Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-07

AN early description of this neighborhood
\ carries us far back indeed. to and
beyond the days CT Swampoodle even TO the
days when 1t was safe and proper for boys
to go in bathing in the Tiber in daytime with
out a bathing suit. for there were street
at this particular time and few streets
were opened up to travel in this vicinity.
In the now well settled portion of this city
between G and K and First street east and
west" so the story goes, where now are st. J
Aloysius Church, Gonzaga College and the
Government Printing ONCE there was but lit
tie indication that the rural conditions would
disappear till about 1880 On the eastern
slope of Burch's hill there was q soli-
tary habitation about 1920. This the
church square. a two-storied frame building
hill north of street and east Of FirsJ
street, occupied by Ignatius Boone, clerk IN
the Treasury, ~ some years. North Of this !
house was a small stream flowing eastward
to the Tiber, which increased the value of
the ground as pasture. Most of the ground
Whereabouts was worked as a farm and late in
the 40S was known as Lynch's farm, and in
the SOS as Rovers garden. With this eX-
ception the face OF nature was undLSturbeo.
the streets unopened and much of the primeval .
growth remained, but approximating the lines
of H street there was wagon road made by
the travel the turnpike entering the city
at Fifteenth and streets, and by the sporting
element attending the dog and chicken
matches and other amuSements at the old
the ground was above the present grade and
was Of gravel, much of which was utilized
under the corporation for foot walks and as
the street BEDS The T1ber cutting through
east Of North Capitol street was q handicap
to improvements for many years, but about
1850, about its crossing at H street, Swampoo-
die sprang into existence, and for many years
it was regarded as the typical settlement Of
the sons of Erin.
1.-THE church and college, square 622, of So
! lots fronting on North Capitol First,
and K streets. was bought Of Mr.. Oden, in
1919. by Benjamin G. Orr, then Mayor Of
Washington. In 1880 the valuation was half q
cent per foot ON the ground, which was assessed
to Mr.. Orrs heirs, as also the house above.
noted, for $500. John Boyle was the owne
subsequently, and In 1s49 it was sold to Am
broSe Lynch for nominal consideration. T
latter owned the square south, 623 from Ia
and IN 1850 leased for 10 years these squa
and part Of that north to John Rover who
above stated, engaged in gardening and sup
piled his stands in the markets. It was stipu-
lated IN the lease If the corporation opened
the streets during this term Mr.. Rover would
do the necessary fencing. In 1857 Adelaide
Talbot became the owner OF two lots in the
southwest corner Of the square.
May S, 1857. Mr.. Lynch conveyed to the
president and directors of Georgetown College
the east quarter Of the square for o nominal
consideration, and 1t was stipulated that .
church and college should be erected and COW
cred IN, the first In two years and the latter
IN four years. On the same day o deed was
given by Mr.. Lynch to the trustees Of St.
Joseph's Orphan Asylum Of the adjoining
quarter west, minus 20 feet for an alley be-
tween 1t and the college fourth. The building
Of the church was soon commenced and within