Evening star., 1936-04-12
OLD GEORGETOWN
HOMES TO Be OPEN
Tour Under Auspices of St.
Johns to Be Held Fri
day and Saturday.

group OF Lne HlOSt ultIeSIlils
residences of old Georgetown will be
open Friday and Saturday for the
annual tour under auspices OF st.
Johns Church. Georgetown.
The old church itself, at 3240 o
street, founded in 1794 and completed
in 1906, will be opened both days.
The architect Of the church was DR..
william Thornton, architect of the
Capitol. Thomas jefferson headed
the list of subscribers, and Francis
Scott Key was one of the early vestry-
men.
There will be nine homes open on
Friday and eight Saturday.
Among these there is one occupied
by Mr.. and Mrs. Francis deWolf at
1922 0 street. whose history dates
back to the days of the mother of
Robert E. Lee, who once lived there,
and the famous Russian Minister,
Baron Bodisco, who made it a center
Of diplomatic society.
Mrs. Harry Lee, mother of Gen. Lee,
moved to Georgetown in 1926 and
lived in this house while her son at
tended West Point. He visited the
family there while on leave from the
academy.
Entered Society There.
In this old house in the 40s and sos
Baron Bodisco frequently entertained.
The odd story Of young man who
made his entrance into Washington
society there, under the care OF Sem
ator, is related in an old issue of Har-
per's Magazine. The incident took
place at ball given there by the
baron.
LAS we entered the house." the
young man related two tall speci-
mems of humanity, dressed very much
like militia generals in scarlet coats,
trimmed with gold lace anc white
trousers. met us at the door.
Thinking them distinguished peo-
pie, I bowed low and solemnly. They
stared and bowed. Go on, said the
Senator, don't be so polite TO those
fellows, they are servants; give them
your cloak I hurried in, pulling off
my cloak as I went. Just within the
first door of the drawing room stood
q fat. oily, little gentleman, bowing
also. but not SO magnificently gotten
up as my first acquaintance. Certain
of my game. now, I, in superb style.
threw over him my cloak anc hurried
on. Senator - pulled me back, and
TO the astonished little fellow now
struggling from under my broadcloth
was presented. had nearly smoth-
cred the Russian Minister. Who how
ever, laughed merrily at the mistake" :"
Standiug high on a hill, and ap-
propriately named "Uplands," the
home of Mrs. j. Borden Hartman.
opened for the first time in one of
the Georgetown tours, provides one of
the most unusual views in all Wash
ington. Located at 1900 Foxall road,
this estate was rebuilt by Mrs. Ear-
rimea from the old Lightfoot home,
which originally stood in the center
Of farm.
Unusual Garden in Rear.
Among the most distinctive archi-
tecturally is the home of Mr.. and
Mrs. Franklin Mott Gunther, at 2812
N street, where the widow of Admiral
Decatur lived after he was killed at
Bladensburg in the duel with Com
modore James Barron in 1920 At
the back of this house there Is an
unusual garden. The place was built
in 1779 and was at one time the home
of Judge Morsell, but it is also called
the Decatur House
The list of houses has been pre-
pared by the committee of which Mrs.
Allen Nash is chairman, with view
to being used as an itinerary for those
who wish to visit all
The list for Friday is as follows:
Mrs. Sidney Small. 1924 Thirty
third street; Commander and Mrs.
Ellis Stone. 1920 Thirty-third street;
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Miner, 1925
Thirty-t third street; Mr.. and Mrs. w.
Campbell Armstrong, 30l0 o street;
Mrs. Paul Townsend. 1340 Thirtieth
street; Mrs. Walter T. Wheatley, 5000
P street; Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Mott
Gunther. 2812 N street; Miss Gene
We've Wimsatt, 1911 Twenty-eighth
street; Miss Gilmore D. Gregg, 3245
o street; st. Johns Church, George
town. 3240 o street.
The list for Saturday is as follows:
Mrs. J. Borden Hartman (UplandS),
1900 Foxall road; Mr.. and Mrs.
Francis de Wolf, 1922 o street;
Justice and Mrs. Owen J. Roberts,
140l Thirty-flrs street. Mrs. Hig-
ginson Rogers, 14O6 Thirty-fourth
street; Mrs. Curtis Munson, 341O Volta
place; Mrs Robert w. Woolley, 34Ol
Prospect avenue; Miss Anita E.
Phipps 1923 P street: Mr.. and Mrs.
Dean G. Acheson, 2805 street and
st. Johns Church.
Tickets at ST will be on sale at any
house, and provide admission from
1:30 to pm. to all houses open that |
day. They also are ON sale at the
MayfloWer, Willard and Dodge Hotels, !
and at the American Automobile As
sociation.
To L