Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-16
WASHINGTON'S BIRTHPLACE.
A Contract Made For Constructing a
Wharf at Wakefield.
steps Taken to Preserve and Suitably
Col. Wilson Begins the Work.

Practical steps have at last been taken
for marking and preserving the birthplace
of the first President of the republic The
work is in the hands OF Col John NJ Wilson
of the engineer corps of the army and it
goes without saying to those at all con-
versant with the record of that office that
this most important commission, recently
intrusted to him, will be faithfully and ex-
peditiously executed so far as the funds at
his disposal will permit. He has already
arranged for the preliminary work by max
ing contract with 1. II. Hathaway & Com
pany of Philadelphia for the construction of
wnarf or cast iron screw piles, with a
timber deck, near the mouth of Bridge
creek, virginia, as a means of approach
from the Potomac river to the old and so
long neglected place at Wakefield where
Washington was born. The total amount
available for the means of access is $40, 700
and the contract for the wharf is for 50. $50
1t requires that work upon it shall begin
May 1 next and that it shall be completed,
ready for use by the first of August next.
This wharf will be 1850 feet long by 1s feet
wide, with "a head 40 by so feet.
Ruins of the Old Homestead.
Wakefield, the birthplace of Washington
and where his boyhood was spent, is in
"estmoreland county, lying on the Poto-
mac river. sixty-tive miles below Washing
Ton city and just three miles below the sum-
mer resort known as Colonial Beach. This
county has also the honor of being the
birthplace of President Monroe and Gen.
X. f. Lee. Wakefield is large plantation
or l,ao acres bordering on the river for a.
half mile and running back some distance
between the historic Pope's creek and Bridge
creek The spot where the home of WASH
lngton stood is 100 yards from the bank of
Popes creek and some distance up from
the Potomac N
Nothing remains of the original dwelling
which was plain house of four rooms on
the lower floor and several in the attic ex-
cept the bricks that formed the founda tion
of the house. Up to a few wears ago a lone
chimney stood marking this historic spot
Dut now nothing remains save cluster of
trees few fig bushes and pile of broken
orfck. The property was purchased by the
government from Mr. John ~ Wilson
Formerly of Maryland. but who has been re-
siding on the place for the past forty wears
He married Miss Bette Washington. whose
grandfather was VIM. Augustine Washing
ton. the half nephew of Gen Washington
The Family Vault.
Washington's father grandfather and
greatgrandfather lived all or a part of their
hves at Bridge creek, now Wakefield, and
were all inferred in the family vault This
birthplace. but nothing remains except a
group OF trees and few marble slabs with
inscriptions almost extinct. To rescue this
historic spot from neglect and oblivion. Con-
gress. June H. 1879. appropriated $1,000 for
monument to mark the spot where WASH
Inston was born. In the spring of 1850 Mr.
Nm- VI. Evarts, then Secretary of State
visited the place and on May "a following
wrote a letter to Mr.. Samuel j. Randall
speaker of the House of REPRESENTATIVE
suggesting that the parental home in which
ash1ngton was born should be preserved
ana that 1t should be marked with a suit
able monument He estimated that such a
structure would cost $4,000 and the original
appropriation was subsequently increased to
tnat amount After the purchase price of
the property was paid. the amount for COM
pletlng the project of Congress, including
the construction of a suitable wharf and an
proaches, was reduced to S2i7l3 The CON
tract just made for the landing wharf leaves
but about $4,000 for the complete execution
OF the Will of Congress in the erection of
a suitable monument, &c This does NOT
leaVe very much to the discretion of Col
wilson, but IL may be depended upon that
ne VIII make the best possible use of the
FUNDS at his disposal in the design and con-
structlon OF a suitable monument for this
sacred spot S