The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-02-06

places essential TO his social interests
IN the counties of Fairfax, Stafford.
King George, Westmoreland and Fred
ericksburg (including visit of three
months in the West Indies), and to his
professional duties as official surveyor
for the County Of Culpeper and, at
large, for Lord Fairfax and others
in the upper northern neck Of Vir-
gfnia," as the historian expresses ii,
he went back to Mount Vernon again,
having inherited il in 1852. and other
members of the family lived on at
Wakefield until the fire on Christmas
day in 1870.
inaccessibility in the past, Wakefield
has been neglected during most Of the
years that it has been known as Wash
ington's birthplace. His step-son placed
small tablet TO mark the spot after
the fire. A farmer who later owned
the land saved it from the hands of
the souvenir hunters. The state of
Virginia planned to build a memorial,
but the Civil war prevented this plan
from being carried out
So far as the United States govern
ment is concerned, the first official &C
ton came in 1879, when congress ap-
propriated $1,000 for a monument.
Two years passed. Then the resolu-
ton was redrafted, making the appro-
priation ten times as much. More
years passed. Finally, in the COS, the
monument was built.
When the project for the bicenten-
NAL commemoratiOn was formulated il
was at once pointed out that the event
should take into consideration the
birthplace of the man whose birth
is to be celebrated. Great Importance
has attached to the place where he
died, Mount Vernon, but it is his birth
that is to be cOmmemorated in 1882.
Until the Wakefield association be-
gan its work seven years ago, this
historic estate had been sadly neglect
ed. AS a part Of its plan for the
restoration, the association secured
permission from the War department
to make excavations on the site Of the
house, and these excavations estab-
lished the fact that the house was of
brick, not, as had ben enormously re-
ported, of wood. Quantities of brick
had escaped the hands of visitors Gag
er for souvenirs because it was buried
in the ground. 1t was established that
the brick had been made on the Wake
field estate. The bricks for the new
Wakefield will be produced from the
original clay pit. In fact, so close will
be the adherence to the model of the
past that bricks of a peculiarly mot
tied surface, burned with a liquid
acid that forms a grayish freproof
glaze, which were used where the heat
was greatest around freplaces and
chimneys. will be reproduced just as
they were in the original.
The exterior view Of the house was
decided upon only after research had
established the details. A frontage
about double the depth was indicated
by the extant foundations. These
walls extend down only few feet be-
low the surface, and the fact that the
surface at the present time averages
at least foot above the level it had
when young George Washington ran
across it, owing to grading done for
the monument, clearly defines the
basement story indicated by the small
half-windows.
With such basement indicated, the
conclusion followed that the first floor
above was topped by an attic, of a
height sufficient to admit Of four bed
rooms with dormer windows and Chin
neys through the outer end, walls pro-
viding ireplaces. The comparative
lghtness af the foundations govern
the height Of the building, of course.
All this, moreover, Is strictly in the
Virginia tradition Of the period, for
that type Of house was not uncommon
in the first half of the Eighteenth CEN
fury.
The room in which George Washing
ton was born was at the left, back
corner Of the house; that is to say,
the right. front room from the other
side; for the house was double-faced,
in the custom Of the period, with one
front toward the highway and the
other toward the water, two trent
doors connected by a hall running
across the house.
The kitchen, outside, will be rebuilt
on the site Of the foundation of the
great chimney whose foundation is
stu there, outside the main founda-