Rhodes' Tavern

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Coordinates: 38°53′51.2″N 77°1′59.95″W / 38.897556°N 77.0333194°W / 38.897556; -77.0333194
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Rhodes' Tavern
Rhodes tavern, 1817 by Anne Marguerite Hyde de Neuville
Rhodes' Tavern is located in Central Washington, D.C.
Rhodes' Tavern
Location15th Street and F Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Coordinates38°53′51.2″N 77°1′59.95″W / 38.897556°N 77.0333194°W / 38.897556; -77.0333194
Built1799
Architectural styleEarly Republic, Federal
NRHP reference No.69000301[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 24, 1969[2]

Rhodes Tavern is the site of a historic tavern in the early history of Washington, D.C. It was located at 15th Street and F Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C.[3][4]

History[edit]

It was built in 1799 by Bennett Fenwick on land he had purchased in 1797. It was sold or rented to William Rhodes in 1801 and he operated it as a tavern and inn until 1805. During that time it was a polling place in the first city council election on June 7, 1802.[5] In 1805, Rhodes sold it to Joseph Semmes, Rhodes future brother-in-law who had run the successful City Tavern in Georgetown.[6] Semmes renamed it the Indian King and ran it until 1809, when he sold it to Virginia Congressman John George Jackson. From 1810 to June 1814, Jackson lived here and Mrs. Barbara Suter ran it as a boarding house for him. Several members of Congress stayed here during that time including John Sevier the first governor of Tennessee. Jackson sold it, and it became the Bank of Metropolis, and later Riggs Bank. Contrary to popular belief, British soldiers did not dine or stay here as they burned the city in August 1814. That occurred at Mrs. Suter's new place on Pennsylvania and 15th.[7] An image of the how the building looked in 1817 was painted by Anne Marguerite Hyde de Neuville in 1817.[8] It was the first home of Riggs Bank, from 1837 to 1845.[9] It was here, in 1881, that Charles Guiteau would buy the gun with which he would later shoot and kill President James Garfield.[10] It was the home of the National Press Club from 1909 to 1914, and was visited by Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.[11]

Demolition controversy[edit]

Corner View, Summer, 1967, by Dan Reiff

The building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on March 24, 1969.[1] In March 1978, the United States Commission of Fine Arts recommended demolition, while finding the Keith-Albee Theater and National Metropolitan Bank facades historic.[12][13][14] J. Carter Brown referred to Rhodes Tavern as: "the missing tooth in the smile of 15th Street."[15]

In 1979, the D.C. Superior Court halted demolition of the Keith Albee building,[16] but then allowed demolition of the interior.[17] The developer said he would preserve the historic facade of the Keith-Albee theater building, if he could demolish Rhodes Tavern.[18] In 1981, the Supreme Court declined to review the District of Columbia Court of Appeals allowing demolition.

The White House curator, Clement Conger, advocated restoration of the tavern, like Fraunces Tavern, and Gadsby's Tavern Museum.[19] In 1982, a House Subcommittee held hearings about the demolition.[20][21] A ballot initiative to preserve the building was approved by Washington citizens in 1983.[5][22]

Metropolitan Square phase II

City attorneys argued that the ballot initiative did not bar demolition.[23][24] Mayor Marion Barry named seven people to a review board in accordance with the initiative.[25]

In June 1984, the D.C. Superior Court granted a preliminary injunction against a demolition permit.[26][27] In August, the D.C. Superior Court found the initiative to halt demolition unconstitutional.[28] The D.C. Court of Appeals blocked demolition, but required a $100,000 bond.[29] Warren Burger, of the Supreme Court declined to stay the order by the District of Columbia Superior Court to allow demolition.[30][31] After the D.C. Court of Appeals lifted the injunction, demolition began at 1:57, September 10, 1984.[32] Wrecking Corporation of America demolished through the night to avoid further Court review. People collected nails and bricks from the demolition.[33]

Rhodes Tavern plaque

The lot is now the site of Metropolitan Square office building, phase II, completed in 1986.[34]

The United States Commission of Fine Arts recommended placing a marker on the site.[35] A marker was placed by the Rhodes Tavern – D.C. Heritage Society, on June 7, 1999.[36]

Legacy[edit]

The preservation battle was an impetus for the use of preservation law, by the Historic Preservation Office, for redevelopment in the District of Columbia.[37] The papers of the Committee to Save Historic Rhodes Tavern are held at George Washington University.[38]

A musical group The Rhodes Tavern Troubadours won a 2001 Wammie.[39]

