The Washington times., 1935-01-19

earlier periods established a style
peculiar to the country. Graceful
and imposing were some of the
dwellings. Others were of humble
appearance from the outside, but
all boasted of hand worked trim
and joinery within that is impos.
sible to duplicate from a stand
point of craftsmanship.
Begin To Disappear
These specimens we're beginning
to disappear and with them, in
many instances, went all traces of
their appearance except in the
memory of those who were able to
scale their recollections on paper
and to scale.
Five years ago, DR.. Hollands
division, with the aid of an ap-
preparation from the Carnegie
Foundation, began the collection
Of photographs and negatives of
historic American structures. Pa
$riotic and historical societies,
chapters of the American Insti-
tute of Architects and others
were called upon to send in their
contributions for the collection IN
order that the structures might
be preserved for posterity, photo
graphically at least.
Known as the Pictorial Ar
chives Collection, the work soon
grew to such proportions that
when the CWA began to function
two years ago, the work broad.
ened into the Historic American
Buildings Survey and was con-
Quoted jointly by the National
Parks Service and American In.
Stitute of Architects. The Lii
hrary of Congress is still the de-
pository for these valuable
sketches.
Drawings Prepared
Unemployed architects were
placed at the task of measuring,
with all possible accuracy, the
buildings assigned to be covered
by the work, and to prepare
scaled drawings. with every
structural and artistic detail, suit
able for blue-printing or other
3OLW OF REPRODUCTION.
In working among the pueblos.
the survey accomplished for the
first time an accurate scaled trac-
Ing of the ancient dwellings of
the earliest Americans, and draw
1ngS even reveal the room ar
rangementS of the various family
units.
From an architectural point of
view the work is of untold value.
For instance, Massachusetts, rep
reSentS a rich field for the rare
type of early American archi-
lecture. Since they were covered
by the survey, nine of the many
buildings have been burned or
torn down to make way for more
modern structures. But, thanks
to the work of the survey, cor
rect tracings are now available
and accurate reproductions of the
fine old places can now be erected
IN any part Of the country.
Liberty Hall" Plan
Among other completed sketches
Is working plan of Liberty
Hall" famous Frankfort, KY,
building, which, historic tradition
claims, was designed by Thomas
Jefferson. The collection also in
cludes detailed sketches of his
tor1c inn in Kentucky, which was
struck by lightning and burned
less than two months after the
work was completed.
When part of GEORGETOWN was
the hamlet of Hamburger, there
was erected on what is now the 400
block of Twentieth Street, a mod
est appearing little brick house,
out its early English stair rail and
elaborate small mantels establish
1T as one of the rare gems of the
period of 1890. It's floor plans
make it ideally suitable for the
average Small-family home in
crowded neighborhoods and com.
plete working plans are immedi-
Rtely available.
Southeast washington is the
setting for one of the most un.
usual houses in the entire collec.
tion-the old Dupcanson House,
later known as Maple Square.
When General Washington and
Major L'Enfant were planning the
National Capital Maple Square was
only a grove of maple trees sur
rounding pioneer log cabin. In
1895 the property was purchased
by w. N. Duncanson, wealthy to-
bacco planter, who erected the
present structure, which includes
an interesting courtyard, stables
and slaves quarters.
Purchased BY Key
In 1915 it was purchased by
Francis Scott Key, immortal COM
poser of the Star-Spangled Ban.
ner, who resided there for some
years until it became the property
Of Capt. A. A. Nicholson.
Later, in 1858, it was owned by
Senator j. M. Clayton. of New
Jersey, who built the palatial ball
room and hired Bromede, Italian
architectural painter who had
completed the rotunda in the
Capitol, to decorate it.
It is now part of the estate of
Mrs. lily Edison Briggs the