Evening Star Newspaper, August 17, 1930, Page 83

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, AUGUST 17, 1930. - Washington Building ##orld-Famous Boulevard George Washington Memorial Parkzway to Mount Vernon, Now in the Course of Construction, Will Rival America’s Greatest Drives in Scenic Beauty and Cherished Historic Interest. BY JOHN. L. COONTZ. EW YORK, has its Palisades Park drive, Chicago its Lake Shore boilevard and San Francisco its Golden Gate Park. Washington has—or will have soon—its George Washington Memorial “orkway, a rival of them all. With the pas:age of the Cramton-Capper bill by the late adjourned Congress, now a law through the signature of President Hoover, there has been authorized along the Potomac, from Mount Vernon, on the Virginia side, to Great Falls and from Great Falls, on*the Mary- land side, to Fort Washington, at the mouth of Piscataway Creek, one of the most magnificent parkways in the world. & To the motorist of the future traveling this parkway two things will be ' observed—un- rivaled natural scenery and spots of chetrished historical interest. Beginning at Mount Ver- non, the home of Washington, he will traverse the lowland of the Potomac to the rugged foot- hills of the Blue Ridge, cross the river by bridge ar ~ retrace his course down the river, through the Capital and on to Fort Washing- ton, rich in military lore. Yet us tak: that drive in fancy, as some day not distant in the future we shall take it by automobile or gnotor caravam. Let us start at Mount Vernod, and as we climb the highlands see what may be seen, dream of the life that once flowed there, so warm and éndeared to Tnswxyolmum Vernon has been told in song and prose for well over a century now. The home of Lawrence Washington, George's half-brother, it came to him on the death of the former and his only heir, & daughter. 'Teo him and his wife, Martha OCustis, it was the “dearest place on earth.” From it he went to the wars of liberty, the councils of his State and Nation and iws presidency. Today it is the first shrine of America, and the resting place of @il thut remains of the mortal Wash- ington and his devoted spouse. . Leaving Mount Vernon st the beautiful terminus gatewny to the estate—the énd of the Mount Vernon boulevard from Washington— one takes the highway to the city through Alexandria. And though it is the object of this article to dwell more particularly upon what may be seen upoh this ride, it is not amiss to pause for the moment and spend some time upon this road itself. For it is the most beautiful boule n A Oonception of this highway, which follows the river frofn Mount Veinon originated in 1886. And since the present, the time of its actuality, it has had thé indorsement of the State of Virginia, the Presidents of the United States, members of Congress and the cabinet and nationdl patriotic organisdtions. Pollowing the éreation of the commission for the celebration of the 200th anniversary of George Washington in 1932, under the admin- istration of Calvin Coolidge in 1924, there was passed by Congress in 1928 an &c¢t which authorized the construction and maihtenance of the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway. The sum of $4,500,000 was appropriated to the projec, and the construction of the road was placed in thé hands of the Bureau of Public Roads, Department of Agriculture. ‘This road, 151, miles long, has a minimum right of way of 200 feet, except through the City of Alexandria. Automobile parking places are designated along it, particularly at charm- ing natural spots. Trees will adorn its entire length; with suitable plantings on unattractive groun ’I‘HE first stop of interest on the route will be Fort Hunt, established in 1898, during the Spanich-American War. It is located oh Sherf. dans Point, dpposite old Fort Washington, and was designed as a precautionary measure in defense of the city in case the war should ever move up from Cuba or over from Manila Bay, The old fort, dismantled dgrlng the World War, that its guhs might be used overseas, contains approximately 200 dcres, and lies in plain view of Mount Vernon. Today it is no more than a reservation, cared for by a detachment of troops from Fort Washington. In the days of the Civil War it, with Fort Washington, guarded strat-= ~liy the approach to Washington by river at this point. Here Piscataway Creek enters the Potomac from the east, divertihg its main channel from north and south sharply southwest. The result is an altost perfect upside-down letter “T,” with the forts nestled in edch corner made by the meeting of the eross-bar and the maln stem of the letter. Tobias Lear's home, Wellington, stands by the road-—-Washington’s secretary, whose life is a8 fully interwoven with that of the first Presi- detit as Boswell’s i with Johnson's. Nearing the city and overlooking the river and Gravelly Point, airport site of the Capital, oneé comes to Abingdon, rich in association with the name of Custis. Here John Custis, Mrs. Washington’s son, brought his bride, Bleanor Calvert of Maryland, to walk the ram- parts of romance overlooking the peaceful river below. It was here that Nellie Custis, Wash ington's adopted daughter, was born. * Thé view from Abingdon is panotamic, Weshifigtofi City’ and the north sheré of the’ Potomac entraneing the eye. Abingdon, slightly Jess thal & year ago, was burned to the grofind: A a¥andoned old hotse