[Illustration: {uncaptioned}]
To old timers, the Bryan home is not the nurses’ residence at Bryan
Memorial hospital, but the house at 1625 D. It was while an occupant of
this house that fame suddenly embraced William Jennings Bryan. From it
he went to two national conventions, returning from each with the
democratic presidential nomination. On his return he addressed his
people. A sea of faces strained upward on D from 16th to 17th as the
sound of his mellifluous voice flowed out from the balcony on which he
was standing.
Here his two younger children were born. From it, in a one horse surrey,
William Jennings Bryan, in broad black hat, with his wife and children,
sallied forth each Sunday afternoon for a drive. In the backyard the
children—Ruth, later U. S. congresswoman and minister to Denmark,
William jr. and Grace dug an elaborate cave which was the envy, and the
daytime abode, of neighbor children.
As late as 1935—when the above picture was taken, the house was much as
it had been built originally. Now the square tower is gone the way of
the porch and balcony. The edifice is corseted tight as an armadillo in
white asbestos shale. We offer the original so that, driving past, you
may attempt to trace it in the modern version. At least it is an
interesting example of a 50 year old house rejuvenated.
Seven years ago the department of the interior suggested the old Bryan
home as a historical American building, worthy of careful preservation.
There was some talk of making a national shrine of the home in which the
Great Commoner had experienced his greatest triumphs. But the movement
drooped, and the old dwelling is now tamely serving as a four family
apartment house.