White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-08-11

Occnquan. The contention is based
largely on the appearance Of the place
named Axacan in the Spanish chroni-
cles and it's assumed identity with Oc-
coquan.
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 map published in
London in that year, on which Tide
water Potomac, though unnamed, was
sketched in with recognizable lines But
how did the map-maker get his sketch
at first hand, on visit to the
river, or at second hand, from de-
scription from the Indians?
Sailing into the mouth of the river,
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 Potomac, 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 other
ships, the Ark and the Dove, with
Lord Ba.timore's colonists to found
Maryland, on the north side Of the
Potomac. Even now one can feel
these pioneers cautious apprehension
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 small island, now
called Blackstone island, where an at.
lacking enemy might at least be seen
Here Lord Baltimore's brother
Leonard Calvert, left the Ark and in
the Dove and another boat, procured
in Virginia, sailed up into the narrow.
er reaches where, at Piscataway, just
opposite the hilly banks where later
rose Mount Vernon, he found the In.
dian emperor, with whom he wished
to discuss a site for his colony's cap.
ital.
Calvert found only Indians on the
river. Their occasional towns were
indicated by the clearings in the for
ests, where they raised their corn and
tobacco. In one such town dwelt
those Potomac Indians who gave theil
name to the river or perhaps took II
from the river.
1t is not known precisely what that
imperial party said to Calvert, but
obviously it was something so poison.
GUS that the newcomer couldn't settle
far enough from that Indian. He re.
turned to his ships and sailed them
into the last inlet on the northern
side Of the river, just ten miles above
Its mouth.
This beautiful body of water he
called ST. Marys River, and there he
began to build his capital, which he
called st. Marys City. Within IS
years st. Marys City was laid out
with streets and square, and in ad.
dition to its frame and log structures,
it had more than 60 brick buildings,
which included the statehouse, the
governors mansion, churches, public
offices, private dwellings,, and com.
mercial buildings.
St. Marys Has Disappeared.
Today not one OF the buildings OF
old st. Marys survives. The visitor
finds grain and tobacco fields, a few
green pastures, and a graveyard
where the first Maryland lawmakers
sat in the midst of the sprightly colo.
NAL life of their capital city.
Where the pow has turned over
the soil, or where we'll or cellar has
been dug, Il few bricks have come to
the surface. the only physical vestige
of the brick capital of 300 years ago.
Those from Maryland's first state
house have been used In building lit
tie Trinity church on n part of the
site Of the vanished city.
Westmoreland county, Virginia, on
the Potomac, has the distinction un-
rivaled by any other in America, for
1t was the birthplace Of three Presi
dents Of the United States-the first,
the fourth and the fifth-George
Washington, James Madison, and
James Monroe.
Here, in their many ramif1cations
and over a period Of more than $50
years. lived the great Carter, Lee and
Washington families. Here, though
few survive, were some of the finest
of colonial America. The
distinction Of social and intellectual
life In estmOreland before the RevO-
luton earned 1t the title Of Athens
of Virginia.
Every ship tolls its bell as It
passes tile Mount Vernon mansion
with the eight slender columns sur
rounded by it's village of minor do
nestle buildings. high on the Virginia
bank. for 1t is the home and last rest.
Ing place Of George Washington, his
and our Mount Vernon.