet" Add Beauty to the Sylvan Scene

III would he difficult to find n more de-
lightfui region than the suburbs of Wash
ington from May l to the middle of Oc-
toher. Taking this into account, il is no
surprise TO find many charming homes scat
tered over the heights that surround the
city, especially in the beautiful region of
Rock Creek.
From 'Grasslands," which was Secre-
tary Whitney's country place, he you'd
Georgetown Heights, to the Soldiers Home
on the east, there is as pretty bit of
| rural scenery as is to be found
The lands are well enough cleared for
| all practical purposes, but enough OF the
forest trees remain, crowning the many
| undulating slopes to emphasize its Amer
| icanism.
For many years this incompatible coun-
| tryside wasted its sweetness on the desert
air, as IL were, and 1t was not until tile
first Cleveland administration, when the
President was seeking country home,
that real estate men awoke to the posi-
| bhities of the section.
Rock Creek is 4 meanGcring stream aud
| always had its admirers, who fisaily sue
| ceeded in having n section of country
| through which ii ran set aside for a pub
| lie park, ana the Zoo therein finds a
| home.
CALLED IT RED TOP"
President Cleveland and his then girlish
wife at once felt the charm of those
| heights and he purchased an old farm
| house, fitted it up, painted tie roof red
and dubbed it Red Top
Secretary Whitney moved into Grass
| lands, and two such charming women
Mrs. Cleveland and Mrs. Whitney were
sufficient to draw all the world Of society
wherever they pitched their tents. -
| Syndicatcs proceeded to equip two elec.
tric railway systems, and Fashion followed,
| so that villas and country homes, that
| rivaled city residences in conveniences,
with the added graces OF verdure and shade,
sprung up on every hand.
One who is now a Commissioner OF the
District, George Truesdel, about that time
built an elegant residence on Columbia
ROAD and Nineteenth streetextended Then
that pretty suburban place, Chevy Chase,
also sprung up withna Il few months.
In the meantime, the political whrligig
of politics made another turn, and Mr..
CleTcland found himself in the Presidential
chair again, and in need of a country home,
since he had yielded to the sedUctions OF
the syndicate prices and sold Red Top
whenhe retired from office at the eXpira ton
OF his first term, evidently not expecting
to return as President.
He again sought this beautiful neigh
borhood Tor Il residence, and leased the
fine old historic mansion on the Temple
| estate; and there each season he takes his
family about the time of the blooming of
the first violet on the sunny slopes.
THE BRADLEY ESTATE.
Chevy Chase is the swell suburb of the
| District, and only lacks water view to
| make it perfect The town is located on
what was the estate OF the late Judge
Bradley, one OF Washington's S most emine mt
| Jurists, and withal somewhat eccentric
| and romantic man, for he married for his
second wife Il beautiful woman whom he
had defended, and cleared. from the charge
of murder. His plea was emotional III
sanity" and though she spent several years
in st. Elzabeth's Insane Asylum, she was
sane enough to marry him.
The Chevy Chase Clubhouse occupies the
bradley mansion, and the picturesque old
place is well adapted to the PURPOSE
The estate OF Woodley is about halfway
between the Tenleytown and Chevy Chase
| railways. 1t is surrounded by deep shade
and well aside from the public highway,
rendering its pretty name quite apprc.
pirate
Mrs. Cleveland has great love for
country life, and she spends all the early
spring months at Woodley, but when it
grows too warm for comfort, she gathers
mp the little girls and all their maids and
aud baggage and takes her departure
for "Buzzards Bay" on the Massachusetts
scasoast, where she tarries until frost
drives her back to .'WoodIey" to finish
the season. Mrs. Cleveland is too level
headed to ignore her obligations to So
cety, but she, confessedly, prefers quiet,
domestic life, and is therefore, not at all
anxious about third term"
Opposite "Woodley' is another inter-
! esting double-house-'The Twin Oaks