Friday, April 20, 2007

Fun with ProQuest: Truxton Circle pt I

I 'heart' ProQuest. It allows me to post on things historic without having to do to much work. Anyway, another part of my lazy posting because I have no pictures of the renovation right now..... Fun with ProQuest: Truxton Circle.
Using the all articles prior to 1968 in the Washington Post and all other papers it ate (like the Washington Star), the first mention of Truxton Circle is August 1891 regarding the District Surveyor. Then the name appears again in 1900 regarding shrubbery, which then just makes me think of the Holy Grail. A cursory look at the rest of the articles bringing up the TC in the 1900s refer to the circle as just the circle or a park, not so much a neighborhood, unless you count "near Truxton Circle".
That "near Truxton Circle" thing appears in an April 27, 1919 article regarding house sales where it is written:
For Robert M. Harper, 51 Q Street northeast, an attractive six room and bath house near Truxton circle, at consideration of $3,500. Mrs. Henry Price has purchased this property and will occupy it as her home.
The same article does mention "1766 Church street an attractive residence in the neighborhood of Dupont circle...." So Dupont is a neighborhood, the TC, not so much. And we see it again more as a landmark than as a neighborhood designation in another house sales article from November 20, 1920, where a house on the 100 block of Bates street is "located near North Capitol and Truxton Circle" and 1842 North Capitol Street was "located in Bloomingdale."
However I do see something very interesting in an April 26, 1925 article "Ryan Quits Central Citizens': Will Head Movement to Form Another Association in Same Territory. Section called too big" The section Francis J. Ryan decides to chop up for himself was to "have as its approximate boundaries New York avenue to Truxton circle, and New Jersey Avenue to North Capitol street." My, that sounds awfully familiar.
Well I need to pursue this further, doing another search, so maybe part II.

Bibliography:
THE DISTRICT SURVEYOR.; Recommendations About the Preservation of Plats and Records.
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Aug 1, 1891. p. 5

ASKS DISTRICT TO PAY; Dog Catchers Caused Injury to a Bicycle. CHASED BULLDOG, BROKE A WHEEL Animal in Attempting to Escape the Net Ran Into the Bicycle of P.J. Nee, Who Claims Damages -- District Auditor Approved Application and Recommends Payment -- Plants from Mount Vernon Square to Decorate Other Reservations.
The Washington Post. Mar 15, 1900. p. 12 (1 page)

SALE OF SIX HOMES SHOW PRICES HIGH
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Apr 27, 1919. p. R6

$110,500 IN SALES OF HOMES IN CITY; Houses Fetch $17,500 Disposed by Hartung & Gibbons.
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Nov 7, 1920. p. 34

RYAN QUITS CENTRAL CITIZENS' PRESIDENCY; Will Head Movement to Form Another Association in Same Territory. SECTION CALLED TOO BIG
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Apr 26, 1925. p. 2

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4 Comments:

At 4/20/2007 12:08 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

could it be because florida avenue being the city/county boundary road that boundry road and north capitol was cited as an area rather than a neighborhood like 1700 church street depont circle?. i dont know, just asking.

 
At 4/20/2007 12:54 PM, Blogger Mari said...

Don't know. Bloomingdale is above boundary or Florida Ave, and it was, I believe, a named suburb. As was Eckington, which Bloomingdale is a part of.

 
At 4/24/2007 12:30 AM, Blogger Sean Hennessey said...

when was the boundary of DC changed?

seems that the first houses in bloomingdale were around 1890, and they were definitely part of DC proper, no?

I have assumed that it was the partitioning of the Bloomingdale estate that allowed it to be assumed into the city.

How about LeDroit Park. Was that not part of DC proper by the time truxton cirlce was built?

 
At 4/24/2007 7:37 AM, Blogger Mari said...

ok. Maybe that should read "Boundary" capital B and not boundary.
Those of us south of Florida are in Old City, the city part of the District O' Columbia, stuff north, in the country part of DC. Looking at some of the mid to late 19th century maps where they show outlines of houses and other settlements, the portions south of Florida (then Boundary) are more dense, like a city. Places north like Le Droit were developed out of farmland in the late 19th century and early 20th. There was an article in the journal Washington History about those types of developments in the District, but I packed it away. Go to the Washingtonia room at the MLK and look for it there, published in the last 4 years.

 

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