Evening star., 1933-11-19


part across the line in Maryland is
to celebrate its em-centennial the
latter part of this week, for it
Just so years ago. the twenty fourth
of this month, that Benjamin Franklin Gilbert,
local real estate promoter, placed on record
here a new subdivision to the north of the city
which was ito be known and designated as
Takoma Park" The tracts OF land selected for
this purpose were known as Roberts Choice"
and "Resurvey of Partnership and the sub
division was surveyed by D. B. Carpenter.
The parts of the tracts taken for the new
town were purchased from the estate Of G. c.
Grammer, and probably consisted largely of
woodland, since land in this vicinity was largely
undeveloped at that time, and evidence of
forest still prevails in many parts of the town.
Mr. Grammer must have bought this ground
at early datS> for we find his name recorded
as the owner prior to the Civil War, when he
mad such nearby neghbors as Mrs s. A. Greeves
and w. M. Morrison, to the south, and along
Seventh street pike (now Georgia avenue),
from the District line south to Milkhouse Ford
road (now Concord avenue). E C. Dudley, who
was in charge of the Oak Grove Post Office
near the District line; A. P. C. Shoemaker,
father of the late Louis P Shoemaker; d. Col
clazer, S. Reeves, M. P. Causin and r. Butt.
Though Takoma Park has always been known
as a quiet suburban town. yet to the few farm
ers who lived in this area when Gen Jubal A
Early made his rai2 in 1864 there was enough
excitement to last a lifetime for the Southern
soldiers spread out over all of this territory and
remained there until they found it would be
useless to attempt to capture the city, when
they withdrew.
A plat, indicating the formation of Con-
federate troops at that time, shows Rhodes
division about equally divided on either side
Of Georgia avenue, at a point about where is
now the northern line of the Walter Reed
Hospital property. At this time the latter was
the Lay property, and here was the famous
sharpshooter's tree. small stream ran south
through the Bean Farm, on the west side of
Georgia avenue, and across the road, to the
cast, were the Reeves house and orchard, just
north of battle-ground National Cemetery
It did not take Mr.. Gilbert long to start
building operations on his property. Indeed he
was an old stager in the real estate business,
having associated himself shortly after the
close of the Civil War with Alexander r.
Shepherd in a number of business enterprises.
One was the building of number of houses in
the vicinity of st. AloysiuS Church. and he also
built row of houses on the north side of K
street, between Ninth and Tenth streets north
west, which are still standing.
= RANT place between Ninth and Tenth
~ and G and streets, was opened and i'm
proved by Ndr Gilbert. and it is said he the
frSt person TO advocate the purchase of the
property between Pennsylvania avenue and the
Mall for use by the Government, but did not
live to see his idea carried out. He accumulated
fortune. but during the panic of 1878, lost
practically all he had made. However, after
this he moved to Dunellen, N j. where he
again embarked in the real estate business and
again accumulated a considerable sum of money.
In 1883 he returned to Washington, and dur
ing that year purchased the Takoma Park
property. The following Spring he began the
erection there of a home for himself and fam
lily. To the village, with Mr. and Mrs.
Gilbert and their two children came Mrs
Marian Veitenheimer, Mr.. Gilberts niece and
her two children, and She too began building,
They did not wait until their homes were
completed but during their construction, made
themselves as comfortable as possible in barn
ON the rear of the Gilbert lot.
About the same time that the Gilbert and
Vietenheimer residences were started, Mrs
Amanda G. Thomas also began building oper-
ations Through conditions over which DR..
Gilbert had no control, his house was not
completed soon as he had expected it would
be, and the one erected by Mrs. Thomas proved
to be the first house completed and occupied
in Takoma Park. 1t still stands at the south
east corner of Tulip and Cedar avenues, the
latter having formerly been named Oak avenue
Mrs. Veitenheimer's home was the next one
Henry Garrett, Fred Dudley, Col. G. C. Kniffn