WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 69 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 69 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 69 Bates St NW to Mary R. Davis, separated.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951)  borrowed $3,375 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • March 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 69 Bates St NW to Frances E. and George W. Lancaster.
  • March 1951 the Lancasters borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • June 1953 the Lancasters lost their half to foreclosure and through an auction ownership returned to Evans, Levin and Taube.
  • July 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the foreclosed unit to Ethel Mae and John H. Corbitt.
  • July 1953 the Corbitts borrowed $3,290.17 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
  • March 1955 the Corbitts lost their home to foreclosure and the unit was repossessed by Evans, Levin and Taube via an auction.
  • August 1955 Ms. Davis lost her half to foreclosure and it too was repossessed by Evans, Levin and Taube via an auction.
  • March 1959, as part of a larger property package (doc # 1959019387), new Colonial Investment Co partner Harry A. Badt, Evans, the survivors of the late Nathan Levin, Taube and their spouses sold 69 Bates to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • Around 1970-1971 (no doc) George Basiliko sold this and several Truxton properties to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
  • July 1978 there is a contract between the DC RLA and the Bates Street Associates, Incorporated (BSA) for several Truxton properties. Typically there is a deed pared with it transferring ownership to the BSA, no deed was located.

This house fits the pattern. Foreclosures and it was sold to George Basiliko, identified as a slum landlord by the Washington Post. The pattern. Basiliko sold many Truxton Circle and former WSIC homes but in this and other histories, the document is missing from the line up. I know Basiliko sold 69 Bates to the DC RLA because the DC RLA had a contract with BSA sometime after Basiliko was released from mortgages and other financial obligations tied up with the property. This hints that he sold it. And there are other Truxton properties he sold where there are documents of the sale of properties going from Basiliko, then to DC RLA then to BSA.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 71 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 71 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 71 Bates St NW to widow Mattie N. Jackson.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Mrs. Jackson borrowed $2,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 71 Bates St NW to Beatrice E. and Lester Johnson.
  • Dec 1950 the Johnsons borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • May 1953 Mrs. Jackson sold her unit back to Evans, Levin and Taube. She was released from her mortgage June 1954 and May 1962.
  • August 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the unit to Hattie W. and Herman Young.
  • August 1953 the Youngs borrowed $3,306.18 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
  • August 1958 the Youngs lost their half to foreclosure and the unit was repossessed by Evans, Taube and new partner (after the death of Nathan Levin) Harry A. Badt through an auction.
  • August 1958 Harry and wife Jennie Badt sold/transferred their interest in the property to the survivors of Nathan Levin.
  • December 1959, for some reason, slum landlord George Basiliko and wife Sophia took out a loan with the Perpetual Building Association using several properties on Square 615 as collateral. This included 71 Bates, which they did not own, yet.
  • November 1961, as part of a large property package (doc #1962000415), Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold the whole of 71 Bates to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • October 1969 the Johnsons were released from their mortgage.
  • June 1975 Lester and Beatrice Johnson sold/transferred their half to Eveldeen and Alvin L. Johnson.
  • December 1977 Eveldeen and Alvin resold/transferred the property back to the widow Beatrice Johnson.
  • November 1977 George Basiliko sold his half to Eveldeen and Alvin L. Johnson.
  • November 1977 Alvin and Beatrice Johnson borrowed $6,400 from trustees Leonard C. Collins and John M. Swagart in order to pay off George Basiliko Inc for the purchase.

