Evening star., 1939-02-26

century or even half a century ago,
so great have been the changes dur
ing that time.
"SwampOOdle" Section.
Old "SWampoodle, still fondly re-
membered by many, had no exact
boundaries, but may be said to have
extended in general way several
blocks to the east of North Capitol
street and north and south of H
street, with the larger part lying to
the north of the latter thoroughfare.
The name with which this Sec
ton was dubbed suggested itself,
most naturally, by the swampy land
on either side of Tiber Creek. which
crossed H street about midway be-
tween North Capital and First
streets NE.
Much has been said, in a joking
way, of the early residents Of this
part of the city, but seriously, the
worst any one might say about them
would be that many of them were
poor, but hard-working people, who
minded their own business and saw
| to 1t that everybody else did the
same. They did not like the dog
catcher, nor did any one else, and
| they did not care for the policeman,
| for they preferred to settle their
differences among themselves with
out any ontside interference.
Generally speaking, Swampoodle
was not composed of teetotalers. nor
were the people here strictly Of the
reverse tendency, though if called
upon to vote, they would probably
have cast a wet ballot, and yet, as
matter of fact. they probably did
not indulge in strong drink to any
greater extent than did the people
of other sections of the city. That
they sent their children to school
and educated them is evident, since
many of them became representa-
tive Washington men and women,
and this conclusively shows that
they were not as black as painted.
Indeed, if we could push aside the
curtain and see this neighborhood
as it was go years ago and become
acquainted with the people there, We
might say that. after all, they were
a mighty fine class of people.
Buildings Removed.
AS to CoWtoWn, practically all
the buildings once occupied by its
early settlers have been removed.
Grant avenue, now Barry place. was
probably considered as its southern
line and it extended rorth for a
thousand or more feet On the east
it was bounded by Seventh street
road, or as we now call it. Georgia
avenue. Its western line was Sher.
man avenue, except for small Sec
ton of Barry place that extended
to Florida avenue.
COwtoWn was not a large place
nor was it entirely built up when the
writer first knew it, and in recent
years many of the buildings which
formerly stood on the Georgia ave-
nue. side of this section have been
removed for the Banneker SWIM
ming Pool and Community Center.
And so it can be seen that the place
has been greatly changed from what
it was in days gone by, when it was
about as independent a community
as there was in the District of Co.
lumbia.
Natives of England.
English Hill' was a section that
gained its name through the ma
tionality of its early settlers, many
of whom were natives of England,
though good many also came from
the Emerald Isle. Like so many Of
the early settlements of the city,
there were no exact boundaries,
though this one included in part
what is now known as judiciary
Square, where the courthouse now
stands. It's name originated, we are
told, when that neighborhood was
settled by some English families on
lots at one time belonging to a Mr..
Shoemaker, clerk in the Post Office
Department. The name of one OF
these families was Cook.
The late James Croggon said that
; this area was given the name Eng
lish Hill' prior to 1920 in order to
distinguish it from nearby settle
ment on a rise of ground called
Irish HILL" though, as a matter of
fact, both hills were largely settled
by Irish families.
Robert Ball, at one time the treas
,, urer of the Association of the Old
est Inhabitants, and at the time of
. his death crier of the Supreme Court
of the District of Columbia, who re-
sided at 233 G street, near the court
house, for many years and who died
there in 1897 was intimately ac-
quainted with this neighborhood
!, He was born in Alexandria County
,, D. c. (now part of Virginia., April
! 30. 1927, and came to this city in
October, 1884.
, Served as POstman.
In 1858 he entered the City Posi-
Office as a letter carrier and later
! became the first superintendent o!
the letter carriers at the inaugura.
ton of the free delivery system
- Undoubtedly Mr.. Ball acquired
much experience in local postal mat
= ters, but it is hardly probable thai
his personal experience in the de-
y livery of mail was ever quite st
. arduous and intimate as was thai
h of William Bailey, who, in the veal
+ 1918, was the only letter carrier II
a the District of Columbia, and, furth'
y ermore. his route extended from
: Georgetown to the Navy Yard, ant
> this included the intermediate
: streets in the few settlements ther
, along the way
4 1t is strange how names will attacf
e to localities, and how they will stick