The citizen., 1920-02-19
HISTORIC PLACES
ABOUT WASHINGTON
MANY RESIDENTS or CAPITAL
CITY HAVE NEGLECTED TO
VISIT THEM.
BLADENSBURG IS CLOSE BY
Scene OF MiIltis's Defeat by Invading
British and Famous Dueiina Ground
Fort Stevens, Brsddock's Stone
and Arlington Are Interesting.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.


Washington. Some residents OF
Washington do not know Washington
o" its environs. Scores Of tenn
porary residents here also do not know
Washington and Its envlrons. IL
Il left for the casual visitor. the sight
seer. 90 learn Of this town and all that
n and It's neighborhood hold Of historic
interest.
II Is safe wager that there are
mGny senator's and representatives,
now sitting under the dome of the
capitol who never have visited Mount
Vernon. the residence and the place
OF burial Of George Washington.
Washington has hundreds Of visitors
ut all seasons, people who have come
here to see the places Of interest, ana
Who In advance have prepared lists
of the things which they feel that they
must see. These visitors do the thing
as thoroughly ms II can be done within
tho time which they allot for heir
stay. There are men and women. and
even children. living In distant parts
of the country who know more about
Washington than do some Of its resi-
dents. temporary and permanent
eladensbura Is Historic.
Close to the city Of Washington
there Is place called Bladensburg.
In many stories Of the political and
wnrllke events In which the city Of
Washington figures. Bladensburg
looms large II was there that the un-
organized militia Of the United States
vas met and overrun by the British
troops I'm their advance on Washing.
ton. at the time they captured the city
and burned the capitol and the White
House.
Bladenshurg Is historic place FOR
other reasons. II was great duelinR
ground In the old days when men were
bent on settling disputes on what they
called the field OF honor. II was to
Blfdensburg that stephen Decatur
went In the gray of the morning one
hundred years ago TO meet in person.
al pistol combat Commodore Barron
10 the United States navy. On the
field Of Bladensburg the great sailor.
stephen Decatur, fell mortally wound
ed by bullet from his adversary's
weapon. The Decatur house. built and
occupied by the sailor, still stands In
the city Of Washington.
Out Seventh street way and well
within the city are the remains Of Fort
eral Early, threatened the city from
the northeast. troops were hurriedly
brought TO the city and Fort Stevens
was manned. After smart skirmish
the Confederates retreated. Abraham
Lincoln. then president OF the United
States, went out 10 Fort Stevens 70
witness the fight He stood exposed
for some time TO the Confederate ire.
Fort Stevens and Its historic interest
seem nearly forgotten today. except
by the men and women who come here
from distance to see Washington.
Where Braddock Landed.
Probably not many persons In Wash.
IT, gton. lawmakers, office holders or
residents, know that General Braddock
landed his forces from barges on the
Potomac at point well within the
present limits Of the city, and from
there marched on his unfortunate cam.
pslgn into western Pennsylvania. &C.
companied by the young surveyor sol.
dler. George Washington. The place
where Braddock landed Is known as
Praddock's Rock. and its location Is
well defined on the maps and In the
histories.
Arlington. the home OF the Custises
aud later of Robert r. Lee. is now a
great national cemetery. Arlington. 70
be- sure. Is in Virginia. but Il Is within
ten minutes ride Of the city OF Wash.
lngton. The view down the Potomac
from Washington is unsurpassed for
beauty. Thousands upon thousands OF
the nations dead lie buried under
the great trees. The old colonial man.
sion OF the Custises and the Lees still
stands. In II Robert f. Lee was mar
ried to Miss Custls. and II was there
In later years that he decided to cast
his lot with the Confederacy. Arling.
ton Is more or less neglected by the
temporary and permanent residents OF
the city Of Washington. but the visitors
from distance go TO the beautiful
place In thousands at all seasons.
of burial of George Washington.
First v. S. Army Plane Decade Ago
Major General Menoher. head OF the
air service. sent telegram to Orville
Wright the other day. the occasion be
ing the tenth anniversary OF the de
livery OF the first airpane to the gov
ernment Of the United States. Tn,
telegram read as follows:
"rhe congratulations of the air sery
Ice are extended TO you on the teDtf
anniversary of the delivery Of IN,
first airplane to the government oi
the United States. first In the world tc
acquire u dynamic aircraft The alI
service appreciates to the full the
ever-increasing debt owed by mnnkinc
to the Wright brothers. whose fore
sight, interchangeable research and prac
teal application have aided worlo
progress through the invention OF .
new means Of communication"