Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-18
SAVING ALANDMARk
Braddock's Rock to Be Pre-
served in Original Condition.
TO Determine LAND TITLE
Attorney General Calls Attention to
It's Importance in Settling
Property Rights.

At the request of the Attorney Generai
Of the United States, Braddocks rock.
one of the historic landmarks OF the Ma
tional Capital, is TO be protected from
yandals and preserved in it's original
condition. The action of the highest law
officer of the executive branch of the
government is not inspired by sentimental
reasons, but is due to the fact that the
humble stone is an important factor IN
determining questions of title to con-
siderable amount of land in the District
Of Columbia.
Braddock's Rock is located on the banks
of the Potomac river at point nearly
midway between oath and 25th streets.
It is south of the Naval Medical School
Hospital, on the line Of upper Water
street just north of B street Originally
It stood high above the level OF the
ground, but now 1t lies in a hole in the
ground about six feet below the level of
the surrounding territory. It's only
companions in the small depression are
hardy tree and a mass of weeds.
Origin Of the Name.
The rock gets its name from the fact
that 1t marks the landing place in this
city of the colonial forces under Gen.
Braddock on their Inflated march in 1865
Columbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania to
Fort Duauesne, now Pittsburgh, where
they were defeated by the French and
Indians. Gen George Washington was
then on the staff of Gen. Braddock and
accompanied him on that expedition.
Attorney General Wickersham recently
wrote letter to Surgeon General Stokes
of the navy, who has supervision of the
Naval Medical School Hospital. in re-
gard to the necessity of preserving Brad
docks rock. "A bench mark set in
rock located below the level of the
grounds south of the Naval Medical
School," said the Attorney General. lis
an important point in connection with
certain Investigations now being carried
on and which may lead to litigation to
determine the right of the United States
to lands bordering on the Potomac river
and Rock Creek. AS it will be of great
importance to have this bench mark
available at any time, and as 1t seems
probable that it may be covered up by
the dumping of waste material into the
depression in which it is located. l think
it would be greatly to the interest of the
United States to have the depression
fenced in and a suitable notice placed
to prevent further encroachmentS on this
space l understand this can readily be
done, and write you in order that rec
ord may be made of the Importance of
keeping the surface of this rock clear.
Denotes Survey Point.
ITO complete the record 1 may state
that an iron bolt inserted in the face OF
the rock and now visible is a bench
mark denoting a point in the north line
of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal sur
vey, which seems to have been placed
there to perpetuate point on OF near
the southern line Of the canal survey,
which point was known in the early sur
veys of this portion of Maryland as the
Key of All Keys and was the beginning
point Of the patents known as Widows
Mite Mexico and The Vineyard, and
also was the point by which the town OF
Hamburger was located. AS the squares
of the eastern part of the original city
of Washington were derived from these
various patents, the perpetuation of this
mark Is matter of very great i'm
portance. not only to the United States,
but to private land owners in the city OF
Washington.
Surgeon General Stokes has taken action
to protect and preserve the valu-
able rock in accordance with the sug-
gestions of the Attorney General. By
his direction a low brick wall has been
| built around the stone to prevent further
encrOachments from the surrounding