This was a good one where one set of buyers were able to avoid foreclosure and later bring the property under one family, assuming the Johnsons were all related. But there were parts that fit the pattern with two foreclosures and selling to George Basiliko.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 73 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 73 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 73 Bates St NW to Viola and Wilson Jones.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 1951) the Jones borrowed $2,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 73 Bates St NW to Rufus H. Few, a widower.
  • Jan 1951 Mr. Few borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1953 the Jones lost their home to foreclosure and Evans, Levin and Taube got it back by an auction.
  • January 1954 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the foreclosure to James E. Hartridge and Lillian B. Jackson.
  • Jan 1954 Hartridge and Jackson borrowed $3,153.72 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
  • September 1959 Mr. Few lost his half to foreclosure which was repossessed by Evans, Taube and new partner Harry A. Badt.
  • September 1959 Harry and wife Jennie Badt sold/transferred their interest in the property to the survivors of Nathan Levin.
  • February 1960 Hartridge and Jackson lost their half to foreclosure and Badt, Evans, and Taube regained ownership via an auction.
  • February 1960 Harry and wife Jennie Badt sold/transferred their interest in the property to the survivors of Nathan Levin.
  • November 1961, as part of a large property package (doc #1962000415), Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold the whole of 73 Bates to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • Around 1970-1971 (no doc) George Basiliko sold this and several Truxton properties to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
  • July 1978 there is a contract between the DC RLA and the Bates Street Associates, Incorporated (BSA). Typically there is a deed pared with it transferring ownership to the BSA, no deed was located.

There were several foreclosures, it was sold to Basiliko, then to the DC RLA, then the BSA. So it fits the pattern.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 75 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 75 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 75 Bates St NW to Leatha and Wesley Baxter.
  • December 1950  the Baxters borrowed $2,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 26, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 75 Bates St NW to Beatrice C. and Willie Frayer.
  • Dec 1950 the Frayers borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • May 1955 the Baxters lost their half to foreclosure and the property returned to Evans, Levin and Taube through an auction.
  • August 1956 the Frayers sold their half back to the Colonial Investment Co partners (new partner Harry A. Badt, Evans and Taube). They were released from their mortgage March 1959.
  • March 1959 (doc# 1959019387) Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold 75 Bates and other properties on the block to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • 1970s (no document found) noted slum landlord George Basiliko sold 75 Bates to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.
  • June 1980 (doc 8000020294) the DC Redevelopment Land Agency sold 75 Bates to the BSA Limited Partnership. BSA is short for Bates Street Associates.

Some of these entries I was able to copy paste from previous WSIC posts, so the pattern is strong with this one. There was only one foreclosure. I have seen several other buy backs where Black home purchasers sell their half or whole of the property back to Evans, Levin and Taube or Badt, Evans and Taube. I wonder to the why. I have guesses, but that is all they are…. guesses from someone 73 years removed from the transaction.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 77 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 77 Bates St NW:

  • January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold the whole of 77 Bates Street NW to Vernie V. Carter and Randolph E. Williams, both married…probably not to each other.
  • Jan 1951 Carter and Williams borrowed $5,800 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • July 1956 Carter and Williams lost 77 Bates to foreclosure and new Colonial partner Harry A. Badt, Evans, and Taube repossessed the property via an auction.
  • July 1956 Harry A. Badt and wife Jennie sold/transferred some or all of their interest in the property to Nathan Levin’s survivors.
  • March 1959 (doc 1959019387) Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold 77 Bates and other properties on the block to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • Sometime in the 1970s, there is no document found, noted slum landlord George Basiliko sold 77 Bates to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.
  • In 1978 (no document but a contract 7800024140) the DC Redevelopment Land Agency sold 77 Bates to the Bates Street Associates, Incorporated (BSA).
  • September 1980 the BSA, Incorp. transferred the property to the Bates Street Associates Limited Partnership. Is there a difference between the two? No idea. Anyway… that happened.
  • April 1982 the Bates Street Associates Limited Partnership sold the property back to the District of Columbia.

It fits the pattern.

So I was curious about Randolph E. Williams and Vernie V. Carter. I found people but I don’t know if these are the same people. The most likely Vernie Carters of all the Vernie Carters was a Vernie V. Carter, a 31 year old Af-Am woman who was working and living as a maid for a White family (the Art Brown family) in 1940 Arlington, VA. She was listed as married. Randolph E. Williams could be Randolph Ernest Williams Sr.

The Randolph E. Williams I picked, I found was born in Virginia in 1913. He listed Mrs. Vernie Virginia Carter, his sister, on his World War II draft card. She lived in Arlington, VA.  Vernie had married Hampton Carter and had at least one child. Anyway, Randolph married Hildegarde Anita Burns in 1940. In the 1950 census he lived at 4105 4th St SE with his wife and their 3 children. He worked as a janitor.

