Evening star., 1947-11-30
IXTY-FIVE years ago Seventh !
. street NV. was one of the
city's few main business thor
~ o,1phfareS Even TODAY 1t is a

IXTY-FIVE years ago Seventh
~ street NV. was one of the
~ city's few main business thor
oughfares. Even today 1t is
worthy competitor for the Districts
trade. OF course, number OF the
early merchants have moved farther
westward, but still there are many
who refuse to follow the westward
trend.
Going back to 1878, we find George
]. Davis selling hats, caps and furs,
in the block between Market Space
and D street, and so was the firm of
Petty g. Harvey. The National Bank
of the Republic occupied the Lincoln
National Bank corner. Simon Katz-
enstein sold mems clothing at No.
$40; Bernhard Silverberg. fancy
goods, next door, and George Watts
g. Co., house furnishings, at 314.
Hart L. Strasburger's shoe store was
at 306-8, and A. Saks & Co., before
they moved to the corner, were at
316.. Across the street, William H.
Dunn sold furniture, and Wash. B.
Williams sold the same line OF goods
on the southeast corner of Seventh
and D streets.
In the block between D and E
streets on the west side, Dunman &
Green was in the real estate busi-
ness; Calvin M. Parks, patent agent;
D. Appelton & Co., selling books, Pc
riodicals, ETC., with William Ballan-
tyne and w. w. Hayne as nearby
competitors. Louis Heilbrum and his
two sons-fine chaps as the writer
recalls them-sold shoes at 402.
Many remember the "Old Woman in
Shoe" which stood in the window
and helped to advertise the place.
The Heilbrum store was in a part OF
the old Intelligencer building.
Business Places Recalled.
Francis Prott also sold shoes at
426, and Edward F. Buckley kept a
cigar store a few doors above, with
william F. George adjoining. Carl
Petersen, the jeweler, was at 424,
while liable Bros, clothiers, were
on the northwest corner of Seventh
and D streets. George c. Henning
was at 40, A. D. Skourk, 416;
Bernard Gusdorf, dry goods, 420;
Lansburgh & Bro, at 404 and 406;
Kaspar Kneesi, leather goods, 422:
S. Fisherman g. Sons, hats, caps and
furs; Charles Baum, who sold hoop
skirts and corsets, at 408, and Uri
Behrend. who sold tobacco.
On the east side of Seventh street
between D and E were William Bell,
claim agent, and H. w. Beadle &
Co., and Cornelius Co., patent at
torneys. Germand Crandall sold
books at 4o1; Azo L. Hazelton, shoes,
423; also Jacob Sanger, 400; James
P. Wallace kept a tobacco store; I.
P. Libbey sold clocks; Joseph Auer-
bach sold clothing at 407, as did
Lewis Rosenburg at 413; Strauss &
Marx, AL.
John L. Vogt, the confectioner was
in this block. as was Thomas M. Tai
bott, who was extracting teeth at
No. 433, and Thomas l.. West was
drawing plans upon his trestleboard
at 437. Henry Adler sold fancy goods
at 421, and Christian Rupert, who
for many years was one of the prin-
cipal dealers to supply Santa Claus
with his toys around Christmas
time, was near E street. William S.
Sammons was also here, as was
George Breithbarth, furniture deal
er. Henry Franc was then farther
up in the square near Hermann Mil
ler. Along here also M. T. Metzger
kept a grocery store. and James S.
Topham, father of Washington Top
ham, kept his leather goods store on
this side before moving down on the
avenue.
But the most notable building In
this block was the original Odd