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Show 1 EOBOB WASHING-j' WASHING-j' tpS2i3iS ton's noma and tomb PI p at Mount Vernon have ik fe w- become a Mecca for hjSiL' continual pilgrimages JtSJf" by the people of a .fesBp grateful nation, to say 5erp- nothing of the fre-- fre-- - J quent visits of .distinguished .dis-tinguished foreigners; but, oaaiy enough, the birthplace of the Father of His Country, located some miles nearer the mouth of the Potomac, is neglected and to a considerable con-siderable extent unknown. Fortunately Fortu-nately a movement has been recently recent-ly inaugurated to restore and preserve pre-serve Wakefield plantation, where Washington was born and where he spent his boyhood. This project is coincident with the plan for the restoration res-toration of Stratford, the birthplace of Robert E. Lee. The opportunities for a memorial shrine to the military leader of the confederacy are, however, somewhat superior to those at Wakefield, for whereas the ancestral home of the I.ees is yet standing In a fair state of preservation there are no remnants rem-nants of the old buildings at Wakefield Wake-field save some tumble-down log structures of uncertain origin which are reputed to have once served as slave quarters, but which are now utilized as corn cribs. The old manor house In which George Washington opened his eyes upon the world was burned in the last century, but the brick chimney, within the arch of which four people could sit, and the cornerstone with a portion of the foundation were saved. Shortly before the civil war the historic his-toric farm passed into the hands of a family which at the outset showed WASHING- WLUW IWlil pS: ton's noma and tomb fcj,. VV.' r , V V. . f I Pa B at Mount Vernon have Wr"J'tT " jX" v "vli ', fuR' 'iuijaum l I become a Mecca for "7, . , I ; 1 f '$&gLf&- continual pilgrimages wX"- . ' v ,.C A -' flf3 I jggU by the people of a A , f, r J' " K ? t jgtSm&i grateful nation, to say ? ; " 'V.,'V. , i I XT' .v t ?l f$Sff0 nothing of the fre- t 4 u t - 4 i I - -Si J quent visits of .dis- L j e u - ! .l tinguished foreigners; fls ' 4, j 1 but, oaaiy enough, the birthplace of .. Jf" " 3 ' ' ! the Father of His Country, located W - - . 3 , j-s ? ! some miles nearer the mouth of the 1 v - ' v iJ - s Potomac, is neglected and to a con- V . - x , y i, siderable extent unknown. Fortu- V v c- i nately a movement has been recent- V, . t v f ' 'X V - - , ' 5. ly inaugurated to restore and pre- 1 , . 'V - V serve Wakefield plantation, where , . ' " ' J ' -XLf"t T Washington was born and where he " ' A v V? V"" spent his boyhood. This project is 04 " J 'i? coincident with the plan for the res- N J' " - s V-5 ' f 1 I ' K"! - K"- ' toration of Stratford, the birthplace of f a-T 2-i' t ' 1 " Robert E. Lee. V csenpze- OM- Or h f -' ' H'i" v '1 The opportunities for a memorial ZyjycWlS-. fepi r, , " ' ' ' l k - 1 shrine to the military leader of the , iV i "oto3 CoPyr;sl,t -- t-WH , , v"" - !' confederacy are, however, somewhat 'SSfej; -TALDONrAW . v superior to those at Wakefield, for 1.1 " " Z - ' , "v" ,S "" whereas the ancestral home of the ,' " ' ' " X- -) orLtre'rrrem9 jj nants of the old buildings at Wake- f . j . f Wtovznrznr field save some tumble-down log ,H- J 'TSJ V . . , - h structures of uncertain origin which , - ', fjf ' VX . 'ion "Washington's Birthplace, and are reputed to have once served as J - -rf ' in small letters at the base the words: slave quarters, but which are now ,f 1 "Erected by the United States, A. D. utilized as corn cribs. f' s v 'J ' 1895." Latterly plans have been pro- The old manor house in which h , jj , S .,; jected for rebuilding the old mansion George Washington opened his eyes KZTT? v j4,W" Placing in a conspicuous portion ot upon the world was burned in the kZ-'i I , 1' V the structure the few bricks remain- last century, but the brick chimney, 7 '' J ing from the old house and using th within the arch of which four people f ,J .X, . , . s' -4 original cornerstone. .n(rrnnd could sit, and the cornerstone with a f V ' fAf'l Jb? h-' f In Ule ld fam"l ' lv been portion of the foundation were saved. K V - 7" 't?1 ? S t V- at Wakefield ,liere.thas1r",ennt'yeoerV Ihortly before the civil war the his- f " ' W S i? ! - A V ? put in P'aC6 & 8 &n faThe" of toric farm passed into the hands of a A J, , ' -tv; f Augustine Wash.ngt. tner family which at the outset showed 'rt w Z . ? George Washington. This s on e a. livK ,x i ir -x s - provided by the Society of the Colo- -: -W t , v v Damea of Amerlca. In this grave- -9?r?TT& - yard, also, is a marble slab bearing ''"; VJ-VT rfeassa--'' an inscription that indicates that -- sT - V , - , 'V CZJ- -S-s was Placed in its present position in lt KfS J ; V-V- Zr- Probably the principal reason for yK'-l-f- Vi'f - ' 1 the neglect of Wakefield by the tour- r:ftVj " -ter' of Washington. 