The Washington times., 1934-08-18
.thout Americas

woods tn at Helen Essary
are the re-
sorts particular charm is due
entirely to the foresight of
Irenee du Pont. An agreeable
Nature put the big trees on the
waters edge two or three hun
dred years ago. But 1renee du
Pont preserved them for the
pleasure of the community.
This Is how he managed.
Collecting a group of influ-
entail guests at a house party
in his home here, he announced
that he owned a large tract
Of wooded land, some of which
he was prepared to sell at
$1,000 an acre to his guests,
providing the new owners
would guarantee not to cut
down the trees except when
absolutely necessary for the
laying out of driveways and
houses.
The guests accepted the Of
fer enthusiastically. Today the
land is worth much more than
its purchase price. In the deep
woods are fine estates. Where
the woods meet the roadWayS
are smaller but equally delight
full cottages. And the character
of the resort is definitely estab-
ished.
Most of the important Reno
both houses belong to the du
Ponts-this term designates the
children and family connections
generally-or to the families OF
Wilmington people important to
the clans vast enterprises.
The Irenee du Pont cottage
would be one of the show places
of the resort if it were not con-
cealed in the woods. The lake
in the center of the Rehoboth
(some people call it du Pont
Pond and others mention it as
Green Lake, which separates
the homes of the Irenee du
Points, the Walter Lairds, the
Philip Lairds and other large
cottages from the highway
would still be a marsh had not
Mrs. Irenee du Pont decided one
day she wanted the marsh
changed into lake. And presto
it was lake!
Mrs. William A. du Pont (the
widow of one of the three
brothers, William, Irenee and
Lammont) returned to Whining
ton yesterday. With Mrs. Town
send she had been visiting her
daughter, Mrs. J. Simpson
Dean. Mrs. du Pont is a brilliant
woman. Her daughter, Polly
Dean, is beautiful and charm
ing person.
Mrs. Dean lives in Whining
ton in Nemours, the house built
in 1902, by one of the first du
Points in this country. Alfred
7. du Pont, cousin of Mrs. Dean,
has a more recent estate, done
in the French manner with art
treasures brought from all parts
of the world. which she also has
named Nemours.
The original NemourS is near
the du Pont powder mills. When
1t was built the State law in
sisted that the owner of a pow
der mill should live as close to
the mills as any of his employees.
This rule was felt necessary to
Encourage the owner to be par
ticularly careful of the safety of
his employees. If the owner
knew he was in danger of being
blown up by unnecessary explo-
sion, he would be anxious about
the prospects of his nearby
workmen.
In the old days, frequent ex-
plosions broke the windows and
looSened the ceilings of the first
NemourS. At last the owners
decided to use wooden ceilings.
They would be more permanent
than plaster.
Today decorators and anti
quarians inspecting the house
marvel at the presence of wooden
ceilings in house of the
period. And are told they are
not remarkable, but began as a
practical measure to keep the
plaster out of the family'S
hair"
But back to Rehoboth-
The August HeckscherS from
Philadelphia are visiting the Aus
trian Minister and Madame
Prochnik. This was their first
visit to Rehoboth. Mrs. Walter
Laird and her lovely sister, Mrs.
James Chappell, of Birmingham,
who is Mrs. Laird's guest for
the summer, asked a few guests
in for cocktails to meet Mr.. and
Mrs. Heckscher. Valerie Proch-
mix is back at the beach from a
visit to the AdirondackS.
Mrs. Ernest N. May and her
children are now occupying the
cottage of her father, Irenee du
(Continued on Page IL, Col. 2,
Money For ]