Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25

Many of the buildings-mostly two
and three stories-have sharply pitched
roofs. necessity before tin roofing,
, to diSlodce the heavy SHOWS likely To
cause leaks If permitted TO stand. This
street. a continuation of Pennsylvania
avenue. Washington's ceremonial
thorouGhfare. is a main highway To
Arlington National Cemetery and
thousands OF Americans from all parts
OF the country traverse 1t every day
without knowledge of its intimate as
ISOLATION with George Washington.
These old structures. whose first floors
are shops. were the dwellings of
/ friends and acquaintance Of his
Out o. NJ street. with it's bright lights
and its busy Christmas scene. differ.
| ing little from that OF a hundred years
ago, IL the winding roadway now desig-
nateG as Thirty-first street. Once
upon a time, for its short stretch be-
! low Bridge street southwark To the
Potomac. it was known as Fishing
lane. and TO the north as East lane
Later on. when Washington was
chosen for the SCAT of Government n
neighborly feeling on the part OF
Georgetown caused its name TO be
changed 10 Congress street.
Church Holds Name.
Thirty-first street or East lane or
Congress street. whichever you pre-
fer, ascends steep hill past the old
era mite custom house of the Port Of
Georgetown. which still serves that
purpose and for post Office as well
Across the way the past shows its
! hold in the name of the Congress
! Street Church.
II snow is falling the old.time at.
&c ~ il f,x
Lights CLEAN from the same windows
behind which statesmen and diplomats.
beaux and bellies Of long ago, gathered
, 10 part3ke of Christmas cheer. Grown.
ups are trimming Christmas trees set
in plain view Of the street. for IL is a
elinging tradition in Georgetown that
they must be so placed as 10 be seen
by passersby.
Christmas wreaths are hung not
| only in windows, bui on the charming
old doors. The door has the biggest
! wreath. This is not exclusively IA
Georgetown custom, but at least IL
may be said that Georgetown has
been following IL 30 long as to give
grounds for d claim 10 originality.
One crosses y street. which once
was Gay street ana Dumharton,
1 which--another oversight on the part
/ OF the authoritses-~retains it's former
| name. Then o street, which once was
| Be8ll. locally pronounced Bell 1t is
! seldom that the old names are used
/ but they are not forgotten. 4 new.
/ conner. occupying n much remodeied
/ old dwelling at Thirty-iirst and .
| streets, received promptly through the
mails "A copy of an age-yellowed
j Georgetown newspaper. addressed 10
| him at Congress and Beaii streets.
: -
| - 9se,
In the streets 10 the right and left
/ are the town houses of those quality
/ folk who rubbed elbows with the Ma
/ tons political leaders In the far past.
stoddert Mansion.
/ A few blocks 10 the west, beyond
! what wac High street and now IL
known ~ Wisconsin avenue Wis.
consin had not been heard Of when
| High street Was In its el0ry~~ls the
mansion built in the late eighteen.
| hundreds by Benjnmin Siofdeft, first
s""fetary Of the Navy. Georgetown
/ merchant. Nearer IN the fine home
/ ~ FoXhall, whose foundry made can,
non for the Continental Army. Near
| ~ every old dwelling has It's ira
| diti0n
! Thirty htht street turns just otter
| street II passed and one ro0iizes
! why II once was called II lane. lust
| above on a low hi stands T'idor
| Place, home ~ the Peter family, noW
I ~ in the oIden time surrounded by
! extensive open grounds II stands out
| "onspicu0usly II VAS AT Tudor Place
inst Thomas Peter and his wife, who
/ was Martha i'aFke fustlc, grand
! daughter ~ Martha Washington.
! made their residence soon after
/ WashlngtDns death Washington
/ Visited them frequently when they
] NFeb ~ HE Federal tty just across
! ROCK Creek from BeorgetoWn liz
+ diaries ore fol- ~ such illusions as
! Dinsd ~ BIZ. =. Peters" Ia his
ihEt visit ~ III. t1Wh recorded in HE
/ diary under date ~ Aoyeuber 3. 1893
/ he saba "t."Wad my building IN The
7 Federal tHy dtned al ST Law aud
/ lodged at Dir. ThDs PETERS"
la" Was The husband If Eliza Ttte
~, aHDiher nddtuFhi"r 1T Mrs
/ Washington. He H'Bs The brother ~
/ i."id JiienbptpuRh, the famous "a.
/ }r'HtH. and The son ~ IL bisb0p IHW
came ~ Washington from itdiai
| ~hsfh be had Dnen II government Of
h"ial. bringing u comfortable fortune
HnG hls 'llliee VhHnR Asiatic sons %