It is interesting that brother and sister tried to be homeowners or landlords. A quick search showed that in 1963 he and wife Hildegarde bought 831 Xenia Street SE. Records from 2006 mention Hildegarde’s death on October 19, 2003. So the foreclosure was a temporary setback.

 

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 46 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 46 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 46 Bates Street NW to Nellie E. and David A. Harris Jr.
  • December 1950 the Harris borrowed $2,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 46 Bates St NW to Martha J. and Martin Lloyd.
  • Dec 1950 the Llyods borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • September 1952 the Lloyds lost their home to foreclosure. Evans, Levin and Taube regained the property through an auction.
  • February 1952 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the half to Joseph and Uzeria Hamilton.
  • February 1953 the Hamiltons borrowed $3,226.75 from Colonial Inv. Co’s preferred trustees Levin and Weightman.
  • May 1953 Mr. and Mrs. Harris lost their half through foreclosure and Evans, Levin and Taube repossessed the property via an auction.
  • June 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the foreclosure to Rosie Lee and John F. Smith.
  • June 1953 the Smiths borrowed $3,274.21 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
  • December 1956 the Smiths lost their home to foreclosure. New Colonial Investment Co. partner Harry A. Badt, with Evans and Taube regained ownership through an auction.
  • December 1956 Harry A. Badt and wife Jennie transferred/sold interest in the property to Nathan Levin’s survivors.
  • November 1961, as part of a large property package (doc 1962000416),  Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold 46 Bates to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • November 1966 the Hamiltons were released from their mortgage.
  • October 1977 George Basiliko sold his half to Mary Elizabeth and Theodore Morman Garrison.
  • October 1977 the Garrisons borrowed $7,000 from trustees Leonard C. Collins and John M. Swagart, paid off in 1988 and 1994.
  • February 1995 the estate of Theodore Mormon Garrison sold their half back to George Basiliko.
  • March 1995 widower George Basiliko sold his half to Joseph and Uzeria Hamilton bringing the house under one owner.

There were three foreclosures and the property was sold to George Basiliko, slum landlord. However, the house was not sold to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 48 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 48 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 48 Bates Street NW to Amanda J. Hart.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Ms. Hart borrowed $2,525 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • February 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 48 Bates St NW to Virginia and William Ford Jr.
  • Feb 1951 the Fords borrowed $2,525 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • November 1952 the Fords lost their half to foreclosure and Evans, Levin and Taube repossessed the property via an auction.
  • December 1952 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the foreclosed unit to Louise V. and John S. Duvall.
  • Dec 1952 the Duvalls borrowed $3,124.87 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
  • December 1956 the Duvalls lost their half to foreclosure and new Colonial Investment partner Harry A. Badt, along with Evans and Taube repossessed the property via an auction.
  • December 1956 Harry and wife Jennie Badt sold/transferred interest in the property to the survivors of Nathan Levin.
  • June 1959 Badt, Evans and Taube, Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold half of the property to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • February 1962 Ms. Hart was released from her mortgage.
  • November 1968 Amanda J. Edwards (formerly Amanda J. Hart) sold her half to George Basiliko.
  • Sometime in the 1970s (no document found) George Basiliko sold the property to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.
  • June 1980 (doc #8000020294) the DC RLA sold/ transferred 48 Bates in a large property package to the BSA (Bates Street Associates) Limited Partnership.

Two foreclosures, a sale to George Basiliko by the Colonial Investment Co partners and a home owner and his eventual sale to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency. And then DC RLA sold

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 50 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

photo of 50 Bates Street in 2004
50 Bates Street NW, WDC 20001 blocked by a tree

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.

Let’s see what happens with 50 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 50 Bates St NW (lot 200?) to Geneva M. Harrison, a widow.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Mrs. Harrison borrowed $1,900 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 50 Bates St NW to James and Mildred Perry.
  • December 1950 the Perrys borrowed $1,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • July 1953 the Perrys lost their half to foreclosure and Evans, Levin and Taube regained ownership through and auction.
  • July 1953 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the foreclosed half to Marie E. and Willie Foster.
  • July 1953 the Fosters borrowed $2,468.86 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
  • September 1967 the Fosters were released from their mortgage.
  • April 1969 Mrs. Harrison was released from her mortgage.
  • November 1971 the Fosters and Mrs. Harrison sold the property to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA).
  • Possibly 1978 (no document) the DC RLA sold/transferred the property to Bates Street Associates Incorporated.

