Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-10
GEORGIA AVENUE.
Protest From East Washington
Against Its Change Of Name.

Protest From East washington
Against Its Change Of Name.
Mr.. Thomas w. Smith, president Of the
East Washington Citizens' Association, has
written letter to Senator Gallinger, chair
man of the committee on the District of
Columbia, protesting against propo1ed leg
islation to change the name of Georgia
avenue and bestowing that name On a
thoroughfare of the northwest section of
the District.
In his letter Mr.. Smith says:
''On behalf of the East washington Citi-
zens' Association and by unanimous reso-
luton Of the executive committee / beg to
record herewith our earnest protest against
that portion of Senate Bill 5,6S6 which
seeks to deprive our Georgia avenue Of it's
time honored name. originally selected by
President George Washington, in the first
plan of the city. and which plan received
the approval of Congress in 1892.
The preliminary plan projected in 1871 by
Maj. Peter Charles L Enfant was super
seded by the official plan prepared by his
successor, Maj. Ellicot, which was formally
approved and ordered to be printed. This Is
generally known as the engraved plan.
Copies of the same were delivered on No
vember Ii. 1892 1t was carefully conceived
under the governing policy that all streets
should be numbered and lettered and all
avenues named after the different states.
The avenues in the southern part of the
city, were consistently named, formally
grouped as follows: Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia and Kentucky. Later on Tennessee
was added. In this manner the thirteen
original states were honored as well as the
two new states Vermont and Kentucky.
which had been subsequently admitted to
the union
This official map carries the names of
these fifteen states and the other avenues
W. loft IN, Pnr
the purpose of honoring other states when
admitted to the union; in accordance with
this plan six unnamed avenues of the city
received the names of Tennessee, Ohio,
Louisiana, Indiana, Maine and Missouri at
later dates. although the streets now
known as Maine avenue and Missouri ave-
nue. were first designated as Maine street
and Missouri street by action of the COM
mon council of the city of Washington.
1T is well known historical fact that
president Washington gave his close per-
sonal attention to every detail in the prepa-
ration of the original plan of the city; the
work was completed under his auspices,
submitted by him as President for the ap-
prevail of Congress, which gave its official
sanction first of the name of the District
or Territory of Columbia, then to the name
OF the city of Washington, and, thirdly, In
dorsed the policy Of honoring the states OF
the Union by comforting their names upon
the avenues. so that the northern states
would be represented in the northern part
OF the city, and the southern states in the
southern section of the city.
THE residents of the eastern section
keeniy feel and apprehend the danger OF
this attempt to undo the noble work of the
past, and are seriously opposed to the in
PRODUCTION Of that vicious French custom
OF changing the names Of the streets of the
city with every change Of administration
or form of government. This scheme, while
popular In France, is un-American; more
over. Will be serious injury to vested
property rights hallowed by time-1I4
years Georgia avenue is noble thorough
fare. 16O feet in width, starting from res
erVation five. on the Potomac river to res
eryatton thirteen, on the Anacostia river
1t possesses great interest to the histori-
cal students, owing to its prominence as a
scene of activity during the war of 1914
The old headquarters of President Madison
and General Winder, Secretary Armstrong,
etc, were located in the brick building,
still In existence. located on the corner of
1ith street and Georgia avenue
Il can assure you 1 voice the sentiments
or every citizen when l plead for retention
or the name of Georgia for our avenue.
and earnestly hope you will not permit this
bill to become law"