VI 



LIFE IN WASHINGTON 



ON arrival at Washington the Bairds went into a 

 boarding house kept by a Mrs. Wise, but the 

 absence of the part of his Journal between his 

 arrival there and February, 1851, leaves no records of 

 details, except the note of serious illness in his family. 



In December, 1854, they went to housekeeping in a 

 dwelling at number 332 New York Avenue, N. W. This 

 was in a part of the city then considered good, and where 

 many distinguished people resided. The character of the 

 location has changed and is now largely given up to 

 business. 



In 1870 the number was changed to number 918 New 

 York Avenue. It was a plain brick box of a house, of 

 three stories above the basement, the front door ap- 

 proached by a rather high flight of iron steps with a small 

 platform at the top. 



Every available wall inside was lined with shelves for 

 books and pamphlet cases, but there was a homelike 

 atmosphere about it which was most enjoyable. This 

 house has made way for business improvements. 



In 1876 Professor Baird built for himself a large, com- 

 modious house on Highland Terrace, number 1445 Massa- 

 chusetts Avenue, N. W., which was his home until he died. 



The Washington to which the Bairds came, leaving 

 out the public buildings and the transient political popu- 

 lation, was a rather shabby Southern village scattered 



over a grandiose plan, of which Tom Moore, the poet, 



227 



