Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-08
VIR GINA FAST COMING TO FORE
IN CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS
Gasoline Tax Aids State to Shake OFF Old
Reputation for impossible Roads and
Offer Enticine Thoroughfares.

/ his youthful days and now world IA
nous as his last resting place.
! They call attention to the interest.
| ing history of old Falmouth, Wash
| ington's boyhood home. and OF Fred
ericksburg. just across the Rappahan'
mock River. where the Father of His
Country attended school.
In fact, the Chamber Of Commerce
Of Fredericksburg has made the boast
| that their cit = without qualification
| the most historic In America.
| Mention could be made of many
other points OF interest to sightseers.
historians and students that are ada
cent to the Jefferson Davis Highway.
| "a IL has been named.
Saint Julian Wilson OF the United
States Bureau of Public Roads. who
formerly was highway commissioner
for Virginia, and who was prime
mover In the early movement for road
Improvement in that State. tells OF
numerous hectic experiences suffered
by travellers who cssayed To brave the
famous Chappawamsic Swamp.
,, He recalls trip he made from
Richmond In 1906. at the time of the
jamestown Exposition. II was a
path finding" attempt to choose a
route for n highway between Rich.
mond and Washington. The first
night out was spent I'm a swamp near
| Ashland. the next night found him
stuck in chappawamsic Swamp. anil
not until the evening OF the third day
did he reach Washington.
| The trip which two decades ago
took him three full days. two nights
| and n portion OF a third nigh. now re.
qnires but four hours of comfortable
| driving over concrete road. almost de
void OF sharp curves.
| Mount Vernon List Grows.
An indication of the vast increase
In traffic over this highway since The
age at motoring and of improved
roads IL contained in the figures show
/ ing the growth In number ri fisltors
to Mount Vernon. In 1885 The records
show some q. zoe visitors for The year.
Last year there were nearly 500 400, n
large proportion of whom came hy au
tomohile OF sightseeing bus.
| Two other outsta ndIr.s road ,hulhiing
achievements were celebrated only the
part year. One WAS the eompieti ton
/ of the Lee Highway between Wash
lngton and Warrenton, and the either
| the opening of the VIRGINIA link o.
Federal Highway No. /. connecting
| Canada with southern Florida
The Lee Highway prolec, consists
OF new section Of modern concerts
highway north az Fairfax Court House
eliminating long and tortuo,,s dir,
road detour by way of Manassas. IN
dry weather this detour was featured
by It's clouds OF red dust aud i'm We,
weather by its slippery rcd clay.
| Southern Artery Complete.
The Virginia link OF Federal High
way No. ! IN an important raiition
to the great northand south boulevard
planned IA n tourist artery 10 Elor,la
u was dedicated recently with imnrrs,
sive ceremonies on the Virginia Nor,,,
Carolina border. participated In nv
Gov. Byrd and Gov. Mclean OF North
| Carolina. W.
With the setting aside of the Sh.r.
sndoah National Park as rsa.rn,
reservation Virginia and the reaera,
authorities have inherited a eom.uar
interest In the states highway svs,sm
the Joint aim heing To proyide m.
touring public with ready nece.. a.
the great park In the heart Of Virg,,,.
Virginia realizes her resronsih,liiv
Continued ON tenth rase1