Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-19
MEMORIAL MARKS
WAKEFIELD SITE.
Restoration of Washlnuton's
Birthplace to Feature 81
Centennial Celebration.
BY ISABELLE =: STORY.

BY ISABELLE r. STORY.
EditeF. National Park Services.
The resetting In its new location Last
ment at Wakefield Manor, Va, which
formerly was located on the site Of the
old homestead IN which George Wash.
ington was born, marks an. important
stage in the development Of plans for
the rehabilitation of this old Washing
ton estate and it, compilation before the
celebration Of the Gorge washington
Bicentennial, Ia ie92,
The great shaft was swung into place
on its new foundations, approximately
Q quarter Of q mile from the foun-
dations Of the old birth house, in the
presence OF small party Of ofieial wit
nesses. Horace M. Albright, director:
O. @. Taylor, engineer, and Charles Z.
Peterson, landscape architect, repre-
sented the National Park Service Of the
Department Of the Interior, which Is "
charge Of the recently established
George washington Birthplace National
Monument at Wakefield. The National
Fine Arts Commission, which Is co.
operating In the rehabilitation. Of the
old house and grounds, was represented
by Chairman Charles Moore, Ahram
Garfield. Ferrucio WHALE, Ezra Winter
and H. p. Caemmerer. Mrs. H. L. Rust,
ward N. Dom represented the Wake
field National Memorial Association. Of
which the former Is president.
New Foundation Necessary.
When II was found necessary to move
the monument from its old location, Ia
order to permit placing Of the home
were made for cutting an entirely new
foundation, more in harmony with the
old ohelisk, The members Of the Fine
Arts Commission expressed themselves
aS well pleased with the location ana
new base Of the monument and with
the condition Of the grounds geenrally.
One Of the main activities now In
progress at Wakefield Is the making Of
homestead, the ancient kitchen and the
old wall around the burial plot. In
order that they may resemble as closely
Is possible thu bricks used In the erigi-
nal construction they are being made
by hand Of native clay By the old meth
DDS In use for hundreds Of years, ~.
BY hand, ana Of these les, 900 have been
burned. u Is estimated that total Of
sac. 900 bricks win be needed In the re-
hahIlttation work, and these are ex-
pectAd to be completed this FaIl.
Other Plans Outlined.
It Is also planned to restore the
grounds to a. nearby as possible their
old condition. In this connection studies
have been made Of old colonial gardens.
The old family burial grounds, which
are to be tncloged In o brick wall a.
In the old days, are now located In
tina naid=t Of cultivated fields. Here
are the graves Of George WaAhington's
father. grandfather and great-grand-
Great credit Is due 70 the wakefield
National Memorial Association for is
patriotic services not only In purchas-
ing and saving portions OF Wakefield,
but also in awakening the Nation TO
the Importance Of preserving this his
toric estate before II became too late.
Through It's EFFORTS 100 acres Of the
wakefield estate were purchased and
turther funds made available for re-
brought 70 the attention 81 John =.
Rockefeller, IT., the danger Of conuaef-
ctall1ation threatening other portions
Of the area unless Immediate steps were
taken to protect II. Mr.. Rockefeller,
who has BEEN restoring the historic old
town OF Williamsburg. thereupon took
over approximately 9S4 acres OF the
Wakefield estate at Q cost Of $liS.000.
HOldinsu Transferred to q. Q.
Since the establishment Of the
George Washington Birthplace National
Monument last January both Mr..
Rockefeller and the Wakefield Memo
rial Association have agreed to trans
fer al their holdings there TO the
United state Government. When these
transfeFs are effected the total area
OF the national monument win be ap-
proximately ?e6 acres.
The old house In which George
Washington was born IN 1852 was de-
but parts Of It's foundations are still
In place. A study has been made Of
them and Of old records to determine
as nearly e. possible the type Of house
to build. Based on these studies, plans
have been drawn for an early eight
zenith century house, typifying the old
Warrington homestead ct Wakefield,
ana these recently received the approval
Of the Secretary Of the Interior. the
Wakefield National Memorial Associa-
ton, as were the plans for the kitchen.
Unfortunately none Of the original
plans Of the old house and no photo.
graphs Of It can be located.
Association Complimented.
In recognition Of the good work done
~ bue W11Sueto N&Gon@t Memof1aI
Association Congress specified, In es-
tabiishing the monument and provid.
ing for its rehabilitation, that the work
should be carried on in cooperation
with and under the direction Of the
association. A total Of $4,000 Of Fed
eral funds was provided for the pur.
pose, $4,000 TO be used In moving the
memorial monument TO o new site, In.
GLIDING the construction Of o new base,
and doing other Improvement work on
the grounds. The remaining $4,000,
together with an approximately equal
amount obtained by the Memorial As.
ISOLATION, is to be used IN constructing
the old model house.
It Is believed that Wakefield in the
near future viii equal, If not rival,
Mount Vernon In public interest. Il
Is located southeast Of the latter place,
near the outlet Of Popes Creek, Ia the
srea known as the Northern Neck Of
Virginia, which Il rich In historic lore.
It is 81 miles from Fredericksburg and
may be reached BY the Kings highway,
now designated State highway No. 81.