These are old, but not really that old. They are from 1993 (but I still find it hard to believe that 1993 was 20 years ago!).

view of Engine Company No. 24

view of Engine Company No. 24

close view of Engine Company No. 24

inside the fire house

inside the fire house

You can find a few more of them at the Library of Congress’ site.

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Calling all hipsters! Do you know why it’s called Petworth? We’ll go out on a limb and guess that most of you do not (because we didn’t until we dug up a little history).

Petworth in 1907

Back in the day (i.e., mid-19th century before the Organic Act of 1871), the site that we now know as Petworth was the site of two separate country estates in Washington County. In Northwest D.C., the county was everything north of what we know as Florida Avenue today, so basically where Meridian Hill Park is, north to the Maryland border.

The two estates were owned by Marshall Brown and Colonel John Tayloe III. Tayloe eventually acquired the Brown estate and incorporated it into his estates, named Petworth.

The estate was originally comprised of over 200 acres of farm land adjoining what would become the U.S. Soldiers Home. The land passed to John’s son (one of 15 children), Benjamin Ogle Tayloe, who also built the famous Tayloe House on Lafayette Square.

Twenty years after Benjamin’s death, the property was sold, in March of 1887 by a syndicate of real estate developers. Below is the announcement in the Washington Post from March 4th, 1887.

The country seat of the late Benjamin Ogle Tayloe, known as Petworth, has recently been purchased by a syndicate represented by B. H. Warden, of Springfield, Ohio; B. H. Warner and M. M. Parker, from two of the Taylor heirs, George B. Warren and John W. Paine, of Troy N. Y. The tract hich adjoins the Soldiers’ Home, contains 205 acres, located east of the Seventh street road and north of the Rock Creek Church road. The property will be extensively improved and subdivided, after which it will be placed on the market in residence lots.

The combined acreage of the Brown and Tayloe estates were filed as a plat with the D.C. Surveyor in 1889, which at the time, was the largest property ever put on record in the District, being one-fifth the size of the entire Old City of Washington. In May of that year, Andrew Gleason, a local developer, was contracted to grade and open the streets of the new subdivision at a total cost of $40,000.

Also, you may recognize John Tayloe III as being the guy who built the famous (and allegedly haunted) home at 18th and New York Avenue, NW … the Octagon House.

The post Why Is It Named Petworth? appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

This is a set of maps from 1916, showing a very different, and sparsely developed Petworth.

map of Grant Circle in 1916

map of Grant Circle in 1916

The post Grant Circle and Petworth in 1916 appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

The good old days of Washington amateur baseball. There were hundreds, if not thousands of articles mentioning match-ups between different neighborhoods. This one from July 23rd, 1900 was especially entertaining. I doubt that a rivalry exists between Takoma and Petworth today.

Takoma defeated Petworth in a hotly contested game in the other contest if the Suburban League yesterday. Both teams put up a splendid article of ball, but one error being charged up to each side.

Clayton was on the rubber for the Petworth boys, and twirled a good game, putting six out by the strike-out route. But the second inning proved disastrous for him, when an error, coupled with a few hits, gave the Takoma lads a lead hard to overcome.

A fast double play by Garrett and Burgess was the feature.

Below is the box score from the Washington Post.

Takoma 4 – Petworth 3 – Washington Post on July 23rd, 1900

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Take a look at this real estate investment ad from 1919. Only $6,300 for a home in Petworth! $30,000 for a home at 14th and Euclid? That’s a lot of money back then … I’m sure it was a pretty sweet house.

L.G. Schroder real estate advertisement – August 10th, 1919 (Washington Post)

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Petworth was not always full of hipsters that resemble Officer Sprinkle (J.L. Sprinkle was such a badass, he was a hipster before being a hipster was even invented). At one time it was rural … yes, rural.

Two primary country estates made up the bulk of what is the current neighborhood. The first was the estate of Marshall Brown and the second was the estate of Colonel John Tayloe, known as “Petworth.”

I came across a fun piece in the Washington Post from February 3rd, 1895. This was in their amateur writers section, written by a Cecil Barr.

Dear Amateurs: The ancient city of Petworth is located in the vicinity of the Soldiers’ Home, and reached by a branch of the Brightwood line, after a short and interesting ride through terra incognita, with nothing but trees to obstruct the view for miles around. It is one of those beautiful and commodious suburbs which Washington abounds in. The business section is confined to an abandoned peanut stand, situated at the terminus of the electric road, on Richmond street from which fact we base our conclusions that this is the principal business street of the city. Savannah street and Illinois avenue are already laid out, and Grant circle is in prospectus. I made inquiries for Transcontinental avenue, but was unable to descry it.

