Northeast Temple and Market Company facts for kids

The Northeast Temple and Market Company was a special building complex in Washington, D.C. It was located at the corner of H Street NE and 12th Street NE. This complex had two main parts: a covered market for farmers and a "Temple." The Temple was a meeting place for local groups and hosted many events. It first opened its doors in 1897.

Discovering the Location

The Northeast Temple and Market on a Sanborn map from 1903-1916.

The Northeast Temple and Market Company owned two buildings. These buildings were on the 1100 block of H Street NE. The Northeast Temple was at 1119-1123 H Street NE. Right next door, the Market was from 1125 H Street NE to the corner of 12th Street NE.

Two people helped start this project: Dr. B. Z. Babbitt, who was a doctor, and Arthur Cowell, a builder. Mr. Cowell was known for building many large structures in Washington, D.C. In May 1897, Dr. Babbitt bought the land where the buildings stood.

These two buildings were the first in the Northeast part of the city to have electric lights. This happened in 1897. A special wire was brought over 11 blocks just to power them!

Exploring the Northeast Market

The Northeast Market first opened to the public on March 20, 1897. When it opened, it was quite large. It stretched 50 feet along H Street NE and 100 feet along 12th Street NE.

The market had space for 50 stalls. These stalls were used by different sellers. You could find farmers, butchers, bakers, and other producers there. Each person who had a stall also owned a part of the market property. An iron roof protected the goods and shoppers from the sun along 12th Street NE.

When it first opened in 1897, the market was open three days a week. These days were Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. But by 1899, it was open almost every day! It operated Monday through Friday from 5 AM to 1 PM. On Saturdays, it stayed open even longer, from 5 AM to 10:30 PM.

In 1916, an advertisement described the market. It said the market was a great place to shop. It helped people save money and avoided long trips downtown. The ad also proudly stated how clean the market was. It said there were "no dark corners" and "everything is just as clean and as sanitary as it appears to be!"

Visiting the Northeast Temple

The Northeast Temple opened a week before the Market, also in March 1897. On March 16, 1897, a group called the Myron M. Parker Lodge, No. 27, FAAM, held a special event. They officially opened the new hall with many members present. After looking around the hall, everyone enjoyed a social event with snacks and music. On the same day, another group called the Idaho Tribe, No. 15, Red Men also started using the Temple.

The Temple building was impressive. It was 50 feet wide and 95 feet deep. It stood four stories tall and was covered with special terra cotta bricks. On the first floor, there were two large department stores. The second floor had a big assembly hall, 40 by 75 feet, with a dance floor. This hall was used for fun events. It was decorated with paintings and symbols from the Masonic group. The third floor had a large room used by many organizations as their main meeting place. The rest of the building had various offices.

The Temple became a popular gathering spot. Many clubs and societies, common in the late 1800s and early 1900s, met there. In 1897, 21 different groups held their meetings at the Northeast Temple. Each of these groups also owned a share in the company. The Temple was also used by neighborhood groups and veterans' associations.

One group that often used the hall was the Northeast Washington Citizens' Association. They held a big welcome event there on April 12, 1897. Important people spoke at this event. These included John W. Ross, who was the President of the Board of District Commissioners. Also, Dr. Edward M. Gallaudet spoke to the audience. The Association's President, Evan H. Tucker, talked about the group. He also explained the unique situation of being a citizen in a city without voting representation.

In 1901, this Association was one of the groups that fought against building Union Station. On January 13, 1902, members of Congress and railroad managers met with the public. They listened to people's anger about the project. There was even a threat of a lawsuit.

The first military group event in the hall was on Memorial Day. On May 31, 1897, the George H. Thomas Post, No. 15 of the Grand Army of the Republic used the hall. They held their Memorial Day ceremony there. Other groups like the George H. Thomas Camp, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the George H. Thomas Corps of the Woman's Relief Corps joined them. After the ceremony, they went to decorate the graves of veterans. These graves were in nearby cemeteries like Glenwood and Mount Olivet.

The Temple was also a place of worship for the Saint Paul's Protestant Church. On Sunday, November 10, 1901, an outdoor service was held right outside the building. Over 500 people were there. During the service, a horse pulling an open buggy ran wild. It dashed into the crowd, hurting four people and bruising others. The 16-year-old driver could not control the horse. The buggy flipped over, and the driver fell. Several men finally stopped the horse. The four injured people were taken to the hospital. On the way, some victims sang hymns despite being hurt.

Other groups that used the Temple included:

• Columbia Commandery, United Order of the Golden Cross
• The Royal Crescent
• Division No. 6, Ancient Order of Hibernians
• Northeast Washington Council, No. 755, Nation Union
• Amaranth Lodge, No. 28, Knights of Pythias
• Federal City Lodge, No. 20, Independent Order of Odd Fellows
• Friendship Lodge, No.11, International Organisation of Good Templars
• George H. Thomas Corps, No. 11, Woman's Relief Corps
• Capitol Circle, No. 315, Protected Home Circle
• District of Columbia branch of the National Holiness Association

On January 26, 1920, the Northeast Temple and Market Company building was put up for sale. It was sold at a public auction.