The Birdcage

[FranklinGuardsNYSM]

Here's one (LC-B817- 7875) from Seminary Hospital in D.C., formerly the Georgetown Female Seminary. Quite an interesting adornment to the front of the building, there! Early form of outdoor carbon monoxide detection, perhaps?

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: The Birdcage

Hell, I'm impressed with the Flemish Bond masonry with un-glazed headers.

[CJDaley]

Re: The Birdcage

Actually, they locked Sickles leg in there after G-burg as punishment for his advance into the Peach Orchard!

[FC Barlow]

Re: The Birdcage

I work only a few blocks from Georgetown's campus. I wonder if this building still stands? From what I know about it, the Seminary Hospital was a massive hospital complex during the war.

For those interested in Civil War era buildings in DC, I located the building that housed the Commissary General of Prisoners office (POWs) on the corner of 20th and F Streets, NW (there is a great photo of Gen. William Hoffman and staff standing on the steps of this house). The building now serves as the Alumni House for GW University.

Just a few blocks away is the post war home of Henry Hunt, 20th and G Streets. Confederate general Cadmus Wilcox lived a few blocks north with his brother's family after the war - his brother, CS congressman John Wilcox, died during the war. Cadmus was mortally injured while walking to work when he tripped and fell into a construction hole. He later died of his injury in December 1890. He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown.

These are just some of the homes I have found. Unfortunately, unless the homes are located in Georgetown or Capitol Hill, most CW era homes/buildings were razed a long time ago in DC. The Chinatown area too still has some cool wartime buildings, like the Surratt House and Clara Barton's office.

[dusty27]

Re: The Birdcage

Todd,

Here is a site for your perusal;

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/sitelist.htm

Lafayette Square, White House, Ford's Theater, Surratt boarding house (Wok & Roll), Clara Barton office (Barton Condos), Blair House, and others.

Cool to see the Grand Review pictures with the old fascades on Pennsylvania Ave.

PS Kevin Leahy says hi...............

[FC Barlow]

Re: The Birdcage

Thanks Dusty. That's a nice list. Been to most of those sites.

I like the "off the beaten path" sites - historic homes, buildings, that are not marked as such. Hunt's house is used by the GW Law School and the Wilcox home is a private house. No historic markers on these. Most of the CW era homes in Georgetown and Capitol Hill neighborhood are not marked either. You have to do your research to figure out who lived where. I like the chase!

I found a cool photo in of Harvey's Oyster House from the 1880s. Not too different from its CW appearance. Harvey's was one of the most popular restaurants in Civil War Washington, located on the corner of 11th and Penn Ave. It later moved to Connecticut Ave and then again to 19th Street and closed only a few years ago.

Great book on this subject: "On This Spot: Pinpointing the Past in Washington DC," by Douglas Evelyn and Paul Dickson. National Geographic Press. 1999. Amazing photos of historic Washington, most of which I have never seen!!

[1stMaine]

Re: The Birdcage

Comrades,

Anyone else notice the nice pair of eyeglasses being worn by the officer?

respects,