Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12
BY CHESTER B. GOODRICH.

TREDERICKSBURG, Va, wa
l. nearly 100 years old when Georgt
Washington played in its tree
Il lined streets as a little boy
Much of its charm that is it
heritage from the past has been pre-
served, but, like many of these lovely
old places, much that would be charm
ing has been sacrificed to progress. anc
great deal Of this is irretreivably
gone. No record of all of this exists
and the records which are missing are
as truly thing Of the past which can
not be brought back as the smoke from
the Indian campfires which burned
here before the time of Columbus.
The impressions OF what remains OF
the towns heritage of the days gone
by have been preserved through the
generosity of one of its residents in
what is believed to be the first compre-
hensive art Photographic study ever
made of an American community.
These photographs of Fredericksburg
are now on exhibit in the assembly
room of the old Town Hail. and consti-
tute the most remarkable collection of
photographs of a community ever eX-
hibited at one time. They are 10 by IA
engagements of originals, and later
will be presented to the Wallace Lii
brary. one of the two public institutions
of this kind of which the town boasts.
The original negatives will be available
for copying.
1t is to Mrs. Daniel B. Devore of
Chatham, one of the loveliest old
places in Fredericksburg. that the COM
munity is indebted for this carrying. out
of her dream. Chatham itself was
built in 1923 from plans, according to
tradition, which were brought from
England. The rose garden here was
especially famous. The site of the gar
den was terraced to the river, and it is
supposed to have been associated with
the courtship of Gen. Lee through the
fact that under the shade of an old elm
tree overlooking the Rappahannock
Mary Gusts promised to be his wife.
There is an old story that Lee refused
to allow his troops to fire on Chatham
while it was occupied by Union troops
So through love for the place of so
many happy memories it was saved.
Lincoln stayed at Chatham when
he reviewed the troops, and many coun-
ellis OF war were held in its paneled
rooms. From the time of Madison and
Monroe nearly all the Presidents have
been entertained here, and through the
loving care of its present owner, Mrs
Devore, its youth has been renewed.
In the old Town Hall, where Lafay-
cite once was received with great pomp
and ceremony, there are 200 or more
prints adjoining the walls They show
those portions of the town which had
their being prior to 1880. From an
architectural point of view also 1t is
most interesting, as it includes the pho
tographs of the historic mansions of
the olden days, as well as the old and
rickety shacks that housed the less for
tunate ones of the community.
K =
TN this exhibit are glimpses of Ken
= more, the home of Betty Lewis, only
sister Of George Washington, the place
which was rescued a few years ago by
fhe ladies of Fredericksburg and is now
being restored to its re-ReVolutionary
beauty by them.
It was at Kenmore that Gen Wash
hgton, attended by the elegant Mar
1uls de Lafayette, the French generals
as well as his American officers, gath
cred to receive the people of Washing
tons home town" at the conclusion of
the Revolutionary War. There is also,
IN contrast to this lovely place, a pic
ture of the squat brick abode of Gov"
dill the town ashman.
When the name of John Paul Jones
IS mentioned the adventurous side of
hs all is stirred, for is there a more
Interesting character in naval history
than he? The son of a Scotch gardener
PANIED Paul, he came to America in
1878 and went to live in Frederiscks-
burg, where he was apprenticed to
tailor for two years. The house in
which he lived at that time is pictured