The Washington times., 1934-11-05

HOCKeIelieE Is #$*
showing spe-
cial interest Helen E..ary
in that tip of
southern Maryland where Leon
ard Calvert and his friends in
the Ark and Dove landed IN
1884.
Several years ago Mr.. Rookie
Teller considered the idea OF
restoring St. Marys City. His
engineers visited the town, or
what was left of it, and reported
unfavorably on the value OF
restoration. This, however, was
a. a time when the future OF
Williamsburg was vague.
Now, Williamsburg, remade is
q triumph of recreation. AS an
authentic Colonial capital it not
only preserves the life and his
tory of the Virginia colony, but
it is a great popular success.
The country is thrilled by Will
liamsburg. ThouandS and thou
ands of people go there.
Realizing this, Mr.. Rocketel-
Ter, so 1 understand from
Southern Marylander, is reviv-
ing his enthusiasm for the be-
ginnings of the Maryland col
ony. The first unit OF the
restoration, the court house, al
ready accomplished by the
State, is probably an inspiration
to Mr.. Rockefeller. st. MaryS
City was a small town. Its
restoration would not be a great
task-compared with the revlv-
ing of Williamsburg.
Mr.. Rockefeller, having paid
his recent visit to Williamsburg
much as the Genie Of Alladin's
Wonderful Lamp must have sur
veyed the Arabian city he
brought to life with a wish,
has ridden over the Skyline
Drive, in Shenandoah National
Park.
A thrilling experience for Mr..
Rockefeller, or anyone-travel-
ing over the marvellous road on
the crest of the Blue Ridge
Mountains. At an altitude in
some places of 1000 feet (about
eight times the heighth of the
Washington M on UNI e n to, the
magnificent trail winds around
peaks and beside deep ravlnes.
And yet gives a motorist the
same feeling of security as a
trip along Massachusetts, Ave
nue.. Greater security, in fact,
for one must drive slowly in
Skyland. And the traffic isn't
overpowering. Not yet.
Where views of the valley
and distant peaks are particu-
larry fine, the drive widens out
an additional so or a 100 feet.
Here one may park in safety
or walk about to enjoy spec
tacles of really staggering
beauty. All the turns IN the
road are banked and protected
on the outer side by rock walls.
If we're hateful and de-
termined to find fault in so
splendid a piece of engineering
I should say that the road is
so superbly graded and so COM
Portable that one sometimes
misses the sense of being on a
great height. There is no feel
ing of danger. No fear Of a
sudden drop of several thou
sand feet. If one likes that
kind of fear-try the old single
track road to Skyland!
I particularly enjoyed seeing
the groups of CCC boys work
ing beside the Skyline Drive.
A happy. healthy-looking crowd
they we're, waving cheerily at
passing motorists. (They prob
ably like their scenery to move
now and them
In all the Shenandoah Park
there are 1922 men in seven CCC
camps. These energetic fellows
carry on the program of road
side improvement and landScap'
ing. Watch for fires with GIN
let-eyed anxiety, and are gen.
orally helpful to visitors.
To return to Williamsburg for
a minute, Barbara Trigg Brown,
of Alexandria, who is an author
ity on the old Virginia capital,
has written and sold seven i'm
portant magazine articles on the
restoration!
Advice: Historical authorities
of Maryland! Get to work at
once on st. Mary's City before
that town has it's old face lifted
The beautiful marble sculp
ture La Sirene" in the lobby
of the Mayflower is surrounded
today by kettles of paint and
brushes and signs, Keep the
Surface Smooth"
Nothing to do with the charm
ing creatures complexion, my
dear. The National Paint, Var
nish and Lacquer Convention is
IA session.