Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1922-06-08
HISTORIC BELvoIR.
Colonial Mansion Where Wash
ington Enjoyed Life.


at weekend parties, and, where
Lord Fairfax rested after his fox
hInting, now is popularity known
among Washington city people as
q destination OF interest for the
motOrist and a luncheon place
Tor the motor boat enthusiast,
says bulletin of the National
Geographic society.
Though today there is just
small pile Of bricks made i'll Eng
land and foundation which Is
almost imaginary to tell where
the historic mansion stood, the
very spot itself speaks Of the ro-
nance Of which early Virginia
history is redolent. Not paint
ing nor authentic plan remains
tc tell what the old house looked
like, but its location on Il high
green bank where the Potomac
bends gently southward just be-
low Mount Vernon and within
sight of Gunston Hall, the home
OF George Mason, author of the
Virginia Declaration of Rights,
was enough to inspire it's preser-
vation by transferring it to the
United States army. 1t is now
posted as an animal reservation
ard picnic ground.
"The estate stretched in the
old days for ten miles along the
river, and the house site is a
high point which juts out into
one OF the deepest places in the
river channel.
From Washington it is easily
accessible by boat down the Pc.
tomac or by an excellent military
road to Camp Humphreys, built
during the World war as a sta
ton tor engineers.
1.-The stately gentlemen of Vir-
ginia had a magnificent view of
the curving banks of the river
aud, the soft. blue hills on the
Maryland shore from their front
windows or. front yard. Though
the 200 or 800 yards Of land that
stretched off on the right toward
the intake from the river are
now overgrown with trees and
brush, they must have been
cleared out then SO the planters
might have a good view Of the
vessels from England that put in
at their wharves. rs.-..
Evidently the house was put
up early in the 18th century by
William Fairfax, the cousin and
colonial agent of the owner of
the land, Lord Fairfax, who at
that time having graduated at
Oxford was basking in the sun
shine of courtly favor and ladies'
smiles in England, contributing,
as fancy pleased him, to Addi-
sons Spectator, and moving in
the inspiring and intellectual at
mosphere of London. r..s.
when his lordship was Tilted
.at the altar for a suitor with a
higher title, he decided to seek
surcease from his chagrin by
visiting his cousin William, who
seemed to be enjoying life on his
vast holdings, in the colonies. So
pleased was he with what one
early writer terms beautiful
2 prospects and sylvan scenes,
transparent streams, and majes-
tic woods, that he afterward
took up his residence OH part of
his estate in the Shenandoah val
ley.
g 1t was at Belvoir that Wash-
ington came under the influence
OF the polish of an elegant Eng
lish household. Most Of his ster-
ling virtues and simple morality
he had learned under his moth
er's care, but in the Fairfax home
and on his long hunting trips
with Lord Fairfax and in his
fireside talks with this veteran of
experience who could tell him the
opinions Of the learned men at
0xscrd and OF the gaiety of Eng
lish society he cleaned much that
stood him in good stead in later
years.
.-' Lawrence Washington, older
brother Of George, had married
Anne Fairfax, the oldest daugh-
ter Of William Fairfax, and II was