Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-11-15
Andalusia, Along Potomac,
Has Charm of Old Virginia
Mr.. and Mrs. Aldrich Dudley Haze Been
Oun Architects and Landscape Gar
deners il, Restoring Estate.
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

- REAT clumps of ancient box,
as verdant as If Spring were
at its height, hug q low red
~ brick terrace beyond which
rises a rambling frame house, not
strictly Colonial in its aspect. yet q
veritable Joy spot Of harmony in con-
nection with a background that was
once an integral part Of George
Washington's river farm" holdings
beyond historic Mount Vernon.
Here, one magic afternoon last
week, an Indian Summer sun shone
In warm, drowsy effulgence upon
Andalusia, the home, and its sur
rounding acreage. that Mr.. and Mrs.
Aldrich Dudley, through their imag-
ination and vision, have simply, yet
most satisfyingly, re-created in SYM
pathy and understanding with that
domain Of which it was once q part
when George Washington, as its gen.
tleman farmer-owner, rode over 1t to
see how his crops Jared.
All about us, broken only by the
sound of our own voices, the occa-
sional plop of a falling acorn or the
scurry Of squirrels scampering across
its greensward, patterned by leaves
slowly swirling downward from CEN
tury-old oaks, was that peculiar Au-
tumn stiffness which always seems q
part Of its departing glory just before
Winter comes. Before us were the
unruffied waters of broad reach Of
Gen. Washington's beloved Potomac
curving out from the shore line Of
Andalusia, as II 1t were q friendly,
encompassing arm.
Capitol Dome Visible.
Through the purplish Autumn haze
could be glimpsed in mirror-like vista
the Capitol's dome and the shining
obelisk Of the Monument that hon.
ors Washington. Immediately in
front of us a sailboat seemed mo-
tionless in silhouette against the
horizon, its sails full-spread. With
long, slow strokes colored man in
rowboat was making his way
toward the opposite shore and its
landing. Almost ones fancy called
forth visions of friendly Indians
fishing along the banks of this same
Potomac, or of chieftains in cere-
monial regalia being transported in
canoes toward their council meetings
In nearby Georgetown long before
our First President had looked upon
this scene from Mount Vernon.
The joy Of Andalusia Is. of course,
in its particular setting, but beyond
this, 1t affects one as being possible
thing you, too, might have had the
Joy Of recreating had you been
vouchsafed the opportunity and the
vision. 1t isn't in any sense a big
estate. Its comforting, adequate SIM
plicity keyed In tune to the traditions
of this Virginia countryside on the
banks Of the Potomac. appeals to you
as something that would not require
an elaborate menage to keep 1t in
functioning as hospitahle hearth
side around which ones good friends
might gather. Perhaps this comes
about from the fact that Andalusia
during the regime of its present own
ers hasn't sprung up complete from
the hands Of architects and builders,
but like Topsyhas has lust growed."
. bit here and a. bit there. Today its
transformed aspect from the very
usual type Of house which its owners
found there when they purchased it
several years ago, make it seem truly
a harmonious part of its setting Of
ancient box and trees that must have
been q part Of some forest primeval
hat iv, -
OF George Washington's river farm"
holdings.
Annexed" by Estate.
The Dudleys hadn't expected to be
the possessors Of Andalusia. 50 they
purchased nearby river front site
upon which they intended to build a
house to suit their needs shortly after
coming to this section of Virginia from
their Middleburg home. planned and
furnished for them as a wedding gift
nearly quarter of century ago.
Meantime" Mrs. Dudley will tell
you, "Andalusia, described in a PAM
phlet, entitled Some Old Historic
Landmarks of Virginia and Maryland
by its owner, William H. Snowden, as
q gem in its setting Of river and cool
empowering trees that ever gives
glimpses Of hidden beauties to be re-
membered and cherished wove its
spell about us. Consequently, when
1t was placed upon the market after
his passing, we found ourselves its
owners or perhaps we ought to say, 1t
had annexed U.S."
Its name Andalusia, Mrs. Dudley
adds, I'VE retained because we knew
that 1t typified to Mr.. Snowden his
dreams come true in regard to his
ownership Of it as well as the inter-
twining with memories of q cherished
trip to Spain made just before his
discovery Of 1t in the course Of certain
horseback rides to Mount Vernon"
Have Been Own Architects.
The Dudleys have been their own
architects and landscape gardeners,
keeping always to broad, general prin-
ciples and being ever mindful that a
thing of beauty Is Joy forever in every
generation, II freed from useless and
unnecessary excrescensces. Several
cramped lower-fioor rooms have been
expanded into two spacious. gracious
ones whose picture" windows have
been so enlarged that one has the
sense Of being set free in ones environ
ment to look ones I'LL unhampered
at river vista, garden, or woodland
scene. A screened porch opens out
from one Of these rooms in such FASH
ion as to seem only continuing part
Of the whole ground floor where II one
elects, 1t is possible to get Just little
nearer the out Of doors.
Within the middle Of the circular
drive by which you approach the
house, holly tree with q 35-foot
span, berries already thick upon 1t,
stands. a successfully transplanted
monarch from the nearby woods.
Twin holly specimens Of only slightly
less girth flank either side OF the
uncovered red brick terrace upon
which the broad front door OF the
hoy,,a ox,ens