Evening star., 1939-01-01
By John Clagett Proctor.

By John ClageH Proctor.
Florida avenue-known as Boun-
Diary street for upward of a cen
tury before it received its present
name-is one of Washington's old
est and longest thoroughfares, orig
inally extending from Rock Greek
on the west, to Fifteenth street on
the east, and today, except for a
few blocks, it still continues to ex-
tend over its entire original length.
And of all the streets and avenues
of the city as planned by Maj.
L'Enfant, it is probably the oldest.
since one-half of 1t, at least, served
as a public road years before the
District of Columbia came into ex-
istence
But the Government moved it's
Offices here in 1900, this street was
known as the GeorgetoWn-Bl
burg road, forming as it did, one
of the two main routes to Bladens-
burg, the Florida avenue route
crossing Rock Greek at P street and
continuing eastward at least as far
as Seventh street northwest, cross
ing Reedy Branch at Eighth street,
which was a fairly large open
stream crossed by a hand bridge.
until about 1874, when it was turned
into a sewer.
It will be observed that the land
rises considerably to the north of
Florida avenue for much of its
length and this made the ground
attractive to those who could afford
a country estate close to the busi-
ness center of the city, and so we
find, at very early date, Anthony
Holmead building home for him.
self in what is now the 1900 block
of S street. Holmead was an Eng
lishman, or perhaps, more strictly
speaking, of English ancestry, and
one of the original proprietors of
land selected for the Federal Cap
ital. It was he who erected the
original house on commanding
eminence at Kalorama and called
the estate Rock Hill
This tract, early known as
Widows Mite, was granted in 1864
to John Langworth. 1t then con-
tanned some 600 acres and the part
south of Florida avenue and with
in the city lines was later given the
name of James His Park" the
name under which it was held by
Holmead when he agreed with the
other proprietors to transfer, under
certain conditions, their lands to
the Federal Government.
In 1894 or 17e5 Holmead sold the
mansion house and about 40 acres
of land to Gustavus Scott, who had
been made one Of the commissioners
to superintend the erection of the
public buildings here. His career
was an honorable one. He was
distinguished lawyer, and during the
period of the American Revolution
rendered valuable service to the
cause of independence. He was
member of the Association Of the
Freemen of Maryland, which decided
In July, ITS, to throw off the pro-
priety power and assume provisional
government. Later he assisted in
framing the constitution of Mary
land in 1776, and subsequently served
In the State Assembly, and in 1874
was sent as a Delegate to the Con-
tinental Congress.
Although his political career was
as resident of Maryland, yet his
birthplace was in Prince William
County, Va, his father having been
Scotch Episcopal clergyman who
settled in that State in 1870. Gus
tavus Scott was appointed COM
missioner for the District of Colum-
bia in 1894 and, though it may seem
ridiculous, 1t is nevertheless true
that the credit of the government
was so low while he was one of the
commissioners that his own bond
was required. from the State of
Maryland for money lent to COM
plets the public buildings.
Being the son of Scotchman he
naturally inherited some of his IA
theirs Scotch thrift, and as evidence
of this he is said to have adapted to
his own use as kitchen door step the
rejected keystone of the then new
K Street Bridge. On this his name
was chiseled, but since even stone
will wear out this inscription also
finally vanished under the tread of
many feet.
Although Gustavus Scott was
thrifty, yet he was not particularly
fortunate in his investments, as we
might we'll Judge from a letter dated
May 8, 1902. and written by Thomas
Jefferson and addressed to Joel Bar
low, then residing in Paris. The let
ter in part reads: There is most
lovely seat adjoining this city, on a
high hill, commanding most ex-
tensive view of the Potomac, now for
sale. A suburb house, garden, etc.,
with 30 or 40 acres of ground. 1t
will be sold under circumstances of
distress, and will probably go for the
half of what it has cost. 1t was
built by Gustavus Scott, who is dead
"a bankrupt" Scott died here in
Washington in 1901, most likely at
Kalorama.
Barlow was not quick enough and
the property was bought in by Col.
William Augustine Washington,
nephew of the first President, who
remodeled the mansion and made
additions which added to its utility
end attractiveness. However, Col.
Washington was not so taken with
the place that he felt Obliged to