The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-10
HISTORY IN BRONZE
Marking of Historic Sites
Starts AuspiciOuSly.
CITIZENS BEHIND MOVEMENT
Beginning with c. A. r. EncamD-
meat of 1892, Onstom OF placing
Temporary Signs On Notable Build
Ings and Places Has Continued.
Work of Inaugural Committees.

With the setting up Of permanent !
bronze tablets al the Decatur house.
now occupied by the Cosmos Club. in
Jackson Place, and at the old Federal
prison In First street east, the movement
toward the permanent marking Of his
toric sites AT the Capital may be said to
have auspiciously begun.
IN ana about the Capital are more than
q hundred such sites which ought to be
permanently marked not only 10 dis
tinguish them, but for the information
Of the younger generations and the
crowds of visitors who journey from ell
parts OF the world 10 Washington each
year.
The movement toward giving per-
manent marks to historic sites Is wholly
one of the citizens OF the city, chiefly
under the leadership Of W P. Van
Wickle, twice chairman OF the special
committee inuusted with the temporary
marking of historic sites on the ocea-
sions of the last two inaugural cere-
monies.
History of the Movement.
Mr.. Van Wickle in a short address
given at the unwilling Of the tablet at
the Decatur house on Independence
Day presented the following summary
of the work OF the citizens committee;
In the fall OF 1892 the Grand Army
held its encampment in Washington.
3. H Warner as chairman OF the local
@. A. r. committee. appointed a sub
committee 70 mark with temporary tab
lets the location Of old Notifications.
camps, hospitals. and historic buildings
OF interest TO our visitors at that time.
over 200 points were marked and cata-
logued, and the work was highly appre-
eiated,
AT the inaugural Of Roosevelt and
Fairbanks in 1906, Gen. John A Wilson.
chairman of the inaugural committed.
designated a committee 10 place tenn
porary markers on all points that would
interest our many visitors March 4. and
over 80 locations were selected and so
marked.
In 1909. at the inaugural Of Taft and
Sherman. Edward J. stellwagen, chair
man OF the local committee Of arrange
ments, appointed a committee largely
made Up Of those who had been identi-
fed with the work before. 10 mark again
for our March visitors local buildings
and sites Of national Importance; over
100 attractive temporary tablets were
placed in position al that time
Commissioners Praise Work.
The committee was eompllmented By
the inaugural committee for creditable
work. and soon after March 1. 1903.
the chairman OF the committee on his
torie sites received a letter from Mr.
TJaurxr = 7 NfocF.~4ord 49, ~,,--tz-.-.-.
Of the Beard Of District Commissioners.
stating that the temporary markers
placed by the committee had been of
such great interest to the many stran-
gers visiting our city, assEell as our own
people. that he earnestly hoped that per-
manent tablets in bronze would soon be
erected. and that the Commissioners
stood ready to appoint such a commit
tee
April s. 1910. Cuno H Rudolph, presi-
dent OF the Board OF Commissioners. an
pointed citizens committee 70 take up
the work Of permanently marking IN
bronze the points Of historic interest
in the District The committee organized
at once, subcommittee were appointed
and the work was begun in earnest. As
the committee was largely made I'D OF
those who had been previously identified
with the temporary marking. the details
were worked out quickly.
Through its legislative committee We
with the joint committee on
the Library OF Congress. Senator Wet
more. chairman, and II is due to their
interest in this work that we are enabled
to unveiI the present tablets in bronze
on the Decatur house and Old CAPITOL
building to-day"