Evening star., 1942-03-01
History Unfolds in Old Port Royal Tract
BY John Clagett Proctor.

in the old patent Of Port Royal, one
which retains to an extent its rural char
acter, Is Franklin Park, or Franklin
Square, as 1t used to be called, which is
bounded by I, X, Thirteenth and Four
teenth streets, and where is the beautiful
monument to Commodore John Barry.
In 1929 the Government acquired title
to this park, when it found it desirable
to do 50, in order to control fine spring
of water Of sufncient volume to form
the source Of . stream which flowed
enthusiastically from this point to Ninth
and r streets, and thence south to the
Tber.
From this spring, in 1882. water was
conveyed In pipes to the White House
and the executive of1ices, prior to which
time pumps supplied these places with
the necessary drinking water.
Beyond K street, to the north. in Civil
War days, there were comparatively few
houses, and even majority Of these were
of the poorer class, as early views Of this
territory clearly show. The National
baseball grounds were at Fifteenth and
L streets as late as 1868. and between K
street and Massachusetts, avenue were
mainly shacks. At an early date there
were some finer residences on X street
between Twelfth and Fourteenth streets
and in Massachusetts, avenue few nice
houses also were to be seen.
City of Lost Footsteps
On the second lot west from the north
west corner Of Twelfth and K streets, was
once the home of Commodore A. 8. Wads-
worth, and there he was visited in 1889
by the poet, Henry Wadsworth Long
fellow, whose reference to the "City Of
Lost Footsteps" before mentioned, was
the result Of this visit to Washington. A
parking station now occupies this site.
Within a short distance, to the north
OF the Wadsworth home, at the north
west corner Of Eleventh and L streets,
was the famous wistaria house, so-called
because the front Of the house was COW
cred by a magnificent specimen OF this
climbing shrub. Referring to this vine,
prior to 1927, Mrs. John M. Binckley,
who was born about 1887, said: AT the
other end Of the block, Massachusetts,
avenue and Eleventh street was the old
Thomas place, famous in Washington
for its wonderful wistaria vine, one Of
the lovely sights OF spring until very re-
Gently. This vine was originally brought
from China and given to my mother by
one Of the young naval officer cousins
either Edwin DENLY (uncle Of the Secre-
tary) or Nick Van Zant, who lived in
the block AS they brought many pres
ents to us from their trips I cannot re-
member now to which young man we
land all Washington were indebted for
this beautiful vine which my mother
and Mrs. Thomas planted. There was
also one at our place, but 1t failed 70
live to attain any great size"
The site of the Thomas house Is now
occupied by the Wisteria Mansions,
which spells its name in the old form.
In 1860, Nicholas B. Van zandt was re-
siding at the Twelfth street end of this
block in a frame house surrounded by
lovely garden, and In between this and
the Thomas house lived John M. Binck-
ley, one of the editors Of the National
Intelligencer and an Assistant Attorney
General under President Andrew john
son.
In its day this neighborhood was one
of the choicest residential sections in
the city, since the elevation at Massachu-
sets avenue and Twelfth street Is the
highest point above sea level in the CEN
trail part of the Federal Capital. the
highest point within the original limits