About Washington's Kalorama

Every time you turn a corner here in Washington, DC, you'll find a statue of some old General, often a Civil War hero. And where Connecticut Avenue and Columbia Road intersect, there is a statue of General George B. McClellan, who briefly lead the Union Army during the Civil War. He also fought in the Mexican American War.

While President Lincoln releived him of his command during the Civil War due to a disappointing performance in the field, he did praise him, saying "If he can't fight himself, he excels in making others ready to fight."

I took this picture with my I-Phone while I was on tour last Tuesday.

The Lindens in Kalorama: When History Crosses State Lines

At 2401 Kalorama Road, NW, there is an old Georgian Colonial home that is very curious indeed. It is called "The Lindens", but before the house was moved to one of Washington's most beautiful streets, it stood in Danvers, Massachusetts, where it had been built as a summer home back in 1754.

The original owner, Robert "King" Hooper, had it built as a summer house as a testiment to his considerable wealth and status. But having this great place didn't help his social stature when he sided with the English during the Revolutionary War. After the war, he lost the house to creditors.

In the 1930, a Washington couple, George and Miriam Morris, bought the place to save it from owners who started out by selling the paneling to a museum, and raised fears of a wrecking ball to follow. The Morris' had the house taken apaprt and shipped to Washington in six frieght cars, then reassembled it on a beautiful lot.

It is the oldest house in Washington, built even before the Old Stone House in Georgetown.

After the Morrises died, another DC power couple, Norman and Diane Bernstein, bought it and restored it once again. They sold it in early 2007 for $7,165,000, a bit less than the original asking price of $12.75 million.

If this bit of neighborhood history has made you want to think about living there, currentlly there are 13 homes on the market. The link has information and a virtual tour for each one. If you are planning a move the the Washignton, DC area, I can help. Please call (202-549-5167) or email me at housepat@mac.com.

The Washington Friend's Meeting House is in a parklike setting near the corner of Florida Avenue and Decatur Street NW.

It dates back to 1930, when it was built to accommodate President Hoover and his wife, Lou, who were Quakers and attended the first worship service held in 1931.

The building is made from Foxcroft stone, carried down from a Pennsylvania quarry. And there is an office on the first floor that have beams that were "recycled" from the White House during repair to the Presidential mansion made during the 1920's.

Rose Greeley, a landscaper sort of famous for her azaleas, designed the garden to be a place where people could sit in peace and contemplate.

Friday's Foto: Sheridan Circle

The rider of this gorgeous horse is General Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 to August 5, 1888)

Philip Sheridan had a rapid rise during the Civil War to General. Looking back on the history of the Civil War and some of his other exploits, he might not get a major traffic circle named after him today, expecially in a very posh (and sometimes politically correct) part of the city.

Sheridan was famous for the destruction of the infrastructure of the Shenandoah Valley toward the end of the Civil War, and this was one of the first uses of the “scorched earth” policy in that conflict. His reputation was not enhanced by his role in the Indian Wars of the Great Plains, where he is often misquoted as having said that "The only good Indian is a dead Indian." But later, he won some points for setting up a federally protected area around Yellowstone to keep railroad interests into destroying much of the area's natural beauty. He died of a heart attack when he was only 58 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Sheridan Circle is on Massachusetts Avenue, with several embassies overlooking General Sheridan’s statue, and the circle anchors the southern part of Kalorama, one of my favorite Washington neighborhoods. Oh, and it helps to slow down the crush of cars heading to and from the city during rush hour.

This is the mosque in Karlorama, on Massachusetts Avenue and overlooking Rock Creek Park. I was showing blog buddy, Jeff Dowler, the town when he was in town for the NAR mid year, and took it from the driver's seat. OK, I did pull over! We must not snap photos while driving! They give tickets for that in this town!