Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-03-18
Louloun COunty-NO. 10.

| Correspondence OF the Alexandra GaZette.
We left Leesburg and proceeded up the
turnpike towards Snickersville, until we reached
Hamilton, about four miles from town. Or
locking toward the northwest we get a full
view Of the Loudoun Valley with the decided
| Gap in the "Short Hill mountain just before
us, and the Blue Ridge now and then peeriug
over depressions in the hill, aud to the extreme
northwest the Irish Corner in the German
Settlement.
Digges' Valley, a very 6ne tract of country,
lies to the lett of the road to Hamilton, and
one would suppose, from the want OF water
along the Turnpike, that Loudoun was u dry
county, but, il he will cast his eyes on each
side carefully, he will find that he is on the
dividing ridge between the waters Of the Co
%tocton," and those Of "Goosa Creek" which
flow southwark.
Hamilton is u beautiful little village along
both sides Of the Turnpike and about halt q
mile from the station, which is in the Water
ford or No. I district.
Proceeding southwardly three miles, you
roach Lincoln Up. o. or, as my old friend in
St. Louis (Mr. w. Fl. Nj. Twill have it, GOOSE
CREEK MEETING HOUSE. Here are a foundry
aud two Friends meeting houses Zone Ortho.
dox) having only a few members. Close by is
the Loudouu Nursery, the residence OF the
widow OF Yerdley Taylor, the GcoIoglst, His,
tolian OF Loudoun county, Surveyor, devoted
friend OF internal improvements and 4 very
earnest man in all he ever undertook. tie
died recently at the age Of seventy five, from q
cold contracted while carrying shingles up a
ladder to shinglo his house.
Further on, two or three miles, you will find
N,,1o,;11, eo BALLAD n,okabl,,. fro,, ro,,, o,;~.
to 90 almost round it to get to it, and round it
the Loudoun Branch railroad, which strikes
the Turnpike about s miles above Leesburg.
"A. N. Janney's mill, and those of Owen
Hamilton and Elias Hughes are the principal
mills in this section. Woodburne mill is fur
Their to the east.
We 60 by North Fork, where there are two
Baptist churches standing, both fine structures
for country churches, but evidences of q split
in that denomination.
Laboring up a high hill, and pretty rough
at that, we reach Mt. Gilead, q postofice and
village, and going on a little further We will
pause and take a survey Of the country ere we
return to Lecsburg.
10 the northwest you see the Irish Corner
fully % miles distant; turning toward the east
your eye sweeps over ipto Maryland9a and furth-
or, round away down into Fairfax half way to
Alexandria; then sweeping round towards the
South the Negro mountain range grects you,
and still further on, the High Point of tho
Leather Coat mountain in Prince Williem near
Thoroughfare Gap; further Oh towards the
Southwest you see the Big and Little Cobler
mountains in Fauquier, some miles above
Salem, then a point of the Blue Ridge shuts
out Paris, but MountsviIle, and Philomont and
North Fork villages lie almost at your feet
Then facing to the west you SEQ Smokers Gap,
and Hillsborough Gap, and the Short Hill, and
the mountains in Maryland far beyond the Irish
Corner that we started with. In fact all this
fine Loudoun Valley lies before you dotted with
farm houses, orchards, churches, villages, mills
and streams which pour their abundance into
Baltimore, Georgetown, Washington and Alex.
audria. At these are, indeed,
"Loudoun's bonnie woods and brae>;"
and were it June and not March you could
hear the chatter of the reaper as the golden
grain fell before it, and see the green waving
corn and hear the lowing of the cattle on a
thousand hills. or see them reclining under the |
shade Of the generous oaks, and you would &C.
knowledge, If it were your home, that there
no place like home. But as it is March
and the roads are abominable, and there are
no cross lurnpikes, and after this fatiguing
journey you must be tired. L will close, and
wish you u pleasant s%ojourn next summer at
SHUTS springs, which you see from Mt. Gilead. |
ALIOUIs. |