Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-07
HISTORIC LEXINGTON
AND ITS GREAT CHARM

jackson Hall, the Smith Memorial Hall.
the Administration building, and several
new residences for professors.
Upon the parade ground in front of the
Stonewall Jackson Hall stands the statue,
Virginia Mourning Her Dead" the work
of the distinguished sculptor, Sir
Moses Ezekiel of Rome, Italy, himself
graduate of the school, and one Of the i'm
mortal New Market boys.
The cadets are under the strictest mill
itary discipline at all times, and the various
companies present an imposing appearance
every Sunday as they march through the
streets to church.
Lexington is a town of nearly four thou
sand population, and is situated in the
midst of beautiful naturai environments.
The diversified landscape of hill and vale
is surrounded by mountains in the distance.
1t is the county seat of Rockbridge county,
which takes its name from the Natural
bridge, fourteen miles south of Lexington.
This curious bridge. more than two hundred
feet high, spans a chasm otherwise mac
cessible for some distance up or down the
little creek which runs beneath the arch of
the bridge Thousands of tourists visit the
bridge every year The property once be-
longed to Thomas Jefferson. and tradition
is that Washington once visited this Won
derfui bridge and carved his name high on
one of the side walls of the abutment.
Lexington has few manufacturing enter
prises, its business life depending mainly on
the educational institutions here and the
farming community surrounding. AS an evil
dence of prosperity the three strong banks
of Lexington have on deposit nearly one
million dollars. The town enjoys an excel
tent electric light system has a modern
water system with capacious reservoir,
miles of sewerage and efficient health
del &rtment. The town and county for some
Years have prohibited the sale of liquor
der local option laws. The largest enter
prise near Lexington Is the Rockbrdge
Lime and Stone Company, who operate
large lime klns just outside the corporate
limits of Lexington, and also manufacture
from lime a patent process fertilizer. At
Lexington and throughout the county roller
Touring mills in operation.
Lexington has many beautiful homes.
Notable among them are the magnificent
residences of Mr.. Henry St George Tuck
err, president of the jamestown Exposition
Company and late dean of the George
Washington Law School of Washington,
D. c., and Attorney General WiNiam A
Anderson The home of President George
II. Denny of Washington and Lee Univer-
sity was built for Gen. Robert E. Lee and
occupied by him until his death.
Among the distinguished men who have
resided in Lexington where Generals Lee
and Stonewall Jackson, both of whom are
buried here; Commodore Matthew Fontaine
Maury. whose request was that his body
pass. eighteen mics distant from Licking
ton while the mountain laurel was in
bloom; Gov. James MCDOWELL Gov. John
Letcher, Nirginia's war governor. Residing
here now in the quietnesS of old age is Col.
John NJ. Brooke, for many years In the
United States navy, who accompanied Com
mOdore Perry to Japan on the occasion of
opening up that country to foreign COM
merce. and who is the inventor of a deep
sea sounding apparatus.
On the roll of great men of Rockbridge
find such names as Cyrus H. McCor-
mick. inventor of the Mccormick reaper.
and the first public test of his machine was
made in sight of Lexington; Bishop Will
lam Taylor Of the Methodist Church. who
spent many years of his life ChristianiZng
the African; Gen. Sam Houston of Texas
fame. who was the first president of the re-
public of Texas.
Lexington is a conservative community.
The town and county were originally set
tied by Scotch-Irish Presbyterans and the
leading characteristics of this sturdy race
are still prominent in their descendants.
Shut in somewhat from the busting world
beyond, they have been content to pursue
the even tenor of their way regardless of
the opinions OF outsiders" OF a deeply re-
ligious nature, they builded churches next
after their homes and school houses. Clan
nish to a degree, a roll call of the residents
of Rockbridge will reveal the fact that
many families are related. In some neigh
borhoods the intermarriage of families is
noticeable.
Buena Vista. an enterprising town of
more than three thousand population, sit
uated eight miles from Lexington is the
product of boom days in Rockbridge and
this part of Virginia. That city is the most
cosmopolitan community of ROckbridge.
Many of its most substantial citizens are
of northern birth, and they have transplant
ed to Virginia much of the push and enter
prise of their native states. AS a result
Buena Vista is beehive of industrial
progress. Among its enterprises are two
banks, an iron furnace, paper mill, tannery,
extract works, creamery, saddle factory.
The Southern Seminary, a young womans
college is located at Buena Vista, and the
attendance is good w. r. X.