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Show OLD COLONIAL TOWN HI8TORIC GERMANTOWN TO CEL. EHRATE ITS FOUNDING. One Building Surviving from Revolu-tlonary Revolu-tlonary Times Makes Reputation of Many Cities, Dut German, town Has Hundreds Such. Pittsburg. Gormantown, richer In historic associations nnd colonial buildings than nny othor placo In tho United States, Is to colobrato Its founding found-ing with oxerclscs ot nntlonal Interest naxt Octobor. Tho president of tho United States will lay tho cornorstono ot a $40,000 monument In honor of thoso who sot-tlod sot-tlod tilts present suburb of Philadelphia; Philadel-phia; tho battlo of Gormantown, which raged all over tho neighborhood, will bo enncted, much 6t tho sham conflict taking placo In tho buildings which actually saw tho defeat ot Washington In tho hoart-brcnklng Btrugglo In tho tog, nnd orators ot national reputation will tell tho glories of a section that has been nt tho forefront of ovory patriotic movement In tho last two centuries. In othor pnrts of tho United States tho possession ot ono or two samples of gonulno colonial architecture is considered a matter of congratulation. Pittsburg, Now York nnd Boston -?nch havo a fow; thore aro soma scattered all over tho south; Philadelphia, In tho centor of tho city propor, has many buildings surviving from tho tlmo that tried men's souls; but Germantowa has rows and rows of buildings dating back to tho revolution, nnd oven antedating ante-dating It. The entlro length ot tho main streot Is lined with such structures, nor la their lntorest confined to tho fact that they aro old. Many havo been tho scenes of Incidents that aro part of tho treasured knowledge of overy schoolboy who rejoices in tho heroic achievements of tho days that lod to national Independence. Tho sham battle that Is a part ot tho program will reproduce tho clash ot tho colonists and tho redcoats at historic Cliveden, somotlmcs known as tho Chow mansion. This house, In tho midst of its spacious spa-cious park, was old when tho battle of Famous Chew Mansion. Gormantown was fought. Its thick walls formod an admirable fortress for tho protection or a detachment of British Brit-ish soldlors, who, giving way to the advance of tho colonists, wore making tholr retreat down the main street Into the town. Entrenched behind tho heavy wnlli thoy poured a terrific flro Into ths ranks ot tho Americans. A dozen attempts wero made to capturo tho house, but tho British ro-' pulsed them all and Ihb diversion was of invaluptlu advantage to tho sorely .r .Used Britishers, slnco It gave them a chanco to' reform tholr lines and wago new battlo farther down tha street at Market squaro. The Chew houso, still standing, and still In the possession ot tho same family, fam-ily, Is battlo scarred from tho conflict, con-flict, but It Is still a stanch old houso, a flawless example ot true colonial architecture. Farthor down tho street Is anothor house thnt will figure largely In tho celebration. It was onco tho executive execu-tive mansion of tho Unltod States, for It was from thero that Georgo Washington administered tho affairs of tho young republic when tho yollow fovor epidemic drovo himself nnd his cablnot from tho city. Tho old houso wns built by David Doshlor in 1772. From tho hands ot Doshlor tho homestead passed Into the possosslon of Col. Isaac Franks, who served In tho continental army. When tho yellow fever forced Washington Wash-ington to seok a rcsldonco outsldo ot tho city ho picked out tho houso of Franks as tho placo he wantod, nnd ronted It. For threo months It was tho Whlto Houso, then tho Father of His Country Coun-try wont back to tho city propor. In 1804 the proporty passed Into possosslon possos-slon of tho Perots, nnd on tho death of Elllston Perot, In 1831, It was sold to Samuel ,B. Morris, In whoso fnmlly It has remained without Interruption ovor slnco. Tho greatest effort has boon mndo to maintain both Interior and oxtorlor in tholr original condition. condi-tion. This building Is also associated with tho battlo of Gormantown, for Gen. Howo, tho British lender, had hu headquarters hero during part of tho conflict. Gormantown Is now 225 yoars old. It has nwnkened to its historic Importance, Impor-tance, and tho colobratlon of noxt October Is to bo mado a yearly affair, tho propor cominomoration of deeds and times wrltton In glorious typo on tlio pueob of onrlv American history. |