thésk' thany years, it departed this life gracefully, as it ecogaizant that the world was no longer inter- Terminus of the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway at Mount Vernon. ested i it. Too bad! For now, with the awdkened interest in all things historic near the Capital Oity, Abingdon i8 mourned ruefully and in tragic accents. However, the oki mansion & to be fully re- stored. Delos Smith, local architect, before the old House went in flery death to join its century dead master and mistress, took careful measurements of all its parts, with & view to its restoration, if ever sought. But the regret will always be that, with the walls still standing that housed the love and memory of other days and othér times, all woven into the country's history, steps were not taken earlier to pre- serve the memory spot. AL!XANDRIA. on the route, deserves a chapter to itself. So much has been written about it that little need be said here. In fact, this is true of all the historic places between Washington and Mount Vernon. Alexandria was Washington’s own town. Tt was his market place, the place where he bought those things necessary to life and com- fort at Mount Vernon that could not pe had on the plantation., It was his lodge town, his voting place, his church town, and the hiome of many of his intimate friends. There still in the Masonic lodge room may be seen the trowel, equare and plumb-bob used by him in the lay- ing of the corner stona of the Capital; also the Bible that was used in the day of Washington. The old quarters of the volunteer fire com- pany, of which Washington was & member, still stand. In Gadbsy’s Inn, now the City Hotel, Washington recruited his first company of provincial troops, authorised by Gov. Din- widdie. By them was fought the famous battle of Great Meadows, Washington's baptism of fire. In the ball room of the City Hotel was held the first celebration of the birthday of Geotrge Washington. That was back in 1708. From the steps of this same building the Commander- in-chiéf gave his last command to the Alex- andria Light Infantry Blues, his bodyguard during the Revolution. And here, in November, 1799, he cast the last ballot of his life. At the Carlyle House, still standing, Wash- ington received his appointment as major in Proposel clover "mflflsfi of the Iu'ghwuy; ‘overpass on. the MMM Vd'm Meémorial Hi y south of the Highway Bridge over the Potomnc: the British Army on the staff of Gen. Bred- dock, whose ill-fated march upon Fort Du- quesne opened the door to Washington's own military career. Here also at the conventiom of five governors, assembled to confer with Gen. Braddock, the first suggestion of colonial taxa- tion was made—the step which ultimately led to colonial revoit. These are but a few of the historic spots it Alexandria, visited by the motorist of tomortow as he wends his way over the memorial boule- vard from Washington into the heart of the George Washington country. The road, just before it enters the City of Washington via the Lincoln Memorial, crossing the river on the new bridge at this point, skirts Arlington, one time the home of Robert E. Lee, today a national cemetery, embracing the remains of the hat- lowed war dead of the Nation, Though the Mount Vernon boulevard—or highway—ends at the bridge between Arlington and Lincoln Memorial, the George Washington. Memorial Parkway does not. It contitiues on up the river to Great Falls. Plans for the development of this portion of the parkway have not as yét been worked diit. The road that will be used, no doubt, will He the low road to Rosslyn from the Arlimgton river bottom dnd the Leesburg road from thére onh. Fotr the ravinies dbove Rdsslyn td Littlée Palls and Great Falls, cut at right angles to theé rivér, will not permit of bridging. Roads, however, aré proposed to be run out the crésts of larid between the tumbling streaifis emplyitig irito the Potomac. LAND for the parkway in this area has yet to be acquired. Acquisition will be made by the Natiohal Capital Park and Plannihg Commission, using Government funds, in co- operation with the State of Virginia and coun- ties thereof. Popular subscription also may enter into the acquisition of the land. At Greéat Falls the memorial parkwiy ends its westward jaunt. Here it crosses the river and comes down the Maryland side, équally as beautiful as the Virginia, which it faces. It follows the Maryland shoré via Conduit road, Herzog Island and Cabin John Bridge, a new portion of read to be. constructéed between these two on top of the bluffs overlooking the river and old Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. From Cabin John the wheéls of sightséeihg motors roll down to the mouth of Foutidty Branch, overlookihg the Palisades of thé Potd- mae, undernedth the walls of Georgetown Urit- vetsity, until they strike the Rock Creek :fl. Potomdc Parkwdy, along the witer froht of Georgetown. The smooth river and Andldsts Island riow come into view, the latter hea#wi; wdoded and rich with historic memories. At Lincoln Memotial the parkway swerves s the left. and pdsses southward dgain vig Tidal Basin and Water street to Sotith Cafi whefe it bridges thé Andcostia, to fird fesel in Marylind after raving pdst st Elizaves '8, Bolling Field and Blue Plains. Oh Marylafid terrifory once, it plunges souths wird o Fort Woote drd Bort Washifigtol. : Port Foute, like Fort Hunt, has very Hétle