Evening star., 1909-07-11
OLD TIME bURCH HILL
Historic Section Around New
Jersey Avenue and ! Street.
FIRST SETTLED IN 1912
Capt. Burch's Residence at That
Time Considered a Mansion.
FAMOUS MINNESOTA ROW"
Houses in Which Lived Breckin-
ridge, Douglas and Other Noted
Men-Civil War Hospital.
FAMOUS MINNESOTA ROW.

| "Burch's Hill was the popular name
| for that part of the city about the inter
section Of New Jersey avenue and street
northwest for the greater part Of the last
century. The surroundings of the resi-
dence Of Capt Samuel Burch at that
point gave II the appearance of the coun-
| try seat of an old-time landed proprietor
At the time settlement was made there
by Capt Burch. about 1872 there were no
| improvements whatever between 1st. 4th.
H and K streets; no streets opened for
travel, and 1t was well toward the middle
of the century ere he had neighbor. If
we except the Rodbird residence north.
and Bailey, Burr and others southeast.
from about 1890 About it there were
number Of forest trees, as also here and
there within the lines named much scrub
by growth. The house, being for that ge
4 stately one, on commanding site. for
very many years afforded and unobstruct-
| ed view for miles around. From the
| natural grade here there was a gentle
1 incline eastward toward the Tiber, but
| more abrupt southwark, and round and
| about 1t the sportsman with dog and gun
| round small game as late as the early
| ffties
| This house. which is yet st-nding on the
south side OF | street east Of New Jer-
sey avenue, originally a two-story and
attic brick. is in squareW of 623. north of
II street and west of 1st street, which in
| the plan of the city was of but one lot. In
| the division with the proprietor, BENJAMIN
Oden, in 1876 it was vested in him and
| in 1911 it was purchased by Capt Burch.
who erected a home there, occupied by
| the family for forty years or more. The
place was an ideal one. the grounds be-
ing, with the noble trees and well worked
4 I'D Al1f Co..
lily, one of the leading ones Of the Dis
| trict, was prominent in the social life of
the District. Capt. Burch was for very
many years chief clerk in the Office of
clerk of the House of Representatives: in
military prominent as the commander of
a local artillery company which saw
service in the war of '12: and a mem
ber of the city council, president ofrthe
lower, board and board Of appeals-in fact,
an all-round, useful citizen.
Fourth Of a Cent a Foot
Many years a fourth of cent per foot
was the corporation valuation of the
ground. and the house was listed, at
800. About 1910 the square north be-
tween l, K and 1st streets, east of New
Jersey avenue. became the property of
Capt. Burch, the consideration being S4O0
The United States had held the six lots
from 1895. In 1852 Stephen A. Douglas,
tncI1 SoHdIOI from ILLINOIS, ana prom.
inent among the presidential timber,
bought the two squares of j. Cuthbert
Burch ct al. for 5000. 1t was stipulated
in the deed that Il when the corporation
opened the streets any portion Of the
buildings should fall within the lines of
the streets such portion should go with
the property. AS a matter of fact when l
street was opened the northwest corner of
the building was found to extend over the
building line. Mr.. Douglas lived here
later vy,nx M
while here the house was the scene of
number of brilliant functions In society
life. In 1881 the Burch mansion being
vacant the young men of the neighbcr-
hood were allowed to use a portion to
organize a military company, but a num-
Der went to fill the ranks Of other COM
panies.
The triangle formed by New Jersey
avenue, Sd and II streets, known as
square north 56s. in 1874 was included in
| the Greenleaf holdings. In 1911 Charles
Glover was the owner; three years after
N. H. Heath: s. Ellitt. jr.. from 1915 to
1874 had title, which he sold to D. w.
Middleton for 25. IS
Twenty-Five lots on II, I. I'd and Sd
streets formed square 562. and though in
cluded In the contract of Mr.. Greenleaf in
1874, were vested in Mr.. Oden in 1T96 In
1927 John P. Ingle had title. and in 1886
John B. Kerr and Anthony Mclean were
the owners. Long did 1t remain open
ground. and as such during the civil war
10 was taken by the government as the
site Of Stanton Hospital.
Between Sd. 4th. II and I streets. square
52a Of twelve lots. was. in 179s, vested
| in Mr.. Oden. though Greenleaf square.
John Petty was the owner In 1872 and
Judge Buckner Thurston. who came here
as senator from Kentucky, and served
on the Circuit Court bench in 1916 in
vested here. A 500 Improvement near 4th
| and I streets was listed to him in the
| thirties, when much of his square was
Va a.,
at half cent foot. but was soon after
reduced to q fourth: and In 1880 IL was
rated at one and a half cents In 1855 lots
| @ and 10. near 3D. and l streets, were sold
to Jerry Dorsey.
One Of Greenleaf Squares.
| The square north 5o7. Of same di-
mensions. was another of the Greenleaf
| squares from 1884, and title was in him
and assignees till 1874, when 1t went to
W. B. Todd apd John p. Pepper for
81 ,1OO less than 2 cents per foot. Matthew
Gault and NJ. G. Emory purchased the
west half of the square for $1,000 shortly
after. In the fifties Middleton Birkhead
became the original settler. buying a lot
on Sd street at about cents per foot
and building a. home.
| One lot In the lines OF I. K, I'd and Sd
streets and New Jersey avenue made
square $50 vested in Mr.. Oden. Its early
Il =,
and but an eighth of a cent was assessed
on the ground. Title passing to Mr.
Ingle In 1927. back to Oden in 80, w
G Cranch succeeded in AZ. H. NJ. Mof-
fat In IS and Maj. A. A. Nicholson was
the owner In 1851. No permanent i'm
provement was made till after 1857 Two
years after the fine row of dwellings at
! the northwest corner of I'd and / streets
came into existence. under the name of
Minnesota row. H. NJ Rice. the
first delegate and senator from Min
nesota. bought here and erected the
buildings. and for some years resided
| in the center of the row. Senator Doug
las bought the corner house. moving into
it from the Burch mansion, above de-
scribed. taking up his residence. and
Vice President John c. Breckinridge OF
Kentucky took one of the houses. living
here till he left to enter the service Of
the Southern Confederacy.
i Became Well Known.
That Minnesota row was soon one OF
the best known places in the District
needs no telling. for both Douglas and
Breckinridge became candidates of the