Evening star., 1940-04-28

a ball park, during the Civil War W.
Hospital. Indeed, there are many
who do not recall the Civil War, but
who do remember some of the old
hospital buildings which stood on w
street close to the park. This
thoroughfare being formerly known
as Pomeroy street. Gen. O. O. How
ard. veteran of the War of 1861
1865, who was always doing some-
thing nice for the colored people
who really needed a friend at that
time-conceived the idea, after the
war was over, Of turning some of
these buildings into a hospital for
colored people, and through his
efforts these two-story shacks be-
came the beginning of what is now
Freedmens Hospital, with its hand
some, up-to-date buildings and
equipment.
AS early, at least, as 1865. Louis
Boyer was conducting Beyers Park
In connection with the hotel at
tached to the grounds of which he
also proprietor. and the city direc-
tory of the date given, contains
in his advertisement the following
bit of information:
Park Hotel, situated near the
terminus of the Seventh street rail-
road, surrounded by a beautiful
park. The proprietor takes great
pleasure In announcing to his old
friends and the public generally,
that he is prepared to accommodate
permanent and transient boarders.
having thoroughly refitted the above
hotel"
Dates Back to Dairy.
The earliest history of this old
park dates back to the days when
Mrs. Barbara Johnson, widow of
Jacob johnson, ran dairy about
where the hotel stood. She was the
mother of 1t. James Johnson, long
connected with the Metropolitan
Police Force and member of the
Association of Oldest Inhabitants.
Barbara johnson is said to have
once owned all the land from the
hotel south to Florida avenue.
Boyer conducted this hotel and
operated the park as a picnic
grounds up to about 1884. at which
time it became known as the Mary
land House. Subsequent to this date
1t was conducted by Mr.. Wylie, a
Mr.. Talks, Mr.. Frayley. and from
1893 to 1914, by Mr.. and Mrs. E. w.
Charlton. After it ceased to be
hotel 1t was used as a place where
were sold lime, plaster and other
building materials.
The entrance to Beyer's Park was
about $50 feet north of the ball park
entrance. The trees in the park were
of the original stock, and on the
grounds there were dance pavilion
and an assortment of attractions
such as go with a picnic place or a
summer garden. And, of course,
lager beer was served with the GUS
tomary collar on the top. Foot
racing was an occasional attraction
and prize waltzing was not uncom-
mon. At an early date here was one
Of the first board tracks upon which
to operate the old wooden bicycle.
The triangular lot bounded by T
street, Florida avenue and Seventh
street was occupied for a long time
by the car stables of the Seventh
street line of the Washington e.
Georgetown Railway Co., now the
Capital Transit Co. Later this loca-
ton was abandoned when the cable
method was given tryout. and for
this purpose buildings at the river
front were erected.
Soon afterward, residences were
erected on the Seventh street and
Florida avenue site of the barn, and
1t was probably on the T street side
Of the square, between Sixth and
Seventh streets, that the famous
Washington actress. Miss Helen
Hayes, was born and spent her
childhood days.
Another very interesting thing in
this neighborhood was Reedy
Branch, which crossed Florida ave-
nue. at Eighth street on its way to
Join the Tiber. AS the writer first
knew it as a wee tot, back in 1871,
1t was considerable of a stream at
this point, and had to be crossed by
q small footbridge. Teams were
able to ford it under ordinary con-
ditions.
Shortly after 1871, this stream at
first, from Florida avenue SOUTH
ward, was inclosed in a large sewer.
which seemed to take In all of
Eighth street. After this, however,
there was not suficient capacity to
carry of the water running down
from the hills to the north, and the