HISTORY

In 1828, the Washington Hunt was organized by the British Minister, Sir Charles Vaughn, and the kennels were located at the corner of 14th St. and Pennsylvania Ave., across from the Willard Hotel. Fox hunters roamed the open territory of the Mall from Rock Creek on the west past the U.S. Capitol Building and as far east as the Eckington Estate near what is now the junction of Florida and New York Avenues. Later the Dunblane Hunt was organized under a magnificent oak tree in Tenleytown, just west of River Road and Wisconsin Avenue. This was succeeded in 1892 by the Chevy Chase Hunt, which pursued live fox and a released stag from its kennels in Montgomery County. The colorful master of the Chevy Chase Hunt was Clarence Moore, who hunted hounds until he died in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Struck heavily by these losses, the Chevy Chase Hunt slowly wound down until it was disbanded in 1916 when the United States entered World War I. During the 1920’s, foxhunting resumed in Rock Creek Park from the Washington Riding and Hunt Club at the corner of 22nd and P Sts., northwest.

In 1931, hounds were moved to Charlie Carrico’s Bradley Farm near the intersection of River Road and Bradley Boulevard, and the Hunt was recognized by The Masters of Foxhounds Association. Three years later, hounds were moved again, this time to the Great Elm Farm of Harry H. Semmes on Glen Road, and here they remained through World War II when foxhunting was continued on a “catch-as-catch-can” basis for the benefit of the foxhunters who were temporarily at home or were stationed for awhile at one of the nearby military bases.