Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-03-07
Fairfax County, Va.

Correspondence OF the National hepuolcan
VIENNA, Va, March 4, lS74.-When real
estate in a country village within few years,
adranc, from 500 per acre toS ,2OO, 1t seems
quite superfuous to waste words to convince
any one Of its growth and prosperity. AT this
place, few miles above on the railroad, land
has not advanced 10 equal ratio, 1t Is true, and
it is somewhat strange that 1t has not; SILL the
village is far from being stationary. Within
the last three years its growth has been palpa,
BILE, and promises to be yet more so. A large
and unusually commodious school-house ar
rests the eye on entering the place, on COM
n,auding site, we'll furnished on the ground
floor for educational purposes. with a spacious
hall above, intended for religious Worship
And then the frame Of Presbyterian Church
has recently been raised, and the edihce, when
completed, bids fair to be great improvement.
The place will then have abundant accommo,
datons for all its relig louS sects; for there will
| then be three audeDcc-roous tor religious and
| other services, whereas two years ago, and tor
many years before, it had but one.
| A drive of few miles brings us to Freedom
HILL Here stands another of those fine school,
houses, recently erected, for which this town.
ship is noted. Indeed, 10 point OF architecture
al taste and finish, this may be called very
beautiful structure, with its bel-tower and bell,
and its vestibue and Gothic roof. and It's grove
of forest trees in the background. 1t has but
one room, but that is ample for all educational
aud religious purposes for the neighborhood,
and it is often filed with Sabbath worshipers.
| 1t is open to.all denominations, but is occupied
chiefly by the Methodists.
n short distance beyond Freedom hill we are
at the intersection OF the road to the Chain
bridge with the Alexandria and Leesburg turn
pike, eight miles from the bridge aud twelve
| from Alexandria, Here was a post Office be-
fore the war known as Peach Grove. On the
left, on an eminence some hundreds of yards
distant, stands before Us an extensive blockade,
constructed by the Government against Mosby
near the close of the war-tbe last Of those
structures now remaining; and it embodles a
Thousand of the largest oak and chestnut trees
the neighboripg forests could supply. ,
Near the stockade referred to stands sub
stantal tower some forty feet in height, erect
ed few years since by officers Of the coast
survey, from which to take observations. The
site was selected as having the lofticst altitude
| between tide-Watcr and the mountains, and is
/ so feet higher than the statute of Liberty on
the dome of the Capitol: which figure, with
the powerful glass of the coast survey, could
be clearly discovered from the platform of the
tower, and this platform is nearly 600 feet
from this place is more than hundred miles
10 circuit, embracing the Bull Run mountains
aud all intervening scenes Oh the west. the
MARYLAND Heights and the Sugar Loaf on the
north, and the hills which circle the Potomac
on the east, with all the beautiful prarics
which spread themselves out like panorama
on both sides of the river. On the south, and
towards Washington and Alexandria, the glass
sweeps but little besides forests.
Real estate at this junction of the turnpike
with the Georgetown road has had rapid add
vancement the last five or six years, if any
thing may be inferred from the only transac-
tons which have taken place, although the
timber 10 the vicinity was badly damaged by
the disastrous couh lgration which swept
through this region year ago. The erection
of church near the Corners, as the most CEN
trail point of population, is contemp plated by the
presiding elder of the Methodist Conference of
this district, although the schooi-house already
named seems quite sufficient for all present ne
cessiles of religious worship. But there is no
lack of churches in this region. Three miles
up the pike there are two; three miles down
the pike, at Falls Church, there are more than
twice that number; two miles to the west, at
Vieuna, there is one 10 course of construction
and two halls for worship we have seen,
and two miles to the east, at Townsville, there
are two churches aud school-house, while at
Langley, just beyond, arc two or three more in
existence or contemplation. IF church edifces
can make people good, they ought to be very
good people in this part Of Fairfax
About mile from Peach Grove Corners, on
the road to townsville. we came upon TWO
structures, the equals of which, it may be safe.
ly asserted have not been erected Oh any farm
in Eastern Virginia since the war. One of
them is spacious edi6ce of wood, erected
few years since for barn, at cost, it is said,
of $40 900, with every modern and possible
mansion Of brick, which for architectural eIe-
gauce, quality of material perfection of delail
and comuodiou>ness of arrangement when
completed can. it is certain, find an equal only
10 those unique and magnificent palaces recent
ly constructed on Connecticut avenue 10 the
capital OF the nation.