Been Away for a while

Been on the road the last few weeks so as soon as I get settled in, I'll get another historical post up.  Maybe something along the lines of the churches that used to occupy sites along Va Ave near 5th/6th Streets SE.

Alley Life in SE

"Cushing Place" - many people have probably driven by that alley and thought it was just another side street in DC or maybe they read about in JD's post about crime in SE and the murders that took place there.  But going back to around the turn of the century "Cushing Place" was one of the few occupied alley dwellings in SE (south of the freeway - Navy Place was larger and more notorious which eventually morphed into the Ellen Wilson Housing Projects) along with "Dick's Court and Mechanic Place."

     Cushing Place, which was located between L and M St SE and First and Half St SE was mentioned as one of those alleys that escaped demolition even as parts of SE improved at the turn of the century.   Cushing place, as described in the book Neglected Neighbors, in 1905 was an area "surrounded by by weed-grown, vacant lots, this open alley, developed before its time, is like a giant, ugly caterpillar not yet encode in chrysalis form.  The seven two-story wooden dwellings of "Cushing Place" look out towards Half Street across a vacant area about which the neighbors raise complaint.  They say the earth was taken out for use by the brickyard nearby and that water stands in the depression, stagnant, ill-smelling and breeding place for malarial mosquitoes.  Next to this the chief cause of dissatisfaction is the garbage collector whose infrequent collector whose infrequent calls are said to excuse the tenants for throwing refuse out upon the vacant lots.  There are only wooden box toilets in this alley.  The row of dwellings is ancient and weatherbeaten in appearance.  Their inner walls are spoken of as "smoked and dirty."  Four leaking roofs are reported out of the five houses entered."  As the author noted in 1908 upon a follow-up visit, some cosmetic maintenance had been performed to ward off demolished but basically the alley dwellings looked as though they did in 1905.

     "Dick's Court" which was made up of three one-story frame houses was tucked in behind a public school between M and N St and 3rd and 4th St SE - that public school was McCormick School.  Also in the vicinity of Dick's Court was Mechanic Place.  Mechanic Place was significantly larger and contained 67 residents which were all white.  Apparently not all of the residents of Dick's Court spent their lives in poverty.  According to the author, one the residents of the alley was an "inventor and Knight Templar."  Two other resident pointed out by the author was a woman who devised a double who was to blame for all her troubles and a third woman who, "having apparently worn away the glamour of the marriage ceremony by using it frequently, had subsequently attached herself to another man without the bother of a legal process.  In short, the usual alley standards were as apparent here, among the white folks, as elsewhere in colored alleys."  The conditions of the dwelling in both Dick's Court and Mechanic Place were just as squalid as Cushing Place and other alleys around Washington DC.  In Dick's Court, the only privies were wooden toilet boxes which contained a roof but were without cover in the front and were lined with wood and dirt.  As with other alleys, water had to be carried in from long distances since there were no hydrants or running water within the alleys.  By 1908, the author noted that the alleys were vacant even though the dwellings remained.  The author also took note of the close proximity to the McCormick School, "...intimate proximity to the McCormick public school suggests dual standard of public education.  That is, though the housing conditions which it tolerates the community often permits the teachings of its educational institutions to be undermined."  While it doesn't say when these alleys were ultimately razed, it is probably a safe bet to say they were razed along with McCormick School as the Navy Yard expanded westward.

     Not every "alley" in Washington DC was occupied or lived in but a lot were - especially in SW but with the "urban renewal" no real alleys remain.  However, in SE one alley that still retains some of the characteristics (layout of the alley) from the early 1900 is "Ruppert's Row."  Ruppert's Row can be visited by entering the alley on 3rd St between C St and PA Ave SE.  While the alley has been modified over the years you may be able to get a feel of the isolation the residents endured and how whole communities could develop in the alleys.

