The Washington times., 1935-06-26
NOW
House of Beauty
And History
GUNSTON HALL
By HELEN ESSARY

house of wise counsel.
A house where George Wash
ington used to look in" for a
word of honest advice on the
conduct of the New Republic
or a grating of a lockwood bush
or a pear tree. Where Patrick
Henry went ito talk on the sub
ject of independence" Where
General Lafayette called, Just
after the battle of Yorktown, to
discuss the victories of the Con-
tinental forces.
Such Gunston Hall, on the
Potomac River, built in 1755 by
George Mason, the Virginia
philosopher and patriot and
author of the famous Bill Of
Rights, the forerunner of the
Declaration of independence.
One first glimpses its pillars
and welcoming portico through
the vista of a driveway bordered
by clipped lockwood.
OF red brick, nicely mellowed,
supported at the sides by stone
uuoinS, the house is low-lying,
agreeable structure. Four Chin
neys rise from its gambrel roof.
The grey stone steps are worn
by the feet of generations.
The instant the door is opened
one sees through the hall and
the wide rear opened door box
lined path, and catches quick
spicy scent. Although the his
toric rooms Of the mansion are
first to be admired, the garden
and its Elusive fragrance are
tempting.
It is not an imposing house,
GunSton Hall. 1t is dignified,
but small. Built of fine mate
rial and showing a careful re-
straint and simplicity of treat
ment. Not chillingly impressive,
but warm and hospitable.
It's super lockwood, 40 years
older than that of Mt. Vernon,
is probably the finest in Amer
lea. So massive are the bushes
that a man walking between
them is dwarfed by contrast.
Each room in the welcoming
old house is vivid with memories
of Colonial and Revolutionary
days. In the kitchen little Mary
Mason baked some cakes to help
celebrate the election of her
fathers friend, George Washing
ton, to the Virginia House Of
Delegates.
In the drawing room the chill
dren of the neighboring planters
used to assemble for dancing
school. The drawing room, in
appearance, is the most inter
esting room of the mansion. It's
walls are of plain pine board,
cut from trees on the estate.
When Mr.. and Mrs. Hertle be-
gan the work of restoration,
they had removed from the
walls seven layers of paper.
Now the pine, beautifully
grained and darkened by age, is
a rich background for the white
woodwork of doors and windows.
The doors are framed in CORN
THAN columns, an unusual treat
ment in Colonial houses. The
two Semicircular inches, with
delicately carved roken pilasterS,
are the earliest examples in this
country of open inches.
The adjoining drawing room
has woodwork patterned after
Chinese Chippendale.
The most fascinating room
historically is the study. Though
serene in mind, Colonel Mason
was troubled in body by govt
the curse of indulgent Colonials.
He spent many hours in his
study. Here he received visits
from soldiers and statesmen,
eager for the ideas of "the wis
est man in Virginia"
Beyond the portico at the rear
Of the house is the garden. At
the end of the sand-walked beds
of old-faShioned flowers is an
enchanting view of the country
beyond the hills and the Poto-
mac River, down which George
Washington used to come in his
eight-oared barge.
On the right and left of the
garden are woods where Wash
ington and Mason and other dis
tinguished ColonialS used to
hunt. It is recorded that
George Mason loaned General
Washington the hounds for one
October hunt. But mot trace
Of fox was SEEN"
In 1912, so years after Guns
ton Hall passed from the de.
Scendants of George Mason, Mr..
Hertle found the old house in a
condition of tragic neglect.
One colored family was living
in the room where the Bill Of
Rights was framed. Another
family crowded in the drawing
room where "PatScy" Gusts and
her pretty friends had curtSied
in the minuet. Upstairs in the
bedrooms, where Richard Henry
Lee, Patrick Henry, Lafayette
and jefferson had slept, two
woodcutters were camping.
When Mr.. Hertle was consid-
ering the place, a dairyman was
planning to clear out the box
wood, dig up the rose garden
from whose bushes Washington
had once grated Shoots of
PerSi and JeSSamine and Guilder
roses" and put in instead useful
stables and cowShedS