See also[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhodes' Tavern.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Rhodes' Tavern". 38.897469;-77.033408: LandmarkHunter.com. 1969-03-24. Retrieved 2011-11-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  3. ^ "RHODE'S Tavern, Plaque marking the former location east of the Treasury Dept in Washington, D.C". Dcmemorials.com. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  4. ^ "Rhodes' Tavern (Hotel)". National Park Service. March 24, 1969. Retrieved November 17, 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Press Releases". DC Vote. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  6. ^ At Peace With All Their Neighbors: Catholics and Catholicism in the National Capital 1787-1860. Georgetown University Press. 1994. ISBN 0-87840-557-7.
  7. ^ The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814. Naval Institute Press. 2000. ISBN 1-55750-425-3.
  8. ^ "NYPL Digital Collections".
  9. ^ "Rhodes Tavern Building | Chevy Chase Trust Blog". Chevychasetrust.com. 2011-03-21. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  10. ^ UPI (19 July 1978). "For the wrecking ball – Rhodes Tavern might be ticketed". The Hour, Norwalk, CT. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  11. ^ Title Reliable Sources: The National Press Club in the American Century. Turner Publishing Company. 1997. ISBN 978-1-56311-375-8.
  12. ^ "The Battle to Save Rhodes Tavern: A Chronology." The Washington Post September 11, 1984.
  13. ^ Gerard Martin Moeller; Christopher Weeks (2006). AIA guide to the architecture of Washington, Part 3. JHU Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8468-9.
  14. ^ Perl, Peter. "Panel Approves Rhodes Demolition, Calls for Delay Pending Vote in Fall." Washington Post. May 11, 1983
  15. ^ Benjamin Forgey, "One for The Rhodes: Saving the Historic Tavern Saving the Rhodes, A Historic Tavern", The Washington Post, September 24, 1983
  16. ^ "Court Order Temporarily Halts Demolition of Albee-Keith Facade." The Washington Post C4. April 24, 1979
  17. ^ Wheeler, Linda. "Solomon-Like Court Order Is Slicing District's Historic Keith-Albee Building." Washington Post. June 15, 1979
  18. ^ Oman, Anne H. "Developer Has New Plan For Historic Buildings." Washington Post. August 2, 1979.
  19. ^ Marjorie Hunter (November 24, 1981). "Tavern Crusade". New York Times. ProQuest 424226571.
  20. ^ Bowman, LaBarbara. "Fight to Save Tavern Site Moves to Hill." Washington Post. December 1, 1982
  21. ^ Rudolph A. Pratt Jr. "Congressional Meddlers Slow D.C. Development." The Washington Post C7. December 03 1982
  22. ^ Pichirallo, Joe. "Rhodes Tavern Initiative Carries 91 Percent of City's 137 Precincts." Washington Post. November 10, 1983
  23. ^ Al Kamen, "Rhodes Tavern Razing Not Ruled Out." The Washington Post B1. February 8, 1984.
  24. ^ Al Kamen, "Rhodes Tavern Faces Next Cliff-Hanger." The Washington Post B1. May 17, 1984.
  25. ^ Sargent, Edward D. "Barry Names 7 to Rhodes Tavern Panel." Washington Post. June 8, 1984
  26. ^ Ed Bruske, "Court Ruling Blocks Demolition of Rhodes Tavern." The Washington Post B2. June 30, 1984.
  27. ^ Peter Perl, "Taverns Demolition Held Up by Judge." The Washington Post C1. June 20, 1984.
  28. ^ "Ruling Backs Demolition of Tavern." The Washington Post B1. August 21, 1984.
  29. ^ "More Delay on Tavern." The Washington Post C2. August 31, 1984
  30. ^ Barker, Karlyn. "Appeal to Save Rhodes Tavern Turned Down." The Washington Post C1. September 07, 1984
  31. ^ "Demolition of Tavern In Capital Approved", New York Times, September 7, 1984
  32. ^ Barker, Karlyn. "Demolition Of Rhodes Tavern Starts." Washington Post. September 11, 1984.
  33. ^ Karlyn Barker (September 12, 1984). "After the Fall". The Washington Post. ProQuest 138168045.
  34. ^ "Washington DC: Metropolitan Square". Boston Properties. Archived from the original on 2012-04-02. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  35. ^ Cheryl W. Thompson. "Waging a New Battle to Honor Rhodes Tavern; Man Who Fought Demolition Wants Plaque to Mark Site of D.C.'s First Town Hall". The Washington Post. p. D 3. ProQuest 408405590.
  36. ^ "In Rememberance (sic) of Rhodes". The Washington Post. June 6, 1999.
  37. ^ Larry Van Dyne (March 1, 2009). "Tear It Down! Save It!". Washingtonian. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  38. ^ Citizens Committee to Save Historic Rhodes Tavern papers, Special Collections Research Center, Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, The George Washington University.
  39. ^ "Rhodes Tavern Troubadours | Explore the Arts - The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts". Kennedy-center.org. Retrieved 2011-11-17.

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