Early Plan Failed
Promoters of Carrollsburg Disappointed in Purpose
Streets Were Cut Away
First Houses Erected Left High in the Atmosphere
Site A Commanding One
One of Best Natural Building Sections Within
Limits of the Capital

Within the lines of South Capitol street, 1st street west, M and N streets south, a heroic attempt was made as early as 1793 to convert that portion of Carrollsburg to one of the best improved sections of the capital of the nation, but from various causes it was a failure. This attempt, however, resulted in furnishing much business for the Circuit Court of the District soon after its establishment in 1801, and for a number of years there were suits over the buildings erected on South Capitol and N streets, in which the interests of Daniel Carroll of Duddington, the proprietor; James Greenleaf, Morris and Nicholson, Thomas Law, W.M. Duncanson, Pratt, Francis Miller et al., the English Building Company and others were involved.

It appears that some of the houses were completed and occupied in the infancy of the city. Dr. Frederick May lived in one of them before his settlement near New Jersey avenue and C street southeast, a few years after, Hugh Densley, Isaac Reed, John Stearn, Alexander Davidson and William Lovering owned and lived in some of them.

The corner may be regarded as the birthplace of Washington Methodism, for here was a class meeting organized in 1802. The present Trinity M.E Church, on Seward square, Capitol Hill, traces its lineage from this class. Seven or eight buildings as late as 1830 were occupied and were listed by the corporation for $3,000 each, and the ground at 4 cents per foot.

After this time the houses gradually went to decay, down to the fifties, when some were occupied by colored people, but with the first municipal improvements, the free grading of South Capitol street by Richard Wallach and others, about 1850, for the clay which was made into bricks, they were left twenty feet or more above grade and soon disappeared. As stated in The Star of February 26, there were no more beautiful sites for residences than in the lines of Carrollsburg. Even now when the grades have been lowered, the view therefrom is so commanding as to cause surprise that there has been so little development. In early days it was alleged that the ground was held at too high a figure and some who settled there in after years charged that it was the tardiness of the corporation in fixing the grades. In fact, many years ago a brick house was erected and to make it safe the owner had to purchase lots on either side and terrace from the natural to the established grade to save it.

Assigned to Mr. Carroll
It appears that square 651 was on the ground plan of the city laid off into thirty two building lots and in the apportionment they were all assigned to Mr. Carroll in 1796. Three years before an agreement was made by him with Greenleaf to sell him lots between the forks of the canal at $80 each, and each was to improve the same in four years. In 1794 Carroll agreed to convey to Greenleaf twenty lots on South Capitol street on condition that he erect twenty brick houses of two stories, 25 by 40 feet, within three years. The next year the contracts were assigned Morris and Nicholson, and after Carroll refused to extend the time an attempt was made to complete them. There were thirty in all. Some on N street caved in and twenty were completed. The event was celebrated by a barbecue September 26, 1796, at which Morris, Cranch, Benjamin Moore of the Washington Gazette, Dr. May, Capt. C. Stephenson and Nicholas King were prominent. The same day an agreement was made by Morris with Isaac Reed, painter and glazier, to sell him the unfinished house adjoining that of Hugh Dingley at a price set by William Lovering and the lot of 20 cents per foot. Two months after Nicholson includes in his mortgage to Capt. Duncanson for $25,361.91 eight lots here, and the following year they are deeded to William Campbell. February 1, 1801, a deed from Mr. Carroll conveyed lot 1, northwest corner of N and South Capitol streets, to Stewart Brown of Baltimore, in which was recited that Carroll had agreed to convey certain houses built by Morris & Nicholson to E. Langley, that the latter had assigned the agreement to Duncanson and he to Brown. In April, 1802, the latter deeded this lot for the consideration of 5 shillings to Alexander Davison, late of Ireland, now of the city of Baltimore, "gentleman." Mr. Carroll deeded at about the same time a lot 29-1/2 by 100 feet to Thomas Jones of Loudoun county, Va. for $511, one to William Lovell for $70; the latter the same year sold a house and lot to E. Langley for $1,550 and Charles Varden bought a house and lot for $1,850. At this period there was an assessment of 2-1/2 cents on the ground and $800 improvements were listed to A. Davison.

Francis Scott Key, Trustee
In 1815, Francis Scott Key, trustee in the case, Campbell agt. James R ay and W. Mayne Duncanson, appointed by the high court of chancery of Maryland in 1800, conveyed defendant’s property to William Campbell, including eight two-story brick houses, the consideration being $10,372.

In 1822 Mary McNantz conveyed a lot with two buildings, listed for $6,000, to Harriet Brent, the consideration being love and affection and a prayer book. In 1830 James McCormick acquired part of the square assessed to Dingley's heirs through tax title. Ten years before the assessed valuation of the land was reduced to 1-1/2 cents per foot on the improved property, listed to Mr. Stern, W. Lovering, I. Keed's heirs and H. Bradley, $3,000 each, and Harriet Brent, $6,000. By tax title, Samuel D. King, William Gunton and R.E. Reed had interest, and in 1844 William G. Cranch obtained title to the ground on which the twenty buildings were erected. In the meantime much of the clay had been converted into brick, and the houses left high and dry. At present, however, there is little improvement, but the valuation of the ground runs from 6 to 20 cents per foot.

In square 650 there were twenty-four lots platted in the lines of Half, 1st, Canal, M and N streets, of which title to all except the four fronting N street was given Mr. Carroll. Lot 1 was given Mary and Elizabeth Carroll, 2 to Peregrine Tighlman, 3 to Henry Bradford and 4 to Henry Hill in 1796. Other than being listed first at a value of 3 cents, then for forty years at half that sum. It figured little in public records. In 1827 William Harper had part lot 1; corner N and 1st streets. In 1825 Tibbs, Weightman and Wallach, as trustees had the Carroll lots, most of them by tax title passing to James Owens in 1832. There were no improvements then listed, and the ground was rated at 1-1/2 cents per foot. In 1839 John Evans held for Elizabeth Mills, 3,000 feet, the consideration being $200, and in 1844 by tax title W.G. Cranch had 178,774 square feet in the square.

St. James creek marsh, in old times a favorite resort for the gunner, encroached on the west, and early in the last century a bridge in N street spanned the creek. Well settled is this square, small houses covering it, and from 4 to 20 cents being the assessed value of the ground.