Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-03
SOME QUAINT MAPS
This Locality as Depicted Nearly
Three Centuries Ago.
CAPT. SMITH THE FIRST MAP MAKER
The. Original Surveys Of Land in
This City
FOR THE BIRTHS H ARM

OF the makers of maps of the District OF
Columbia there is no end. l am told that
the engineers of the District building turn
out a map of Washington, or some part OF
1t, every week; but there was time when
a century interviewed between the making
of the maps that delineated the section
Of the Potomac upon which Washington Is
now situated. Even the great globe at the
National Museum which attracts so much
attention among Washington young peo-
pie, and which, 1t is supposed, led Column
bus to make his voyage of discovery, has
no land upon which Washington might be
situated. The first map Of this region was
prepared by Capt. John Smith. the first OF
the name, or at least under his super
vision, and 1t appears in the Sixth voyage
to that part of Virginia now planted by
English colonies, whom God increase and
preserve" published In London, 1920
1t is with extreme difficulty that a loca-
ton can be made on this map Of the place
destined to become the site of Washington.
Capt. Smith thus writes the first geogra-
ply Of the Potomac and Its shores which
he explored in the summer of 1908. 1.-THE
fourth river is called Patawomeke, six or
seven miles in bredth. 1t is navigable 40
sweet rivers and springs which fall from
the bordering hills. These hills are many
Of them planted, and yeeld no Jesse plen-
tie varietie Of fruit and the river ex-
ceedth with abundance of fish. 1t is In
habited on both sides. first on the south
side at the very enterance is Wighcomoco.
and 1t hath some 100 men, and beyond
them Sekacawone with 80. Then Onaw-
manient with 100 and the PatawomekeS
more than 200. Here doth the river divide
itself into or convenient branches.
The greatest Of these Is called Quiyough,
trending northwest, but the river itself
turneth northeast and is still a navigable
streme. On the western side of this bough
(bendD Is TauXenent with 40 men. On
the north of this Secowocomoco with 40.
Somewhat further Is Potopaco with 20.
In the east part Is Pamacaceack with ~.
After Moyowance with 100 and lastly Ma
cotchtanke with 80 The river above this
pleasant valley overshaddowed In many
places with high, rocky mountaines from
whence is disttil innumerable sweet and
pleasant springs"
When the Indians Lived Here.
Although he places "Assaomeck'' on the
map, he does not describe 1t. Mr.. w. H.
Snowden says, in his Historic Land
Marks" that THE chief settlement or VII
lage Of Assomeck according to the investi-
tional chronological Bureau, occupied the
site now known as Andalusia, four miles
below Alexandria. The great number of
stone axes, javalins and arrow points and
fragments Of pottery which have been
turned up there by the pillow sufficiently at
test the fact"
Mr.. W. f. Carne's history of Alexandria
says that in 1908 the Mayones, a portion
of the tribe afterward known as the Pts
Getaways, settled hamlet near what is
now Fort Washington and the Nocotch-
tanks, or Necostins, powerful tribe after
ward called the Anacostins, or Analostins
occupied the region lying near what is now
the Eastern branch of the Potomac"
No other map of this section appeared
for many years. Henry Spilman, whose
portrafture appears as youth in Chap
mans picture of the baptism of Pocahan-
tas at the Capitol. with Raleigh Crowshaw
Capt. Ralph Hamor and Henry Fleet, made
expeditions and explorations in the sec
tion of the country near what Is now the
District of Columbia; but they published
no maps.
The next extant map is that contained
In Old Mixon's British Empire I'm Amer
ica," and is described as "a new and ac-
curate map of Virginia and Maryland, laid
down from surveys and regulated by as
economical observations. BY Emanuel
Bowen" This map, Beverly, in his intro
duction to the History of Virginia, declares
In l722 to be seventy years behind the
times; so Its date may be considered to be
ABOUT 1911.
The Original Surveys.
At the time this map was drawn the
white settlements, as appears by the little
houses drawn on the edge Of the river, had
not advanced, on the Maryland side, fur
Their than Piscataway creek, and, on the
Virginia side, had gotten but little distance
above Occoquan (Achaquin creek), there be-
ing but two houses above an unnamed
branch apparently Little Hunting creek).
All above Is laid down as covered with for
ests. The Falls of the Potomac and ANA
costien"-not as now, Analostan-Island are
laid down at the proper points; and even at
that early period the point on which the
Washington arsenal was afterward built
was called Turkey Buzzard Point, whence
comes the present Buzzard's Point Oxon
run rejoices In the name of Namessakont,
while Broad creek appears in the aborig-
inal dress of Kysikamkont Calvert Manor
extends from one on the north to the other
on the south, being apparently partially
cleared land. At that time 1t is probable
that the site Of Washington was entirely
In the forest
1t was about this period that the original
surveys were made. copies of which were
contained In documents filed at the mayors
office, which were thus explained some
Robert Y. Brent:
"A valuable and ancient document In re-
lation to the taking UP Of the tract Of land
called Rome on the site Of which stands
sented to the mayor and council of the
city of Washington.
June 5, 1663-Layd out for Francis Pope
Of this province gentleman, a parcel Of
land in Charles county, called Rome, laying
on the east side of the Anacostia river, be-
ginning at a marked Oak standing by tho
river side, the bounded tree Of Captain
Robert Troop, and running north by the
river for breadth, the length of 200 perches
to a bounded oak standing at the mouth Of
a bay or inlet called Tiber, bounded on the
north by the said belt and line drawn east
for the length Of 800 perches, to a bounded
oak standing in the woods. on the east
with a line drawn south from the end Of
the former line until you meet with the ex-
tension bounded tree of Robert Troop. call
ed Wollandgood, on the south with .he
said land, on the west with the said river,
containing. and now layd out, 400 acres,
more or less.
June 8, 1663-Layd out for Captain Rob-
ert Troop of this province parcel of land
In Charles county, called Scotland, and
begins on the east side of the Anacostia
river, beginning at bounded hickory
standing by the water side, and cumming
north with the river for breadth the length
Of $50 perches to bounded oak, bounding
on the north with line drawn east into
the woods, for the length of 800 perches
to bounded oak, on the east with line
drawn south from the end of the former
line until YOU interSect a parallel line