Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-16

part of the foundation and chlmheyS ol
the Washington house. The field in which
the simple shaft stands. though long
grazing ground for cattle, is billoweC
with old corn burrows for these marks oil
tiilage are wonderfully persistent, anc
sometimes in that country the trace oil
the pillow may be seen in land that mas
grown to forest since the last crop was
gathered.
Springing up green and straight in this
monument field. are cedar trees. ano
probably before many more washington
anniversaries swing round the monument
will be incIoSed and shaded by dense
copse of this somber evergreen. and max
ing what Americans may come TO regard
sacred grove.
To the east. the northeast and the
southeast the prospect from the bluff OF
which the early WashinStons livet
sweeps across, UP and down the Potomac
river. which at this point in Westmore
land county. Va. is eight miles wide-s'
wide that the tree-grown hills of Mary
land. even when the sun shines, are neve
more than blue and purple haze beyont
the glittering water. Up and down TIT
river the eye catches no glimpse OF lane
excepting dim snatches of distant shore
line.
At night beams from the lighthouse OF
Blackstone Island. ten miles eastward
and that at Lower Cedar point, ten mile.
northward. come over the black stretcl
of salt water. The flashing of the beacon
at Church point, three miles west by
north. tended by Daniel Writ, kinsmar
of George Washington and William Writ
a great Attorney General of the United
States. glows red and ominous.
Looking southwark from the monument
is romantic breadth of quiet water
called for nearly three hundred years
Popes creek. 1t is called so from Col
Nathaniel Pope, from whom John Wash
ington, the immigrant bought this farm
about 1862. and whose daughter. Anne
Pope. he married. thereby adding to his
acres. Popes creek is not paltry stream
Near its channel to the Potomac river il
forms a bay. shoal. but broader than the
busy harbor of many great cities. The
part of the stream navigable for small
sailing vessels reaches inland between
tree-shaded banks that are steep and
high, and the unnavigable part extends
back through wood and pineland to the
watershed which guides the course of
branches into the Potomac or the Kappa
hammock.
the long ago. but exactly when is mat
ter of conjecture. BY some it is believed
that when George Washington's father.
Augustine Washington. removed from this
place since called Wakefield" with his
family to the farm in Stafford county op-
poslte Fredericksburg. in 1873. or when
George Washington was three years old.
It was because the Popes creek home
stead had been destroyed.
BY others il Is believed that George
Washington's brother. Augustine WASH
ington. lived in the Popes creek house,
and that it was destroyed in the lifetime
of his son. William n. Washington. There
are numerous bits of evidence to support
this theory. But, at any rate. the ruined
chimneys of the Popes creek house are
within the memory of man.
Washington Irving does not note the
chimneys. The following is taken from
Irvings Life of Washington
George. the eldest the subject of this biog-
raphy, born the I'D of February I'll O.SJ,
1872, in the homestead Bridges creek This
house commands view many miles OF the
Potomac and the opposite shore of Maryland. 1t
had probably been purchased with the property,
and was one of the primitive farmhouses OF vir,
Ginia- The roof was steep and sloped down in
low projecting caves. 1t had four rooms on the
ground floor. and others in the attic, and i'm
mense chimney AT each end. Not a vestge of
ii remains. Two OF three decayed fig trees. with
shrubs and vines. Hnger about the place, and
here and there a flower grown wild serves TO
mark where garden has been. Such at least
have likewise passed away. stone marks the
site Of the house. aud an inscription denotes its
being the birthplace of Washington This stone
was placed there by George Washington Parke
tustis esd
ABOUT one mile northwest OF the Wash
fngton birthplace flows a little stream
Its course il is narrow and in others il
turns forests OF sweet gum trees into
lnarshland. 1t is d jungle where the boys
OF the vicinage resort mainly for coon
hunting. At the time of the building OF
the birthplace monument the government
built long pier far out into the Po-
tomac at the point where Bridges creek
enters that river The idea was to faciIi-
ntler.sf
in decay. No boats ever stop there ex-
cept the sailing craft that load cordwood
cut from the nearby woods, for WASH
ington, ID. c.. or Alexandria, Va. The
rules formulated by the government for
landing there and the river steamboatmen
could not agree. and few landings were
made. 1t is believed that the house of the
first American Washington, John, stood
near this creek and not on the site of the
house In which George Washington was
born.
There is much conjecture about This
There is a strong presumption that George
Washington was not born In the house in
which the immigrant. John, made his
home. Washingtons birthplace is various
ly written OF as being on Bridges creek
and Popes creek. One would incline Il
think that these were two names for a
single stream. Bridges creek lies a mile
and "A half to the northwest of Popes
creek The Washington burial ground and
Family vault are on high ground above
Bridges creek. The George Washington
birthhouse, as has been said stood near
the bank OF Popes creek The house
marker and the family burial ground are
more than mile apart Such a situation
was very unusual in early colonial times
The private burial ground was AZ q
rule, not far from the family dwelling
and in the vast majority OF instances wa
but few rods away. Not far from ~,
Washington cemetery and on rising grounr
overlooking Bridges creek is a SPOT Ior
which long ago was human habitatton
The richness of the soil and the char
acter OF the vegetation prove this! he
sides, there have been unearthed by TN,
plow fragments OF brick. glass and rot
terry. IL Is believed that the first Wash
ington made his home here 1t may h.
that later he built the house oveyrlookin.
Popes creek. or that house mhy hay,
been built by his son, Capt Rawrenc,
Washington. But there can be- no Ger
tainty as to this.
All the present day accounts jof Geory,
Washington give his birthplace a:
Wakefield, westmoreland county. Va
The origin and significance OF the name
Wakefield is obscure. Georgt Washing
ton never knew this old home-place a.
Wakefield. In his time and in the tim