Evening star., 1935-04-07
PUBLIC WILL VIEW
19H|STOR|CHOUSES
Old Georgetown Homes to
Be Open on Friday and
Saturday.

STEPPED In historic tradition, 10
old Georgetown houses will be open
to the public next Friday and Sat-
urday afternoons, under the auspices
of st. Johns Episcopal Church.
Georgetown.
Representing a cross-section of the
homesteads of ancient Georgetown,
reaching back in some cases more than
a century and a half, these old places
are described as interesting. not only
for the colorful history of their pastS,
but for their attractive and artistic
condition Of preservation today, as
homes of persons prominent in the
political and social life of the city.
Presidents and generals, diplomats
and business leaders, romantic youth,
and distinguished old age have fig
ured in the fascinating stories woven
around the old mansions, now redo
lent with memories.
Morris House Open Twice.
Most of these houses never have
been opened before during annual
Spring events, sponsored by st. Johns
Church. Only one house will be open
on both Friday and Saturday, the So
called Morris House at 3508 Prospect
avenue, commanding a magnificent
view over the Potomac River. Others
will be open one day only. st. Johns
Church at 3240 o street will be open
both days, but aside from these two
structures, there will be a different
group available to the public on each
day.
The homes to be open Friday from
2 to 6 pm. includes those Of:
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles F. Chilling
worth, 1406 Thirty fourth street; the
Undersecretary of the Treasury and
Mrs. T. Jefferson Coolidge, 1868 N
street; Mr.. and Mrs. Clarence Phelps
Dodge, l645 Thirty-first street. Gen.
and Mrs. Louis McC. Little, 30l0 O
street; Mrs. Edward Macauley (the
Morris house,, $500 Prospect avenue;
Assistant Secretary of the Navy and
Mrs. Henry Latrobe Roosevelt, 1923
@ street: Mrs. H. H. Rousseau, 1898
r street; Comdr. and Mrs. Ellis S.
Stone, 1920 Thirty-third street: Mrs.
Ward Thoron, 1900 N street; Mr.. and
Mrs. Robert w. Woolley, 340l Prospect
&fCAaCs <AAoO oIs oOlAl SA4ul S1ls
Georgetown. 3240 o street.
The houses to be open Saturday
afternoon are those of Mr.. and Mrs.
Dean G. Acheson, 1905 p street; Mr..
and Mrs. william S. Conant, 1902
Thirty-first street; Mr.. and Mrs. Fran
els c. De Wolf, 1922 o street; Mr.. and
Mrs. F. Mott Gunther, 1912 N street;
Mr.. and Mrs. Frank p. Harman, 3025
p street: Maj. and Mrs. Henry Leon
ard, 3038 N street; Mrs. Edward Ma
cauley tthe Morris house,, 3508 Pros
pect avenue; Justice and Mrs. Owen j.
Roberts, 140l Thirty-first street; Mr..
and Mrs. Jouett Shouse, 5000 o street.
Also st. Johns Church, Georgetown,
3240 o street.
More Than $50 Years Old.
The Morris house, at 35os Prospect
avenue, to be open on both Friday
and Saturday, an unusually interest,"
ing and attractive old mansion more
than $50 years old, Is the property
OF Mrs. Edward Macauley and has
recently been remodeled. Originally
1t was the home of John Templeman,
who owned all that section of George
town then called Pretty Prospect"
THE little red house on r street" "
which is not little at all, at 1898
r, near the site of the new George
town Public Library now under con-
struction, has become an interesting
spotlight in the new administration
and also Is said to be the seat of a
popular detective story. Known as q
former home of Gen. Grant, 1t was
later the home of Col. John j. Joyce.
q picturesque figure, who disputed
with Ella Wheeler Wilcox as to which
was the author Of:
Laugh and the world laughs with
you.
Weep, and you weep alone"
A feature of the home of Dean G.
Acheson, former Undersecretary of
the Treasury. at 2805 P street, Is the
iron fence about the house, made of
old musket barrels. used during the
Mexican War. The fence was erected
by Reuben Daw, who owned large
part Of this block.
Former Russian Legation.
The house at 1920 o street, home
~. Francis c. De Wolf of the State
Department and Mrs. De Wolf, was
formerly the Russian Legation, resi-
dence of the Russian Minister, 63-
year-old Baron Alexander de Bodisco,
who married Miss Harriet Beall Will
liams, the beautiful 16-year-old
daughter Of Brooke Williams of
Georgetown. The romantic story of
their engagement and colorful we'd
ding, at which President Van Buren.
Daniel Webster and all the diplomatic
corps were present, provided one Of
the spectacular social sensations Of
the day.
At the crest of the hill of Thirty
first street stands very old house,
now the home of Mr., and Mrs. Clar-
ence Phelps Dodge, one of those open
on the tour of old homes. It was
built by Mrs. Harriet Beall williams.
At 28l2 N street is house with
q beautiful doorway and interesting
history, where tradition says the widow
OF Admiral Decatur came to live
after the admiral was killed in the
duel with Commodore James Barron.
This house was built in 1779 and
at one time was the home of Judge
Morsell.
The home of Undersecretary Of
the Treasury Thomas Jefferson Cool
idge, at 1858 N street, was built about
1900 by Col James Smith.
Tickets at al for each davis tollr