118 Grove Avenue

Lot and Block » Lot 23, 24 & p 25, Block 4 Old Lot 31, Block A
Name »
Built » c1917
Built by » Major Walker
Style » American Foursquare
Owner(s) » W. W. Burdette, c. 1885 (lot 23 #71) Isaac R. Hitt, Jr., 5 July 1905 (lot 23 #660) Rosa M. B. Hitt, 15 March 1910 (lots 23-24 #742) Samuel H. Walker, 26 February 1913 (#828) Henry J. & Florine W. Walther, 20 April 1925 (#1103); (liber 3248 folio 51) Bruce W. & L. H. Christ, 22 August 1975 (liber 4679 folio 381) Leila H. (Christ) Keese, non-sale transfer 10 January 1980 (liber 5465 folio 640)
Remarks » House on lot 23. Built for Florinete Walther, daughter of Major Walker. House assessed at $4,000 in 1924. Walthers lived at 421 B Street NE in 1946. Lot 24 used to be the only cross-through from Chestnut Avenue to Grove Avenue and the athletic field (1880s) before Oak Street was opened west of Grove Avenue. The lot was also used for recreation: tennis and baseball (c. 1896-1904). Construction of Walther house was protested by Association members who wished to keep the entire 50-foot lot open. After extensive discussion at the 1905 Annual Meeting it was decided to keep the northern part of lot 24 and the southern part of lot 25 for a walkway. Eventuall the Walther fence enclosed all of lot 24, but part of lot 25 stayed open into the 1960s.
Sources » Edwards, 207-208; 1886 plat of Grove Ave; 1893 voting list; tax records; Phil Edwards notes; Town Directories; 1946 tax list; Walker letter 15 May 1924 Walker file, Association records; County tax records; Association minutes 1896-1904.