Evening star., 1938-02-13
By John Clageff Proctor.

By John Clageff Proctor.
"HE old Brightwood Reservoir at
Sixteenth and Kennedy streets
Is fast disappearing. and in a
u very short while it will be only
q matter of memory or a question for
the historian to delve into. Its con-
struction was begun in 1899 and it
was completed on January is. 1900.
1t was built at time when the
District had begun to develop its
high pressure water system, and
served to augment the pressure of
water in the higher parts of the city
However, in more recent years, having
ceased to be useful. it has been aban-
doned, and in its place it is now
planned to erect tennis courts, and
possibly to provide space for other
kinds Of sports that may follow later
on.
AS recreation center, the site of
this reservoir dates back for at least
the better part of a century. when it
formed part of an early picnic
grounds known as Crystal Spring, a
name which later attached to the en-
tire neighborhood.
This name, as one might Judge, sug-
gested itself from the crystal-like
water which flowed, not from one
spring but from number of springs in
this vicinity, one, Of the largest having
ceased only about 10 years ago. This
particular spring, probably at one time
the most copious of all, stood at the
west side of the road, just where the
Fourteenth street cars OF the Capital
Traction Co. make the loop at Ken
nedy street. 1t seemed to die of it.
self, something evidently having hap
pened to its source, somewhere to the
north.
IN 1902 John Tayloe laid out race
course on the Holmead farm. It
was a mile track. and had it's center
about at Kenyon and Fourteenth
streets, approximately embracing the
territory from Tenth to Sixteenth
streets. Here, at very early period,
such horses as Amanda, Florizel, Du-
roc, Post Boy. Lady Lightfoot and
Tuckahoe performed in the presence
Of the most notable people of the day
including no doubt all the Presidents
from Jefferson to Tyler.
But in 1845 the Holmead track was
done away with when William Hol-
mead announced that he had divided
his farm, including the race course,
into lots of S and so acres, and from
this time on until 1859 racing events
were held on other nearby tracks. In
1859. however, a course was laid out
at Crystal Spring, where horse racing
was INDUCED in for upward Of
half century. In 1860. according to
an advertisement in The Star, 1t was
then called the Piney Branch Trot-
ting Course, and on November 10 Of
this year was sold under deed Of trust
to F. Mattingly for $4,000.
This track was supposed to be Just
an even half mile. but upon careful
measurement, shortly before it was
closed, it was found to be just 3 feet
over this distance. For many years
1t was very popular track, and 1t
prospered and drew good crowds by
advertising in The Star. of which
the following of July, 1853, Is Just
another example:
Stage coaches for Crystal Spring
and the Race Course. The under
signed will run stage coach for the
above places, making two trips a day
except Sunday, when three trips will
be made, leaving National Hotel at
IL and o'clock, and on Sunday at
10. and 4 o'clock, stopping at the
Metropolitan, Turner g. Co.'S, No. 2sl
Pennsylvania avenue, Kirkwood and
Willards Hotel. Fare. round trip. IS
cents; children, half price. E. Fergu-
son, proprietor of stages" q
SUBSEQUENTLY the Piney. Branch
Trotting Course became the
Washington Trotting Course and later
the Brightwood Trotting Park. And
here also was the Piney Branch Hotel,
later turned into the Brightwood Park
House.
Since there were several fine springs
near the race course, as indicated, and
as the surrounding country was heavily
wooded, it made an ideal picnic
grounds, just as the ground nearest
Rock Creek in Rock Greek Park does
today. Naturally in ye olden days
there was a tavern connected with
the race course, the proprietor being,
from about 1863 to 1880, Frederick
6. Rohr.
Later. for some years. it was con-
Quoted by his widow, Mrs. Anna M.
Rohr. In 1860, before taking over the
race course property, Mr.. Rohr had
been employed at Browns Hotel. now
the Metropolitan. and in his day was
q very popular man, and just such a
one as would succeed in business most
anywhere. The writer knows his
daughter, Miss Lena Rohr, very well.
After the race course was established
1t was common for many German fam
lilies to come out to Crystal Spring on
q Sunday for the purpose of spending
pleasant day in the woods. AS the
creek was nearby, the men and boys
would 60 in bathing and indulge in
baseball and other sports, while the
good wife spread the lunch for all
hands. after which, no doubt, some
one played the accordion or the con-
certina. while the grown-ups waltzed
to the tune of the Blue Danube" or
some other delightful German air. It
1s quite plausible that 1t was these
picnics which created the idea of es-
tablishing the Schuetzen Park on old
Seventh Street road about 1856, where
the washington Schuetzen Verein, for
many years after, held annual festi-
walls.
INDEED, from the earliest history Of
the city. the Germans have had
their summer gardens and places Of
amusement. where they could congre-