Almost next door on the west Mr. Claggett had a house. Again, across the street, on the southeast corner, is the building which, until recent years, housed the Farmers and Mechanics Bank. It was founded in 1814. When the Mexican War came, this bank enabled the government to pay the war debt. It has now been absorbed by the Riggs National Bank and moved further up the street. Before the building of the bank, John Peter, a nephew of Robert Peter, had a house on that corner. His house was a simple frame one, and back of it he had rabbit warrens and pigeon houses. He used to go often in the evenings the short distance to his uncle Robert's house for a game of whist, of which the old gentleman was very fond.
Just above Bridge (M) Street on Congress (31st) Street stands the Georgetown post office, an imposing granite building. It is also the custom house of the District of Columbia.
Near the corner of Congress (31st) Street lived W. King, and at number 3119 was the house Thomas Corcoran built. He had come from Limerick, Ireland, to Baltimore in 1783 and entered business with his uncle, William Wilson, there. Soon after his marriage to Hannah Lemon, of Baltimore County, he came to George Town, intending to go on to Richmond, but being so impressed with the thriving little town, he decided to settle here. He first rented a house on Congress (31st) Street below Bridge (M) from Robert Peter, and started a business in leather. In 1791 he built this three-story house and there lived for many years. He was mayor five different terms from 1805, and also magistrate and postmaster for fifteen years until his death in 1830. It was in this house that a meeting was held in 1817 to found Christ Church.
The Union Bank was on the north side of this block.
On the southwest corner of Bridge (M) and High Street (Wisconsin Avenue) is the site of Gordon's Inspection House, and just west of here in 1791 were three large tobacco sheds covering three acres. Here was the "Warehouse Lot," used by circuses when they came to town.
Close by was the big warehouse of John Laird. It was after his death in 1833 that the trade in tobacco began to decline.
General James Maccubbin Lingan
