Evening star., 1942-04-19
Is Old Carrollsburg Coming Into Its Own?

The proposition TO redevelop . squares
Of ground In the Southwest section Of the
city to provide homes for war workers
under the GoodvilIie plan, may not be
q bad idea n in doing so the proximity
Of the Capitol Building is taken into con-
sideration. and the architecture of the
proposed buildings are Of q harmonious
design. For after all. these buildings
will be only half q mile from the great
white dome. Though they might be
quite desirable Just now. there are certain
things that should be borne in mind
even during wartime and one Of the
main ones II would seem Is not 10 de-
tract from our beautiful Capitol.
OF course, there should not be the
slightest doubt in the mind of any one
rs to the wisdom of redeveloptne this
part OF Washington. II has needed dras-
tic changing for many years a. many
an old resident OF the city will testify.
and unfortunately from the beginning
Of It's decline It has gradually grown
worse In spots The Washingtonian or
visitor who will look this area over-at
least from Virginia avenue southwark to
the river and from about South Capitol
street, westward to Fourth street-and
see IL as 1t is today, will certainly rejoice
that At last this section is about to be
improved.--if such IL turns out TO be.
But strange rs 1t may seem, this very
tection Of Washington and the part lying
20 the east OF the Capitol. was. at the
time OF the laying out OF the city. be-
lieved 10 be the most valuable, since 1t
was thought that these sections would be
built I'D first. AS a matter Of fact, the
first houses completed In the new city
will stand In Southwest Washington. be-
ing located at 1918 to 1921 Fourth street.
and are Of the finest residences there
nov. They were begun in 17e4 and prob
ably completed the following year, and
because citizen named John Wheat re-
sided at an early date In house No. 1878,
the group has since been known as
wheat Row"
House Built in 1850.
So far as known, the first house erected
In the area south OF the Capitol. was
built long before the city Of Washington
became the seat Of Government, when
Charles Carroll, IT. built there a two
story brick house 80 by so feet, with
kitchen l8 by "a feet close by. This was
In 1859. The house Is said TO have stood
on the high plain short distance from
the north bank of the Anacostia River or
Eastern Branch, or more specifically
where South Capitol and @ streets and
Potomac avenue cross, or Just southeast
Of square 657.
In ITO Charles Carroll, jr.. decided to
be the founder Of a city. and accordingly
laid out 100 acres of land into streets,
alleys and building lots, The subdivision
extended from N street south to the
Eastern Branch, where 1t ends at Buzzard
Point. a name applied to this locality for
at least a century and half, and from
the James Greek Canal, on the west to
First street southeast. This town was
laid out by virtue and authority of deed
of trust dated the second day of Novem-
Der, ITO. from Charles Carroll jr., to
Henry Rozer, Daniel Carroll and Motley
Young The conveyance authorized the
grantees to subdivide Duddington Manor
and Duddington Pasture containing on
the aggregate 160 acres of land, more or
less, into 263 lots, TO sell the same Except
six lots TO be selected by the grantor. his
heirs or assigns, for his or their own
proper use) and to draw or cause to be
drawn for by ballot or lottery. The deed
was recorded on November 20. ITO, and
the plat, courses and distances of the
town are also of record in the Land and
Special Records in Marlboro, Md. I'M
mediately following are innumerable
deeds from the above grantees to
different parties for lots In Carr0llSburg,
which the deed recite as having been
drawn by the grantees respectively in a
lottery of the same. 1T was a custom,
apparently, in those days" according to
Henry Brooke. Ito dispose of property by
lottery; In my researches of the old
records / have found several such, in
eluding st. Elizabeth Asylum Of your