The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-10-23
1.-THE FA NOUS
FAIRFAX !. STONE 4 /.
MON UMENTs THAT MARKS THE
BEGINNING ) OF MARYLAND & 4
STATE LINE. 81

CUMBERLAND. Nd, Oct. 2s.-Near.
ly all maps and not a few historians
give the famous Fairfax Stone, sltuat.
ed about half mile in a southeast.
erly direction from the station at Fair.
fax. w. Va, as the starting point Of
the mighty Potomac river and also
as marking the beginning Of the Mary
land State line. While as matter
Of fact the Potomac river does have
Its origin near the Fairfax Stone, yet
the stream flows in two branches from
spring In the mountain side, about
two hundred feet from the top OF the
Alleghanies and both streams flow
around this historic spot, joining about
s5 feet further down the mountain side
In a stream not large enough to crowd
one inch pipe. And SO far as the
Maryland State line Is concerned It
Is not closer than within one-half mile
of the Fairfax Stone, which marker
stands entirely on West Virginia terri
tory. The spring from which the Po-
tomac river has Its source and flows
onward to the sea Is at an altitude of
$500 feet. From the point at which
the two streams join they flow north.
west, gradually circlIng toward the
north and east. From little distance
above the spring the Maryland-West
Virginia State line may be seen for
miles. as there is strip OF cleared
about one rod wide which was done a
few years ago when the line was re-
run. After the Potomac crosses this
line about one.half mile from the
stone, It lis in few h ndred yards
from there. met by another rivulet
from the Maryland side. which Is flow.
Ing nearly due south. They then flow
around hill in an eastern direction
until they reach a point about one and
half miles below Fairfax station.
There this rivulet Is met by a stream
from the Maryland side and quite near
this place one from the West Virgin
In side. Here 1t forms quite brook
and meanders for miles In northeast.
erly direction.
The Fairfax Stone was built OF two
rocks placed side by side which form
"a foundation about two feet square,
roughly dressed with a hammer and
placed so as to extend about eight
inches above the surface OF the ground.
Upon this stands cut stone Just two
feet, square and eighteen inches deep,
and capped OFF on top TO square of
thirteen inches. There has been an
other stone or shaft placed upon this
which has been destroyed. All four
sides OF this stone has cut on 1t the
letters Z. S., and one face is covered
with an inscription which time has OBJ.
liberated. These rocks were brought
from the top OF the hills some distance
back as there are no rocks of this
kind of any size near the spring. Mary
land has nothing whatever to do with
the Fairfax Stone except that 1t is the
starting point from which to run the
western line to a point at the begin.
ming OF the Maryland State line. Some
historians state that George Washing.
ton explored this country. located the
stone and ran the line from here due
north to the Pennsylvania line. But
this can hardly be true, for the records
show that this stone was placed hero
and the line was run In las, which
the date on the stone would Indicate,
by corps OF surveyors In the employ
of Lords Baltimore and Fairfax. At
that date Washington was only a lad
In his teens.