In consequence of the recent improvements, the residence portion has been pushed far up town; into the woods. I understand that a lard mayor and civil establishment is maintained at great popular expense.

No, Gus; I do not know why it is called Petworth. Perhaps by the Dutchman’s reason, who, when asked why he called his son Jacob, replied: “Because dat’s his name.” We cannot afford to ignore names. They have been running on for a good many years. Before Adams’ time, names were not in general use, the earliest individual on record bearing the simple designation of Chap. I.

Solomon or Lord Bacon or some other egotist is responsible for the statement that a good name is preferable to great riches. This observation seems to have particularly impressed the Petworthian authorities. I shall be disappointed if there is no Ultraoceanic street.

In speaking of a city which has borne the test of time so successfully, the system of paving used in it should not escape notice. There are some of the most peculiar notions here on this subject that it has ever been my lot to encounter. In Omaha (which place I shall hereafter use for all comparisons), they put rough, unpleasant brick paving in the middle of the street and cover the sidewalks with asphalt, smooth and easy. In Washington the horses are given the good pavement, and the pedestrians have to make the most of the unfeeling bricks. I do not know how it will be when they pave the streets of Petworth, but should the city corporation find itself unable to afford an asphalt straight, let the preference then be given to the sidewalkers.

The opening paragraph of this today would include something like “with nothing but handlebar mustaches and fixed gear bikes to obstruct the view for miles around.”

Sanborn fire insurance map 1903-1916

Also, check out the map above. The street names have changed significantly. Decatur St. used to be Xenia St. (cool name), Buchanan was Vallejo and Varnum was Savannah. Compare that map to this Google Map. Then head over to the Looking Glass Lounge (which technically is in Park View) and discuss what you learned over a PBR, which locals loved over 100 years ago.

Related articles

• If Walls Could Talk: The Looking Glass Lounge – 3634 Georgia Ave. NW (ghostsofdc.org)
• Slippery When Wet … a Bus Flips in Petworth (ghostsofdc.org)

The post Petworth is Like Omaha appeared first on Ghosts of DC.

This next installment of “If Walls Could Talk” will be the Petworth watering hole, The Looking Glass Lounge. This is one of my favorite places for a Sunday afternoon beer, especially in the warmer months, out on their back patio. I imagine the place will be packed this evening, and now you guys have another interesting conversation topic … what’s the story of the building inside which you’re drinking beer? So, let’s look into the history of the building at 3634 Georgia Ave. NW.

The Looking Glass Lounge, 3634A Georgia Ave. NW

I should also add that two businesses occupy the top floor of the building — Fission Strategy and Big Window Labs.

Dominic who?

The first thing I came across is the listing of a building permit in the November 18th, 1928 Washington Post. Dominic Polnerendo applied to build a two-story front brick addition for 3634 Georgia Ave. NW with the estimated cost of $3,350. That’s a fair bit of money for the time. Full homes would sell for about $5,000 to $6,000 at the time.

I will support and defend the Constitution …

On November 2nd, 1949, Judge Henry A. Schweinhaut presided as 34 people were sworn in as American citizens at the District Court. In this group was Frank Weltlinger of 3634 Georgia Ave., who was an immigrant from Hungary.

Eleven years later, poor Frank (63) and his wife Marie (64) were attacked and robbed by two men and a woman. The Post reported in April of 1960 that they were closing up their market at 3rd and Q St. NW when the mugging happened. The Weltlingers had to go to the hospital, but the injuries were minor. By that time, they were living way up Georgia Ave., in Silver Spring.

A taxi and automobile collide

Here’s a report from May 12th, 1955:

Seven persons were hurt early yesterday in a two-car collision at 12th and K sts. nw.

Investigators identified the drivers as Walter J. Dymek, 32, of 1305 N. Herndon st., Arlington, and taxicab driver Vincent E. Hawkins, 50, of 408 M st. se.

Hawkins, they said, was admitted to Emergency Hospital in serious condition with a fractured neck and head cuts. Others listed as Emergency patients were Maxine Shafer, 26, of 1664 Columbia road nw., a passenger in the private car, fractured left leg, and Woodrow W. Williams, 39, of Georgia ave. nw., a passenger in the taxicab, head injury.

Treated at Emergency, police said, were Dymek, Edythe Murdock, 40, of 1664 Columbia road nw., and Spikes Haronis, 30, listed at 1614 N. Danville st., Arlington, both passengers in Dymek’s car, and Williams, wife, wife Pearl, 36 a passenger in the cab.

