Evening star., 1933-04-09

THERE are many people living today who win
recall the buildings of Columbian Univer-
sity-for 1t became a university by act Of Con-
gress approved March 3, 1s73-and. indeed,
many no doubt recall it when it was Just q
college even prior to this date.
When the university buildings were begun
IN 1920 the population of the entire District
Of Columbia was 33,039. The total number of
persons in Alexandria County, or in that part
Of the District south Of the Potomac River
including the city of Alexandria and q part
of Falls Church-were s,703 In Georgetown
there were 1850 persons and in Washington
County which included the city as designated
by LEnfant and the outlying parts Of the
District, 1876
There must have been a very few houses
north Of Florida avenue and east Of Rock
Creek at this time. Kalorama Mansion at
about Twenty-third and 8 streets was wen
known country residence and estate at that
time. The Holmead house, which still stands
on the north side of s street between Twenty
second and Twenty third and into which An.
thony Holmead moved after he sold to Gus
tavus Scott, in 1884, his home and about 40
acres Of land known rs Rock Hill, which Joel
Barlow. a subsequent owner, first changed TO
Beair and then to Kalorama, meaning "the
beautiful view"
What Is known as the Holt House-wf,erp
are the onices Of the National Geological Park
was probably standing when the Columbian
College was built, though it might have been
erected a little later The deed of this land
to the Government, upon which the mansion
stands, describes the place as That certain
tract Of land called Jackson Hill, being q part
Of Pretty Prospect, beginning at the end Of
the twentieth line Of the tract Of land here
tofore conveyed to John Quincy Adams, it
having been part Of the same tract"
The Dean property at Connecticut and
Florida avenues, now known as Temple
Heights, was purchased in 1909 by Col
Michael Nourse, who, it Is said was great
grandfather Of DR.. Anita Newcomb McGee who,
in writing about this old place, is quoted as
having said: THE facts are these: The name
of Widows Mite first appears in a grant Of
800 acres to John Langworth in 1864. The
tract ran northward from the Potomac, IN
cluding much Of the western part of the city
and heights above 1t. The experts of the
Bureau Of American Ethnology told me that
no trace of Indian tribes having lived here
since the seventeenth century has been found.
In 1909 Col Michael Nourse bought from .
daughter Of Anthony Holmead 160 acres Of
that part Of Widows Mite which the Hol-
meads had long owned, lcated between what
Is now Florida avenue, Connecticut avenue.
Columbia road and Nineteenth street, cleaned
it and built house for his fanny. Michael
Nourse came by the property by honest pur-
chase, with no Indians, massacres or captures
about it,
Col. Nourse Is said to have sold the estate
in 1885 and moved into the city. However,
there Is an item in the National Intelligencer
Of January /, 1928, which reads: Handsome
seat east Of Kalorama with brick house.
ETC., 81 acres. Late residence of Robert Newell
Mr.. Josiah NJ Speake will show the premises"
Perhaps this may not be the same piece x
property, but it tallies rather closely.
OF course the Indian story Of the Treaty
Oak, which IS said to have taken place On
Temple Heights when Indians were still here
about, is a fable pure and simple Just as ArS
MCGEE is quoted as having substantially said.
Indeed. 1t Is about as much Of q yarn as the
one told to the German professor BY Blu Nye