Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-16
By John Clagen Proctor.


ably more than century, and was so
named by Joshua Peirce for the great
Swedish botanist, Karl Won Linnaeus,
commonly called Lime
Linnaean Hill is now a part of Rock
Greek Park, and has been ever since
this reservation was transferred to the
Government, together with other land
lying along Rock Greek, in $780, This
estate then consisted Of 3l.8l7 acres,
and was held in the name Of Joshua
PIERCE Klingle, nephew by marriage
of Joshua PIERCE, who built the old
mansion house about 1923, when the
land was given him by his father,
Isaac PIERCE, who built Peirces Mill,
recently restored.
When Isaac Peirce decided this land
to his son Joshua, on October 10, 1923.
for natural love and affection" the
estate then consisted of 81 acres 2
rods and % perches. and it soon be-
came one Of the best nurseries in
America. Indeed, John A. Saul, who
is an authority on local nurseries, and
who has written entertainingly on the
subject for the records of the Columbia
Historical Society. says it was the
first general nursery in the District
OF Columbia. Joshua PIERCE also con-
Quoted a nursery within the city limits
on tract said to have included about
81 acres. This, Of course, must have
been before the streets in the out
lying parts OF Washington were opened
up, and the center OF his city plant
was somewhere in the neighborhood
of where once stood the Washington
Hospital for Foundlings, 1851 Fifteenth
street northwest. The principal part OF
his town nurseries extended from
Fourteenth to Sixteenth street and
from r to T street.
But just a word about the old Lin
naean Hill home before telling more
Of the PIERCE family.
THIS is a picturesque old residence
fully in keeping with the station
OF a country gentleman of means
AS stated, it was erected in 1923, the
walls being of blue stone similar to
that found throughout the park area,
and like the stone with which the
streets of Washington were once
macadamized, before asphalt and &C.
ment pavement came into general
use
The walls are "a inches thick, and
there is double-deck veranda or
porch on the south side Of the build
ing. embellished with q cast-iron
railing OF scroll work in grape design,
into which is entwined wistaria vine
OF considerable age and beauty On
the north side an addition was made
about 1643, and the difference in the
stone then used is easily detected
when compared with the original part
of the building. The main entrance
is on this side of the house, and here
is very large iron scraper to one
side OF the step, just as a reminder
to clean your shoes before entering
the doorway. Within the memory of
many, when Washington was a mud
hole. nearly every residence in the
city was equipped with one of these
scrapers, which was secured to the side
OF the first step Of the porch or stoop
at the front door OF the dwelling.
Toward the top Of the north front
OF the house, the date 1923" has been
carved, which may be accepted as
the date Of its erection. Even today,
the stonework in this building is in
remarkably good condition, and a
stone arch over the main entrance
does not show the slightest indica-
ton Of giving way.
MIL few years ago, the walls
of this old building were covered
with heavy growth of English ivy.
This has all been removed, and today
the walls are bare and possibly lack
some Of their earlier charm, but,
generally speaking, except for slight
modern touch here and there, made
necessary through deterioration, the
structure is about as it was when first
built
The interior of the building has
also undergone requirements, but not
enough to detract from its age or to
give it in the least modern appear
oAASS' SCVcldl VI l1lS
mantels have been removed and
others substituted in their places,
but the old atmosphere is still there,
and although the drawing room and
the banquet room have been papered,
a very old design has been used In
the former, the paper shows a large
gray basket figure on a dark blue
background.
This design is said to have been
copied from paper used in decorating
the walls of the Hermitage, Andrew
Jackson's celebrated home near Nash
VILE Tenn, which was used more
recently in the reproduction of Old
Hickory's historic mansion, erected
in front of the White House, and from
which President Franklin D. Roose-
welt reviewed the inaugural parade
on January 20 a few months ago.
The banquet or dining room has
been similarly treated, except that the
main figure in the paper is large
blue peacock. This design comes
from Upper New York, and is known
as the Gov. Gore paper. All old
homes Of this character are fascinat-
ing to the writer, but the thing that
attracted his attention most when he
went through this early District resi-
dence, was the old-time fireplace,
which measured about feet long by
4 feet and inches high.
This early home of the Peirces and
the Klingles is now occupied by Mr..
and Mrs. c. Marshall F1nnan, Mr.
Finnan being the superintendent Of
the National Capital Parks, and when
they moved in about six months ago,
one thing they did not know anything
about was this large country fire.
place. However, Mr.. Finnan sus-
pected there must be one Of this kind
In the house, and after a careful in
spection and sounding out the walls,
uncovered this one. which had been
sealed and plastered over and per-
AH ii