Southwest Waterfront in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Law House In Peace and War
River Farms to Urban Towers
— Southwest Heritage Trail —
To your left across Water Street is the Thomas Law House, now a community center for the Tiber Island cooperative. The Federal style house was designed by William Lovering in 1794 for businessman Thomas Law and his bride Eliza Parke Custis, granddaughter of Martha Washington. At first the house stood at the foot of Sixth Street overlooking the Potomac. Since then, time and engineers have changed the shoreline, so the house is now farther from the water. It is one of very few to survive the 1950s urban renewal.
After the Law’s time, the area grew commercial. During the Civil War the house became the Mt. Vernon Hotel. Guests witnessed Union troops embarking for the South from the busy Sixth Street wharf and the return of stunning numbers of wounded. “Quite often,” recorded poet Walt Whitman, “they arrive[d] at the rate of 1,000 a day.” Here President Lincoln greeted Union reinforcements arriving to defend Washington from attack by Confederate General Jubal Early in 1864. At the war’s end, Washington’s regiment of the U.S. Colored Infantry marched triumphantly from here up Seventh Street to cheering throngs.
Around 1913 the Law House became the Washington Sanitarium’s Mission Hospital, ministering to the area’s working class and poor, black and white. In 1923 Dr. Henry G. Hadley purchased the house to operate as a clinic. According to Southwester Phyllis Martin, he “was a family doctor to the people of Southwest.” In 1952 Hadley built Hadley Memorial Hospital in far Southwest. The clinic here closed in 1961.
Erected by Cultural Tourism DC. (Marker Number 12.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Science & Medicine • War, US Civil • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #16 Abraham Lincoln, and the Southwest Heritage Trail series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1794.
Location. Marker has been reported missing. It was located near 38° 52.483′ N, 77° 1.252′ W. Marker was in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It was in Southwest Waterfront. Marker was on Water Street Southwest south of 6th Street Southwest. Marker is on the walkway, off the parking lot at the end of Water Street Southwest and two blocks south of the intersection of 6th Street and M Streets Southwest. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 580 Water Street Southwest, Washington DC 20024, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Cherry Blossoms (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Thomas Law House (about 300 feet away); Rooms With a View: An Idealistic Vision (about 400 feet away); Sunken Ships (about 400 feet away); Thomas Law (about 500 feet away); Elvis Presley (about 600 feet away); Barney House (about 600 feet away); Gangplank Marina (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.
More about this marker. [Photo captions:]
On the upper right is a photo of The Law House in 1927. Also in the upper right are portraits of Thomas Law and Eliza Parke Custis. Thomas Law married Martha Washington’s granddaughter Eliza Parke Custis and brought her here to their “honeymoon cottage” overlooking the river.
In the lower section of the marker is a reproduction of a newspaper describing the U.S. Colored Troops formed in Washington, above a photo of the troops. This rare 1864 photo, shows the “First U.S. Colored Infantry,”Washington’s own regiment, which returned here in triumph in 1865, as described in the Daily National Republican.
To the lower right is a photo of Dr. Henry Hadley and his wife, nurse Anna Hadley.
Also see . . .
1. The Thomas Law House. (Submitted on July 2, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)
2. Black Copper and Bright: The District of Columbia's Black Civil War Regiment. (Submitted on July 2, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)
Additional keywords. USCT
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 2, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 3,058 times since then and 17 times this year. Last updated on March 8, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 2, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A photo of the marker reverse • Can you help?