D. Vogt, 2022

2422 K STREET NW

YEAR BUILT:

1874

HISTORY

The 2400 block of K Street was once the most prosperous section of what is now the Historic District.

No. 2422 is one of the Historic District's oldest, built in 1874 by Joseph Brown. Built in an "Italian Villa" style, it is the most ornate in the Historic District. Built of concrete-block, the house is three-stories high and three-bays wide and features a prominent oriel bay window with hood molding. It also has decorative insets with cupids in relief above the door and windows and detailing at the eaves over the door and oriel window.

The house was a gathering place for Filipino-Americans in the 1930s-1950s and featured a garden in Snows Court that grew native Filipino vegetables. In 2017, Filipino-American activists worked with the American Library Association to recognize the Manila House as a literary landmark, with a plaque in honor of author Bienvenido N. Santos. Santos (1911- 1996), wrote about the Manila House in a collection of short stories, "Scent of Apples," the winner of the 1981 American Book Award.

St. Paul's Episcopal Parish now owns the building, which housed the Acton Academy, a Montessori-based school. The Academy closed in the summer of 2023, leaving the building vacant.

RESIDENT(S)/ OWNER(S)

1870 - although building date for the house is 1874, the City Directory identifies Anna R. Johnston, a widow at this residence.
1874 - 1881 Joseph Brown
1880 - Celia Malakey (b. 1833 Ireland), widowed, works in printing, son Richard (b. 1857 Ireland), clerk, daughter Mary (b. 1865 DC), housekeeper (Census); also Bridget Neeman, servant (City Directory).
1886 - Horace Jarboe (cooper and carriage maker) (City Directory)
1900 - James O. Speet, contractor (City Directory); Walter F. Richey (white, b. 1874 DC), Advt agt SB Co, wife Annie (b. 1870 DC), stepdaughter Martha Gibson (b. 1887 DC), brother in law John Handler (b. 1871 DC), bricklayer, and two dressmaker boarders, Annie (b. 1878 DC) and Lina (b. 1880 DC) Mower; Thomas Domsley (b. 1874 DC), [occupation illegible], and wife Nellie (b. 1873 MD) (Census)
1910 - Albert B. Hines (b. 1856 DC), druggist, wife Marion V. (b. 1873 MD), son Walter J. (b. 1893 VA), daughters L. Marie (b. 1888 DC), Etherl B (b. 1884 DC), brother in law Chas. W. Herrin (b. 1856 DC), Wage-earner (Census)
1920 Tony Loria (white, b. 1872 Italy), shoemaker, wife Annie (b. 1876 Italy), sons Frank (b. 1893 Italy), chauffer and Phillip (b. 1901 NY), clerk, daughters Sophie (b. 1898 NY), clerk, Pauline (b. 1902 NY), Lena (b. 1906 NY), Mary (b. 1908 NY), Annie (b. 1909 NY), Anita (b. 1918 NY); also Carroll Colton (b. 1877 MD), street car conductor, wife Mary (b. 1884 NY), clerk, daughter Mary F. (b. 1908 DC); sons Mark F. (b. 1912 DC), Joseph C. (b. 1917 DC); and Mark H. Tolan (b. 1863 NY), skilled laborer (Census).
1937 - Visayan Club
1940 - The club was operating at this time and listed a number of persons born in the Philippine Islands, who the census take registered as Black: the head is Joaquin Mates (b. 1901), file clerk, Department of the interior; the remainder as listed as "lodgers" - Jose Aquino (b. 1901), bartender, Ignacio Josol (b. 1900), cook at club, Leon Villes (b. 1900), chauffer for a private family, Ramon Arkuino (b. 1907), cab driver (his own cab), Martin Arkuino (b. 1890), general helper at the Navy Yard, Jose De Leon (b. 1904), pantry man at a cafeteria, Lasquite Laranzo (b. 1906), chef at a hotel (Census)
1950 - Sofio M. Amante (b. 1909 Philippine Islands), cook, wife Wilma (b. 1921 WI), telephone operator, daughters Carol (b. 1942 DC) and Patricia (b. 1945 DC); lodgers Sixto Malig (b. 1896 Philippines), cook, and Luciano Mindula (b. 1886 Phillipnes), working (Census)
St. Paul's Episcopal Parish
- 2023 Acton Academy (Leased)

RECOLLECTIONS

SOURCE MATERIAL

FBA History Project, Foggy Bottom Historic District Walking Tour, "The Manila House and St. Paul's Church." https://theclio.com/tour/2098/16
Carandang-Tiongson, Titchie, "The Manila House In Washington, D.C.," Positively Filipino, May 2017
Lee, Kris, "A Filipino Literary Landmark: The Manila House in D.C.," WETA Boundary Stones, Jan. 30, 2020
EHT Traceries, historic area house survey, 1983
Hoagland, Alison K. ,"The Row House in Washington, DC: A History," (UVA Press, 2023)