Note:  After doing research on "Cushing Place" I tried to find out why the alley and today's street had the name Cushing.  D.C. had an association with three famous Cushings since the late 1700s:  Civil War hero CDR William Cushing, U.S. Attorney General Caleb Cushing and Supreme Court Justice William Cushing.  The book "George Washington Never Slept Here," states that the alley was named after Attorney General Caleb Cushing.   The problem I feel is that the author just assumed that both Cushing Places NW and SE were named after the same Cushing.  I have been unable to determine if that is in fact true but my belief is that Cushing Place SE was named after CDR Cushing who served as Executive Office of the Navy Yard.  NW DC just seemed like a more fitting place to name a street after an attorney general rather a starting to be run-down SE DC.  Plus with a Civil War hero stationed near by - it would make sense to name a street near the Navy Yard after him rather than an Attorney General.

Va Ave Tunnel Part 1a: Next Few Updates

After reading JD's page it appears there are a lot of arm-chair lawyers and some real lawyers out there digging for the legislation of the VA Ave Tunnel.  In Part 1, I  provided two dates about the approval of the tunnel but didn't go any further and I didn't really want to but since there is some interest out there I'll go that route.  Part 2 will really be nothing more than posting articles that talk about the right of way and approval of the tunnels (Va Ave and 1st St).  Part 3 will talk about the Navy Yard Tunnel (where you can still a piece of those rails), construction of the Va Ave Tunnel along with some cool pictures of both tunnels and maybe some articles relating to the construction.  Part 4 is gonna be my favorite because I have come across a ton of articles (okay maybe a few) of early DC residents complaining about the train whistles - 'Trains waking babies on Capitol Hill since the 1880s' or 'Capitol Hill residents complaining about trains since the 1880s'.  The complaining started in the 1880s and its still happening today with one of the latest complaints bing verbalized by ANC6B Commissioner Neil Glick.  According to Mr. Glick the train whistles have gotten louder the last couple of years (would love to see how you prove that since inversions, temperature and prevailing wind direction all combine to help make the whistle louder or softer - plus you have the train conductor's mood when he blows the horn) but not all the whistles come from CSX trains - so don't blame every whistle you hear on CSX - Amtrak is out there blowing too.  Legislation.  I'm not a lawyer, I'll never pretend to be one, not a fan of them except the one I'm dating so I'll keep this to the old articles.....

McCormick School

The first school to 'experiment' with summer school within Washington D.C. was located right here in Near-SE but you won't find it standing today.  That first school was McCormick School which was located at 3rd between M and N St SE just north of today's Yards Park.  Prior to the construction of McCormick School, a public tobacco inspection station occupied the site.

McCormick School was built in 1870 and eventually became the test bed for summer school within the Washington D.C. school system in 1899.  The Washington Post reported that the summer school experiment was in fact a success and summer school was expanded throughout the District..  However, by 1906, due to decreasing budgets the school fell into disrepair, “The McCormick School in Southeast Washington is said to be in a dilapidated and unhealthy condition. It is a two-story frame structure with poor sewage and ventilation and plumbing and its quarters are inadequate to accommodate the number of school children living in the area."  The school did manage to stay open for a few years later but in limited capacity and eventually the school was razed as the Navy Yard continued its westward expansion.

Marine Barracks is this 1969 All Over Again?

We have all heard the story about the Marine Barracks on 8th SE.  So no need to bore you with the history of those barracks.  What I want to focus on is the expansion of the Marine Barracks south of the SW/SE Freeway.  Next to the CSX/Virginia Ave tunnel project this might be the second most contentious development issue south of the SW/SE Freeway.

What ever side you are on, you should read this article published by the Washington Post August 2 1969.  By 1969, the freeway had been constructed to 6th St SE (it would be a few more years before it would be finished) and the Marines were eyeing land just north of the freeway to expand their barracks.  Even in 1969 you had a NIMBY syndrome.  As you will read in the article the Marines choose that spot for a few reasons:  the land was cheaper, it would "break the integrity" of the historic barracks plus it was convenient for troop movement.  Now lets fast forward 41 years and read a letter from Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.  You'll notice that in her letter the word 'convenience.'  So why, separated by 41 years is it that word still in this debate about the construction of barracks?  This time convenience may result in the loss of a community garden, (historic) homes and businesses.  Maybe Congresswoman Norton's letter will spur the Marines to develop a plan that looks for a different site that would retain the sense of community that has sprung up around the Va Ave park area in the last five years.  Or is this 1969 all over again?