Ahh. Things were going so well, only one foreclosure, the people who bought the foreclosure were able to pay off the mortgage and then they sold to DC RLA. I guess the house was in poor shape.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off-54 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 54 Bates St NW:

  • January 1951 Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 54 Bates St NW to Bessie and William Walton.
  • Jan 1951 the Waltons borrowed $1,900 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1951 Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 54 Bates St NW to Helen and James H. Hodge.
  • Jan 1951 the Hodges borrowed $1,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • September 1951 the Hodges sold their half to Audrey and John M. Bonner.
  • April 1953 the Waltons lost their half to foreclosure, and via an auction the property returned to the ownership of Evans, Levin & Taube.
  • April 1953 Evans, Levin & Taube resold the foreclosed half to Emma and Willie M. Smith.
  • April 1953 Mr. & Mrs. Smith borrowed $2,687.93 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
  • July 1954 the Smiths lost their half to foreclosure and via an auction Evans, Levin and Taube repossessed the property.
  • August 1956 the Hodges lost their half to foreclosure. New Colonial Investment Co. partner Harry A. Badt, Evans, and Taube repossessed the property via an auction. The property was owned completely by Colonial Investment Co.
  • August 1956 Harry and Jennie Badt transferred interest of the property to Nathan Levin’s survivors, Lawrence L., Myron S., Rose Levin and Ruth Wagman.
  • March 1959, in a large property package, Badt, Evans and Taube, the survivors of Nathan Levin, and their spouses sold 54 Bates to Sophia and noted slum landlord George Basiliko.

There is a hole in the documentation. At some point Basiliko no longer owned 54 Bates and the Bates Street Associates (BSA) Limited Partnership did. Usually around 1970 the Basilikos sold property to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency and the Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA) sold/transferred it to the BSA. But I can’t find that.

What I have found was that there were several foreclosures and the house was sold to the Basilikos. I am guessing that it did follow the usual pattern.

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 56 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

Looking at WSIC properties they tend to have a pattern where the properties were sold to a three business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans as the Colonial Investment Co. for $3 million dollars. Those partners sold to African American buyers. There was usually a foreclosure. Then the property wound up in the hands of George Basiliko and or the DC Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). Then there were the odd lucky ones who managed to avoid that fate.photo of property

Let’s see what happens with 56 Bates St NW:

  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin and Taube sold one-half of 56 Bates NW to Adrienne and Emmons K. Devaughn.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) the Devaughns borrowed $1,900 from Colonial Investment Co. favorite trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • December 1950 (recorded Jan 18, 1951) Evans, Levin, and Taube sold the other half of 56 Bates St NW to Frank and Martha Hunt.
  • December 1950 the Hunts borrowed $1,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
  • January 1954 the Devaughns lost their half to foreclosure and Evans, Levin and Taube regained possession via an auction.
  • May 1954 Evans, Levin and Taube resold the foreclosed half to Ida M. and Reginald F. Thomas.
  • May 1954 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas borrowed $2,811.32 from trustees Levin and Weightman.
  • February 1955 the Thomas family lost their half to foreclosure and Evans, Levin and Taube repossessed it via an auction.
  • November 1961 in a large property package (doc# 1962000416), new partner Harry A. Badt, Evans, Taube, Nathan Levin’s survivors and their spouses sold half of the house to Sophia and George Basiliko.
  • April 1973 Martha Hunt, survivor of Frank who died 4/20/1970, sold her half to Patsy M. Lattimore and George F. Thacker.
  • December 1978 George Basiliko Inc sold the other half to Mildred L. Edwards.

This house only fits part of the pattern as it does not fall into the hands of the city of DC nor the Bates Street Associates. However, there are foreclosures and it sold to slum landlord George Basiliko.