Evening star., 1942-10-25

Thirteenth street and NeU
OedekoUe1l and SaUdge's Sdloo1
he would call it the City of Fine People,
or maybe the City of Inexhaustible His
tory, since the people here are the best
In the world, and there is an endless
supply of information to write about.
Breathes of the Past.
Indeed, every street and avenue seems
to breathe of the past, and continually
reminds us of the growth of the city
and of those who have lived here and
OF those who have passed this way, never
to return. Indeed, New York avenue is
good Illustration Of one of Washingtons
historic thoroughfares, for here still
stands between Thirteenth and Four
teenth streets the New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church, attended by Presi-
dent Abraham Lincoln, and the avenue
along which he sauntered, holding little
Tad" by the hand as he went to Stuntz's
top shop at 1907, in the block east of the
church
The old church still stands, though
Its construction dates back to 1889 Its
congregation, however, dates back to
1890, when it erected a frame building
on this site, then, and for many years
afterward, known as the Second Presby-
terian Church. In 1859 this church
merged with the F Street Presbyterian
Church, whose pastor, the Rev. Phineas
u. Gurley, d. D., then became the min
lister of the merged congregations under
the name of the New York Avenue Pres
byterian Church. The congregation of
the street church dates back to 1903.
when, according to tradition, small,
WOODEN church was erected on a lot
little west of the southwest corner of
tourteenth and F streets, where Is now
the Willard Hotel Subsequent to this,
IN 1907, brick church building as built
on the same site, and for nearly a Gen.
tury 1t was one of Washington's historic
landmarks, for in addition to being one
OF the cltys pioneer churches, it later
became noted for number of celebrated
events which took place within it's four
walls.
Rev. James Laurie, its first pastor,
was Scotsman and graduate of the
University of Edinburgh. He was
thought quite young at the time to fill
such an important position, but he
proved to be an able and capable clergy
man. and remained as pastor of the
church for half a century or until the
time of his death in 1883 Later, in
1853. the building was sold to Henry A.
,I 1arI i
brothers had also acquired the adjoining
property at the southwest corner of
Fourteenth and F streets, where had
stood for many years the property be-
longing to Col, James Kearney, consist
ing of double brick house. three stories
high, built in 1900 by Col Kearney's IA
ther John Kearney, who died in 1903
when experimenting the construction OF
the Custom House in Charleston, S. G..
the plans for which he had drawn.
Willard Hall.
From the time the church was pur-
chased in 1859 until it was removed ii
was known as Willard Hall and was used
generally for amusement purposes. in
cluding concerts of the higher grade
readings and lectures, though such at.
fractions as Blind Tom, the Negro plan.
list, popular in Washington for years
also came here. On october 81, 1892
the hall was severely damaged by fire
as result of spontaneous combustion
SO it was thought at the time.
However, while it was still church
Gen. Lafayette and Gen. Andrew Jack,
son attended here the first commence
ment of Columbian College now George
Washington University on December Is
1924, ad when Lafayette was depart
ing from this country, he was honoret
here with farewell service. including
an address delivered from the pulpit b.
President John Quincy Adams. Later
when known as Willard Hall, 1t was fo
many years the principal public hall IL
the city and was the scene Of many fa
NOUS entertainments and public balls
Here numerous conventions and gather
ines of different kinds have been held.
Perhaps the most notable convention
held there was the peace convention II
1851, for which great things were ex
pected.
The meetings here were quite diversi
fled. In 1880 a meeting for the relic
of the poor was held and two years late
a movement was inaugurated here TO
the erection of statue to Daniel Web
ster, and the Oldest Inhabitants he'll
its Washington's Birthday meeting her
on February %, 1870, and here, on Jan
uary /, 1897, was shown the first NOV
a
famous cinematographe, and the fol
!