The image above is actually two images - click on bottom image for article.
Published by Washington Post Aug 2 1969

Michael Lowe House

Another one of the 'Who's Who of Early SE' was also a neighbor of Mr. Barry (there were two Barrys of significance in this area but via marriage but anyway) and that was Michael Lowe.   Mr. Lowe was the first tobacco inspector of D.C. and his house was built in the early 1800s on the north-east corner of 3rd St at the intersection of L St SE. It eventually became a drug store and by 1925 had become a furniture store as seen in the picture below.

In this picture (to the left) you can see the three rowhomes that still occupy the site today, that according to D.C. tax records, were built in 1900. This would be in contrast to the sign on the Redlions Rowhome that indicates the home was built circa 1880. It is interesting to see that the awning that was visibile in 1925 may be the same awning that is visibile in some of the pictures that JD took of that street corner in 2006. Anyway, Mr. Lowe died in 1820 but his family’s legacy lived on as one of his nephews became governor of Maryland. His granddaughter, Barbara Lowe, became the wife of Major Amon Woodward, who was a well-known citizen of the eastern section of the city.

On whether or not the rowhomes were built in the 1880s or 1900 - who knows. Did D.C. keep good records on when homes were built? Maybe maybe-not, laws were on the books to record building permits because of the increase in alley dwellings in the mid-late 1800s but those were plagued with inaccuracies. So there is no reason for me to doubt those homes were built in the 1880s.

Before The Yards / Yards Park - Part 1 / Griffith Coombe

When one visits the new Yard Parks, you will not find many references or historical signs relating to the history before the Navy Yard.  When D.C. was still in its infancy the Navy Yard was confined to the area around 8th St SE before it began its expansion westward towards New Jersey Ave.  Before the expansion occurred there was a sugar refinery that eventually became a brewery, a school and the headquarters of the commanding general of U.S. forces before they fled the British in 1814.  The ‘headquarters’ were not within the walls of the Navy Yard - in fact the ‘headquarters’ belonged to a private citizen named Griffith Coombe.

Griffith Coombe was among the list of early prominent SE citizens and was socially connected with Thomas Law, Frederick May, and other influential men of Capitol Hill and other parts of the city.  Coombe’s himself was a very successful man of business – some of his dealings were with banks, bridges and turnpikes.  He was married to Ms Mary Pleasonton, the aunt of General Alfred Pleasonton who went on to command cavalry troops at Gettysburg.  

Mr. Coombe's house was located on the corner of Georgia Avenue (today’s Potomac Ave) and 3rd St SE – basically right around the Yard Park probably right in between what is today the ‘Lumber Shed’ and the ‘Foundry Lofts.’  His home was built before the seat of government was moved from Philadelphia and was for many years before the move the house was the center of wealth, elegance, and culture.  General Washington, Presidents Jefferson and Madison were said to have dined, slept in his house and were not strangers to his generous hospitality.

As mentioned above the most notable historical point of Mr. Coombe’s residence was that in 1814 when General Winder and what was left of his army retreated before the British and crossed the Eastern Branch he set up camp on the ‘plain generally known as the Navy Yard Common.’   General Winder chose for his headquarters the house of Mr. Coombe and it was in his house that he received up until the time the army fled the British invasion: President Madison, Secretary of State, Mr. Monroe, the Secretary of War, General Armstrong, Commodore Tingey, Commodore Barney, and many other distinguished persons.  Eventually the house fell into disrepair and was eventually torn down – most likely as the Navy Yard expanded west.  Mr. Coombe died in  1846 and is buried in the Congressional Cemetery.

Of note – while walking through the Yards Park a few weeks ago I found a small piece of broken pottery.  I’m not an expert in pottery but this does not look like a dinner plate made in China in 1985 and sold at K-Mart.  The pottery was found in the area where the house was located.  If someone out there can determine when this pottery was made that would be awesome.  Not saying it is from the early 1800s nor am I saying its not from the 1970s but I find it strange that pieces of ‘old’ looking pottery keeps coming up through the ground where historical features of SE used to be located.  Below is a picture of the pottery.

