The Coolidge examiner., 1932-08-19

claim was set up, based on "a Yunic
inscription" said to have been
found below the falls, for ian Ice
landic widow buried here in 1851"
Rather more credence has been CIV
en- to the claim that Spanish ex-
plorers, known to have come into
the Chesapeake between 1865 and
1910, sailed up the Potomac as far
as Occoquan. The contention Is
based largely on the appearance of
the place named Axacan in the
Spanish chronicles and it's assumed
identity with Occoquan.
There is better evidence that an
English explorer may have been in
the river before 1885, for it's exist
ence at least was known at that
date, as revealed by a map pub
llshed in London in that year, on
which Tidewater Potomac, though
unnamed, was sketched in with
recognizable lines. But how did the
map-maker get his sketch-at first
hand, on a visit to the river, or at
second hand. from description from
the Indians?
Sailing into the mouth of the riy-
er, one is reminded of the first white
man definitely known to have sailed
into these waters. On the left, the
south lip of the mouth of the Po-
tomac, is Smiths Point, named for
the original authenticated white
pioneer here, the gallant explorer,
Capt. John Smith.
Founding of Maryland.
A few years after Smith, in 1884,
there came into the river two 9TH
er ships, the Ark and the Dove,
with Lord Baltimore's colonists to
found Maryland, on the north side
of the Potomac. Even now one can
feel these pioneers cautious appre-
hensiOn in an unknown wilderness
inhabited by savages. They did not
at first trust themselves to the
mainland; they sailed up the river
for 81 miles, until they came to a
small island, now called Blackstone
island, where an attacking enemy
might at least be seen.
Here Lord Baltimore's brother,
Leonard Calvert, left the Ark, and
in the Dove and another boat, pro-
cured In Virginia, sailed up into the
narrower reaches, where, at Pisca-
taway, just opposite the hilly banks
where later rose Mount Vernon, he
found the Indian emperor, with
whom he wished to discuss a site
for his colony's capital.
Calvert found only Indians on the
river. Their occasional towns were
indicated by the clearings in the
forests, where they raised their
corn and tobacco. In one such town
dwelt those Potomac Indians who
gave their name to the river or per-
haps took it from the river.
1t is not known precisely what
that imperial party said to Calvert,
but obviously it was something so
poisonous that the newcomer
couldn't settle far enough from that
Indian. He returned to his ships
and sailed them into the last inlet
on the northern side of the river,
just ten miles above it's mouth.
This beautiful body of water he
called st. Mary's river, and there
he began to build his capital, which
he called st. Marys City. Within
35 years st. Marys City was laid
out with streets and a square, and
in addition to it's frame and log
structures, it had more than go
brick buildings, which included the
statehOuse, the governors mansion,
churches, public offices, private
dwellings, and commercial build
ings.
ST. Mary's Has Disappeared.
Today not one Of the buildings of
old st. Mary's survives. The visi-
tor finds grain and tobacco fields, a
few green pastures, and a grave
yard where the first Maryland law
III LIlC VI LuG
sprightly colonial life of their CAPT
tai city.
Where the plOw has turned over
the soil, or where well or cellar
has been dug, few bricks have
come to the surface, the only physi-
cal yestige of the brick capital 300
years ago. Those from Maryland's
first statehouse have been used In
building little Trinity church on a
part of the site of the vanished
city.
Westmoreland county, Virginia,
on the Potomac, has the distinction
unrivaled by any other in America,
for it was the birthplace of three
Presidents Of the United States
the first, the fourth and the fifth
George Washington, James Madi-
son, and James Monroe.
Here, In their many ramifications
and over a period of more than 25O
years, lived the great Carter, Lee
and Washington families. Here,
though few survive, were some of
fho finpGt maDciopc o-p aoIo-s-,