The Washington times., 1934-12-01
JOHN D. MAY
HELP RESTORE
ST.MARY'S
Continued from Page -


caused the Calverts much trouble.
The first three sessions Of the
Maryland General Assembly were
held there.
Naturally, william Smiths
Town House will come to life
quickly. The Town House was
once under the same roof as the
first building where the provin-
cial meetings Of the General AS
sembly were held. When the
first State House was erected in
1915, the neighborly relationship
OF taproom and law-maker was
interrupted.
The first Church Of England
would L9 rebuilt on the shores of
Trinity Creek. OF frame, it
would have the same fine ceiling
that was the model for the cell
ing OF the first State House and
Tor other colonial churches. The
original burial ground with the
graves OF many of the first col
on1StS remains as it was in the
early life Of the province.
The Jail that soundly disci.
plined offenders; the Coffee
House; the home of Mistress
Mary Troughton, the friend Of
Margaret Brent, Maryland's first
suftragist, and Smiths Forge will
tell a vivid story of the early
town life. Among the homes to
be restored will be those once oc.
cupled by William Digges, Rob-
ert Ridgely, Philip Lyles, Daniel
Jen1ter and Nathaniel Pope.
IL Is fascinating to imagine Saint
Mary's as 1t will look after Mr..
Rockefeller has set his men to
work. The method of restoration
the same used in Williamsburg
will continue the method begun
by Marylanders in the first work
on Saint Mary's City.
Can Verify Records
In all restorations, so I under.
stand, one begins as Egyptol.
Ogists begin their excavations Of
ancient tombs-with a pick and
shovel. When piles of dirt and
refuse are removed, foundations of
old buildings are revealed. The
antiquarian has an opportunity
Immediately before him to verify
records and traditions. The archi-
tect may begin at once to work his
magic.
In Williamsburg, when the work
OF restoration was undertaken, q
few OF the original buildings were
standing. Some of these were in
fair condition. Some were crum-
bling. Most of the buildings that
make the Williamsburg of today
were restored on nothing more
tangible than phrases in old let
ters and casual references in maps
and faded wills.
In many cases no foundations
Of the original Williamsburg
houses remained to direct the res
storation. When the foundations
were there, the work, though so
painStakingly slow as to over
whelm the average enthusiast, was
comparatively simple for antigua
rians and architects. Pieces of
brick, bits of tile, slivers of plaster
dug from trash heaps or grass
grown cellars or even intangible
memories of the house that stood
across from where your Aunt
Maria lived when she was girl"
were splendid assets.
In Saint Mary's City there is
now no building reminiscent Of the
first town except the State House.
Foundations Found
However, under brush heaps and
piles Of earth, many foundations
have been discovered. Old bricks
and tiles, such as guided Williams
burg, prove that the tradition Of
the community about the original
appearance Of the houses is cor
rect.
With such information as he
has seen revealed among the ruins
to verify family records and tradi-
ton, j. Spence Howard has made
q remarkable map o. Saint Mary's
City as it was in its early days.
II Saint Mary's had not been
80 completely deserted in 1895
when the capital of the State was
moved to the more central location
at Annapolis, the work of restora-
ton would have been simpler but
far less amusing. Even though the
original houses have disappeared,
many points are certain.
There is no doubt about the gen.
era1 type Of building. Most of the
houses were "half-frame," of the
same variety and construction as
English cottages of the early Sev-
enteenth century. The bricks al
ready uncovered are of native con.
struction. The story that early
American houses were made of
brick transported from England
Is pure fable, but an easily under
stood fable.
Shipment Impossible
In the early days, bricks were
made in two molds-EngliSh and
Dutch. Most of the brick of the
period was formed in an English
mold. The idea grew that English
brick had been carried across the
ocean to the new country. Frail
little boats Of the day, such as
the Ark and the Dove, in which
the Maryland colonistS risked their
lives in hopes Of fortune, would
have been sunk by such heavy
cargoeS.
Most of Saint Mary's brick was
made IN the Dutch mold-large in