The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-04-16
willow Spout.

I TUT the v 1RG1NlAN.
Probably the most noted and widely
known, watering place on the Valley turn-
pike. The llnest and best thoroughfare in
| Virginia, extending from Stauntonto Win
chesters ~ dlStanceof 9Smiles, through the
i magnificent. shenandoah Valley, is the
willow Spout. just eight miles north of
otaunton and within ABOUT a quarter of a
mile OF the historic old .Stone,p or sSAu-
gusta Church. Soon after Col. Samuel
| HarnSberger came into possession of the
Willow Spout farm and hotel some forty
odd Years ago, then known as Hangers
| Iavern,'2 he conceived the idea Of pre-
| sentlng to the wondering gaze Of the hun
dreds OF weary travellers who were wont to
weekly Wend their tiresome way from
SQUIRT to north, or north to south, along
this then most popular line of travel across
| the state, the pleasing novelty of a spark
| ling fountain, squirting its crystal waters
from the side of living tree some -four or
five feet above the ground. He accord
lnglya procured q suitable willow stock,
! bored and planted it at the side OF the
road, and extended an iron pipe from 4
| hydrant in his yard into its foot below the
surface. Mater is the lfe-blood OF the
Willow, and soon there poured forth from
the side OF q fOurishing tree beautiful
al life into large trough, placed at a con-
yenlent height for the accommodation Of
That modest of quadrupeds,n the horse,
man $ best and most valued servant.
thousands upon thousands of the travel
worn sons OF Adam have paused in their
journeys to look with admiration upon
whatsnot few thought a great natural
curiosity, quench their thirst, and battle
the feverlsh br0ws in it's cool and limpid
waters. The tree continued to grow and
spread its waving branches until, during
the war, it was almost entirely stripped OF
its bark by the gnawing Of the hungry
SteedssQf the cavalry of both the blue
and the Gray, . when it began to decline,
bat was SO tenacious OF life that it strug-
gled elsagainst fate till in June, 1883, the
/ last living branch was blown off by ter
rife wind-stOrm, leaving only ahalf rotten
and unsightly stump, exhibiting to the
/ passing stranger only common hydrant
! by theToad side. snfT 4r--A
But there is hardly a family in this
whole section OF the county which has not
some endearing association in connection
with Willow Spout, and 1t was determined
long ago for the sake of the memories of
the past and it's novel and picturesque APP
pearance, to replace the old stock with
new and living one, almost everybody in
the vicinity volunteering to assist when
called upon. However, amid the hurry
sIsti hustle OF life, the matter was deferred
lstom time time until on Tuesday. the It'll
ilnst I, Messrs. j ohm III. ParlSins, A. ID. Sui
llvaD, Jacob Andes, James Vanfossen,
isidney Lighted, and Samuel NJ Woods
Went to work and dug up by the roots a
thrifty. young, weeping willow which had
b zen grown near by for this special pur-
pose, and ere the blazing god Of day had
touched the western horizon it had been
tranSplan6ed and q gurgling stream Of ma
lures OWE pure and refreshing beverage
was gushing forth from it's very heart, in
wiling an who will to partake freely
without money and without price"
We hope THAT this tree may grow and
flourish and attain even a greater age than
It's lamented predecessor, and when those
BY whom it was placed in its present posi- |
ton OF usefulness shall have passed away
and their children's children shall have |
taken their places upon the world great |
stage, it will stand as a monument to their
memory and q reminder to that generation |
Of the mortality Of mankind. And we
hope that many 0f the citizens of the Vi |
entity will take, interest enough in the |
presentations Off the history of the neigh |
borhood 10 make Il note of the date of the |
planting Of this tree, and also the names
OF those by whom it was done so that in |
after years they and their posterity may |
be able to refer with accuracy to the |
event. ltNllEtt~. &i ft( w,