Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-07

One Hundred Years Ago This Stream Wa
Nayigable for Large Vessels.

One Hundred Years Ago This Stream Was
Nayigabie for Large Vessels.
The mouth of the Rock creek Of our day does
not exhibit single feature, writes Mr.. Hugh
II Taggart. suggestive Of its appearance In Tho
year 17iS. when Frederick county was created.
At that time the creek was . navigable stream,
within which the tide ebbed and flowed for .
considerable distance above the present street
bridge. At that time and for many years sub
sequently there were visible from this bridge on
frequent occasions the tall masts Of the trader
tc European or coastwise ports where now the
only water craft to be seen is the sand scow.
The creek at its junction with the river
formed quite a large bay; its mouth extended
from the point near the observatory grounds
where Littlefeld's wharf is located, and which
point was first known as Cedar Point, then as
Windmill Point. then rs Peters Point and lat
terly as Easby's Point to point on the present
Water street between the present Congress and
High streets.
All of the ground south of the present Water
street. and much Of the ground north OF 1t, from
the latter point eastward, had been reclaimed
from the creek and river. There has also been a
considerable reclamation of land on the WASH
ington side OF the creek but not SO great as on
this. With reference to the present situation
he westerly o. Georgetown line OF the creek.
as it formerly existed and as it was located on
a plat based on early records and prepared for
me some wears ago by Mr.. William Forsyth, the
surveyor of this District, may be roughly de-
scribed as beginning a: point on the river
slightly 70 the east Of the place where the east
line of High street intersects 1t, and thence
running in d northeaserily direction, crossing
the south line of Water street about midway be-
tween High and Congress streets; thence across
Water street and through the southeastern part
| of the square between High and Congress, cut
ting of u small corner of it. and striking the
/ Gpa of a distance above
Water street thence crossing Congress street and
entering the square lie Congress and JET
ferson streets. and passing through 1t and strik-
! ing the west line OF Jefferson street at point
still farther north OF Wafer street; thence cross
ing Jefferson street and entering the square be-
| tween jefferson aud Washington streets, and
striking the west line of Washington street at a
point still farther north OF Water street, and
entering the square between Washington and
Greene streets, striking point on the west line
/ of Greene street still farther north of Water
! street and nearer to the line of the Chesapeake
I and Ohio canal than to Water street; thence
across Greene street and through the square
! between Greene street and the canal basin, and
to the point where Montgomery street termi-
mates at the basin; and thenSk still in a north.
easterly direction. considerably to the west OF
I the basin. and to the creek at point above
that at which Bridge street meets it.
! 1t will thus be seen that a large portion OF
the squares fronting on the north side OF Water
| street between Greene and Congress street:
/ and the southeastern corner OF the square be-
tween Congress and High streets we're then un
der water. was also that portion OF water
street itself eastward of the line which l have
Indicated, together with all the warehouses,
wharves. lumber yards, DC, extending IRON
the point OF beginning near High street aiohs
the river front TO the lock at the present moutf
OF the creek or basin. The high bluf which
extended along the line as well as along thu
river shore above it is still indicated by TIT
steep grades of the streets extending from
Bridge to Water street.
SAW PIT LANDING.
In the wear 1903 there was a landing on tn
Georgetown side Of the creek called saw n
Landing. the location of which from ancien
records is determined by NJ. Henry W. Brewer
civil engineer and formerly surveyor OF tn
town. as having been at a point where line be
ginning on the north side OF water street a
the distance OF 100 feet west from the north
west corner OF Water and Washington streets
and thence running north and parallel wit
/ Washington street, would intersect line draw
west for the distance Of 10 feet from rom
on the west side of Washington street lao fee
north of Water street. Saw Pit Landin
formed the southeastern C, ner OF Georgetow
as it was first laid out, and in the year l75l an
for many years thereafter the tide eDbed an
flowed to this corner.
The existence of Saw Pit Landing in 40
demonstrates very clearly that even at tina
early dav the place had some importance as
trading post and the utility OF the creek fc
the purposes OF commerce is shown by the fac
that as late as the year 1892 the Maryland leg
islature passed an act to preserve its navigs
ton. By this act the making OF welrs an
hedges in and upon the creek within the dl
i lance of two miles from the Potomac was PR
, hibited under a penalty, and those alread
, made were declared nuisances. which any Pc
| son was at liberty to pull down and destro
Scharf, the Maryland historian, thinks 1t pro
: able that the first settlements in Frederic
/ county were made in the vicinity of Georg
e town, which Tor a long time was the chief ma
|. and only seaport Of the county.