Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-06

but that it was one of the first buildings In the
block there is no question.
Mr. Bryan further tells us: "The first refer
ence to the Little Hotel is on June 49, 1885,
On that date appears in the columns of the
Impartial Observer the first newspaper pub
liShed in the city of Washington, a notice OF
a celebration by the Masons of the festival
of ST. John the Baptist The brethren the
notice states will walk in procession from the
lodge to the Capitol, where divine service will
be performed At the close OF the service, it
is stated. the brethren will return in procession
to the Little Hotel for refreshments
This hotel Is spoken of three years later
as the lodgeroom of Federal Lodge, No. Is,
and it may have been thus used at the earlier
date"
The building at the northeast corner Of
Fifteenth and streets, which is probably the
original one. was erected about 1901 by Bennett
Fenwick. and about this year became Rhodes
Hotel and later the Indian King Tavern, when
it was leased to Joseph M. Semmes.
In this same block, on the north side of F
street. even down to recent years, stood in the
rear of che present structures building which
for while was occupied by the city post Of
flee, soon after the government departments
were moved here from Philadelphia Thomas
Monroe, jr, was then the postmaster and his
home was in the same building, which was on
lot 3. This afterward became one of the
Willard properties.
AN account of the houses standing in blocks
facing F street in the year 1900 includes
in the square in which are the Willard and
the Washington Hotels two frame houseS-a
two-story and a one -story-one being occupied
by q Mr.. Hutchinson. 1t was in this block
that James Kearney IAN Irishman by birth
and an architect" built in 1900, handsome
three-stOry double brick residence This prop
erty was sold to the Willard brothers about
1853 and Is now occupied by the street side
of the New willard Hotel, as is the site of the
willard Hail. which was in its day one of Wash
ington'S landmarks.
This hall, originally the Street Presbyterian
Church, was sold to the MeSsrs Willard in 1859,
who Immediately began fitting it up a ball.
room. The congregation then united with the
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, where
Lincoln attended divine services, and which
was erected about this same year, replacing an
earlier building. The street church was dated
back to 1903, and here the Rev. Dr. Laurie
labored for SO years as pastor.
Many important events took place in the old
Willard Hail. notably the peace conference of
February l, 1861, presided over by ex-Presi-
dent Tyler. For many years it was a favorite
place for concerts, and Blind Tom frequently
appeared here. Later, it is said, the first NOV
ing picture was shown in the building. The
west end Of the Willard occupies the site
In 1900, on the square to the north, in addi-
ton to those mentioned, lived in tWo-story
frame house Charles Shoemaker.
During the same year we are told there were
six houses in the block in which the Fox
Theater now stands. One of these, two-Story
frame. was occupied by Clotworthy Stephenson;
Mr.. Bolts occupied two-story frame a
tavern, and about this period David Craufurd
built double brick house adjoining the corner
where now stands the Press Club building.
Craufurds daughter, Sarah c., married Richard
Forrest to whose heirs the property descended,
and it is said the garden attached to this home
extended nearly to Pennsylvania avenue.
THE southwest corner of Thirteenth and F.
streets was also early built up with three
story building and occupied tavern. 1t was
from an upper window of this house that
coored female slave jumped and injured her.
self critically toward the close of the war Of
1925 Jesse Torrey, Philadelphia physician,
in writing of this event back in 1917, tells the
very ptiabe story He says:
"a hlack woman destined for tranSnOrta-