Evening star., 1936-06-28
Wakefield, Stratford and
Colonial Beach Trip
One of interest.
Journey, Requiring Three
Hours, Takes Motorists
Through Famed Area.
| Bv James Nevin Miller

white SAND? nail nCuf DO3C "Trip
where the breeze is cool and the seem
cry grand? Or would you prefer to
/ picnic in one of the prettieSt shady
groves imaginabl where there's plenty
| of spring water and any number OF
| large tables on which you can enjoy an
outdoor snack on the very estate
where the Father of Our Country was
born?
| II your interest is aroused by the
! thought of any or all of these diver
sions. then a circle tour to Wakefield,
/ Stratford Hall and Colonial Beach
! is suggested. 1t is a journey which
should appeal to the most diScriminat-
ing, requires q drive land ferry ride)
of only three hours at the outside
and involves as much variety as does
any motor trip around Washington
that covers no greater distance.
Wakefield Va, as any fairly bright
schoolboy can tell you, is the lovely
estate where both George Washing
ton and his father, John, were born.
1t is beautifully wooded, is now part
contains the tombs Of the early Wash
ingtons.
Stratford Hall only miles away.
was built 200 Years ago by Thomas
Lee, Colonial Governor of Virginia
and touches every generation of Amer
lean history 1t is the birthplace OF
several patriots OF the Revolution
Richard Henry Lee, Francis Light
foot Lee signers of the Declaration
Of Independence; William Lee and
Thomas LudWell Lee. 1t was the home
of George Washin2tons favor!te off,
Ger Light Horse Harry Lee, and
here in the year 1907 Gen. robert E
Lee was born.
AS for Colonial Beach, Va, locste
only SIS miles from Washington on the
Potomac, it seems to be q favorite rec
reation spot for District residents
Small wonder about that. With the
river at its front door, with oating
fishing and grabbing and lots of mo-
tor boats, Sailboats. canoes snd row.
boats available. the beach makes ar
excellent Summer resort. 1t is 10.
Gated on a slope with a fine view oi
the Potomac River stretching miles
across.
Eight o'clock is perhaps the best
time TO begin your motor journey
Starting at this time means you'll
reach Colonial Beach around noon
leisurely frolic in the surf. a briei
sun bath and a ride of only IL miles
and you should find yourself in the
delightful picnic grounds of Wake.
field before 2 o'clock.
OUT out the map on this page anc
you shouldn't have particle Of
trouble finding the pleasure place.
mentioned here. First. follow Penn.
sylvania avenue until you reach
Eleventh street southeast. Cross the
Anacostia bridge, turn left at the
first traffic light and you're on route
5. Stay on it until. just before you
reach Waldorf. you find yourself or
the intersection of routes and 3
Henceforth. continue on route 3. which
takes you straight through Waldorf
It's a village with q friendly atmos.
phere.
Virtually all the way the scenery
is nothing short of magnificent-thick
forests for the most part, intersperSeo
by segments of well-kept farmland
Sadly enough. here and there. spelling
the handsome green of the trees vot
see ugly patches of brown-dying tim.
Der caused by the recent depreda-
tions of the locusts.
Wildfiowers grow along the high
way. especially daisies. clover anc
tiny wild roses. But they are not a
whit lovelier than the milky white
squash blooms lin the vegetable gar.
dens) which are now in full flower
Larkspur is especially luxuriant
through here.
You can't be very far from the re-
sort sections. because every few sec.
onds passenger cars and trucks viii;
past you, carrying all kinds of boa tins
and fishing equipment. Other convey
ances are noted. transporting what you
suppose must be part of last years to.
bacco crop.
Just beyond Waldorf many new rec
brick, two-story residences are beins
built The road through here has g
fine tar surface with broad shoulders
recently added.
An occasional farmer in this section
raises sheep and every once in q while
you see so or more of them grazing in
q field. There are many antique shop!
along the roadside. Queen Anne's lact
is blooming in many places. It's thai
flower which many gardeners refer tt
AS a weed. Anyway, it grows severa
feet high, has a stately bearing anc
looks as pretty as its name suggests.
Speaking of weeds, 4. you fail tt
spot a single one in the scores of to-
bscco fields that dot the region. Ever
the tiniest farms and homes maintain
at least a small plot for the growing
of this crop, which has added so much
to the fame of Maryland.
WHILE passing through La Plata
! Ltlc ucAt NilIdSC, IL . WioS W ASSk
a sharp eye out for route 8. Otherwise
you're likely to take the wrong road
II you don't catch the route sign imme'
diately, then look for a marker direct
ing you to Morgantown and you simply
can't go wrong.
And now for a bit of history: One
mile north of Bel Alton, tiny hamlet
a road sign says: John Wilkes Booth
and his accomplice, Harold, hid in
thick woods on Samuel Cox's farm fol
several days before escaping to Vir-
ginia after Lincoln's assassination
April IA. 1865"
Henceforth it's well nigh impossible
to lose your way. Signs start to get
bigger and better. Pretty soon q par
ticularly large one says Morgantown Is
IL miles away. You're still on route 3
and you remain on it till you reach the
ferry.
Every couple of miles through here
the region is heavily forested. Al
though the highway is in good condi-
ton it's well to watch out for occa-