When L’Enfant prepared his plan this was a neglected area, a common without trees. A race course was laid out, in 1797, on the west side of the grounds, extending westward to Twentieth Street. Huts for workmen who helped build the President’s House were erected on the grounds, and when these were removed a market was established there. This was later relocated farther to the center of the town, on Pennsylvania Avenue, between Seventh and Ninth Streets. Thomas Jefferson first undertook really to improve the grounds and marked the east and west limits as they are to-day, called Madison Place and Jackson Place, respectively. Until 1816 the only important building that had been erected adjacent to Lafayette Park was St. John’s Church. Then, in 1818, the Dolly Madison House was built, and in 1819 the Decatur House. From then on and for more than 50 years following Lafayette Park became the center of social life in Washington. Nearly every house surrounding it became noted for its historical associations. However, the park seems to have been neglected the greater part of this period. In 1840 there was an ordinary fence around it. Just when this park area took the name of Lafayette Park is not definitely known. As has been said, originally this area was a part of the President’s Park, and D. B. Warden, in his volume entitled “Description of the District of Columbia,” published in 1816, refers to it as such by saying, in connection with rates of fare for hackney carriages-- From the President’s Square to Greenleaf’s Point, and also to Hamburg Wharf, or to the western limits of the city, the rate is but 25 cents, and half the distance one-half that sum. In his voluminous history of Lafayette Square, Gist Blair states-- Its name has come from the people and arose after this visit of Lafayette to the city in 1824. [Illustration: THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL] Again, speaking of the many social events held in Washington during this visit of Lafayette, Mr. Blair says: Socially, the season of 1824-25 was the most brilliant Washington had seen, so it is natural to understand how everyone at this time may have started to call this square Lafayette Square. In the office of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, there is a map dated 1852, on which Lafayette Park is shown to be separated from the White House Grounds. The first printed report of the Commissioner of Public Buildings, on file in that office, is of the year 1857. In that report there is a reference to Lafayette Square with an account of certain work being done there in that year. During more than a quarter of a century past the grounds have been properly maintained as a park. To-day there are five notable monuments in Lafayette Park; namely, the Jackson, Lafayette, Rochambeau, Von Steuben, and the Kosciuszko. POTOMAC PARKS