Evening star., 1932-03-06

any road around washington Dy the entnu-
siastic wheelman. Today the old resi-
dent would have hard time locating it If
he were to try, for much Of it has been done
away with and other streets have taken ITS
place Like nearly every road around Wash
ington it was laid out to provide the easiest
grades and to cost little as possible for
grading the result being its serpentine course.
In the days prior to the Civil War, Four
teenth street road extended to Piney Branch,
where Piney Branch road commenced and ex-
tended to Brightwood, then known as Crystal
Spring At an earlier period, when racing
took place at Holmeads race track, the center
of which about at the junction OF Colum-
bia road and Fourteenth street, Fourteenth
street road extended only rs far north as Park
road Indeed Fourteenth street in the city
that is from Florida avenue south-was not
opened to travel until subsequent to 1902, as
the first session of the City Council that year
provided for the opening clearing and making
passable for wagons" of Fourteenth street from
F. street to the northern bounds of the city.
Piney Branch road was even more picturesque
than the Seventh street pike, probably because
it was more winding. OF course, it was made
up of hills and valleys and was well wooded
along the sides. One of the steepest and long
est grades between the city and Brightwood
was known as Blagdens Hill, and many
prudent bicyclst thought it better to walk up
this hill than to tire himself out by riding it.
During the Winter months, when snow was
good one for Shedding, and the young folks
came from miles around to participate in this
delightful and exharating sport. Particularly
was this SO of the people of Mount Pleasant,
who always turned out upon such occasions
in large numbers. Piney Branch road also ex-
tended beyond Brightwood, it does today
to Takoma Park.
I TITLE of this old road now remains be-
- tween Mount Pleasant and Brightwood. We
first find it at about Oak street where it takes
a northwest course until it reaches Sixteenth
street where it bears the name of Spring place
From here to about Allison street it has been
obliterated, but from that place on 1t continues
northwardy, parallelng Sixteenth street to the
east until it enters Colorado avenue dormerly
Piney Branch road) between Hamilton and
Ingraham streets. A small section still bears
the old name In Brightwood, as it does farther
on.
To the north of Mount Pleasant was then,
as now, Spring road, but in its present i'm
proved condition, 1t has almost lost its identity
On this road toward Fourteenth street lived
Mrs. Sendenberg, near the Shirleys, they being
close neighbors to William ]. Rhees, who owned
an estate called The Oaks Mr.. Rhees was
for many years the chief clerk of the Smith
sonian Institution, served on the school board
and wrote much of the history Of the public
schools of the District Of Columbia. He was
also of the founders here Of the Young
Mems Christian Association. He was learned.
refined courteous, kind and typical gentle
man of the old school, such as we occasionally
meet today-men like the late Cuno H.
Rudolph. William T. Galiher and John B.
Larner, and our dear old friend, John Joy
Edson, who still lives, and we hope may con-
tinue to do so. Mr.. Rhees was married twice,
his first wife being sister of Virginia Clark
Lewis wife Of Joseph Knowles Lewis.
Cant ,JOseuh w Halls place was inst
east of the junction of Fourteenth street road
and Spring road, to the west OF which lived
J. C. Lewis on his Is acres called Tip Top,
which extended from the Lehman tract on the
south, crossing and ending at Piney Branch
on the north. Nearby was Mr. Lewis blue
stone quarry, then much in demand for build
ing purposes and from which the long wall at
the first gate Of the Soldiers Home, extending
along the road below Gen. SCOTS statue, was
built. Capt. Hall was a son-in-law Of MI.
Lewis and was a Civil War veteran, and today
sleeps in Arlington National Cemetery beside
his wife.
An old wooden bridge formerly occupied the
site of the bridge which spans Piney
Branch-or what little is left of it-for large
sewer has taken the place Of this stream and
the beauty Of the valley at this point is gone
forever The writer is told by Frank Stickney,
who, as boy, played this territory, that
the hills in this vicinity at one time were well
wooded and included number Of chestnut
trees which attracted the attention of the
youngsters when the nuts were ripe He also
remembered a statement that few feet from
the waters edge (and this must have been 60
years ago) was once small slab of wood
which marked the resting place Of two British
soldiers who died on the march to the Capitol
in 1914. When the street level was raised It
reported the wooden memorial was OBJ
liberated. The writer told Mr.. Stickney that
there seemed to be some mistake about this,
since, as the British did not march this way
1t would be hard to account for their being
in this vicinity and so far from their regi-
ments
IN the west side of Sixteenth street. and
- ~ on the hill about block to the south of
xba ha in tha