The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1922-08-18
By FREDERICK J. HAsI<1N

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1S.-An am
bilious project to commemorate Wash
ington's Crossing the Delaware has
been launched. Numerous ideas for
marking this historic site and event
have been presented. but in the past
there. has been no organized effort to
begin the work. Now there is con-
crete plan and preliminary steps have
been taken toward carrying it out.
A national park with memorial
roads leading to it and monuments
and buildings dedicated to national he
roes is contemplated under this plan,
which was outlined at the recent State
Parks convention. Charles K. Ham
mitt, a representative from Trenton,
n. j., fathered the idea, and in ex-
planning it pointed out that not only is
the site situated in a picturesque por-
tion of the upper Delaware, but that
it also is in the heart of a section
rich in historic interest
*Washington's crossing and environ
ment combine natural scenery with a
great national sentiment dear to the
hearts of the American people," said
Mr. Hammitt. 'It is a suitable shrine
for patriotic devotion; a natural mec-
ca for every American wherever born.
1t is conveniently accessible to many
millions of the middle and New Eng
land states, and fully as accessible to
vast majority of the rest of the
country as the remote western parks.
"The nation has long recognized the
wisdom of establishing and maintain
ing national parks and has made enor-
nous reservations to preserve forests
and natural scenery chiefly in the
far west, so remote from the center
of population that only a very small
percentage of its citizens can ever
hope to enjoy the benefits. Vast
sums of money have been spent with
the approval of the entire country, for
these forests and this natural scenery
constitute q great national asset, we'll
worth conserving, and of growing i'm
portance with increasing population.
For more than 145 years this great
historic spot, this great national asset,
has remained substantially undevel-
oped-not from any lack of interest.
but from the lack of an organized
driving force and a few earnest lead.
ors to crystalline public sentiment
and guide in the development. In re.
cent years a growing demand for &C.
| ton has become manifest. Both Penn.
| sylvania and New Jersey have recog
nized it and their legislatures have
made initial appropriations to acquire
| land and commerce development, ir
the hope that the national government
will join in the erection of a suitable
Memorial Bridge uniting the twl
states sections of the park
National Park Project
/ Takes Root
More recently the idea of a grea
National historic park has taken roo
and plans for this are under consid
Grafton. This idea has taken tn.
shape of restoring part of the land tt
1 its original condition; for the states
of Pennsylvania and New Jersey tt
do their part and to acquire sufficien
additional land to make, first, an al
| lotment to the other II original colo
MES to develop in their own charac
;, teristic manner under a general plan
and, second, similar allotments t,
other states which have since enteret
the union"
As the plan has been developed a
| present, it is proposed that q monu
ment representing Washington ac
tually crossing the Delaware be erect
ed in mld-stream and that the me
mortal bridge have a section devote
to each of the thirteen original colo
MES. Various organizations, patriotic
professional, commercial, religious
scientific. fraternal and industrial, vii
be permitted to build suitable nor
uments suggesting their progress an
their contributions to the growth G
the country.
Then it is proposed to encourag