Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-15
THE RAMBLER VISITS GUNSTON NECK
-. AND WRITES OF THE HOUSE OF LEBANON
Gunston Hall, a Great House
Built Between 1855 and
1853 by George Mason.
An Invitation to Dinner.
Population of the +Neck."

| - UNSTON NECK, water-bound
on. its northeast side by Po-
hick bay and Gunston cove,
on it's southwest side by
Belmont bay \and on the south by
the Potomac, is six miles long, meas
uring from the Kings highway, or
the present Accotink- Colchester road,
which crosses the meek" northeast
and southwest from Pohick creek, to
Occoquan creek. The length of that
road between the two creeks is three
miles. The average width of the
peninsula is two miles. but at the
end it spreads to width of four miles.
A point having the form which sug-
gests that of an Indian arrow Lead
or spearhead. strikes into the Poto-
mac river and the tip of that arrow
head is Hallowing point. It is oppo-
of Pamunkey creek. in Charles
county, Md. two miles north of ely
mont. and six miles south by a slight
westerly DETECTION from Mount YER
non.
The shore line of the meek" is no.
whore straigE, ard Is deeply indaa ell
on the southwest SIZE by Belmont
bay and three bayous. one of which
is Nichols creek, another. Masseys
creek. and the third has rame which
is not now known TO the Rambler.
The surface of the neck" is as near
neighborhood Of Washington. The
upper third of the peninsula. has a
height of $50 feet above the sea. the
middle third is about 100 feet h'gner
than sea level with an extensive oVate
area on the Gunston cove side. Wnlcn
rises fifty feet higher. The lower
third, or that part of the neck"
which touches the Potomac river. is
everywhere less than fifty feet above
the water.
Gunston Neck takes it's name from
Gunston Hall, a great house built
between 1855 and 1858 by George
Mason, a great American OF the CO.
lonial, revolutionary and early re-
publican eras. Close by the house: IN
a grave simply marked with granite.
rest his bones. Gunstop Hall takes
it's name from Gunston Hall. near
the hamlet of Gunston. in STAFFORD
shire, England. That hall was the
home of Gerard Fowke. an English
royalist, who fed to Virginia after
Cromwells victory at Worcester. Soon
after his arrival in Virginia he set
tiled in Maryland. The first Ameri-
can George Mason, who was troop
commander in the royalist forces at
Worcester. was a fellow refugee OF
Col. Fowke. George Mason. second.
son of George Mason. the immigrant:
married Mary Fowke. daughter OF
Gerard Fowke, grandson of the Inn
migrant, Col. Gerard Fowke. She
lived in Charles county, Md. and her
home there. was called Gunston Hail.
The Rambler has not found the site
of that house.
One of the grandsons of George
Mason, the second. and Mary Fowke
was George Mason the Great. who
was born at his fathers house at
Woodbridge. on Occoquan creek;
When that George Mason, rich and
already eminent, came to build one OF
the splendid houses of colonial Vir-
ginia on land bequeathed him by his
father he chose for his new home the
name Gunston Hall. How mucn OF
Gunston Neck was appurtenant to the
Hall the Rambler does not know. but
he believes that the whole meek"
was not inherited by George Mason
of Gunston, because there are several
other houses and estate names there
which are very old, but whether they
ante-date Gunston Hall or post-date
it by few years is one OF the many
things about that part of the country
which the Rambler must learn. 1t
promises to be considerable task to
determine the relative ages OF these
old places. for quite number OF the
deed and will '1ibers" OF Fairfax
county were stolen OF UeSlioycu ~
Union troops during the civil war.
If there are any. recordmongers or
other antiquarian fossils in "old Vir-
einny" who have any facts on this
subject the Rambler promises. him
low and deferential bow and Will
whisper in his ear the name of one
of these old places where a delight
fu1 family will ask him to delight
full dinner.
Among the old estates on Gunston
Neck. other than Gurston Hail. are
Bradley, or Bradley. Springfield, Bel
mont and Lebanon. Another old one
is Lexington. but the Rambler be-
lieves that Lexington is one genera
ton Junior to Gunston Hall. These
estates are reduced. for out OF their
have come other farms
MANY of which have. names that nave
crown old. Not many Washingto-
mans know these farms. but thou
sands of us eat fruit and vegetables
nourished by this land and q great
deal Of our milk and cream was grass
and clover growing on Gunston Neck.
X \ \ X
At Lewis Chapel. where the kings
highway from Accotink, to Colcnesser =,
crosses the upper end OF the neck,
road leads southeast down the
to the Potomac, VIII
branch-ways pointing on mere ano