The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-06

house of worship into playhouse. 1t was
| rebuilt. however and had a prosperous ca
| reer, during the war, which was Disaster
ously closed by the assassination of Pres-
dent Lincoln.
Then there was the Oxford. which was
| erected on The site on which Fords Opera
| House afterward stood the property hay
! ing been previosuly purchased by william,
| L-Wall, under whose management many no.
! table performa sees we're given. Laura
keene, ]. w. WALLACE. jr.. and Edwin For
F.; rest gave their last presentations in this
| city in Walls Opera House, as it was then
: called. This theatre was also burned. and
! on being rebuilt. was rechristened Ford's
taking the name of its lessee.
This city has SEEN a large number of
public halls, which have. in their time
run close competition with the theatres
| Tor patronage. The Iron Hail. one
of the earliest of these, was
over what is now Droop's music
store, on Pennsylvania Avenue, and
| is at present used as a photograph es alb
| lishment. In ante-bellum days many ex-
cellent performances took place here, and
| it was on the boards of this hail that
1 Stuart Robson made his first ambit Gus
| attempts, which are said to have been la
! mentable failures. The hall was afterward
1 altered and became a Tavorite resort for
concert troupes Magician. etc. The gifted
Parepa sang for the first time in Washing
ton in Metzero't Hall as did also Mrs
Seguin, or Zelda Harrison. as she then was
known. Heller. the elder Hermann, and
other professors of the black art drew
large crowds in this hail. During the days
the Territorial Government it was occupied
by the Legislative Assembly, and after
the experience of these feather dCster
statesmen. the old hall was turned over to
business. and has since been occupied by
various photographers.
Forrest Hall in Georgetown is one of the
landmarks Of that once important city. The
date of its birth is said to be lost in the
obscurity of he dim past and 1t is by no
means certain that the strolIing players Of
the last century did not make this their
stopping place.
There were two Odd Fellows Halls. one
on Seventh Street, between and E
Streets, and the other on Eighth Street
southeast This latter hall was for many
years visited By dramatic and musical or
CARNATIONS which were gladly welcomed
by the people of Capitol HILL who in the |
days before even the horse car lghtened I
the journey. felt it quite a trip into the |
city.
The hall on Seventh Street vas for a long
time the principal place for the holding of |
concerts. school exhibitions. light dra-
natic entertainments. etc 1t was the |
distinguished knight of the burnt cork /
made his first bow to a Washington audi |
ence behind the footlights OF Odd Fellows
FALL.
Willa"ds Hall on Street. now demol- |
ISL ed. has been the scene of some notable 4
entertainments. 1t was the favorite place /
for lectures in 1864. During that one sea-
son E. p. Whipple. P. T. Barnum. George
Vandenhoff the elder and others well
known on the platform appeared. The
pianist. Gottschalk. gave his last concert
in this city at Wizards Hall. being assist
ed by Nine. Varnir. Ed Hoffman and Carlo
Patti. the violinisg, a brother of the great
Adalina.
Carroll. Lincoln, Seaton. and Metropoli-
tan Halls are things of the past. In the
first named OF these Charles Dickens read
from his own works during his last visit to
this city. on which occasion the -distin
guished novelist had the large windows of
the hall carefully padded in order that
rome of the sound should be lost. At Lin
coin Hall the beautiful Christine Nilsson
made her first appearance in the National
Capital. The Masonic Temple and Congre-
saticBal Church still remain devoted, at
east in measure. TO their old usages but
he day is probably not far distant when
hey, too. shall disappear.