The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-04-14
Constructed in 1901.


Constructed in 1901.
Several OF the old stone buildings now
] upon the CIoverdale property bear the
/ initials Of Isaac Pierce and the date
( OF their construction in 1901, which was
about the time the United States Gov
! eminent assumed jurisdiction over the
/ District Of Columbia. Perhaps there
are few. II any, homesteads IN the Dis
! trict which have remained so many
years IN one family. This property Is
! near the site OF the new Carnegie In
stitute building. recently purchased from
/ Mr.. Shoemaker. It is only a few min
I utes' walk from Connecticut avenue, the
/ United States Bureau OF Standards. and
/ the site OF the proposed new building for
/ the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
/ The old Pierce Mil. now within
Rock Creek Park, was built by Abner
/ c. Pierce in 1920, and owned by his
nephew. Pierce Shoemaker. at the time
/ Of his death in 1891. about which time It
I was acquired by the United States for
/ the purposes OF the park. Many rare
and handsome trees adorn the place
! Among them are a white pine and a
I shelIbark. now OF immense size, which
We're brought from Pennsylvania by
/ Isaac Pierce In his saddle bags when re-
turning on horseback from a trip there
more than seventy-five years ago.
Land Grants ca Parchment.
Mr.. Shoemaker had In his possession
the old land grants written upon parch-
lnent issued for this property by Eng
/ Ish authority many years before the
Revolution and eountersigned by the
chancellor OF England.
/ The completion Of the Connecticut av-
enue bridge over Rock creek pOrtends
the great future of the territory west
Of Rock creek and along the line OF
| Connecticut avenue which extends from
the best section OF Washington city,
through a part OF the District noted for
its undulaung surface and general at
Effectiveness Connecticut avenue leads
directly 70 Cleveland Park and Chevy
Chase, which are perhaps the most
desirable suburban settlements beyond
the old city.
Congress. at its last session. made pro
vision in part for sewerage facilities ia
that section by the appropriation Of S2S.-
500 for a sewer up the Soapstone valley,
and also the sum OF $1,000 10 commence
the work Of grading and regulating Al
bemarle street east from Connecticut
avenue TO Broad Branch road and Rock
Creek Park. Both of these public i'm
provements have been much needed by
the residents Of that section and they
have beer urged upon Congress for the
past four OF five years.
Improvement Rapidly Following.
The land for this portion of Albemarle
] FtrTT Of nil
and valued at $4,000, has been secured
20 the District of Columbia without ex-
pense, it having been donated by
Louis P Shoemaker. trustee for the
Pierce Shoemaker estate. Private deveI-
| opment and Improvement are rapidly
| following (as It always does in the Dis
tricD, public improvements. This is
| proved by recent sales which have been
| mace and by the homes established in
/ Cleveland Park, Acadia Park, Connect
cut Avenue Highlands, Chevy Chase and
| Connecticut Avenue Terrace
| Already along the line Of Connecticut
avenue IN addition to these subdivis-
ions viii be found the new $4,000 build
ing of the Carnegie Institute of Wash
ington. the United States Bureau OF
Standards, the Army and Navy Prepare
Of Scott Z. Welker on Pierce Mill road
and others.
Holy Cross Sisters to Build
The Sisters Of the Holy Cross, a large
Catholic educational institution located
on Massachusetts, avenue in the city be-
tween Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets
have acquired more than twenty acres
on Pierce Mil road near Connecticut
avenue. and they will soon construct
Thereon a building from plans now being
prepared, at an estimated cost OF
S125, coo
Louis P Shoemaker reports several
recent sales in Acadia near Connecticut
avenue One to Mrs. William Kinds OF
one and one-half acres; acre lots to JOS
eph Ludewig and II. c. Dickinson; two
! acres to Z. H. Ashworth, and one
acre to Jesse II. Crawford. Residences
are being constructed by the purchasers