Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-28
WILLIAMSBURG.
a Historic Place the Government Is
Asked TO Purchase.
Iho Tempo Farm ana tho Moore
Houses" wa, conSn,nn,cd
ero of tho Mo., Dee,..vo snrron-
ders la tho worlds History.

AHS Ooiihiiltee Oh hlliitlry Affairs OF
Congress has now under consideration
a bill, introduced by Hon. William a.
Young. of Norfolk, proposing the pur.
chase of Temple Farm, to be used as an
historic memorial park.
Tine farm lies in peninsula formed
by the York river and Is one mile east
of old Yorktown. 1T contains about
500 acres, nearly 400 acres under culti-
walton. fenced in, convenient fields, the
remainder being woodland along Wa
verify creek
1t is located forty to seventy feet
above tidewater and has to the east
an unobstructed view of Chesapeake
bay.
On the north it views York river, the
scene of vast shipping trade and
manoeuvres of the United States navy,
while on the west lie the National Gem
etery and the monument erected by the
Federal Government to commemorate
the surrender Of Lord CORVALLIS. York
town lies in the near background.
THE OLD ENCORE HOUSE,"
The buildings include barns, sheds,
stables, a large dwelling, a smaller
double house, and most interesting of
lall the Moore House." taking its
name from the widow Moore. who oc-
cuped it when. in one of its rooms.
were drawn up the articles of the fa-
nous capitulaticn OF Lord CORVALLIS
| to Washington. This historic house is
in good state of preservation and is
used as residence by the present
owner of the farm.
In this house,; cred Wash
ington. Lafayette and Rochambcau.
was contaminated one of the most de-
cisive surrcnders in the worlds history,
and it was by his success at this time
that Washington earned the appellatlon
of Father Of His Country" 1t was
historic before the surrender. being the
home of Governor Spottswood early in
the eighteenth century. The first SET
Element on York river. In 1890 was
made near The Temple Farm.
Over the green fields of this farm
have swept the armies of the Revolu-
ton, the war OF 1872. and the great
civil war. Upon 1t are the two miles
of earthwork thrown up in 1862. the
Mcclellan road" under the banks of
the creek. and the obstructure of siege
guns planted on other parts of the
farm. Here is the oldest marked grave
in the United States: here are the re-
Temple" and beneath them is the
relic OF an older strife. The tomb of
Ma jor William Gooch. who died In Oc-
tober. 1866. Fellow the Temple" sleeps
Wormly creek. and not hundred
yards above stands the successor to
the mill, where the first shot was
fred by washington in the siege of
Yorktown. y mile away still stands
1.-The first custom house in America nj
Yorktown. through which. two hundred
years ago, goods were imror,ed from
New York and philadelphia.
WANT IT PURCHASED.
Wishing TO preserve this historic
ground. the Legislatures Of New Jer-
sey, Virginia, Maryland. Ohio and South
Carolina have adopted resolutions in
structlug their Senators ard Repre-
Iscntatives at Washington to urge upor
Congress the purchase and preservation
of this historic ground as a memorial
park I'm connection With the monument
and cemetery above mentioned. Peti-
tons To the same effect have beer
made by Daughters OF Seventeen Hun.
dred and Seventy-six; by the timc-hon
ored Carpenters Association of Phila-
delphia, in whose hall the frs, Con
gross was held, by various VETERAN or.
CARNATIONS. and by the descendants o
Lafayette and Roch1mbeaU who wc!1
the nations guests at TIE Moore
House" during the centennial celebra
ton on Temple Farm in October, 1881
Visitors TO the farm unanimously
favor such purchase and preservation
and several members of Congress ar,
cordially supporting this patriot,
movement.
The Daughters Of the American Rev
olution are also taking an active in
terest in the proceedings of Congress il
this matter.