Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-03

VI
was the center of one of the finest
if not the fineSt-reSidential sections of Wash
ington. Since then, however-and more eSpe-
cially in recent yearS-buSineSS has crowded
cut the home owner, and in many cases the
beautiful residences then occupied by Wash
ington's elite have given way to modern Office
buildings and other large structures, and the
old resident of this neighborhood-who may be
still with us-has moved farther out to the west
and northwest parts of the city or elsewhere
beyond the sound of the noisy traffic and
where breathing space is more easily to be had
But the old statue is the same as when first
erected, and some of the early homes are still
to be seen reminders Of the days when Con-
necticut avenue was one of the greatest prone
made thoroughfares in the United States eSpe-
cialy on Easter Sunday, when every dude in
Washington who could raise the price of tile
hat and cane would parade with his best girl
at least between H street and Stewards Castle.
just to the north of Dupont Circle, and to the
west of which, only few years before, had
been Hopkins brickyard.
The three residences K street between
Seventeenth street and Connecticut avenue to
the north of the statue, erected in the
early seventies by Alexander r. Shepherd,
Hallet Kilbourn and Adolph Cluss, the well
known architect From the first, Kilbourn
cupied 170I K street and Shepherd 1705, or the
at the northeast corner of K street and
Connecticut avenue. After Shepherd had
moved to his country residence, known as the
Bleak House, still standing to the west of
Georgia avenue and near the District line
Senator j. D. Cameron of Pennsylvania made
this corner his home and later it became the
Mclean residence. Here it was that Admiral
Dewey was driven on the night of October 2,
1899, upon which occasion he was received by
citizens committee appointed by the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia at the re-
quest of the Board Of Directors of the Washing
ton Board Of Trade, and of which william H.
a1aotr ~fnn
chairman William P. Van Wrinkle secretary,
and John w. Babson, treasurer.
Subsequently, 1705 K street became the resi-
dence of william r. Draper, a distinguished
officer Of the Civil War, who entered the Army
as a private in 1851 and was brevetted
brgadier general of Volunteers for meritorious
services in March, 1865. He later served in the
House of Representatives from Massachusetts,
and as United States Ambassador to Italy, and
died in this city in 1910. His daughter, Miss
Margaret Draper, was married in this house to
Prince Boncompagni of Italy shortly before the
World War, the vows being pronounced to the
couple by Cardinal Gibbons who came from
Baltimore especially for the purpose
THE Washington Club, a womans organiza-
ton, occupies 1701 K street the building
having been originally erected and occupied, as
stated, by Hallet Kibourn who was associated
in the early days with Mr.. Shepherd in many
of his civic and business projects. Incidentally,
1T may have been due to the fact that Mr. Kill
bourn's wife and daughter were early members
of this club that the name Washington was
selected, since it had been the name of another
club which had its beginning October 9, 1871,
and of which Mr.. Kilbourn was treasurer the
other officers being James G. Berret former
mayor, president; Henry D. Cooke. then the
Districts governor, vice president and Nathaniel
B. Fugitt secretary.
However this earlier club ended its brief but
brilliant career in 1877 but not until it had
provided itself with magnificent quarters on the
site of what Is now 1909 New York avenue.
This property was purchased shortly after the
club was incorporated the old building which
then stood upon 1t was remodeled and the club
rooms furnished very handsomely at a cost said
to exceed $4,000, and when all was completed
a grand house warming took place on the eve
ming of February o. 1872.
When this club went out of existence John
Chamberlain took over the property and con-
Quoted here for time private club which
was known far and wide by the proprietor's
name, and later 1t became the home Of the
Young Mems Christian Association. The
writer is under the impression that much Of
the old building stands today with the possible
addition of a new front.
THE strange thing about this club is that It
- went out Of existence with membership Of
something like 200 and which included some
of the foremost citizens of the District Of Co
lumbia and others who were Temporarily
donliciIed here. A few were: Henry D. Cooke,
senator Zach. Chandler Francis p. Blair, jr.;
s. a. Kaufman, w. F. MattngIy, John q.