The first thing I’d like to point out is that there is a passenger named Spikes Haronis. What a name! Second, I will not make any snide comments about Virginia drivers in the District. Maybe I’ll cut them some slack because the other car was a taxi … not exactly known for stellar, safe driving habits.

I was able to track down a U.S. Census record for Woodrow in 1920. He was 7 years old and was living with his family at 1526 34th St. NW, in Georgetown. I’m sure the he’s be shocked to hear that the home is now worth $1.3 million (thanks Zillow). His father, Joseph Williams, was a sergeant in the Washington Police Department. Maybe he knew everyone’s favorite policeman, Officer Sprinkle.

Woodrow is listed in an article about the Thanksgiving meal served in 1941 at Ft. Belvoir. It states that he was being chosen for induction into the military (Pearl Harbor and the U.S. involvement in World War II is still weeks away). The best part of the article is where they talk about the menu.

A letter was received at The Post yesterday written on the back of a Thanksgiving Day menu which evidently inspired Private First Class Joseph E. Marcus stationed at Fort Belvoir, Va., to poetic ecstasy.

Lovingly he called attention to the “shrimp cocktail, sage dressing, giblet gravy, mince pie and cocoanut [sic] layer cake,” among the list of items on the menu which, of course, centered around the traditional roast turkey. “Won’t Hitler be mad when he sees what our boys are eating,” wrote Private Marcus concluding his letter.

I found another article, this time from May 29th, 1945, which listed Woodrow Williams as one of 22 District residents who were ordered to report for induction into the armed forced. Lucky for Woodrow, World War II would be over in about two month. But also odd, since the previous article mentioned he was inducted in 1941. Either he slipped through that first time, or maybe this would be a second tour of duty.

Old ads and classifieds

I found the small advertisement below in the March 23rd, 1927 newspaper.

BARBER-First class: good guarantee and commission. Apply 3634 Georgia ave. nw.

Interesting. I guess there used to be a barber shop in the building.

The help wanted section on April 17th, 1940 had a listing for male painters and paperhangers. The advertisement said to call at 7 a.m. by showing up at 3634 Georgia Ave. I’m curious whether this was a request to help paint the building or because the person living there had a painting business. Another curiosity was right below it, looking for an experienced presser to apply at Walker & Co., which was located at 2317 18th St. NW — the current location of Brass Monkey.

Here’s another one I came across in the classifieds from August 8th, 1965:

NW-3634 Georgia Ave. Lge. 6 bed rm. home, oil heat, ref. required. Rent $195. per mo. EX 3-0303.

Holy cheap, right? Well, it was 1965.

For sale: Georgia Ave. row house

In the March 26th, 1986 Washington Post, an announcement listed 3634 Georgia Ave. NW as up for sale by the trustees. Below is what was in the paper.

DOUGLAS K. GOLSTON
AUCTIONEERS, INC.
3408 Wisconsin Avenue
Northwest, Suite 208
Washington, D.C. 20016
(202) 966-0100 (202) 686

TRUSTEES SALE of Valuable store known as premises 3634 Georgia Ave. N.W., Wash. DC.

By virtue of a deed of trust duly recorded February 1, 1985, Instrument #04096 and in accordance with Public Law 90-566 noticed [sic] filed February 12, 1986, the undersigned Trustees will offer for sale Lot 131 in Square 2897 at 1:00 PM Friday March, 21, 1986 in the office of the Auctioneer.

TERMS OF SALE: ALL CASH Sold subject to prior deed of trust, further particulars of which to be announced at time of sale. Settlement 30 days. A deposit of $2,500.00 cash or certified check to be made at time of sale. All other terms and conditions to be announced at time of sale.

ROBERT STRAUSBERG
HARRIET MAYERSON
TRUSTEES

I’m guessing that the owner of the building passed away, and as a result, the property was to be sold at auction.

So, when you’re knocking back that Old Fashioned, PBR (read this post about the beer) or Dogfish Head, think about these stories in conversations with the bartenders and your buddies. Don’t forget to tip your bartenders!

3634 Georgia Ave. NW

Here’s a great indoor shot I found on their website (sorry I took it without permission, but I’m hoping it’s cool since I’m writing this post).

Inside the Looking Glass Lounge

UPDATE: Reader Kent from Park View emailed to tell me that, technically, The Looking Glass Lounge is in Park View … Which is correct. So make sure you correct your buddies tonight when they ask to meet in Petworth.

Related articles

• If Walls Could Talk: Corte Salon and Arzo Boutique – 1019 U St. NW (ghostsofdc.org)
• Reader’s Choice: Why is Syracuse University in Woodley Park? (ghostsofdc.org)
• If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home Lucy Worsley – review (guardian.co.uk)

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