Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-22
IN OLD WASHINGTON
History of Twelve Squares in
Southwest.
DEVELOPMENT WAS SLOW
Backyard Almost Only Sign of I'm
provement for Years.
NOW BUSY SECTION OF CITY
Grazing Furnished for Cattle Until
Late in Last Century-Old
Property Owners.

squares were made III the farming lands
of Motley Young. there was. till within
the recollection of many residents, little
development.
As unpromsng as was this section in
old times for civic purposes. there were
some uses made of II. One or two brick
yards in the southwest portion gave en-
ployment to d number. and, while fur
niShns building material leveled some
of the ground to grade. Some spots were
used Tor farming purposes. but the
larger portion was in the open and fur
ntshed grazing for horse and cow.
1t has, however. shaken Off the lethargy
Of old, and though it can boast of no
lofty, imposing edifices, 1t is now thickly
studded with comfort able homes. stores.
etc. and the long stretches Of open COM
mon are things of the past.
But that there was intention. prior to
1900. to make this section an important
part of Washington is apparent from
some of the squares being plated for
many lots, and the association with the
property of such persons as Greenleaf.
Morris and Nicholson. and Thomas Law.
Property Under Mortgage.
Not little of the realty was under
| mortgage. Much of it was taxed to
Pratt. Francis. Miller ct al. the English
building company and Ball & Ford, the
Philadelphia merchants.
In fact. for fifty years or more it was
an unbrOken common, if we except the
wagon tracks in Az and 9th streets. sepa-
rating the settlement on the point from
those north. Eastward of Sd street was
more common and morass fanking James
creek The whole was nearly level
In square 1863, between 9Th. 9Th. and
II streets. thirty -four lots were made. and
in 1897 they were vested in the United
States. They were included in Greenleafs
purchase Of 1874, and in the early days of
he corporation were assessed to Pratt.
Francis. Miller ct al. first at cents
per foot, and afterward at l cent.
In 1918 Richard Hendley bought six lots.
No real estate dealings followed till 1872,
when Henry NJ. Moffatt bought two lots
on 9Th street. In the meantime the
ground had increased to cents in
value on 18th street, and to 2i2 cents on
the other streets. About the first i'm
provement was the residence of Thomas
Fay 9Th street about 1860.
Square No. 469. between l. n, 9th and
9TH streets Of like plan has a similar
ancient history. Mr.. Hendey was a pur-
chaser in 1918 to the extent of eight lots.
There was no further movement till 1915.
when Samuel Byington. afterward master
smith at the arsenal, bought these lots.
The square south. No. 40, of twenty
eight lots. is duplication of the above in
history till 1874. Then 1t went into the
possession of James Adams, cashier of
the Bank of Washington.
Square No. Al. between Il. L. 9th and
9TH streets. of tWenty-fOur lots. was vest
ed in Mr.. Young in 1907. and early was
included in the 10000 purchase Of Ball
and Ford, in whose possession it re-
| manned many years.
Between Az, 9th. G and III streets TWEEN
ty-eight lots constituted square 497,
which. in 1897, was vested in Mr.. Young.
| For years it was reproductive, save that
| ii was a basis of taxation at a valuation
of to , cents per foot on the bare ground.
In 1914. however Isaac S. Miller bought
| the three lots. IA to 16. including the cor
| ner of 9th and G streets, and erected
home. and for years was prominent in
| that section of the city. Two years after
William Wheatley bought at the north
| east corner of the square. Az and G.
| streets. lots % to %. of which he sold the
corner. lot "a. to Mrs. Jane a. +. Miles.
Shortly after three two-stOry frame
houses were built here.
Square 4!1S was included i'm the Green
leaf contract of 1874, and going to Robert
to Thomas Law. but in the apportionment
was vested in the United States. 1t
was plated for forty-two lots, but sub
| ject to taxes on value of less than =
| per cent for over fifty years. and was
| subjected to no change of title till 1853.
when Dr. c. II. Van Patient and w. r.
Riley broke the spell by buying lots.
Titles Change Often.
| 1t was in square 1919, between AZ 9Th
! I and X streets. that. in the infancy of
| the District there were many changes OF
title. but there was no actual improve
ment. 1t was laid off for twenty-six
lots. which We're assigned to Mr.. Young
in 1897. and shortly after they passed
! i,,tr ,I1a.f ceic
to the ownership Of Samuel Sterrett. AT
hat time the ground was of cents per
foot value and was reduced half cent
at which it remained till 1890
In 1904 j. J. Crawford owned seven
lots. and w. Read three. The next year
c. Poleska and J. Gardner had three.
and the next year ID. Ludlow the same
| number In 1908 J. Leany had three lots,
which went to f. Harper and J. Wadding-
ton, and j. Moyland succeeded to the
Crawford lots. In 1911 the lots of D. Iud-
low We're conveyed to Gullian Ludlow and
the next year the Read lots were in the
| name of r. Dale. BY tax sale w. Insle
| obtained six lots in 1s22 In 1886 r. w.
Ludlow had the three lots owned by d.
Ludlow thirty years before. In 1859
John n Trook owned five lots. and in
1910 III. NJ. Moffatt owned two lots.
Square 900. of forty-three lots. fronting
AZ 9Th. Is and i. streets, was assigned
to the United States. 1t was one of the
Greenleaf squares. and associated with
ii were Law Morris and Nicholson
Joseph Wilkinson and Samuel Elliot jr.
In 1878 Greenleaf owned the north half
of the square, and in 1929 the Bank of
Washington owned ii. The value of the
ground was the same as above. and the
only improvement noted is that of $500
value on lot on l. street between A.
and 9th streets. in the name of John
Lowry on the assessment books of 1905
In 1920 there appears an improvement
valued at 500. listed to Mr.. GrecnIeaf.
The next entry is the conveyance in lS:c;
of certain lots to Richard Barry.
The four squares east of AZ street were
above, though with them there were
means and enterprise. They were de-
void of improvement we'll down to the
middle of the last century. and the value
of the ground till after 1880 was but |
cent per foot.
Government Not Interested.
And. indeed, neither the general nor local
government seemed to favor that portion
of the city. In the improvement of ~.
street the former provided for a footway
on the west side. and other streets were
not improved by the city till 1860 and
then ridge of gravel was dumped on
those portions destined for foot pave
ments.
The twenty-eight lots on Sd. AZ. 6
and Ii streets, in square 80. were vested
in Motley Young by the. Commissioners
t,,,t hrn ,ot, Nfr (.raa BaIt