 

Barry's Chapel

For those of you who have attended a Nats game - have you ever noticed that the first catholic church built in DC was located about 20 yards behind 2nd base or that there might be skeletons in the outfield?  Probably not?  Well then here is the story of Barry's Chapel:

On what used to be the corner of O St SE and Half St which is currently just behind second base of Nationals Stadium used to be St Mary’s Chapel.  St. Mary's, or ‘Barry's Chapel’ as it was generally called, was built by a merchant named James Barry, in 1806, as a tribute to the death of his daughter.  Father Plunkett at that time presided over mass.  Mr. Barry’s only daughter and two sisters were buried there but were moved to St Peter's on Capitol Hill and then eventually (most likely) to Mt Olivet Cemetery (need to visit the cemetery and confirm that one).  There is no record on when the chapel was demolished but its location was referenced in a "tour guide" in the mid 1800.  Of interest is the corner corner stone of Barry's Chapel.  The corner-stone was saved and is now inserted in the inner wall of Church of St. Dominic (7th St  and E St SW)*.  Check it out next time the church is open - its on the south side of the church near the handicap entrance facing the freeway. 

*Just because you find something on the internet or Library of Congress or a book doesn't mean it really exists until you go and check it out for yourself but there it is -- plain as day.

VA Avenue Tunnel - Part 1

Part 1:  Historical Tidbits
Speak those three words and you are bound to get a conflagration.  Anyone who has read JDland.com can attest to the sensitiveness of the CSX tunnel project (to include my comments which probably haven't been helpful).  But what people need to understand, besides the reason for the tunnel expansion, is how the tunnel came to be and why it's there.  This is not as simple as writing your Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells or complaining on JD's page -- because the people you need to complain to are long dead and worked in the white domed building 3/4 mile up the hill.  Some of items I would like people to know is how the tunnel came about, where the existing train lines were located, the history of CSX, and some information on the construction of the tunnel (especially the reference on JD's page about asbestos).

Two key events:

1884:  Around this time, the U.S. Senate first took up legislation to build/expand train tracks through D.C.  Now one has to remember that trains back in those days were the center of transporting goods and people across the country so its easy to see how the eventual legislation was initiated and passed.


"February 12th, 1901, Congress passed two separate Acts relating  to the reconstruction of railroad lines and terminals, and the elimination of grade crossings in the City of Washington. One of these Acts authorized the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company to construct a  passenger and freight terminal at Delaware Avenue and C Street, N.E., with an elevated approach of masonry arches and retaining walls. The other Act authorized the Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington  Railroad Company to enlarge its present Sixth Street Station, to elevate and depress its line on Maryland and Virginia Avenues, and to improve its alignment on Virginia Avenue and through Garfield Park."1

How did CSX wind up using the VA Ave Tunnel:

The CSX family tree began on July 4, 1828, when construction began on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. America's first common carrier railroad, the B&O played a vital role in the growth and development of the mid-Atlantic region, and paved the way for other regional railroads to follow.  The earliest stages of the nation's rail infrastructure received a major boost throughout this era as new railroads were chartered up and down the East Coast:

- January 27, 1830: The Lexington &Ohio Railroad (which went on to become part of the L&N)

- February 10, 1830: The Petersburg Railroad

- March 8, 1832: The Portsmouth &Roanoke Railroad (Seaboard Air Line Railroad's oldest predecessor)

- January 15, 1834: The Montgomery Rail Road

- February 25, 1834: The Richmond, Fredericksburg &Potomac Railroad Company (RF&P)

- February 18, 1836: The Louisa Railroad Company (forerunner to the Chesapeake &Ohio Railway)

- December 21, 1836: Georgia's The Western &Atlantic Railroad Company

- December 27, 1847: The Atlantic &LaGrange Rail Road (Atlanta and West Point Rail Road Company's oldest predecessor)

- March 5, 1850: The Louisville &Nashville Railroad (L&N)

- May 27, 1852: The Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick Railroad, the Western Maryland's (WM) rail ancestor

- February 15, 1853: The Covington &Ohio Railroad Company

- April 1851, the world got its first glimpse at the future of rail when the Page Locomotive, the world's first electric locomotive, took a test run along the C&O's Washington Branch. 

