Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-11

over 200 years Along its course 1t is
augmented by many smaller streams that
sometimes trickle and at other times
rush down ravines through the valley
slopes. Oxon run follows a southeast
course and reaches the Potomac opposite
Alexandria Blue Plains. which is now
becoming familiar to many Washington
people by reason of the location there of
the Home for the Aged and Infirm and
the Industrial Home School for Colored
Children, is on the upper side of the
mouth of this stream.
For about four miles of it's course it
roughly parallels the boundary of the
District and then, crossing the line flows
for about three miles within the District
Just before reaching the river it passes
into Maryland again, but turns again SO
that its mouth is within the District The
first of the boundary stones of the District
stands on the river shore a few feet south
of the ruined causeway of Foxs ferry,
which is south of the lower side of the
mouth of OXon run.
Several of the closely travelled roads of
the District cross Oxon run. They are
the Suitland road. the Walker road the
Wheeler road and the Livingston road
Each of these road bridges the run.
Travellers along the Giesboro road, on
reaching Bald Eagle Hill, descend into the
valley of the run and ford the stream
1t is easily fordable in dry weather. but
in time of heavy rain it is perilous Up
to the close of the civil war a road
crossed the valley and the run between
Bald Eagle Hill and the opposite heights
called Mount Welby, but this road was
abandoned.
X X
That part across the valley has been
plouShed over for many years, and that
part which assembled the south slope of
the valley is now only a mere trace
People afoot or on horseback travelling
between Washington or Anacostia or
Congress Heights and the farms and set
Elements along the river and the high
lands to the eastward of it make their
way through the valley and over the
stream at this point, rather than follow
the Livingston road, which leads east
ward to and by the small cross-road set
tlement of Oxon Hill. The road which
crossed Oxon Run valley near its mouth
should be restored
One of the Ramblers early walks was
down in this country, and he wrote:
The tiiesboro road that runs along the mar
ridge presents fine vistas and west. The
road leads south only to the rip of the ridge or
Bald Eagle hill. where the land drops sharply
into the valley Of 0xon run. The road now turns
and leads to The west-down to the Old Folks
Home at Blue Plains Shepherds. Acrosy
the valley road shows. but the opposite
hills. mile to the south, one picks it up again,
AMI here and there in the land bordering the
stream finds traces OF the ancient way. 1t
is This gap between the two ends Of this road
tina, has given TO 1t the name of the Broken
road. This the course of the north and south
post road. IT led from the New England colonies
through New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore to
point which Bladensburg to be.
There it branched. fork passing down through
what later became Georgetown, efecting cross
ing of the river at Masons Ferry. near the site
of the .Aducduct bridge. and passing by what
is the east front of Arlington, down through
Dumfres, Fredericksburg, tho CarolDas and
Georgia. The other fork led down the east side
of the Eastern branch through what
Renning. Twining, Anacosiia and Congress
Heights the early settlements in southern
MISUNDERSTANDING, Port Tobacco. Leonard
out.
There is in the Library of Congress
a map drawn in 1894 by Dennis Griffith
which shows the course of this old