The morning times., 1896-07-19
ON THEKEY MANs|0A's SITE
Hotel to Be Made of the ''Star
Spangled Banners" Home.
IS A HOUSE OF HISTORY
There the Author of the Famous song
Lived and In Its Day the Old Home
Has Sheltered the Greatest Men of
Revolutionary Times-Win Not BE
Destroyed.

BY tue Immortal author or tae " Star Span
| gicd Banner will soon have disappeared
as a picturesque reminder OF the olden time.
1t Is proposed to transform the historic
| building into a hotel as modern in style
and appointment as the mansion Was con-
| servative and ancient in purpose and ap-
pearance.
Plans have just been prepared for the re-
construction and enlargement OF the build
ing and tile WORK wilfbe pushe ed on rapidly.
The Key mansion stands on the south
side OF the street in Georgeto wn and is num-
bvred 351S, being nearly opposite the new
depot of the Capital Traction Company.
TIE upper part or TN house has remainedun-
occupied for years, one of the trout rooms
on the first floor being, however now in use
as an office for the Washington and Airing
ton and Arlington and Fort Myer Rail-
roads.
The mansion and the place are instinct
with interesting history and tradition. The
building was erected early in the eighteenth
century and derives It's maine from the man
who made himself famous as the author
OF the "Star Spangled Banner," and he
was patriot of the old school. Its his
tory is believed to antedatc the Revolution
airy war. There have been entertained
under its hospitable roof some of the great
est men OF those eventful times. Washing
ton and Lafa yette have been its guests,
and other geDerals Of Revolutionary fame
have mude IL their headquarters.
The building is of brick, two and IL half
stories high, with a spacious basement,
and contains number Of well lighted, well
ventilated rooins. The exterior Is not
particularly attractive, yet its singular ''old
time appearance arrests immediate atten-
ton. It's treasures are within. for there
will be found number of ha nds ONE antique
mantels, richly carved doors OF heavy quar-
tered oak, and curnice and wainscpt in
the old English style.
Francis Scott Key lived here, and as
stated. it became famous through the song
which its owner Wrote.
ONCE THE CUMBERLAND HOUSE.
Before the late war the property was
secured from the Key heirs by Joseph
Nicholson, who, before, during and after
the war kept clearinghouse. Nichol
son. the proprietor OF the Cumberland
House, as II was called, was a man deeply
Impressed with the idea that some day
the house would be of great value as
railroad hotel; that a large central depot
would some day be built in its vicinity,
and with that idea in view he spent a
great deal of money in improving the open
lot west OF the mansion, and finally built
thereon a workhouse, which he fitted
up with steam engine and necessary
machinery for railroad work. He in
cluded all the paraphernalia of modern
machine shop. This idea never left the
proprietor of the Cumberland House. and
he died firmly impressed with the idea
that some day his house would be in the
near vicinity of great railroad center.
The warehouse which he built stood
on the site of the brick block which DR..
Ritchie has erected at NJ and Thrt y-sixth
streets.
The Cumberland House years ago was
the central point on the north and east
sides OF the river for those who had to
cross the ferry which was run a short
distance above the place where the Aque-
duct Bridge now stands.
This was long before the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal was built, and gool
deal of its success was brought there by
men connected with that enterprise
The mansion is now owned by DR.. Louis
W. Ritchie of 1883 n street northwest,
and was secured by him from the Nichoi-
son estate four or five years ago. Dr.
Richie evidently knew that the old man.
sion which stood o close to the old
aQueduct was some day to become famo us.
and the prospects are that he was wise in
thinking so.
THE KEY MANSlON.'
The building when entirely completed
will be a handsome structure. The plans
prepared call for an addition on the main
building of two stories, and three stories
more on the one story which stands on
the west ad Joining the main building. This
one story part of the building was used by
Francis Scott Key as an office, and very
little change has been made in it since
he died.
Georgetown now contains population Of
% 900 and IL has not a hotel of any
size whatever. The Key manSionis is LOCI ated
opposite the big Union depot and at a roint
which will be an important railroad center.
Already four roads are terminating there
and the vicinity is recognized as the hveli-
est point of Georgetown's west end.
The remodeled structure will be four
stories high and will be surmounted by
a handsome mansard roof. The new
hotel will have thirty-two bedrooms, a
ladies' pa arlor "a gentlemen's room ism okingl,
a billiar rd parlor, and all the incidental
conveniences of n first-class place. The
appearance of the present Key home will
not be altered any more than is found
absolutely necessary, 1t being the wish
of DIR. L. w. Ritchie, the owner, and
promoter of the project, to preserve the
historical house as far as is consistent with
the improvement. The hotel will be
known as THE Key Mansion
DR.. Richie said last night the work of
reconstructing the old building would
begin in about thirty days and that when
completed the house would be one of which
the neiRhborhood and Georgetown could
feel justly proud.