- 1868, with the states reunited and the country trying to get back on track, Virginia and West Virginia legislatures provided for the completion of lines from Chesapeake Bay to the Ohio River. The Virginia Central Railroad was renamed the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad as the company assumed the rights, interests and privileges of the Virginia Central and the Covington and Ohio Railroads. 

- 1871, the Atlantic Coast Line name appeared for the first time.

- 1873, the Seaboard Air Line name debuted. The Atlantic Coast Line name existed through 1967, until it was absorbed by Seaboard. The Seaboard name was retired in 1986, when it became part of CSX.

- Between 1873 and 1878: The C&O (Chesapeake and Ohio) Railroad was reorganized , and renamed Chesapeake and Ohio Railway

- 1887, President Grover Cleveland signed the Interstate Commerce Act into law, regulating the nation's railroads.

- January 1, 1900, the Chicago &West Michigan Railway, the Flint &Pere Marquette Railroad and the Detroit, Grand Rapids &Western Railway were consolidated into the Pere Marquette Railroad.

- 1908, Carolina, Clinchfield &Ohio Railroad (CC&O) was formed. In 1924, the ACL and L&N agreed to terms on a 99-year lease with the CC&O.

- 1916, the nation's rail growth had peaked with over 254,000 track miles.

- 1927, American rail turned 100 years old as the B&O celebrated its centennial. 

- June 6, 1947: The Pere Marquette Railway, principally a Michigan line, merged into the C&O.

- August 30, 1957: Nashville, Chattanooga &St. Louis Railway merged into the L&N

- February 1963: C&O acquired stock control of the country's first major railroad, the B&O. The acquisition was the first in a series that would catapult the C&O into an even greater rail force.

- 1964: C&O/B&O filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission for permission to acquire control of the Western Maryland Railway.

- 1965: C&O filed with the ICC to acquire control of the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad (CSS&SB) and announced plans to merge with Norfolk &Western.

- July 1, 1967: The Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line joined forces as Seaboard Coast Line. 
- 1969, the company expanded with the addition of the Piedmont & Northern Railway Company.

- 1972: Seaboard Coastal Line, the L&N, CC&O, Georgia Railroad and the West Point Route became known collectively as The Family Lines.

- February 26, 1973: The C&O, B&O and WM re-christened its individual rail lines with a single name: Chessie System Railroads.

- April 1, 1976: The Consolidated Rail Company "Conrail" was formed. Conrail's network reached into Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, West Virginia, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois.

- October 14, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed the Staggers Rail Act, which enabled railroads to compete w/o government regulation. 

- November 1, 1980, the Chessie System and Seaboard Coast Line Industries Inc. united and CSX Corporation was born. 

- 1983, the foundation for today's CSX continued to solidify. The Seaboard System Railroad Inc. formed after the members of The Family Lines, SCL, L&N,C&O and the Georgia Group (excluding the Western Railway of Alabama), formally merged on January 1.

- July 1, 1986, the Seaboard System Railroad Inc. became CSX Transportation Inc. 

- 1997, the B&O merged completely into the C&O. On September 2 of that year the C&O officially adopted the CSX Transportation name.

- Between 1997 and 1999, CSX and Norfolk Southern had both set their sights on Conrail's operations, which ran through the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Ultimately, CSX and NS agreed to partner on the acquisition, splitting Conrail's operations and resources. CSX bought 42% of the company and gained 3,200 miles of track, which became the last major addition to CSX's current network.

- March 2007, CSX became the first company in the transportation industry to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Leaders Program. 

- May 2008:  CSX announces that the National Gateway would result in some type of construction in the Washington DC area

References:
1. TRANSACTIONS of the AMERICAN SOCIETY of CIVIL ENGINEERS (INSTITUTED 1852)

VOL. LXXI, MARCH, 1911

Edited by the Secretary, under the direction of the Committee on Publications.

