The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-17
rHE WIlAEF Ar WAKEFIsLD.
The Contract Tor Its Construction Awarded
10 "A rhilade phia FiruB.

WASHINGTON. D. c.. Nov. 16.-In ac-
cordance with an act OF Congress. for
appropriately marking the birthplace OF
George Washington at Wakefield, the
estate Of the Washington family, in
Westmoreland county. Va, the War
Department has awarded a contract 20
j. II. Hathaway q Co. of Philadelphia.
at 81 $50 for constructing a wharf 10 be
used as a means Of approach for visitors
TO the ruins Of the house in which Wash
ington was born and for the landing OF
material to be used IN the construction
Of the monument.
Wakefield" is situated in an sinac-
cessible place. near the Potomac. about
six miles below Colonial Beach. summer
resort for Washingtonians, and seventy
five miles from this city.
The contract requires that work upon
it shall begin May lst next and that IL
shall be completed, ready for use. by
the first Of August next This wharf
will be 1850 feet long by sixteen feet wide.
with a head forty by sixty feet.
Wakefield. the birthplace of Washing
ton, and where his boyhoOd was spent,
is in Westmoreland county lying on the
Potomac river. siXty-iive miles below
Washington city. and just three miles
below the summer resort known as COL
onial Beach. This county has also the
honor Of being the birthplace Of President
Monroe and General r. r. Lee. Wake
field is a lage plantation Of 1900 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 Washington
stood is 100 yards from the bank OF
Popes creek and some distance up from
the Potomac
Nothing remains Of the original dwelling,
which was a plain house OF four rooms on
the lower floor and several In the attic
except the bricks that formed the founda-
ton Of the house. Up 90 a few years ago
a lone chimney stood marking this his
toric spot. but now nothing remains save
a cluster of trees, a few flg bushes and
a pile Of broken brick. The property was
purchased by the government from Mr..
John +. Wilson, formerly OF Maryland,
but who has been residing on the place for
the past forty years lie married Miss
Bette Washington. whose grandfather
was William Augustine Washington, the
half nephew OF General Washington.
WashingtOns father. grandfather and
great-grandfather lived all. or a part.
of their lives az Bridge creek. now Wake
field. and were all Inferred I'm the family
vault This vault is only a short distance
from the 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. Congress, June II, 1879 appropri-
ated 5000 for a monument 10 mark the
spot where Washington was born In the
spring OF 1850 Mr. William NJ. Evarts,
then Secretary of State. visited the place
and on May 2ith following wrote a letter
to Mr. Samuel i. Randall Speaker Of
the House of Representatives suggesting
that the parental home In which Washing
ton was born should be preserved and
that IL should be marked with suitable
monument He estimated that such
structure would cost $4,000. and the orig
inal appropriation was subsequently in
creased 10 that amount After the pur-
chase price OF the property vas paid the
amount for completing the project Of Con-
gress. including the construction Of a.
suitable wharf and approaches. was re-
duced 90 &t15. The contract Just made
for the landing wharf leaves but about
$1,000 for the complete execution OF the
Will Of Congress In the erection OF a suit
able monument, etc. This does not leave
very much 10 the discretion OF Colonel
Wilson, but 1t may be depended upon that
he viii make the best possible use OF the
funds at his disposal In the design and
construction OF a suitable monument FOR
this sacred spot.