Evening star., 1933-05-21

LID buildings have great fasclna-
tion for some people, especially
If they happen to come across an
old mansion hundred or more
wears old or an early inn or taV-
ern where some of the great men
Of our country stopped when America was
still in its experimental stage. Indeed to the
retrospective mind, that lives in the days Dc
yond recall there is a certain amount OF al
lurement and enchantment in everything OF
an ANTIQUE character, and particularly is this
so when the object is associated with those
who have gone before, but who while here on
earth, so endeared themselves to mankind as
TO perptuate their names on history's pages.
There is also another class Of people whose
minds do not run in this channel-who only
live for today. and whose pleasures consist
mainly in seeing others work while they play
and loiter along life's way bringing notmng
into the world, taking out with them nothng,
and leaving nothing behind. They fail to
see the happiness and mental profit of stand
ing before some old house of Colonial style,
and of dreaming. as it were, Of those who once
lived within and who daily went IN and out
of its portals; where perhaps the newborn
babe of some early family first saw the light
of day; where kings queens and potentates
were lavishly entertained, and where our own
American gentry were frequently cordially well
coined. And then, the reverse of the picture,
the sad and pathetic phase Of life, when the
head of the house and other members Of the
family were silently and mournfully carried
hence to the little Gods nearby, never
to return again.
Though Washington is not a very old place
as cities 60, yet there are homes here, erected
many years ago, which tell hfe's story through
several generations, e1nbodying all the pleas
ures and sorrows, successes and disappoint-
ments as in the historic mansion and early
residences of much older places elsewhere.
As we look at some attractive old building,
which still retains the mud scraper on the
step and the old-fashioned knocker on the
door-and which has not been modernized
with up-to-date shutters and brand
roof-seldom do We inquire who the
architect Of this beautiful structure was and
yet, it is to him that we are under everlasting
gratitude for the present and past artistic
beauty of the city-for those old shrines oveI
which dream today.
IN many instances there is considerable doubt
IS to just who were the designers of some
of our early homes and conclusion Is
only drawn through the uncertain process of
comparison and deduction. In other instances
the design Is claimed for more than enc per-
son, as for instance, the Capitol But it is
pretty well definitely settled that the plans of
DR.. William Thornton selected and used
IN constructing the original part of this won
derful piece OF architecture, just 1t has
been conclusively determined that LEnfant
designed the Capital City itself. But although
this is the most famous building in Washing
ton to DIR. Thorntons credit, yet, fortunately,
we have other well known examples to per-
petuate his name
Tudor place in Georgetown, beautiful old
mansion occupying whole block at Thirty
first and Q streets, is one of his outstanding
tributes TO Georgetown, although he quite
likely also designed his early Georgetown home.
1921 M sreet. Tudor place, the ground Of
which was bought by Francis Lowndes In 1894
from Thomas Beall, and sold by Lowndes in
1905 to Thomas Peter, probably begun
before the transfer of the property to Mr..
Peter, who had married Martha Parke Gusts,
granddaughter of Mrs. Washington. Indeed, 1t
is said that the wings were built first and that
the building completed with funds left
Mrs. Peter through the bequest OF her step
father, Gen. Washington. 1t Is now owned
by Dr. Armstead Peter, jr.
This building is Of the show places of
Washington. Gen. Lafayette was entertained
there shortly after he came to the city in
1924. and we are told that the Confederate
chieftain, Robert E. Lee, visited his relatives
there on his last visit to Washington, prior to
his death in 1870
Robert Peter, the father of Thomas, one
OF GeorgetoWn's early merchants. He was born
ln Scotland in 1726, and came to this country