NEW YORK -  PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY

2. CSX.com


Part 2 will focus on the legislation and construction of the tunnel and some of the earliest complaints directed at the VA Tunnel project


Part 3 will focus on some remnants of the old Navy Yard tracks and a section of that track still visible in the neighborhood.

1891-1918 Manhole Covers

A few weeks ago I was waiting for my girlfriend outside CHT and a manhole cover just in front of the building caught my eye.  I don’t normally walk around looking at manhole covers but this one caught my eye for what was written/stamped on the top.

As you can see by the picture these manhole covers are pretty old and somehow managed to survive the construction of CHT without disappearing or being destroyed.  Soon after, we walked up New Jersey Ave towards the Capitol and there were two more of the same type manhole covers (there is another one on the SW corner of NJ and L St). I started wondering if these Navy Yard covers were pretty prevalent in the area that time forgot about (Near SouthEast)...apparently not because I have only been able to locate four in/around New Jersey Ave.  There may be many more within the fence of the Navy Yard but I’ll post something on that as a follow-up if I ever get over there.

But it doesn't stop there.  On the corner of L St and 3rd St southeast (NE corner) one can view remnants of early DC's cobblestone streets.  In a picture from a book on DC alley life in 1908 it shows a cobblestone street in an alley.  In that picture there is a manhole cover that resembles the same design as the manhole covers above.  From that I can only speculate that the street corner shown below is no older than 1908.  Additionally, in 1925, there is a picture of that street corner that shows the cobblestone streets.  How this street corner with its cobblestone has never been paved over is quite amazing.  I can only hope that DDOT never paves over that small remaining patch of cobblestone - they tried to about a month ago but stopped just short.

 The significance of this picture is that the building in the picture, the Lowe House was eventually torn down and replaced by the non-descript building you see today.  

Early East Side: What it used to be

"City of Washington From beyond the Navy Yard." Color aquatint by William James Bennett after George Cooke. Published 1834 by Lewis P. Clover of New York.

Many people may not realize but Near Southeast or the East Side or the Navy Yard section of early Washington DC (Federal City) was a vibrant, beautiful, bustling part of the D.C.  As the city was being planned, Near Southeast was supposed to be the waterfront and commerce center of Washington DC.  The reason for this, maybe early Gerogetown settlers (or current residents) would disagree, but the Eastern Branc (Anacostia River) was a better river for water commerce for two reasons:  its deep water channel was closer to shore and it wasn't as impacted as much by ice during the winter months like the Potomac River.  Those two reasons are why the Navy Yard was located on the Eastern Branch and not the Potomac which helped SE continue its growth. 

     As the early city began to develop and real estate was snapped up by speculator such as Thomas Law and Greenleaf, the area of what was Carrollsburg, bounded by James Creek to the west and the Eastern Branch to the east and Jenkins Hill (Capitol Hill) to the north took on the appearance "of an old English village—its public market, its village green, its public springs and wells, its extensive common, and its churches among the trees".  Most of the streets as laid out in L'Enfant's Plan had not yet been been constructed or were barely passable or taken up by early farms such as William Prout's farmland (which was located near today's 8th Street/L Street area).  "Fruit and shade trees abounded, many of them in parts of the closed streets, and there were few houses in rows."  The homes that did exist were primarily along New Jersey Ave with early industry located along the river branch (near Nationals Stadium to the Navy Yard).  

     "Most of the houses had their little parks in front. Everybody had plenty of breathing space. It is true the cows and pigs and chickens roamed at large; but these seemed only to add picturesqueness to the place; they were certainly not offensive to the people. The playgrounds of the boys, the swimming places in the river, the skating ponds and river coves, the distant woods and fields for hunting and nutting, were all among the finest in the world. Fish and game, fruit and vegetables, and nearly everything that people needed, were cheap and easy of obtainment. Education, though not perhaps of the highest class, was not neglected; religion was enthusiastically fostered ; the old camp-meetings of the Methodists particularly were events to be long remembered. Everybody knew everybody, and there was a spirit of fraternity and love of locality among men, women, and children that made life almost ideal. The men, as a rule, were manly, the women sweet and womanly, and there were many things constantly occurring, in both the joys and sorrows of life, that would seem to render the old section worthy even of the pen of the poet and the romancer."


