Evening star., 1949-01-22
Key House Restoration
Committee Named
BY Historical Society

Formation of a special committee
of the Columbia Historical Society
was announced today for a renewed
effort to have the historic Francis
Scott Key house restored on a trl-
angle east of the adjoining Key
Bridge in Georgetown as a definite
part of the Washington sesquicen-
tennial program next year.
The committee. of 81 prominent
Government officials and civic lead
ers, some of whom took part in the
previous restoration effort, is headed
by Chief Justice Vinson and Su-
preme Court Justice Burton as hon.
orary chairman.
F. Regis Noel, president of the
historical society, said that group
hopes to make the one-time Wash
ington home of the author of The
Star-Spangled Banner" an impor-
tant museum and shrine.
Previous Bill Vetoed.
Legislation to restore the house
was enacted by the 80th Congress
but was vetoed by President Tru-
man. The committee is expected to
visit the White House soon to ask
Mr. Truman's support of another
bill that will be introduced.
In addition to the two honorary
chairmen, Senator Tydings of
Maryland has been named acting
chairman. Other officers are James
B. c. Howe, vice chairman, and
John E. Allen, secretary.
The following are members of the
committee: Col. Wade H. Cooper,
representing male patriotic societies;
Mrs. Charles H. Plotner, for the
women's patriotic organizations;
Edward Boykin, director of the
Sesquicentennial Committee: H.
Paul Caemmerer, secretary of the
Fine Airs Commission; Maj. Gen.
u. S. Grant III. chairman of the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission.
Also Leslie L. Biff1e, secretary of
the Senate: w. Bruce Matthews,
United States marshal; the Rev.
DR.. Edward H. Pruden, George R.
Linkins. Arthur Clarendon Smith,
Joseph Betterly c. Melvin Sharpe,
Commissioners John Russell Young
and Guy Mason, Judge Edward S.
Delaplaine of the Maryland Court
of Appeals, William Montgomery,
Eugene Meyer, David Lawrence,
James NJ Byrnes, B. NJ McKelway,
Frank c. Waldrop and former Sem
ator Guy Gillette of Iowa.
Was Located on M Street.
Endorsed by various organizations,
a movement to restore what was
left of the original Key house has
been pressed off and on for about
40 years. The house stood at 3516-18
M street NV, where Key lived
from 1903 to 1928
1t was from this house that he
embarked on journey on Chesa-
peake Bay in September, 1914 He
was aboard the British frigate Sur
prise when he witnessed the bonn
bardment of Fort McHenry. The
objective of his trip was to effect
the release of DR.. William Beanes
of Marlboro, Md, prisoner of the
British
The purpose of the trip is re-
membered by few, but the words OF
the song he wrote as he witnessed
the bombardment have become his
country's national anthem.
The house on M street was torn
down several years ago to make way
for the highway loop planned to
connect the K street elevated high
way with Key Bridge. The re-
manning brick and wooden frames
taken from the house, which had
undergone much remodeling in past
years, are being preserved by the
Government.
The vetoed bill would have ap-
propriated S65.00O for the work of
restoration. Mr.. Noel said small
admission fee would defray the cost
of maintenance.