The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-03
TNf FIRat MtlNtO OtWfRA
TNe 1rlalm ~ the iVsN Thot Made 9 Washs
iwatsH eatiWa I1guae faWWta

w%lsHfsotos, NAY ~ sHasvey'a,' the
hfthblacc ~ The ateriurd oyster ard en
eatlne hotpe khpwn from ms end ~ the
cpuhtfy ~ tho etheF IL ai1ut Nv ehange
hands. hetrmIy the place was suld and
after 5une I N will h. conducted under rev
ownership and management. On that
date ueorae " Harvey, the present pro-
pfietor will have cofnjicted q half oeutury
In the restaurant husihesa ~ tho national
catital and will retire
The steamed oyster WA the foundation
n tho succeaa ~ iiarvey's. In isSo the late
Thomas NJ Harvey and his brother George
" Harvey tho latter then only ~ years ~
aRe, started q small eatlng houee In an old
blacksmith shop ~ the corner of Eleventh
and q streets. II was directly Opposite the
Carusi Theatre, the then famous playhouse
Of Washington. They remodelled the old
shop and made II an inviting place for the
theatre patrons, 90 whom they catered.
In the CENTRE OF II was q huge iron oaul-
dron In which the oysters were boiled, and
about the sides were booths where customers
were served. When the place was opened
oysters we're not a popular dish In Washing
ton, aud little was known Of them In the
north. One or two boatloads from down
Chesapeake Bay we're sufficient 10 meet
the demands OF the trade. The Harvey
brothers made the oyster popular. When
the war broke out and the capital was filed
with troopers from the North they intro
duced the shellfsh to the boys who had been
brought up on b~uckwheat cakes and pork
and beans. 1t proved the making Of o
fortune.
During the war the Harveys sold fire.
quently 500 boatloads Of oysters q week
and employed 800 men to shuck and prepare
them. Old residents tell of seeing whole
regiments Of the boys in blue lined up in
front Of Harvey's waiting for an oppor-
tunity TO be served with a plate Of oysters.
SO popular did the oysters become that
suffers and purveyors to the army purchased
millions of gallons Of them for the soldiers
in camp
Finally the Harveys began experimenting
with different methods of preparing them
for their patrons and after one process and
another had been tried hit upon the plan
OF steaming them. Every soldier wanted
to get back TO Washington for a plate OF
steamed oysters. The fame of the dish
reached the Cabinet circle, and one day Mrs.
Seward, the wife of the Secretary of State,
ments to have this new delicacy served at
a dinner at which President and Mrs. Lincoln
were to be guests. The dinner was served
at Harvey's and steamed oysters formed
the principal part of the menu. 1t was the
Presidents first introduction to the dish,
and he exacted a promise from his hosts
not to tell how many he ate. That dinner
established a reputation for the steamed
oyster, M it has never grown less.
The fame Of the place has not rested upon
the steamed oyster alone, however. 1t has
enjoyed a reputation for its Cansvasta ck
ducks, d~iamondback terTapin, Holsters
and sea food Of all kinds. For years Mr..
Harvey has given the cuisine, his personal
supervision, particularly when he was to-
mora frequently his patrons in the old days
than recently.
In the days before the war, some OF the
cooks and walters were slaves. The Har-
yeys never owned slaves, but they hired
them from those who were slave owners.
Many Of these old darkies remained with
the establishment after their emancipation
there were half a dozen walters and cooks
who served at the place during the civil
war, and knew all the peculiarities OF the
appetites Of the distinguished men Of that
period. The last Of their legion Is "Old
Randolph" who was retired three months
ago on a pension because of ill health, after
having prepared oysters at Harvey,s
In the service behind the raw" counter
where he has stood for forty years, and
boasts that he has opened more oysters than
any other man living, and that cespite his
age he is willing to enter a contest with any
man for speed. Uncle Bill" has served
the patrons Of the place for thirty years.
and John Is a veteran of more than twenty
Ave and takes pride in the fact that he has
served more distin guished men in his time
tkao o~u otho1 uvaitar in in the country.