Evening star., 1932-02-14

In more recent years it became BrightwOod
avenue and no doubt would have remained as
such had Congress not ignored the wish OF the
people and decided otherwise. From the Dis
trict line this popular connecting link with the
North becomes the Washington and BrOokville
turnpike but before reaching Brookville, where
it terminates it is intersected by number OF
delightful reads which lead to Rockville, Balti-
more and points North and West.
It is not one of the early roads found here
in 1900 when Congress and the Government
departments moved to the Capital City. Some
time between 1908 and 1910 its construction
was authorized. but the Columbia Turnpike
Co., chartered to build this and other roads,
delayed beginning the work. and the project
was finally taken up by the Washington &
Rockville Turnpike Co. Of which Benjamin
Ogle Tayloe was president and John Carroll
Brent, secretary. Mr.. Brent was later the frst
secretary of the Association Of Oldest Inhabi-
tants.
sessford, in his Annals" for the year 1922,
SAYS: The Turnpike road leading from Sev-
enth street to Rockville has already become
of great utility to this ward and the city gen.
orally and from this statement 1t might well
be assumed that 1t was a new road at that
date. but u was certainly not completed to
Rockville until 1929, when toll gates were
erected. 1t must have been . mud hole in wet
weather and extremely dusty when it was dry,
for it remained unmproved for many years.
A BOUT 1850 the Maryland portion was i'm
u proved with . plank road, and in 1852
tho District part was covered with hemlock
planks three to four inches thick, with width
of eight feet. Just what two teams did when
they met can only be Surmised Undoubtedly
some one had to step aside IN the mud
It was a narrow road even within the MEM
oly of many and has been widened at least
twice within the last 80 years.
As might be expected, the plank road did
not last long, and for that reason it remained
in bad shape for long while. until graded
and macadamiZed by the Board Of Public
Works during Gov. Shepherds administration.
and it so happened to be one Of those improve
ments which were questioned by the committee
which. tried to find something wrong with
everything that Mr.. Shepherd did. However,
in its improved condition It made fine road
for driving and in later years, when bicycling
became a craze, it was much used by enthusi-
astic wheelmen
As the writer first recalls this road, it was
similar to any other country road around
Washington lined with overhanging trees OF
various native species, and with holes IN 1t
large enough to make a driver stop every once
in awhile in order not to break wagon spring.
Occasionally there was a spring to the side Of
the road, around which half barrel had been
placed and a cocoanut dipper rusty tin
can with which the weary traveller on warm
Summers day refreshed himself with genuine
aqua pura.
One of these natural fountains-known as
James Whites spring-the writer still recalls
in particular, since it was the most copious,
so far as he knows, along this pike. Inciden-
tally it now empties into a sewer, though
few of the trees which once surrounded 1t are
still standing, recognized only by a few whose
memories wander back into the distant past,
and in their minds eye they can see this old
road in all its rustic beauty as 1t appeared to
them in their childhood days.
= EORGIA AVENUE up 10 the period of the
~ Civil War was practically nothing but
farm land Between 1859 and 1850 but few