Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-09-23

II you were to take all the build
ings off Meridian Hill and replace
them with two or three modest farm
dwellings, and a half dozen or SO
rude shacks dotted here and there,
this subdivision would then look about
as I first saw it in the early days
when went to swim in Rock Creek.
The route we boys usually then took
was around Florida avenue west on
Staughtown or Chaplin street.
When the District of Columbia was
selected as the permanent seat OF
Government. Robert Peter was one
of the original proprietors, owning a
tract of land then known as Mount
Pleasant, which extended both above
and below Florida avenue. For many
years a farmhouse erected by him
stood in the square bounded by Thir-
teenth, Fourteenth and w streets and
Florida avenue.
1t was SO by % feet, surrounded by
silver maple trees, and it probably
remained on the site until more than
q half century ago. My aunt, Mrs.
Mary Logan. and her family lived In
this house about 1876, when as a
child I visited her there. Upon the
death Of Robert Peter, Meridian Hill
went to his son, Robert Peter, jr. In
1911 Thomas Peter. executor Of the
estate. decided the property to Wash
ington Bowie.
The Meridion Line
Admiral Davis D. Porter, in his
Memoirs of Commodore David Por-
ter" says the tract of land purchased
by the Commodore consisted OF 1877
acres, though ITO acres Is probably
correct. However, what the admiral
tells us about this area Is interesting
reading. He says:
Considerable prize money had
fallen to the lot of Rodgers, Decatur
and Porter, and they determined to
build residences in the District Of
Columbia. Capt. Porter accordingly
purchased a farm Of 157 acres on
the heights about one mile due north
of the Presidents House, which, being
directly on the meridian Of Washing
ton, he called Meridian Hill. Here he
erected large and elegant mansion
overlooking the City OF washington
and the broad Potomac.
1.-THE chain of hills on which the
house was built forms an amphi-
theater around the city. and the hills
were, at the time, covered with
fine growth of forest, the whole
forming an extensive landscape
which, to this day, has lost little of
its beauty.
Here was to be found everything
that money could procure to make
the time pass pleasantly after the
life of toll and warfare through
which Capt. Porter had passed, and
here he delighted to dispense that
hospitality which made his house
place of reunion for some Of the wis
est and greatest in the land. -"
A Venture in Farming
During his residence at Meridian
Hill, Capt. Porter became much in
terested in farming. His friend, Mr.
John Skinner, was the editor Of an
agricultural paper and the various
hints in regard to the proper cultiva-
ton of the soil the captain endeav-
ored to put in practice On his gravelly
land, where crops did not seem to
thrive. In truth. though an excellent
sailor, he was no judge of land for
farming purposes, though, if he had
suspected the existence of that de-
post of white sand under his estate,
which since the establishment of the
Board of Public Works has been made
manifest. he might have made the
place pay good dividends. James K.
Paulding, an intimate friend of Capt.
Porter. in his amusing book. John
Bull in America good naturedly
satirizes the nautical hero's system of
farming.
All sailors imagine themselves COM
petent to manage farm and are
never satisfied until they own one.
The historic Pennsylvania Dutchman
may not have understood the theory
of farming, but in practice he was
certainly successful, for what vege-
tables he could not sell he gave to
the pigs and what the pigs wouldn't
eat he ate himself.
The captain, on the other hand.
was so proud of his farming that he
supplied his acquaintance with the
best Of vegetables for nothing. He
had kitchen garden of five acres
and had to buy vegetables for winter;
he had 100 acres in corn, oats,