The Washington times., 1911-08-05
Spring House Presented To
Government Dates Back
a Century.
GIFT TO PEOPLE OF
LOUIS P. SHOEMAKER
Pierce Mill Relic in Rock Creek
Park Is One of Few Remain
ing Reminders of Pioneers.

The little stone spring house in Rock
Creek Park. just dedicated to the Gov
eminent by Louis Z. Shoemaker, is in
timately connected with the entire his
tory of Washington, and, until its trans
fer to the United States, belonged to
family which has figured in the develop
ment of The city since its fOundG ton.
A plain little hut OF rough native
stone. the Pierce Mill spring house is
one of the few remaining monuments 70
the pioneers who came to this section
before Washington was. Nesting among
the woods adjacent to Rock Creek Park
It still retains much of the rustic sim
llicity and unadornment which char
acterized its surroundings at the begin
ming of the nineteenth century, and,
since the great natural park in which
il is located is always to retain as
much of its natural beauty as it is
possible 10 preserve. the spring house
is likely 10 stand through several CEN
turies TO come.
Isaac Pierce came down from Pennsyt-
Vania and settled in what is now Rock
Creek Park in 1854 and then built the
Pierce lnill and other stone buildings
near the MILL including the family resi-
dence. His son. Abner, later acquired
about 200 acres of land about the place
When House was BUILT.
The spring house was built by him n
1901 and he commemorated the fact by
engraving on a soapstone block, which
forms a part of the masonry, the date
and the letters. B. l. p. According 10
Louis P, Shoemaker, the present eNecu-
tor OF the estate, these initials stand
for Betty and Isaac Pierce.
Mr.. Piel ces wife's name was Eliza
beth, shortened, of course, to Betty. and
he sought in this way TO associate her
name with one Of the earliest improve
Inents of wnat was then decided upon
the Capital of the new republic. The
City was laid out only one year before
this.
At the time of Abner's death, he de-
Vised the whole estate of 2,UO acres 10
his nephew, Pierce Shoemaker, fatnef
of Louis P who has donated the spring
house: Francis D. Shoemaker, Mrs.
Abigail c. Newman, and Mrs. Clara A
Newman, all of whom are residents OF
this city. ..
tor and trustee, under the Will Inc
Shoemaker family has thus been ldeh-
tilted with the city from the earliest
DAYS Louis p. Shoemaker tather anu
grandfather and mother ana Sranu-
mother were born in the District. HIS
mother was the daughter of Louis car
hsrv for many years surveyor of the
District, and his uncle, Ihomas Car
hery was for several terms mayor OF
the city Of Washington. He was also
fnvnder of ST Vincent's Orphan Asy-
lum. The Washington Asylum for
Foundlings was founded by Joshua
Pierce son OF Abner Pierce, who died IN /
1863.
Original Dwelling Removed.
The original Pierce dwelling was re-
moved in 1875. In 1890 Mr.. Shoemaker
sold $50 acres of the family property to
the United States to form part of
Rock Creek Park. The portion sold en- |
braces one of the most picturesque !
parts of the park, including the valley |
north from Pierce mill to the Military |
road. It is now penetrated by the |
beautiful Beach driveway. Some other
parts of the property have been sold to /
individuals, and the subdivision known !
as Azadea, between the park and Con- |
necticut avenue, has been laid out and |
developed. but much is still retained.
Not far from the spring house one !
NAV now find a large collection of rare |
trees which were planted by Pierce !
Shoemaker. Two trees were planted by !
Isaac Pierce, who brought them down
from Pennsylvania in his saddle bags
iong before the day of railroads. One |
is a large shellbark and the other a |
white pine. The white pine is a native
Of PENNSYLVANIA, and this one is sup
posed to be the first ever grown in the !
District of Columbia. These trees are
now unidentified, but Mr.. Shoemaker is
the advisability of marking
them with proper inscriptions and pre-
senting them with some Of the ground
about them to the Government.
The original patents of the land is
sued in 1884 by the chancellor, repre-
scnting the British authority In this
at that time. are in the posses
sion Of Mr.. Shoemaker and in a good
state of preservation.