  So here we are about 200 years later and SE does not resemble what it did in the late 1700s/early 1800s.  So despite what believe the early residents of early DC had established a thriving respectable community.  Some of that remains today with the new residents of SE but also of the old residents of the Capper buildings who hold annual reunion meetings near Garfield Park.  People may believe that SE is a forgotten land and for the most part they are correct but if you look past the bickering of trains, and dog parks and who was here first you will find an incredible community that eventually gave life to DC in its infancy.  So what happened?  I'll post a few more bits of SE and let you make that determination.


Note: this came from the Records of Historical Society of DC but the copyright expired a few years ago but will still give them credit.  Also, if you want to see the image above, go to the Library of Congress and view the original image.

Time to post again

I think I'll be able to get two or three more historical tidbits up by Labor Day (probably the VA Tunnel and Barry's Chapel).  The Marine Barracks piece will have to wait a bit longer.  But I might just add a snippet on the trash transfer station located on NJ Ave since that has been around for quite some time (or at least the site of a trash/garbage station for many decades).

Washington City Canal to Canal Park

In the late 1700’s water transportation was key to the early economic development of the United States.  Canals were a key component of water travel during that time.  So in order to help the Federal City develop, L’Enfant included the building of canals. These canals (Washington City Canal and James Creek) were to connect the Eastern Branch (Anacostia River) to the Potomac River via Tiber Creek. 

According to L'Enfant's plan the canal should have connected with the Eastern Branch near Second St, then crossed New Jersey near M St on a diagonal to connect with the James Creek Canal near today's South Capitol St. According to the Boschke Map of 1857, the canal went north along Second St, across M St and then went diagonal near K St, then across New Jersey Ave before running along South Capitol St and then into Tiber Creek.


In late 1795, a lottery was set up by the Maryland legislature to raise funds ($52,500) to help build the canals but by the early 1800s it was reported that no money had been "raised" by the lottery sales. 

An image of my actual lottery ticket from 1795

In 1809, Congress authorized the funding for   the construction of the Washington City Canal.  After a brief delay due to the War of 1812 construction was completed in 1815 with the grand opening on 26 October 1815.  From 1815 till the late 1840s, the canal was operational but suffered from tidal variations between the rivers and never reached it’s full potential. However, it may have been the design of the canal rather than the tidal variations that caused the canal to "fail."  According to notes by the canal's designer Benjamin Latrobe, the use of wood instead of stone during construction was the main culprit for its demise.  Of interest, according to Latrobe's notes there was a lock at the terminus near the Easter Branch which was would have been located at the new Yards Park; however, according to the Boschke Map of 1857 there may have been an additional lock (or just a bridge) on L St which which is now covered by asphalt.
Regardless of the material used to construct the canal, by the 1850’s with the expansion of railroads, interest in canals began to wane and the canal fell into disrepair and eventually became an open sewer for the city.  It was reported that toxic gases emanated from the canal/sewer and that people even died from falling into its waters.  In the late 1870s the “pestiferous ditch” had become such a public health hazard that it was filled in using sand, gravel, trash, silt and other material and eventually paved over.  By 1939, the old canal site had some industrial type buildings (picture below) and sometime later it became a school bus parking lot.

DC Alley Dwelling Authority (DC Housing Authority) 1939
(Copied from JDLand.com

To those of you who have walked your dogs in the middle section of the proposed Canal Park you have may have noticed a lot of debris coming up through the ground since the snow melt in late Feb 2010.  Some of this debris has included glass, wood, pottery, oyster shells, an old muffler (ceramic interior) and some pieces of old brick pipes.  Not if the debris could be from the fill used to fill the canal or other debris dumped there after 1874 or much later (1994).  It will be interesting to see if any of the canal walls will be uncovered during construction which is scheduled to begin at the end of Aug 2010.

Sources:

Library of Congress

JDLand.com

Benjamin Henry Latrobe and the Development of Internal Improvements in the New Republic 1796-1820 By Lee W. Formwalt

A history of the Washington City Canal, 1791-1882 by Cornelius Heine