Mary's Carriage Accident

[Laurie Verge]

Donna,

I knew some of the information about the hospital from growing up in the area and having friends whose father worked there in the mid-1900s, but I have to admit to augmenting some of it via the internet yesterday.

We're still looking for a period map, but my friend/staff member, Joan Chaconas, did have a book on the history of street names in D.C., and she found that the first name of the road that led from the Navy Yard Bridge through Anacostia to the hospital was not very creative -- the name was simply Asylum Avenue.

One source for a map showing the area might be in materials related to the ring of forts around D.C. during the CW. That area had at least several. I know that Harrison Street (now Good Hope Road) had both Forts Baker and Stanton, and Booth and Herold rode right past them because the word had not been sent out yet about the attack on Lincoln.

She did bring in a great engraving of the full frontal view of the hospital complex during the 30th session of Congress (whenever that would be). We're trying to scan it to post here. It is so wide, however, that it might have to come in two parts. I'll send to Roger and let him work his magic. Your first instinct when you see it will be that it looks like a Victorian prison.

BTW: I mentioned the ancient graveyard on the asylum property - I believe the German saboteurs from WWII are buried there also.