Washington D.C. My Hometown: All About the Brick

In 1923, a wooden frame bungalow belonging to Frank A and Fannie Ernst stood at 5422 Cathedral, but five years later a fire destroyed the house. This story was posted in the Evening Star on October 26, 1928:

And this appreciation was published in "The Beacon, " a bulletin put out by Potomac Heights Community Church: "Words fall to express to you our thanks and gratitude for all your many kindnesses and unstinted generosity in so unselfishly assisting us in getting comfortably located after the loss of our house and its furnishings by fire last Friday morning....only. a heap of smoldering ashes remain.

The next property owner, George Estler Pruett, was born in Washington DC in 1873. His father was an iron worker, and George became a bricklayer. In 1895, George married another DC native, Miss Bessie Jackson. Their only child, George Raymond, was born in 1903. "Raymond" grew up at 1912 N Street in Georgetown and attended Central High School.

Raymond also became a bricklayer and joined forces with his father in the building business. In the 1920s, the two of them built and sold a pair of brick houses at 3301 and 3303 Dent Place. In 1929, Raymond was able to build a home for himself and his bride-to-be, Winifred Mae Williams at 5411 Carolina Place.

Raymond and Winifred had four children and lived on Carolina Place until 1953. They started their family with Mary who was born in 1932.

George and Raymond were all about the brick. A year after Raymond’s house was finished, George built a traditional brick colonial for himself and Bessie at 5422 Cathedral, just around the corner from his son. I think this is a photo of George and Bessie with their grand daughter Mary.

Initials carved in a corner of the concrete floor indicate that Raymond had a hand in building the handsome garage behind his father’s house in 1932.

The Pruetts were busy men between 1933 and 1940. They built at least five more houses to sell, much like the one at 5422 Cathedral, within a block or two of their own homes.

1939 Ad from church bulletin

Three claimed to have river views at 5404, 5406 and 5414 Carolina Place. All used to sit in a row despite the wonky house numbers.

Two more were on the next block at 5507 and 5511 Carolina. All of these homes are still standing except for 5414. Here's the original ad for that house from 1933:

In 1940, George was 67 years old and still working according to the census. He made the papers when his pocket was picked while trying to find a seat at the movies.

Here's a photo of Raymond taken in 1941 when he was president of the Central High Alumni Association. He is the one in the middle, grinning while handing out an award.

George Senior died in 1943. He was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown. Bessie followed him in 1948. Raymond inherited the home. Keeping it all on the block, he sold the house to the Wilsons who had been renting a room from the Fox family just down the street at 5429 Cathedral. Here's the ad from 1951:

George Albert Wilson was born in 1896 and worked as a carpenter most of his life. He and his wife Sarah E Hood both grew up in rural Maryland near Mt Airy. The two married relatively late in life, in 1940. George was 43 and Sarah was 32 when they moved into the Fox’s house as newlyweds. Sarah was working for the government as a stenographer.

The Wilsons never had children, but both were active members of the Palisades Community Church. I could only find one photo of them buried in this congregation shot in 1946.

Sarah was president of the church bowling league in the mid-1950s and had an extensive rose garden. She also taught piano to neighborhood children. George died in 1973, but Sarah stayed in the house until 1990, a few years before her death in 1993. They were both buried in their home town, Mt Airy.

Here's a recipe from Sarah copied from a church cook book.