OCR Text |
Show WAS OWNED BY WASHINGTON. Small Structure the Only Piece of) Property He Possessed In the National Capitol. Known as the Washington Inn,, built and owned by George Washing-) ton, and further enjoying the distinction distinc-tion of being the only structure ever owned in the national capital by the first president, this time-stained pile had to come down to make way for! the park to connect the Union station with the Capitol. It stood half a, block north of the Capitol grounds, and year ago waa known a the Kea-, more house, and still earlier u the; Hlllman house. In Its form It waa, a reconstruction of two house built; by George Washington. In December,, 1798, Washington wrote a letetr toi William Thornton, an architect, "to proceed in laying in materials for carrying car-rying on my buildings in the federal city." In the samo letter, which was written from Mt. Vernon, he said: "I saw a building in Philadelphia of about tho same front and elevation that are to bo given to my two houses, which pleased me. It consisted of two houses united, doors in tho center, a pediment in tho roof, and dormer windows on each side of it in front, skylights in the rear. If this is not incongruous with rules of architecture I should be glad to have my two houses exocuted In this style." Tho architects and builders carried out Washington's request. Washington paid 1936 for the twojota on which the bouso was built, and valued the bouses at $15,000. |