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Show 4 'I'-'fr ;i' 4' 'fr vfr " NEARBY AND f YONDER t . 1 ByT.T. MAXEY 1 'f 'f f ?' ,t,,H r The First White House ALTHOUGH George Washington selected tbe site for the present White Uouse end every President since bltn bos lived In It, fate denied him that privilege be passed away before it was completed. Prior to bis Inauguration In New Tork, congress requested the then postmaster general to fit np, tor Presidential Pres-idential use, a suitable mansion The house at No. 1 Cherry street, built In 1770, on what was known as Cherry hill, because a cherry orchard once stood there, was selected. It was "Ave windows wide," three stories high and Dot overly spacious or suitably located. Every room was fitted up In the most lavish style of the day. The seeming extravagance startled tbe fro gal folk of tbe times. . An account written by an eyewitness at the time, declared tiiat "The whole of the Orel and second story Is papered and the floors covered with the richest kind of Turkish and Wilton carpets." Tbe first congratulatory visitors which the first President received here were the members of the New York Chamber of Commerce. tn sfter years this bouse was used aa a music store snd also as a bank. It was demolished In ISM and the chair used by the president of tho New York Historical society Wat built from material taken out ot It ' Tbe western approach to tbe Brooklyn Brook-lyn bridge now passes over tbe site and one of the abutmenta carries a tablet which reads: "The first presidential presi-dential mansion, No. 1 Cherry 8treet, occupied by George Washington from April 24, I78fl. to February 2a 1790. Erected by Mary Washington Colonial Chapter, April 80, 1809." "Home, Sweet Home" it LIOME, SWEET HOME," that moat endearing song which has touched countless hearts, flrst sung In Covent Garden theater, London, In 182,1. waa written by an actor-play-writer-author, who, at the time, bad neither home nor wife, apparently waa homeless during most of his life, never married and thus attempted to Instill Into the minds of those fortunate for-tunate folk who were privileged to enjny tbat which fate bad denied him a full appreciation of the blessing that waa theirs. And while It earned a rather princely sum for its publishers, pub-lishers, the author appears to have gained little financial reward for Its production. ' John Howard Payne, who was born In 1791, lived for a time during his early years, in a aturdy, simple, homey house In the little community of East Hampton on the southern shore of Long Island, the memory of which etched Itself deeply Into his sensitive being. ,,-( In later life, Payne was appointed consul of tbe United States at Tunis, Africa. He died on that far-off continent con-tinent In 1852, In bia sixtieth year. Many years later bla remains were brought to this country and re-interred under broad-spreading trees in peaceful Oak Hill cemetery in Washington, Wash-ington, D. C. Meanwhile the quaint "home" more than 200 years old shingle-clad, shingle-clad, weather-beaten, vine festooned, standing with bne end facing the street, has been carefully preserved as a memorial to Its author. Lafayette Square LAFAYETTE square, that seven-acre, seven-acre, park-like place Just across "The Avenue" from the home of the President of the United States, was so named by the Father of His Country and first Used aa a parade ground for troops. Today It Is an ideal spot In which to sit and dream on a summer day. .,, . i- : ,, An assortment ot trees mottle the sunshine on the lawn, winding walks invite, benches lure; trusting pigeons and squirrels beg; five noteworthy monuments bid for attention one to General Lafayette, another to Kosciusko Kos-ciusko the bero of Saratoga ; a third to Rocbambeau, who came to America Amer-ica with an army to assist Washington Washing-ton ; a fourth to Von Steuben who proffered bia services to congress and became instructor general of tbe Continental Con-tinental army; the fifth a huge bronze casting affair, a aid to be tbe first successfully made in America, to Andrew Jackson. . Much of tbe history of tbe past century waa made In tbe mansions which have surrounded this plot. Among these the home and office of our Chief Executive; a former social institution which Includes the famous Dolly Madison bouse; the former British Brit-ish - legation where the Ashburton treaty was framed: a venerable house of. worship the Presidents' church; bomea of John Hay, secretary of state under Roosevelt Daniel Webster, Web-ster, George Bancroft the historian, Commander Stephen Decatur hero of the Tripoli tan war, where, subsequently, subse-quently, a Russian minister and three aecretarys of state are said to have lived and another where three secretaries, secre-taries, of the navy have resided. Truly, Lafayette square is a historic spot , , (S. till, Western Newspaper Union. ) |
