Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-11
COLONIAL BEACH.
Rapidly With Which This Resort Has
Recently Gained Popularity.


Of the many summer resorts in the vicin-
ity of the capital city none are more beau
tifully and delightfully."- situated or present
more opportunities for pleasant vacation.
away from the heat and noise of the city,
than does Colonial Beach 1t is primarily
the summer home Of many hundred Wash
ington families, who own cottages there.
1t is also the favorite resort of many who,
unable to get away from their work, go
there every Saturday night and spend Sun
day, returning to the city in time for busl-
ness Monday morning, the schedule OF the
steamers allowing this to be done with
ease.
Colonial Beach is situated in Westmore-
land county, Va, about seventy miles be-
low this city. Its beach of white sand
Is washed by the green water of the Po-
tomac. which is there as salty that Of
any of the Atlantic coast resorts Monroe
creek makes bay to the south and west
of the resort, that it has water on three
sides. and 1t is but seldom that cooling
breeze cannot be found there, even on the
hottest day. Fine groves of oaks willow.
locust. maple and other shade trees afford
shelter from the sun and add attractive
ness to what otherwise would be sandy
river beach. Along the river shore and
back in the groves of Monroe creek the
cottages Of the summer jewellers can be
found and while the beach is a summer re-
SORT, II Is not UeSeI leu when the COlu WluUs
Of winter blow, for it has resident popu-
lation of several hundred and is an in
corporated town, with Its mayor and coun-
Gil, town sergeant and police, and is
huStling little community.
While Colonial Beach has been a summer
resort for the people of this city for many
years. it is only in the last two seasons 1t
has taken its great impetus forward. 1t
has now been twenty years since the town
was first laid out, but the difficulty of
reaching 1t and want of push in its man
agement kept it from progressing. About
two years ago Capt. E. S. Randall pur-
chased the rights of the old Colonial Beach
Company in the big hotel, the wharves and
other property it had owned there. With
his characteristic energy he at once Set
about improving the resort and making
it attractive. a schedule of daily trips by
both river and excursion steamers was ar
ranged. and with liberal treatment of
the public in the matter of Transports ton
rates. the resort at once Sprang into popu-
larity. Last season the number of visitors
to the resort was far in excess of any
previous year, and this season, in spite
of the rainy and unfavorable weather, the
steamers have been taking larger crowds
than ever before, and ii is safe to say
that the number who go to the resort this
year will nearly double that of any previ-
Gus season.
During the past spring Captain Randall
expended over $4,000 at Colonial Beach
in the building of a new electric lighting
plant. new wharf, improving the hotel, and
lighting plan was built at cost of S15,-
OOO and now the streets of the town are
lit by electricity at night, and in nearly
all the private dwellings the old fash ioned
oil lamp has been superseded by the more
modern incandescent light A new wharf
has also been built. This wharf juts out
into the river for 700 feet. and is built in
the most substantial manner. This Struc-
tura is now used by the excursion steamers,
and cost completed over $4,000. The river
steamers continue to use the old wharf
about hundred yards further down the
beach. The plans for the future call for
a and modern wharf and warehouse
to replace this old structure.
For the amusement of the young folks
and their elders, too, 1000 was expended
building.
The Colonial Beach Hotel has been fitted
up in the most comfortable style, and I'M
der the present liberal management it is
always filled. Those in charge are untir-
ing in their efforts to amuSe their guests
with straw rides. balls, sails on the river
and the like
Scattered about the hotel grounds are a
large number of covered booths, with tables
in them, where excursionists are at liberty
enjoy themselves. Dancing, too, is fea-
ture of the days pleasure, and music is
stationed all day in the dancing pavilion at
the bathing houses.
The bathing at Colonial Beach cannot be
surpassed by any resort on the Atlantic
coast There Is no danger there of the
dreaded undertow. 1t is particularly en-
jOyed by the women and children on this
account. Boating, grabbing and fishing
can also be added to the long list Of at
fractions possessed by Colonial Beach. =
The resort is reached by the steamers of
the Randall line daily from this city, and
trips from the Beach homeward are also
made daily.