Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-15
NAMES OF LONG AGO
The Downtown Part Of Washington
in the Forties.
MANY ANDGREAT CHANGES OBSERVED
Landmarks in Trade That Are Now
Forgotten.
QUAINT OLD WAYS THEN

Fifty years ago while to the general
public the term city meant all within the
corporate limits, to the residents it indi-
Gated only the central downtown portion
between the Capitol. Pre- sdent's house,
canal and Northern Liberties. This
section contained the theaters, places of
amusement, many of tie churches and per-
haps seven-eighths of the business houses,
and the streets and avenues were nearly
all improved. at least partially. 1t is inter-
esting to recall the fact that ex-Mayors
Rerret and Emery, Mr.. John W. Thomp-
son, the Willards and some others who
have been prominent in the advancement
of the interests of the city and district
came here in this decade, and naturally they
first located in the city section.
The old Marsh market was regarded as
the central point from which radiated the
business marts-Pennsylvania avenue and
9TH street being the principal ones. ana
three-fourths of the police business was
transacted at the Central guard house. In
wood, coal, lumber and lime much bust
ness was done along the banks OF the
canal. Sailing vessels of fair size, with
canal boats and loEg boats, landed thelr
cargoes on its banks. The bridges, how
ever. prevented sailing vessels from pass
ing up into the town.
The National Theater in the early part
of the 40's was the leading place of amuse-
ment but it was destroyed by fire on the
night of March ;, 1Si5. Other places were
open for the votaries of the play-Carusi s
saloon Apollo Hall, south side of f west
of 18th street; the Adelphi Theater,
PENNSYLVANIA avenue between AZ and 9TH
streets, and the Assembly rooms, on
Louisiana avenue opposite 9Th street. were
used more or less Tor theatrical purposes.
while Jackson Hall. on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. east of Il. street; odd Fellows Hall,
M 81 and the ft1pO0 Hall. Penn
sylvana avenue and AZ street. We're the
favorite ball rooms and concert halls Up
to this decade some of the societies had
used the council chambers at the city hall
for meetings. and among other meeting
halls were Buckinsham's. on c street near
10TH DIR. Towards lecture room. on 1lth
near F street. and a large room in the
second story of Walker and kimmei sta
BILE, on c between Al. and 9Th streets
OId-Tinre Hotels.
But few. II any. of the hotels had been
built for the purpose. In some instances
ten1odeled dwellings were the hotels. The
City Eotel now Wizards, then conducted
by Messrs A. Fuller & Co., consisted of
half a dozen three-story brick dwellings
frontinE thu. avenue west of 14th street. In
the latter part of the 4O's this hotel went
into the hands of the Wizards, Mr.. H. a.
Willard being the manager. the Fullers
locating on the northeast corner OF Penn
SS4NaUi2 dNeDle ara LIN street, iio"
cluded III the Raleigh site. The European
Hotel. afterward the Mansion House, was
a high-toned hosiery in those days. con-
Quoted 10y Gallaburn, Pennsylvania avenue
above lfth street.
The Indian Queen was then the name Of
the Metropolitan. long under the manage
nent of the Browns. and more generally
known by their name. Then. as now. it
was q popular house, particularly with
southern people. The National, at 9Th
street, was popularity known as Coleman's.
Col. S. S. Coleman being the proprietor.
Between Sd ard ~ streets was located the
Urited States Hotel and Gadsbys was on
the northwest corner of Sd street and
Pennsylvania avenue, with the St Charles,
then new house. opposite. on 30 street
opposite b was Beers Temperance Hotel.
The Franklin Coffee House, flvoTite place
for country people. was conducted by Mr..
Thomas Baker. The Columbian, at the
sCuthE-t st corner of Sth and + streets. had
been recently opened by Mr.. ]. II. Eber-
bach
The market south of the avenue between
7th and 9Ih streets, now the Washington
market. was then owned by the corpora
tiCn. tt ere Were two long sheds. each ex-
teEGiHg a square, with fish market ex-
tel cling toward the canal In the center
wa q tUo-storied brick building used by
the Auxiliary Guard Uhe night police force
of fifteen mem, in which was a hall and
cells for prisoners. At the angle formed in
sth street by Pennsylvania and Louisiana
avenues was located the Perseverance en-
CINE house. especially well known to the
boys of that day for the deep-toned bell
on it. which struck the hours during the
night. To boys the o'clock bell was a
warning for all minors unaccompanied by
a responsible grown person, or without
written authority of parent or guardian,
to he indoors by 10 o'clock Those who dis
regarded the warning were liable to be
escorted to their homes by the police or
locked up. On the east side of 14th street
be,Ow the avenue was the engine house
and hall of the Franklin Fire Company.
f1.t 2 n he m ap
Frccman's Eigilant Total Abstinence So
ciety. long presided over by Squire John D.
Clark.
Places of Worship.
The church-going community We're ac-
COMMUNICATIVE Unitarians in what is now
the Police Court building at 9Th and D
streets northwest. The Foundry and Wes-
ley Methodist Societies each had houses of
worship on their present sites. but they
were the old-fashiored chapel with CALLER
les at side and end: long since replaced by
more modern buildings. Epiphany Episco-
pal Church Oh its present site then
much smaller than at present. Trinity
Episcopal Church was in what is now the
Columbia Law building; the present loca-
ton. 81 and streets, not being thought
OF al the time. The Methodist Protestants
were ON oh between F. and F streets. The
First BAPTIST. ther known as PEARSON
Browns" originally at 10Th and / streets,
was then On 10th street between f. and F
streets After removal to 18th street the
building became Ford's Opera House in
which President Lincoln was assassnated
and subsequently was purchased by the
government and used by the surgeon gen
erals office. DIR. @. w. Samson's the e
Street BAPTIST Church. was near 9Th and
smaller and palmer structure than the
present enc. a new site at 1Ith and n
streets has been purchased by this congre-
cation Old St Patricks Church a
modest one-sto-y brick building at the cor
ner OF r and 10th streets was the place of
worship for the CathC iic- who maintained
81 INC cnts Orphan Asylum adjoining the
church on + street. The First Presbyterian
Church had been erected a few years before
on 4l2 above G. street and was an exceed
fnSly plain building.
The patent office building had been erect
ed and occupied. snd the hall fitted I'D and
containing in that day our only museum
IL was a popular place. all visitors being
shown through it. Across + street was a
row OF one-story buildings used for offices.
The Post Oince Department then occupied
less than oIe-half of its present dimen-
sions- This contained about seyenty-dye
rooms on the three floors. The post office
building. outside of the Capitol building
was most admired by the public The for,
ner was regarded as the most imposing