Evening journal., 1909-09-29
MEMORIES OF
OLD HANOVER
BY George W. Roberts.

BY George W. Roberts.
Robert shaw tho artist who has put
lovers Of "Ye old Brandywine' under
lasting obligations thro hia series OF
beautiful etchlnga has added much TO the
debt owed him by his new picture, q water
color. OF old Hanover Presbyterian Church
now being torn down 20 make room for a
business structure.
This church ediicc has been one OF the
land marks or the borough and city during
nearly century Of its history-a hand
some bul-,lg OF style Of architecture
becoming TOO raro in this country. Noih-
ing about or in IL OF the horld or preten-
tious order
Finely proportioncd, solidly built and
fitting splcndidly tho site chosen for IT, it
seemed more Ike a natural growth than
a mechanical structure. It's symmetry, It's
generous proportions, ita unmistakeabie
ohurchiy quality. were all 80 naturally OK
pressed and blended as 70 really hide
them, robbing It OF % just appreciation OF
its admirable characteristica.
We can imagine some one VINO. having
looked at this old cdince many times
without seeing II. saying, "oh, N.Y. I'm
dissent OF this eulogy. To such we say B
Go see shaws painting Of this venerable
old edinoe. get a sight OF II ana hihs
street north Of IL on "a market day thro'
the ewes Of the artist See II emhalmed, We
think that n good word there, IN line and
color that is at once realistic and Ideal.
TO scores. ana perhaps hundreds OF peo-
,ie who think they have seen and kno"
ali about 'Old Hanover" ShaWa pictur'
will be a revelation OF tho beautiful II
things esteemed commonpiace.
Noticing the passing Of the church build
ing sugeosts thought OF the many like dc
nartures OF structures old and Interesting
AN the buildings corner ncighbora' u
-Old Hanover" nifty years ago have eone
Tho nrst OF these which We recall wal
"a little one-story building on the ste ol
the city engineering department II was
round or octagon, we are not sure which,
and was used as a primary school build-
ing Public school No. 2
The next one Of the ncighbors TO pass
out was the old frame building used as "a
carriage factory. on the site Of tho old
Federal Building, now used by the city
Water Department. one memorable thing
about the old carriage factory was the
I sign displayed on its ISins street front-a
prententlous example Of tho sign painter s
art The old Federal Building as We call
/ II now was the new postofhce fifty years
ago. IL was built as We recall IL, under the
supervision OF Jesse sharp. then collector
Of port by appointment Of president
Franklin Pierce. The contractor was WI
liam Graves. The FIRST postmaster TO oc-
cupy the new office was Dr. III. j.. Askow'
bv appointment OF President Buchanan.
Previously the postofnco had been housed
IN q little building on West Third street
between Market and Shipiey streets. The
postmaster who preceded Or. Askew wai
John AfcClung. who kept a dry goods stor,
on Market street next 10 the Wilmington
and Brandywlne Bank. Postmaster Me
Clung's clerk-I remember but one-wa'
a. man named Roach, and ] think he hae
a wlthered or doformod hand.
Tho remaining corner neghbor Of "Olc
Hanover" stood on the northwest cornel
OF King and Sixth streets. For goot
many years It was the residence and Of
flee OF Doctor White. and later as the Law
office OF the late Levi C. Bird Those who
remember Mr.. Bird, and there arc many
of them, will probably agree with me in
SAYING that he was a singular compound
Of strength and weakness. A learned and
brilliant lawyer. he held 70 beliefs, about
things apart from his profession, held
only nv the superstitious and ill Informed.
we RECALL finding him one frosty night,
wearing a big ovorcoat, pacing the pave
nent in front OF his office at Sixth and
King streets. 10 was late at night and dis
aereeabiv cold. It was during the period
v,ben a brilliant comet was visible In the
eastern sky. When questioned about walk
ING there IN the cold, ho said he was walt
IN see "that - comet" lie finally saw Il
from the upper rear windows Of the Old r.
n Ruilding. His discourse. while no
watched the comet appear swing bril-
uantlv across the sky and disappear, was
souething wonderful lie imagined all
manner Of evil portents-Destilence. war
and famine-of events 10 follow fits appear
ance. lie was sure II boded no good for
humanity.
Flftv years ago society had not all gone
west. King and French streets were good
residence streets. Men prominent I'm the
business. social and religious life OF the
/ citv lived on these streets and many OF
them worshiped in "Old Hanover II was
not thought probable that all OF these
people would move away, 20 when the
congregation at Hanover church over
flowed. instead OF going west, the seceders
went Just a little way north and bunt Cen
trail Church ON site that had been a sand
hole-a lot that had been known as the
circus lot
At the time OF which we write Trinity
p. f. Church congregation occupied the
building at the northeast corner Of Fifth
and King streets. The Rev. Charles
Beech was the rector. The tower in the
center OF the present building was capped
a., % .~.-,.,f,,l .,,i,-, ~, ,,-bic,, think fh~-c