The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-06-08

once ecnOeQ 10 CLle SOuOQ OF Small
shoes hidden beneath yards and
yards of hoped skirts, and young
men with black shiny hair will
look down at fireplaces where once
stood the gay blades Of 1850 with
their white powdered wigs, their
silk coats and white lace cuffs
and diamond.studded snuff boxes.
Luxurious automobiles will draw
up to the Peace Cross, where once
ships from Liverpool, laden with
goods for the American colonists,
dropped anchor in 40 feet Of water.
At Peace Cross
The shadows of the historic past
will move across the scene in a
tour Of historic points in old Blad-
ensburg arranged by the BladenS-
burg Historical Society, which will
begin from the Peace Cross to-
morrow at 2:30 p. m.
Long before BladenSburg was
formally created by an act of the
Maryland Legislature in 1742 and
given the name of Thomas Bladen,
proprietary governor of Maryland
then, the pioneer town was i'm
portant as a port.
It was situated at the head Of
river navigation and ships from
European ports sailed through the
Anacostia River to drop anchor at
BladenSburg, approximately at the
point where the Defense Highway
and the Baltimore-Washington
Boulevard now intersect.
Houses filled with historic in,
terest Of the pre-Revolutionary era
are still standing in Bladensburg
some Of them rapidly falling be,
fore the ravages of age and the
weather, while many of them are
remarkably well preserved.
In 1742, three decades before
the American colonists began
dumping British tea into the
ocean, Bladensburg was already a
thriving town.
Before it was formally created
and given It's present name, it
was known as Garrison's Landing,
a place where foreign ships
brought supplies for the colonists
in the South.
At that time, it was surveyed
and laid out in so one-acre lots
which were bought from Miss
Eugenia Calvert. proprietress of
the land and a descendant of the
Lords Baltimore.
Dueling Ground
In its historical background,
Bladensburg is chiefly known as
the site of the famous dueling
ground where Commodore Stephen
Decatur and James Barron and
other famous men of the time
settled their disputes, real or
imaginary, with pistols.
In the War of 1912, the town
was the site Of the Battle of
Bladensburg, where American sol
diers gave their lives in the Sec
ond great war with England.
No house in Bladensburg can
boast Of beng more historic than
Ross House, built by DR.. David
Ross in 1749, where the British
troops made their headquarters
during the Battle of Bladensburg
August "a, 1914. The house was
used after the battle as a hospital
for both British and American
soldiers, and it is said by gray
old women to their awe-stricken
grandchildren that many soldiers
who died there were buried in the
backyard.
Bladensburg is famous as the
birthplace of William Writ,
Attorney General under Presi,
dents Madison and jefferson and
also counsel for the Government
in the prosecution of Aaron Burr.
The village is famous as the
stopping place of General Wash
ington on many of his trips from
Mt. Vernon to Annapolis, Phila-
delphia and New York, and as
the home Of Benjamin Stoddert,
first Secretary Of the Navy, and
of Bishop William Pickney.
In the old Colonial days, as
our history books bear witness,
the roadside tavern played an
important role in the life Of its
citizens. There were at least
three well-known taverns, or inns,
as they we're called, in Bladens-
burg. There were the George
Washington Tavern, the Writ
House and the Palo Alto Tavern.
Old TavernS
The Writ House, which was
owned by the father Of William
Writ, has long since disappeared.
where or how is not known, but
the Palo Alto, which was built
as early as 1884, still stands,
although it has been rebuilt.
OF the three, however, the
George washington Tavern alone
stands as it was first built in
1882. During its 200-year exist
ence, it has always been used
as a tavern and it is still used
to accommodate guests.
The old swinging sign bear
ing George Washington's picture,
which hung in front OF the door
for almost 200 years, fell to
pieces about Is years ago.
1t was at this inn that George
Washington and Patrick Henry,
who said Give me liberty or give