The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-08

Veteran ]. 4. Nlneberger, OF the Oldes
Inhabitants Association. has devoted con
siderable time to the investigation Of early
settlements in and around the location o
Washington. His researches extend as fal
back as the seventeenth century, or ovel
two hundred years ago. and embrace tn,
time when the country people came Will
their teams along what was afterwart
known as Rock Creek Church Road to th'
ferry. which crossed the Potomac at wha
is now the foot of Thirty-second or Higl
Street
AT this point says Mr.. Wineberger
'the commencement of old Rock Creel
Church Road. at the intersection of Wate
and High Streets. stood the tavern o
George Peter Safer. at which George
Washington was won't to stoo when he
came down from Alexandria on the mair
road, and which was the only coaching
house for long stretch in the days OF
the stages.
1T may be said that no accurate repre-
sentation of this old waysde inn, long
since demolished. can now be found. the
pictures purpoiting to be authentic and
showing it to be a wooden structure one
story high. being purely fanciful. 1t con-
sisted of two Stories the first of which
was stone. the second story and roof which
was a high-pitched gable. being frame.
The house faced on what is now High
Street. with two rows of windows on Wa
ter Street. Here continued Mr. Wine
berger, 1.-THE persons who came from Alex
aadria and the Virginia side, after cross
ing the ferry. started along Rock Creek
Church Road for their various destinations,
and, that we may realize in some measure
the condition of the site OF the city in
those early days. let us follow one of these
rural teamsters. as most OF the wayfarers
were. excepting the stage passengers, as
he logged along from Suffers tavern to
the very end Of the road, some ten miles
or more beyond. at Chillum manor.
Let the time Of our journey be in the
period when Georgetown was first laid out.
and let US realize that, while existing in
the past. we live also in the present. so
that we may look upon what was with
the knowledge Of what is; and now, with
crack Of the whip and a rattle of the
wheels let us start upon cur way.
LAS we get a little distance beyond the
commencement of our journey We pass be-
meath the shade of the Rock of Dunbar
ton. which skirts the road for distance
of a hundred yards or SO. The portion OF
the read near the river is known as Wap-
ping. named after the celebrated locality in
the east part of London, where merchan-
disc, much of it smuggled, was once
brought to be launched upon a vessel in
the Thames. by means of a rowboat walt
ing at the foot of Wrapping Old Stairs.
The road runs almost due north. after
leaving Mapping, which name was APP
piled only TO that portion of it between
the river and what is now the outer canal
lock Wher this lock was built by the
way. all south of il was filed up with the
earth from the canal, ana considerable
portion of the land now forming the south
ern side CT Water Street is claimed by DR..
Peter. of Montgomery County, Nd. The
road takes a direction through George
town, along what af;erward became known
as Rock Street, until il reaches a ford at
Rock Creek. sear what is new the P Street
Bridge. Crossing the creek at this point,
along a shaky plank bridge we come upon
the other side. Just here. to this day. can
be seen the only remains of the old road
within city limits This portion, still
known as Rock Street, extends scarcely
one block. overlooking the creek and
bridge. from which ii can be seen very
plainly and is noticeable from its irregular
direction. Four old-fashioned frame houses
are still standing upon this remaining part
of Rock Creek Church Road. and seem to
defy the changes and improvements which
have been wrought around them since they
were built, some hundred years or more
ago. \ short distance on this side of the
creek lie old Bladensburg Road. which has
now been converted-in that portion of it
which traverses the northern part of
Wash!ngton-into Florida Avenue, turns off
from the Rock Creek Church Road in al
easterly direction. intersecting the present
road to Bladensburg at Glenwood Gene
terry
Coming 10 steep hill, at which our
last century conductor. if he be humane
man. dismounts and leads his horse we
fnow that we have reached that portion of
Rock Creek Church Road which is now the
head OF Twentieth Street. and some dis
tance beyond. taking an abrupt turn to the
east, we are upon what is now called Co.
lumbia Road. And here let US stop a mo-
ment to reflect upon the difference in the
scenes presented from these heights above |
The Potomac Valley, then and now. At the
earlier period we see below US nothing but
dense woods, through which winds the mar
row track we have just traversed and
barely discernibie. here and there. at wide
and scattered intervals the farms and farm
houses of some early and enteTp.ising set
tiers. In the distance the silver waters of
the Potomac encircle the rich woodlands.
and with the sombre forests, monopolize
the picture.
From Past TO Present.
To-day. as we look from the same spot,
we see in place of the giants of the forest |
the spires and domes Of numerous churches /!
and public monuments. while the slender |
curl of blue smoke before discernibIe ris- /
s,er inc le 81 dc
ing the location of some cabin in the VIII |
derness. now ascends from vast wilder
ness OF brick and mortar chimneys.
Where the road crosses what Is row
Fourteenth Street extended there stool,
some severity or eighty years ago, Coium-
bis race course. This marked the northern
extremity OF Fourteenth Street at that
period. and opposite the race course was
Eslin's cockpit As may he imagined this
locality was then the hotbed OF the sport
ing fraternity.
II remember" said Mr. Wineberger.
many amusing anecdotes current in my
time concerning these gentry. About tire
year 1890 Jake Dixon and Jim Long
were the most noted sports perhaps in the
District. and were both owners Of good
studs of horses. The stables OF both we G
located on Rock Creek Church Road. near
the race course, and were well known
throughout the country from New Orleans
TO New York. They also ran horses al the
Mount Vernon track, near the more modern
ST. Asaph's course.
Dixon and Long were continually dis
putting as TO the quality of their respective
animals. though they sent them to differ
ent courses to be entered. They seldom
went with them but at one time they both
had entries in q stake race in Baltimore,
On the old Canton course. The day before
H.
As this was before the days Of the tele-
-rarn the nrlY WAY 10 obi lin the news In