Evening star., 1932-08-14
HISTORIC PLACES
FOUND IN VIRGINIA
Romantic Old Dominion Pro-
vides Mecca for Sight
seeing Motorists.
BY ERNEST n. SMITH,
Executive Vice President American
Automobi!e Assertion.


cident of past history and upon each
hallowed spot the very essence of low
ing contemplation and pride.
1t was my error, however, on one
occasion to place an F. F. V. alongside
a somewhat cynical New York stock
broker. who listened skeptically to the
tales that unWound increasingly about
Virginia and her first families. We
stopped in a village to await the turn
ing Of the one traffic light. My New
York friend laid his hand upon the F.
F. VS. arm, stopped the flow of CONVEX
cation by pointing to a Chinese laundry
nearby which Haunted the sign Wong
Lee" and inquired, languidy:
"One of the Lees of Virginia, 1 pre-
sume?"
But no one knew better how to live
than the Lees Of Virginia. unless it
! would be the WaShingtCns, the BvrGs,
the MadisonS. the Masons, the JcfIer-
sons. the Marshalls, the MonrOes, tie
Maurys, the Jacksons, the Randolph
families, who set standards Of hospi-
tality that remain an attribute of Vlr-
ginia today-familieS whose leadership
and wisdom and patriotism bore fruit
in the great Nation which exists for us
now, and. we hope, forever.
All me! Here 1 am falling into the
very methods of Virginians themselves
and talking family. What I meant to
say was that the original homes OF
many Of these families are preserved
today and available for inspection at
sufficient intervals.
Many HaIIowed Spots.
Nowhere else than in Virginia may
one visit SO many hallowed spots, stand
upon the very ground where great his
tory was enacted. and visit the homes
of really great men and women.
In this State the Revolutionary and
the Civil wars were ended, and York
town and ApponattoX are scarcely three
hours apart as the car flies along.
VerranZo, the Florentine sailor, landed
on its Eastern Shore in 1924. Along
the same coast Capt. Kidd landed in
1899.
Just to the north of this spot Black
beard the Pirate was born, while just
across the peninsula, less than SO miles
away, Francis Mackenzie in 1884 founded
Presbyterianism in America.
Henry Hudson explored Chesapeake
Bay in 1903 John Smith founded
jamestown in 1907 Seven Presidents
of the United States we're born within
its borders.
Lewis and Clark, the pioneer explor-
ers. were Virginians. Sam Houston, the
noted Indian fighter, was born within
its borders. Gibbs invented the sewing
machine in Virginia, as did Mccormick
the reaper.
On its waters came the first demon
Stration of the supremacy of ironCladS.
Aaron Burr was tried for treason and
Bishop Francis ASbury founded the
CL1vol1 re
borders
Abraham Lincoln's grandfather lived
in the Shenandoah Valley, and Daniel
Boone lived with him as boy.
All Virginians.
John Marshall, our great chief JUS
tice; EDGAR Allan Poe, still one Of the
poets of the world; Walter Reed, the
healer of disease; Robert E. Lee, the
soldier; Woodrow Wilson, the interna-
tionalist; George Washington, first citi-
zen-are all Virginians.
A hostile British fleet fought its way
UP the Potomac. On these same waters
Prof Langley experimented with his
heavier-than- flying machine in 1896.
Nearby and years before balloons were
first successfully used in war.
The bloodiest battlehelds the world
IldO ever kHONu uIllll Tic WOIlI w Wdl
are to be found within its borders. The
first customs house was established upon
the York River It's cities in battle were
taken as high as 70 times.
But Virginia never labored for itself
alone. George Rogers Clark and his
recruited militia drove the British
from the Mississippi Valley, only to
have his native State surrender it vol
unfairly to the Confederation, thus win
ming Maryland's support and preventing
the collapse of the Revolution.
Thomas Jefferson forced through the
Louisiana Purchase. and Lewis and
Clark placed our flag on the shores OF
oregon and expanded our domain to
the Pacific And Gems. Scott and Tay-
lor won great victories in the Mexican
War
Then came the war Of the sections,
with Bull Run and Fredericksburg, and
Spotsylvania and Charlottesville, and
Gems Lee and Stonewall jackson fought
the losing fight with glory and left to
themselves and their associates i'm
perishable fame.
Have l whetted your historical appe-
tite? Then HE yourself TO Virginia
during these gorgeous days; see it all
for yourself. Revel in beautiful gar
dens. in the hazy fastness Of the Blue
Ridge. jaunt leisurely across the Pied
mont region, where Lady Nancy Astor
was born, and come slowly up the Tide
water region. You can co it all in five
days if you wish, and I will lay out the
trip for you.
Start at Washington.
Start at washington and go due west
through the Loudoun Valley, thence
over the Blue Ridge via Smokers Gap,
where Col Mosby used to hide with his
cavalry and haraSs the Federal troop.
/ Cross the Shenandoah River and swing
into winchester.
Thence turn south Down the Shenan-
dcah Valley and visit the Shenandoah,
Endlecs or Grand caveras. Spend your
first night at Harrisonburg or Staunton,
the latter the birthplace of Woodrow
Wilson.
! Then turn east again over the noun
! tains and spend the next night at
| Charlottesville, for you must visit the
| University of Virginia, and ride to the
top of the hill and visit one of Ameri-
cas- shrines-Monticello the home of
Thomas jefferson. Near at hand also
is Ash Lawn, the home of James
Monroe.
Double back from Charlottesville and
go south to Lynchburg, one OF the
| largest tobacco markets in the world;
| thence turn east again and visit the
battlefield of AppomattoX, where Gen.
Lee surrendered Continue on through
this section, still going east, until you
reach Richmond, wheTe the third night
will be spent.
Spend a day here if you can, but if
not that at least a morning visiting St
Johns Church, where Patrick Henry
made his famous Give me liberty or
give me death" sp- ,ch; the Virginia
Historical Museum --hich was once the
home of Robert E ZEE, and Chief Jus-