The Washington herald., 1922-05-28

Blair" the name selected for the
new residential park in north wash
ington, the development Of which Is
now in full swing. takes its title from
the family In whose possession 1t has
been held for the last 100 years.
This new home place. which COM
prises fifty acres. originally formed
a part of the great estate founded
by Francis Preston Blair. known as
"Silver Spring." just over the Dis
trict line. below the intersection OF
Alaska avenue and Brookville pike,
and approached by<Washington's finest
boulevard, Sixteenth street ana Alaska
avenue.
While driving through the pictur-
esque wooded land, near what Is now
Rock Creek Park. in the vicinity Of
the Dist let line. Francis Preston b'air
discovered a beautiful spring, the
bottom of which was covered with
white sand and mica, causing the
water to sparkle like silver. He was
charmed with the spring and pur-
chased the property and named the
estate silver Spring" 1t is from a
part of this great estate. so rich in
history and traditions. that the new
subdivision of Blair is being de-
NelOpeO. NOW lndl ldTEe lOECc VI
men and teams are encamped on this
property. engaged in grading. the con-
struction OF improvements, and laying
out building lots for homes. the mind
naturally reverts back through the
century to the historic events asso-
ciated with "Silver Spring"
Here Gen. Early camped when he
made his raid through Maryland. pre-
hIo attach On tho
Capital But it is reported that the
cheer and charm of Silver
SPRING were so alluring that his
army decided to tsrry for the night
instead OF pushing through Fort
Stevens that afternoon, when ii is
said few IL any men were on guard.
The Sixteenth Massachusetts, Division
arrived the following day and the op-
portunity to capture Washington was
lost to the South.
The historic interest of SILVER
Spring furnishes a background for
Blair" that Is one of its chief
charms.
1t is the purpose Of the developers
to make this subdivision a home place
worthy Of its location and historic in
terest.
The Hopkins Land Company of New
port News. Va, is in charge OF the
development and sales. Charles w.
Hopkins, president and manager of
the company. has been engaged for
the last eighteen years in the develop
ment of high-class home places, prin-
cipally in the Southern cities, 'the
beautiful Audubon boulevard. and
Fontainbleu drive in New Orleans;
Capital Heights and Lee Place in
Montgomery, Ala, and Indian River
Park. overlooking Hampton Roads,
Newport News, Va, being the work
of Mr.. Hopkins and his associates.
After looking over practically every
piece OF suburban acreage in and
around Washington, Mr.. Hopkins pur-
chased this property from Messers.
Woodbury. and Gist Blair through ].
Walter O'Boyle, OF the real estate
firm of Thomas E. FARRELL and Com
pany for three principal reasons.
Advantages of Blair.
First. the beautiful approach by
automobile. straight out Sixteenth
street and Alaska avenue to the in
tersection of Alaska avenue and
Brookville pike, to within a stones S
throw OF the entrance of Blair"
Second, on account of the splendid
lay of the land. this being unsurpassed
around Washington. When it is men,
toned that the boys Of Silver Spring
have used this property for years as
baseball park it will give some idea
of how level it is. The amount to be
expended for heavy grading is practi-
cally nothing; thus the purchaser will