Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-03
NEAR PATENT OFFICE
Early Days of Locality About
Reservation No. 8.
LOT OWNERS AND LESSEES
Appraised Value Of the Ground in
the Twenties.
sOAPMAKING ONE INDUSTRY
First Settlement on 7th Street,
Stretch to East Being Barren
,. Of improvements.
s0APMAKING ONE INDUSTRY

T. Northeast of reservation No. as
planned by L'Enfant. and designated
by Adams as the location of the Ma
tional Church, on which is the Interior
Department. square 454 was laid of in
the lines .of 9Th. 7th, G. and H streets.
Though eth street was one of the first
streets to be opened, and after the
opening of the Montgomery County
road authorized in 1910 becoming sec
ond only to Pennsylvania avenue as an
important thoroughfare, improvement
was slow. none appearing on the square
till about 1920. The lay of the land be-
ing low. and many lots being 200 feet
deep, doubtless retarded development
and, indeed. from the fact that III early
years leasing preceded conveyance of
actual title, it. would SEEM that the
settlers were inclined to risk little in
permanent investment. Nevertheless. in
the twenties tavern. blacksmIt;i shop
and schoolhouse were on the square.
Twenty-six original lots were plan
ned, the corner lots l. Z. II and -. Is by
$50 feet, and others "a feet front and
some of 213 feet depth. Those in the
west half of the square went 10 David
Burns, the United States retaining the
others. Benjamin Stoddert acquired the
United States lots in 1902. and David
title to IS to 70 for the Tontne COM
pany. The ground was then assessed on
a value of to cents. but no Improve
ments are noted. The southeast portion
lots to 4. % and 20. in 1872 went
to ". Wilcox In 1915 James NJ. VAR
mum had lot on 7th street. and the
wear following Patrick Quigley owned
n portion, the former erecting brick
building and the latter frame. In the
lot to the north CD Patrick Herman
IL nd lrA .oI
known Kiernan's Tavern was located
till the Dos. In 1921 Joseph Yankiman.
or Jackson, colored. leased on lot Il.
corner of eth and II streets. and had
his home there in frame building.
six years later Alexander Talbert had a
lease and some improvement on this lot.
John McAleer in 1922 leased in lot IS.
to the south. and had blacksmith shop
there. In 1926 AbSalOm Wroe leased In
lot IL. and in brick building estab-
wav had lease in lot 10 in 1922. A.
IJI,fchins in lot IL and George Mat
tfngley in 10 and IL. and Ambrose
fWnch in 1927 Charles Burns took a
lease at the corner OF TN ana = SUI Gets
erst and later a dwelling. James D.
smith in 1927 had a lease In ID. and the
foIIowine year Mrs. Susanna Bali one
In 10 and ii. as did Thomas Garner. col
cred In 1928 Mr.. Herman leased the
vart Of lot Z fronting 27h feet en- G
Street east of It'll street for $2f 30 per
YEAR. redeemable at $500
Noted Private School.
In 1921 Aaron Van Coble and Joseph
Rrvan had a lease in lot 10. on II street.
and the next year William Wallace took
the lease, and for thirty years noted
rrivate school was located there.
Thomas Garner, 'colored, leased in lot
=. IN H street, and had a small house
in 1922. and Col. Bomford owned lots
81 and Do. corner of 9th and III streets.
In the twenties the appraised value OF
the ground ranged from 3 to 10 cents per
foot and the improvements were: c.
Burns. $40. lot Z; p. Quigley's heirs. $3.50;
Varnum's heirs, 81, 200, and Burns, n,SOo.