1st throng that visits Mount Vernon 8 found in YS ' ' jt W3S br,keD;hand itS iS0,aiTthaSectS ion 'fn1 ZVt ' 1 i'aT o..SoSnere.S KurS a substantia, pier was ' i 1 3 vine-covered Later on built extending some distance out into the Potc- kt'k ' ' 1 J picnic Ses landed ' mac, but this pier is now in shoa lklM , ' , t JJVSV J on the sandy beach none of the larger steamers plying on the Potc- T , and made such a prac- mac can reach it. In consequence the only avail- f&rt' T- - 4 V Hce of carrying away" able means of reaching Wakefield is to take pas- Wfr$ 4K n f bricks as" souvenirs sage on one of the steamers bound 0, Co Ionia that John W. Wilson, Beach, the leading summer resort of the lowe FtY Jy the owner of the farm, Potomac, and upon arrival at the beach to eltner V , , V S -T"V f'W took Itens to preven charter a launch for the trip to Wakefield or else VC ; S i Y W - r ' h e r trpasTng reach the same goal by a considerable drWe ove V V'iSS CT nnlv a few of the old roads that are none too good. Even this time- WA'J Zd4r bricks togethe h Wi h consuming method of making a pilgrimage to X S y T?r UL thf cornerstones, are Wakefield !s impracticable m winter. ? NL- -d 1 A V GZVXGlft now left. These bricks Washlngton ls the mightiest name of the li WSVtJTiairjy by the way, were ,bB"rS On that name a' ufogy is expected. It cannot tion "Washington's Birthplace," and in small letters at the base the words: "Erected by the United States, A. D. 1S95." Latterly plans have been projected pro-jected for rebuilding the old mansion, placing in a conspicuous portion of the structure the few bricks remaining remain-ing from the old house and using thn original cornerstone. In the old family burying ground at Wakefield there has recently been put in place a granite slab in memory of Augustine Washington, father of George Washington. This stone was provided by the Society of the Colo-. Colo-. . t aq,-i!. in this grave- niai Liames ul """ - - yard also, is a marble slab bearing an inscription that indicates that ,. was placed in its present position in 1729. , . . Probably the principal reason for the neglect of Wakefield by the tour- ist throng that visits Mount vernon -the isolation of Washington's birthplace. In con-junction con-junction with the erection of the governmental monument at Wakefield a substantial pier was built extending some distance out into the Potomac, Poto-mac, but this pier is now in shoal water and none of the larger steamers plying on the Potomac Poto-mac can reach it. In consequence the only avail-able avail-able means of reaching Wakefield is to take passage pas-sage on one of the steamers bound for Colonial Beach, the leading summer resort of the lower Potomac, and upon arrival at the beach to either charter a launch for the trip to Wakefield or else reach the same goal by a considerable drive over roads that are none too good. Even this time-consuming time-consuming method of making a pilgrimage to Wakefield ls impracticable in winter. mother of Washington, it was broken' and its fragments lie there today, to-day, moss-grown and vine-covered. Later on picnic parties landed on the sandy beach and made such a prac- tice of carrying away the bricks as souvenirs that John W. Wilson, the owner of the farm, took steps to prevent further trespassing. Only a few of the old bricks, together with the cornerstones, are now left. These bricks, by the way, were brought over from Eng- nDnTlo twn rpntll- some appreciation tor its associations. A suc- ceeding generation, however, demolished the chimney and the remnants of the walls in order to secure the bricks. A marble slab, bearing an inscription giving the date of Washington's birth and other information, infor-mation, which had been set into the great arch of the fireplace above mentioned was removed to the old family burying ground, but in placing it beneath two ancient fig-trees, planted by the ries ago. serving as ballast for the vessels, which also brought all the woodwork and other furnishings. fur-nishings. The broad portico of the old house faced the Potomac, which is here miles in width, and in the estimation of many persons the view at this point surpasses that at either Arlington or Mount Vernon. In the year 1895 the national government erected at Wakefield a miniature copy of the Washington national monument with the inscrlp- |