Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19
0LD-T|ME BUILDINGS
Theme Discussed by Mr..
Douglas zeVely.
CITY HALL SECTION
PAPER READ BEFORE COLUMBIA
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Residences and Business Houses Lo-
Gated Years Ago on Indiana Aven-
ue and Contiguous Streets.

toriCal Society paper giving an account oil
some of the old houses and buildings in the
vicinity Of the court house and the families
occupying them was read by Mr.. Douglass
Zevely. The author had the advantage in
preparing this account of past recollec-
lions. he was born and reared in that
section of the city. He was also aided by
those whose memories went back farther
then his. His paper. in part, is as follows:
on the southeast corner of Sd and In
diana avenue the father of Mr. w w.
Birth erected in 1880 a one-story gable
roof building for store purposes, and the
son was engaged there in the grocery bust
ness from December 1S4s, until May, 1887.
After he became the owner he changed the
upper part as to make better appear
ance and also made an addition on the
south side for storage purposes. All this
block. bounded by ID Sd and streets and
Indiana avenue. was part of the elder
Births estate. and the eastern part was
occupied for many years by Acker's stone
yard. Soon after the present Mr.. Birth
gave up business the Sd street corner was
sold to Trinity Church parish, and 1t Is
covered now by the parish hall Mr.. Births
father died in 1914 and his venerable son.
born January IL. 1905, IS almost active
today as many men of seventy-five.
Baldwin's Carpenter Shop.
On the northeast corner of Sd street and
Indiana avenue AlmOn Baldwin had car
penter shop. which was built by him about
1876. He had associated with him his three
sons, William, Edward and Clay, all of
whom, as well as the father, are now dead.
This building, though built of wood and
primitive in some respects, was well
equipped with steam power and machine
tools and the firm did very extensive bus
mess In contracts for buildings as well
as general carpenter work. Not many years
after the war it had a more extensive To-
cation in the way Of larger apd modern
buildings on d street between Yst and I'd
After the Baldwin firm left this corner
the late Calderon Carlisle became the
owner of 1t and the ground adjoining on
the Indiana avenue side. The buildings
now there We're erected for MIN, and the
one on the corner, at present occupied
partly by drug store. still belongs to his
estate. These buildings date from 1885.
The row of houses on the north side of
d street. east of Sd, was originally known
as Mechanics Row, the name originating
so / am told, from the fact that several
mechanics started with a combined capital
III the building of them for investment.
Among others who occupied them as far
back as 1880 was Mr. George w. Phillips,
for many years deputy marshal of the Dis
trict. and a wel-known resident Of Wash
ington for fifty years or more up to the
time of his death.
Mr.. Samuel L. Phillips. his eldest SON.
who was born in this city in 1885 and
prominently connected Win the street rail-
way company in horse-car days, tells me
when his father moved into the house
there were no houses on the s0uih side of
ID street in that block. but a deep ravine
supposed to be continuation Of one which
came diagOnally from 18th ard E streets
through to Sd just above D ran through
the block and was used as an open sewer
These houses. built in 1915 or 1916. were
originally two stories and IN attic. With a
basement, but some twenty years ago the
attics were replaced by a fun story.
Mrs Andrew Coyle and Mrs. Alexander
Speir lived In the first house east of Sd
and next door to them the late Otis c.
Wight. father Of our former Commissioner
Mr.. John h Wight. He afterwards lived
on the south side of the street. Il few doors
west of I'd The next house was occupied
from 1850 until after the war by Ala,<ander
w Russell. who has been on the retired
list of the navy with the rank of ray di-
rector since February. 1856 He has had
his home in Philadelphia for many years
and Is still resident Of that city.
Some We1-Known Names.
Mr.. Russell's next door neighbor was the
late Cuthbert F. Wallach. who lived with
his mother-in-law. Mrs. Bean the mother
Of the late Robert BeaIl. who was for many
years engaged in the book and stationery
business on Pennsylvania avenue near 9Th
street, his first business in that line having
been as clerk in the same locality with
Mr. Franck Taylor. Mr.. Walach in 1850
was connected with the marshaIs office
as a deputy. and like his neighbor entered
the pay corps of the navy in June, 1861. AT
the time of his death in May. 1898, Mr. Wal
ZACH had been on the retired list of that
corps with the rank of pay director for ff-
teen years. He was born in the District
July 4. 1877.
Misses Koones' School.
Next TO the house where Mr.. Russell
lived was the home of the Misses Koones.
Na1F 7
for girls there during many years 1t was
the most popular of the kind in this city in
those days. and had for it's patrons the best
families of Washington. The ladies' both
as teachers and otherwise were very high
y esteemed. The Misses Koones continued
10 have their home there for long time at
ter the school was discontinued and We're
sun residents of Washington at the time of
their death.
Three or four doors east from this house
there are TWO old-fashioned English base
IDent houses, in one of which Mr. Charles
Boteler lived He was the original nro-
Prletor OF the glass and china ware bust
ness on PENNSYLVANIA avenue, between 9th
and 10th streets which had been con-
tlnued there for nearly forty years under
the Boteler name. when it was discontinued
three or four years ago. In the other the
late Mr.. William f. Howard lived for thir-
~ years from aboat 1851 or 1852 Mr. How
ard was member of the common council
In 1873. and also served as tax clerk for the
city government in 1853.
Adjoining the house where Mr. Howard
lived is a three-stOry press brick ho3se
which has not been changed to any extent
since II was occupied by the builder, Dr.
W Berry. forty-five years ago.
The Middleton House.
On the northeast corner of Sd and d
streets, with entrance on Sd, there is a
house which has not changed excepting as
TO the entrance, since it was built by the
late James Wesley Middleton In 1881 1t was
his home prior to 1851 or 1852, and NV
father was the next occupant for five or
SIX years. After that IT was occupied by
Mrs Or. Skillman, daughter of Mr.. Mid
dIeton Mr. Middleton was born in Nav
1905. and had been resident of this CITY
Tor more than sixty years at the time of
his death In April. 1880. He will be re-
called as the clerk of the United States
Supreme Court during a long service of
NIFTY years. his first appointment being
as deputy clerk in 1925. His son and name.
sake Is still resident of this city. and he
continues to occupy the old home of his
parents in New Jersey avenue south of the
Capitol grounds.
In 1859. and until after the civil war al
street north from ID to E was all vacant
ground on both sides; also on E from Sd to
ID. The first house built ON either side OF