Evening star., 1926-01-24
HISTORIC PLACES
PASS WITH YEAR
Landmarks Well Identified
With City's Growth
Fall to Progress.

simultaneously with the closing or
1928 came the passing of several or
Washington'S most historic landmarks.
Chief of these are the old Capitol flo-
tel, at Third and Pennsylvania avenue,
the Ebbitt Hotel and the Hooe Buld-
ing at Fifteenth and New York ave
nue., and the George Washington Ho-
tel, at Fifteenth and New York ave
nue.. and the surrounding buildings.
The passing Of these historic old
places. that have long since served
their purpose, and the erection on
their sites of modern structures of
marble. steel and concrete further en-
phasiSes the advance Of old Wash
inSton into modern era.
On the site Of the Ebbitt and Hooe
Building. now being dismantled. a
10-story office and theater building
will be erected by the National Press
Club. This magnificent building will
replace one of the social Centers OF the
early nineteenth century. and will also
cover the site that was known dur
ing the Civil War period as news
paper row"
In the place of the Capitol Hotel, for
many years a favorite hoStelry of
Congressman, will be erected mod
ern garage. which is in marked con
lraSt to the carriages drawn by high
stepping nOFSeS ana dtplntu bN liN =
cried footmen that drew UP before the
hotel three quarters of century ago.
While the George Washington Ho-
tel at Fifteenth street and New York
avenue and the adjoining buildings
have not so much historic value. the
buildings have been landmarks for
nearly half century. Instead of an
old brick buildinS. a glance from the
White House or the state. War and
Navy Department, will. in another
year. reveal q white granite ten-story
office building costing $4,000. 600.
The old Capitol Hotel ~ Third street
and PENNSYLVANIA avenue is on lot l.
Of reservation Il. which was subdi
vided and sold by The Federal Gov
eminent in 1926. In the carly 40.
The present site of the hotel was i'm
proved. and Charles Lee Jones a local
lawyer and The son of Walter Jones.
one of the noted lawyers OF the coun-
try at that time, erected the present
hotel building. The hotel was opened
in lS45. 1t was located near the Capt.
tol and later near the railroad station.
which vas at Second street and Penn
Sylvania avenue BY its location the
hotel gained considerable patronage
from Representatives and others hav.
ing business in Washington. With
the erection Of larger hotels the place
lost its patronage and deprecated un-
I'll il ended its DAYS in dila pidated
condition as roominc house. The
Capitol Hotel seems to have been tho
fa>orite stopping place Of the Maine
delegation 10 Congress. Former PreSi-
dent Johnson stayed there when he
was a. Senator. Former Senator Cor
man and q number of other Senators
and Representative also stayed there.
The E,hbitt Hotel was erected on a
4.
history. In 1900 David Craufurd
erected house on this site and across
the way on the south side OF + street
was the house Of James Madison and
his famous wife. Dolly Madison.
Other prominent persons lived on the
block. and MANY social functions took
place in the vicinity.
The Ebhitt Building is composed Of
four buildings. In 1886 Bushrod Reed
OF Virginia purchased tho property,
erected = building and engaged in the
grocery business. He was succeeded
by n ". Burchell, whose business
is now carried on in different loCa-
ton by his son. y. l.. Burchell. The
buildings were sold 70 &. G. Willard
in 1854, and part of the site was sold
TO William Ebbitt who conducted a
boarding house, On this site were a
number of newspaper offices. among
which were the New York Times. the
New York Herald. the Philadelphia
Inquirer and the New York Evening
Post.
After the erection of the Ebbitt
House through the improvement and
consolidation of the existing buildings.
the hostelry became noted place.
1t was the scene of many functions
and balls during the Civil War pc
riod and became nationally known.