Evening star., 1944-09-17

the south side of Maple street, while 10
houses were built on the north side and
10 on the south side of Spruce street.
The cost of the dwellings ran from
$4,000 to $l2000--and one must bear in
mind that 76 years ago or more a nice
house could be purchased for the
smaller amount, and quite mansion
for the then princely sum of $4,000.
Other houses soon followed until there
were so or more fine residences in the
park.
Among the earliest homes in this
neighborhood- number of which are
standing today-is the David McClel-
land home, now at the northwest corner
of Third street and Rhode Island ave-
nue. The eastern part of this stately
old home was erected after McClelland
joined forces with Barber and others in
laying out this subdivision, but the
western part is much older and probably
preceded the new part by a number of
years.
beautiful Grounds
McClelland was an engraver, and eVl-
IDENTIFY with an eye to the artistic, took
much pains in beautifying the spacious
grounds surrounding his residence. The
old-fashioned garden, still plainly Wis
ible from the Rhode Island avenue side
of the property, is in itself reminder
of the past glory of the neighborhood.
The lockwood plants, worked into de-
signs typical of early Washington, and,
indeed, of the Republic itself, are still
being carefully taken care of by the
colored Elks, who now occupy it as
their home.
Originally, the entire Florida avenue
front from Second street to near
Seventh was inclosed with COM
bination wood and iron fence, the last
section of which was removed Is years
ago At that time there stood at the
west end of the Elks' grounds an at
tractive old gate, made to match the
artistic fence. 1t was evidently drive
way gate, though its use as such had
been abandoned and the driveway itself
obliterated.
In this connection it seems quite
probable that the ironWork for the park
fence was made by John McClelland,
who at that time, and at an earlier
period, had his machine shop and iron
foundry on the east side of Tenth
street, between B street tnow Constitu-
ton avenue) and Louisiana avenue,
where now stands the Department of
Justice Building.
Fine Subdivision
No subdivision in the District ever got
off to a better start than did this one.
In addition to the erection there of
many fine dwellings, more than $4,000
was early spent in purchasing and plant
ing ornamental shade trees and hedges
and about s50ooO in street improve
ments, including sewer and water
mains. When we take into consideration
that the sum thus expended would cost
today about four times what it did then
we can better realize what this expendi-
ture meant Indeed, the house that then
rented for SIS or $40 month was a
fine house and the day laborer who got
as much for his work as SIPS day was
strictly playing in luck.
The park had its own ash anC
garbage service, and even employed 6
watchman to keep out intruders anc
undesirables. 1t was as exclusive set.
tlement as one might want or imagine
and its residents were of the very high
est type.
Early Home Owners
Some of the earliest home owners ant
residents included Amzi L. Barber ant
his partner, Andrew Langdon, VIII,
lived at 1901 Harewood avenue, ant
David McClelland, who lived on tn
opposite corner at what was then 100
Harewood avenue. Barber, being a pro
moter, did not reside in the park TO
many years, for almost Immediately
thereafter he began to develop Colum
bia Heights, and about 1886 erected TO
himself castlelike stone residence a
Fourteenth and Clifton streets, wher
now stands the Clifton Terrace Apart
ments. 1t was in this Columbia Height
residence that Melville w. Fuller, late
made his home after he became Chic
Justice of the United States.
LIE Droit Park was not a large sub
division. There were but five street