Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-22
IN OLD WASHINGTON
By James Croggon

When the area of the city of W ASH
inston. as planned in the squares ana
streets for the capital went uhuei hiu-
ricipal control, in 1902 the population
was less than 1000. one OF the hrSt
acts of the city council looked to the
arnusements of the people by providing
for q license fee for theatrica!s and other
.r,ar,.i,mants This fee 81 for
eacb performance. but no buildings were
erected for such amusemeutS uhtll le'f.
Then a theater was built at the corner
of 11tb and e. streets northwest, and for
teen wears. until 1920, when 1t was
burned il was THE TEedteT. In TIE
first ward. or the West End. the Town
Hall over the west market. and u NeA
Franklin House we're used for such pur-
hoses. on the Avenue between 18th ana
18th streets the Washington Hotel Kept
BY Mcleod and others. and StrotHers no
tel. known as the Mansion House, and be-
tween 9th and 18th streets keoWin :. after
ward Davis Il Browns. and on tapltol
Hill Longs and Queens were used Tor
amusement purposes.
With the burning of the theater in the
spring of 1870 the drama was LETT without
r home but not for long Before the
close OF that wear Warren X Wood inter
s<ted some citizens iii the.Abulldlng OF
Iheater. and the result Wa5fhe erection OF
n large brick building ON The south SIDE
OF Louisiana avenue between AZ and 9th
streets This building was enlarged IN
ISIS when il became the American Thea
ter. under the management OF the rather
Of Joseph jefferson, who was chlid mere,
In the company were Mrs. Chapman and
other stars About 1870, when the Ma
tional Theater was erected. the LOUIS
lana avenue building was abandoned as
theater but used for assembly rooms.
balls. concerts and parties for several
wears During the civil war il became a
famous place of amusement under the
name of The Canterbury Inc evening
performances We're attended by large
numbers of soldiers and sailors. Col. VIII
lam Z Sim was the manager. and among
the performers were JuiluS Mortimer
Kate Pennoye-. Agnes Robertson and 9th
ers who subsequently became stars on the
dramatic stage. 1t was Il company from
This theater that persisted at sea on the
way to New Orleans on the Star OF the
Nest during the war. Subsequently the
Canterbury Theater was burned and the
ground has since been vacant.
The fire at nth and c streets i'll March,
$50 left only the walls of the old theater
standing The ground with the ruins was
,.lupht hv the Carusis in 1872, and
larger building projected. 1t Is related
that the walls were so difficult to remove
that the entire east wall was left stand
ing In taking down the other portion oil
tb,. building the walls fell IN Sold chullkS
Here was constructed what was known as
the Assembly Rooms. or CaruSl 5 saloon,
and il was the leading place for theatilcal
performances. balls. concerts. lalFs aiIu
other entertainments. William Henry
Harrison's inaugural ball was held mere,
and i'm the iUs the city post office was To-
Gated on the ground floor. Music ana
dancing were taught here by the Carusls'
aud their May balls and concerts drew
large crowds.
.sAbout 1920 a circus without horses per-
Ermed at the corner of 18th ana
streets, and in the same year the buiId-
ing on ground now covered by Havenners
Bakery were converted by Mr.. West into
asl exhibition hall for circuseS, ana lhls
Building stood many years.
Occasional entertainments were given
in hotels. The license fee and other eX-
penses were out of proportion TO the SIZE
a the audiences. The usual ADMISSION
charge was 81. At that time there was
much talent among the citizens which often
Assisted artists from out OF town. 1here
were no flying machines then, but the
Hal loon was regarded with as much inter-
Est as are the airships today. one or
more of these made ascensions near La
feyette Square, and those who formed
e. circle about the balloon were charged
q quarter \ newly invented velocipedc,
gown at the circus for -, cents head.
aud people were allowed to ride if they
could, the falls from the machine MAX
mg the fun for the spectators.
Works of art attracted some, and at
the brick Capitol, corner list and n
Streets northeast, were to be found paint
Exs of Vanderlyn. Trumbull and Chap
man. and busts of Cordelh Among the
bUSts WAS that of Decatur. An admission
fee of 30 cents was charged. \ painting of
the Treaty of Client, by Mrs. Phantom, was
exhibited at Mrs Williams. on 18th
street north of Pennsylvania avenue. and
attracted visitors at a quarter a head.
On the ground now occupied by the Pu-
laski statue was the ROtunda of Arts.
Paintings. Statues. Curiosities, etc, -
cents admission being charged.
Etrother's assembly rooms in the Man
sion Hotel. on the site of the New Will
lard. were the scene of some entertain
ments. Mrs. Burke of the Philadelphia
Theater had a benefit here. assisted by
Mrs French, Mr.. Brennan, Mr.. Braham
In vocal numbers. and = H. Nagler Mr.