The Washington herald., 1916-03-26

\ Romantic Country.
Romantic and historic Virginia with its
whOle-souled people and varied scenery
Of which It's said:
There nowhere Is a land so fair
AS down in Old Virginia;
So full Of song, 50 free Of care,
As down in Old Virginia
And we believe that sunny land
The Lord prepared for happy man,
Is built exactly on the plan,
As down in Old Virginia"
has been one Of the few States avoided
by the motor tourist. This has been
due to poor road conditions, a condition
that Is now fast disappearing.
For the motorist with a love Of his
country's history in his heart and
romance IN his soul, the Old Dominion,
calm and peaceful after many years OF
strife, possesses a strange appeal
The experiences Of the motortst who
tours through this country are OF real
educational value There is no better
way to impress upon the mind historical
events than through object lessons. Many
tours out Of Washington can be made
to follow the route traveTsed by the Con-
federate and Union armies in the many
campaigns which Centered about "ash-
ington and Richmond. Events connect
ed with the earliest English settlements
and tracing the history Of the country
down to the present day, will be more
indelibly impressed on the mind by Wis
iting the various historical landmarks.
Scenery Is Magnificent.
Virginia is a veritable paradise in point
of scenery and interesting objective
points From the sea, at Old Point Com
fort, to the Hot Springs, in the noun
tains. It is rich in quaint and historical
point Of interest. In the tidewater sec
ton around Norfolk, fishing, sailing, and
bathing and the gayety OF a number Of
summer resorts provide. supplemental at
fractions.
In the valleys Of middle and western
Virginia some Of the finest estates in
America are to be seen. Nowhere in
.be country will the mOtorist find tour
.rs7so eIEhtful as in the valleys Of
Ei-9inia The fame of the Blue Ridge
rlcentains for the beautiful views and
fo lore has many times been sung
bota in poetry and in prose.
ne scenery through the Old Dominion
q as pretty and varied as is to be found
s-rwhere in America. You can go from
cs-siIe farm land to the barren noun
side in less than days travel, OF
fr1n sea level to one OF the highest
ralnts in the South, all within a distance
80 two hundred miles. The State can
boast Of many mountain and seaside re-
sorts within easy reach by motor. Hunt
dance.
For those Of a historical turn Of mind
there is plenty to interest them. Virginia
IS one Of the oldest States in the Union,
and many OF the relics Of those who first
settled IN this country are still preserved
intact During the civil war many Of
the more important engagements were
fought south Of the Potomac in Old Nir-
ginia. The scenes Of these conflicts are
all marked II not familiar with all of
the details Of the various engagements
there is always some one to furnish them
with q little dash OF local color.
Frederick Route Attractive.
An interesting route to Virginia is via
Frederick Nd. famous for three things
as the county seat of the second richest
agricultural country in the United States.
as the birthplace Of Francis Scott Key.
author Of The Star Spangled Banner"
and as the home Of Barbara Fritchie.
Just beyond Frederick is Braddock
Heights. from the top of which an en-
tranCing view Of the surrounding country
can be had. 1t was from this point that
the famous English leader, Gen. Brad
dock, got his first view Of the Frederick
valley when he marched his army against
the French and Indians in Pennsylvania
Dropping down from these heights you
are in the beautiful MiddletOwn valley.
field. where what is said to have been
the most sanguinary conflict Of the civil
war was fought on September II. 1852.
Immediately after this battle the Eman-
cipation Proclamation was issued.
Harper's Ferry. where the Potomac and
Shenandoah rivers meet, is the next point
of interest The scenery here is grand
beyond description. Standing on the
heights above the rivers one is held
speIbound BY the beauty Of the scene.
This place is a favOrite summer resort of
washingtOnians. The junction Of the
rivers. one. the Potomac, placid and Sc
rene the other. the Shenandoah. rush
ing torrent at this point forms an inspir-
ing picture which easily justifies Thomas
Jeherson's opinion in which he pro-
nounCed It lone of the most stupendous
scenes in nature. and well worth a yoy-
age across the Atlantic to witness.
Harpers Ferry Interesting.
Harper's Ferry was the scene Of the
pIofts Of the notorious John Brown in
1853 when, with eighteen men, he en-
deayored to Iiberate the slaves of the
south, a deed which was only accom-
plished by the United States army after
four years Of war and the expenditure of
billions Of dollars. The fort in which
Brown took refuge and where he was
captured has been taken down and re-
moved to a Northern city, but the spot
Is marked by q granite Obelisk.
Thirty-One miles beyond lies Win
chester. a city which Is said to have
changed hands seventy times during the
civil war. Winchester lies at the head of
exploits Of the notorious John Brown in
possession of which the opposing armies
fought so much, as It was the gateway
to the South.
Who has not heard of the famous
Shenandoah valley, Of which, during the
daSs following the war. It was said that
n crow wished to fly from one end to
the other II would have to carry its
rations so clean did the rival armies strip
ft7 It Is seventy miles from Washington
Snugzled in between two ranges OF the
Blue Ridge Mountains. and motor trip
more repiete with scenery than one
through this valley cannot be found here
or abroad
For those who want to get into Yir-
ginia without delay they can cross the
Potomac at Georgetown. little di-
erosion from the route will lead by
Arlington, the former home Of Light
Horse Harry Lee, the famous Revo-
lutionary general, and which Is now a
National Cemetery. Continuing to Fails