Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-01-29
By George Kennedy


~. Home of Mis-.
By George Kennedy
Southwest is a section that in
any other city would long since
have been completely industri-
allied.
But Washington is different.
Southwest not only has the docks,
a big produce market, cold stor-
age terminals, a grain elevator,
huge government Office buildings
and the governments big ware
house, it has streets lined with
beautiful trees, an occasional
stately mansion and beautiful
Army post,
It's part of Washington that
the tourist doesn't see except for
a visit to the Smithsonian Institu-
ton and to the money factory in
the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing. It's a shame that the
tourist doesn't get further because
it is one the most interesting parts
of Washington and has some basis
for its claim that it is the Oldest
part of the city proper.
One old sightseeing guide tells
how he used to take tourists to the
Army post {now Fort Lesley j.
McNair) early in the century
when the platform from which
Mrs. Mary Surratt and four men
were hanged on charges of con-
spring in the assassination of
President Lincoln could still be
seen.
There are those who believe
that Southwest will yet come back,
that the wide streets and beauti-
full trees within Is minutes walk
of most Government buildings and
Washington's business section will
yet attract builders.
Restoration Group Organized.
A Southwest Restoration Com
mittee is being organized but it is
still in the feeble state of infancy.
One thing that initiates against
improvement is the high rent now
being earned by second and third
class properties-$75 a month for
third story walkup apartments.
etc.
Another is the difficulty of
clearing title to properties-with-
out the right of eminent domain
which the Government exercises
when it goes into the housing bust
ness. AS in all old sections, many
lots are held in estates for the
benefit of heirs. Clearance of title
on one small parcel of land may
necessitate a trip to Florida and
California to persuade heirs to
sign the agreement to sell. Often
they have heard vague reports of
booming Washington realty val
ueS and refuse to sign.
The real estate dollar is al
ways timid about going against
the tread. People who build apart
ment houses continue to construct
them in the Northwest section of
the city.
But, say the champions of
Southwest, 1--WE have something
here that can't be duplicated, a
beautiful waterfront and an area
rich with history. Southwest's day
will come, and soon. It won't be a
second Georgetown. It will be
more like New York's Greenwich
Village, or Beeckman or Sutton
places, with big apartments af-
fording a river view and conven-
fence to downtown"
Both Negro and White Residents.
Southwest has always had both
Negro and white population. In
recent years the Negro portion has
been increasing; the white de-
creasing. One reason for the white
decrease is that Government build
ings and the widening of B street,
now Independence avenue, has
knocked out entire blocks of
houses occupied by white resi-
dents.
1t is a section with many
churches. The largest is st. Domi-
MICS Roman Catholic Church on
Sixth street. tall Gothic struc-
turea of quarried granite which
towers above the houses around
it like cathedral in a European
city. There are many Protestant
churches, a Greek Orthodox
, church and a synagogue. All are
, having difficulty because of the
areas loss of white population.
The historic places that interest
the young people trying to save
, Southwest are the house on Fourth
street formerly Four and Hall
street, where AL Jolson lived ano
the house on N street that was
once the home of Ernie Pyle.
But Southwest has history that
, goes much further back than
those two Goth Century celebrities
Wheat Row, 1915 to 1919 Fourth
street, the oldest row houses in
Washington, still stands. The first
house was completed by John
Wheat in 1894, the year after the
laying of the corner stone of the
Capitol and six years before the
seat of Government was moved
to Washington.
; Barney NeighborhoOd House
!, Around the corner on N street
is Barney Neighborhood House
Washington's first social settle
'ment. It was founded in 1901. and