The Washington times., 1936-06-06
Virginia s Peninsula Shore Offers
District Motorists Ideal Outing
VisitScenes
Interest

L
chooses the route from the
Capital to Norfolk on this or
any of the other week-ends
that the ideal late spring
offers.
Not that the opportunity
has not lain dormant for SINH
lar weeks and seasons, but
rather because the June days
this year seem to lend them
selves appropriately to the en-
joyment Of Virginia's peninsula.
The first settlement Of the Eng
liSh immigrants, the site where
CORVALLIS army met defeat at
the hands Of the combined French
and American forces, the first
lighthouse. the oldest customs
house on Americas shores,
the old debtors prison, Williams"
burg-the Oldest incorporated city
in America-these and a score Of
other localities beckon the motor
tourist who has at his disposal a
day or two for inspection of the
scenes where the foundation Of
American development were
welded.
An excellent highway leads the
Washingtonian over Route / to
Fredericksburg. There he will be
directed by the ParSon WeemS
legend to Ferry Farm, where the
cherry tree of story book fame was
reported to have been cut down.
A left turn on Route IT, how
ever, transports the traveller to
trails of the war between the
States-to the Rappahannock and
over the new roads which lead to
Tappahannock, Saluda, Gloucester,
Gloucester Point and the ferry at
Yorktown, where 200 years are
wiped away to bring the Revolu-
ton into focus.
Fredericksburg
But we're anticipating our
story. Let's retrace our steps
to Fredericksburg, where our
speedometer registered SO miles
from Washington.
Recognized as the most histori-
cal city of its size in the country,
Fredericksburg was first settled
by the construction Of fort in
1875. The construction Of the
first fully equipped iron furnace
in the colonies, some 10 miles
west Of the city, by Governor Al
exander Spotswood brought about
it's present name 10 years later.
Home of the washington fam
lily and location Of James Mon
roe's first law offices, Fredericks-
burg developed into an important
port-of-call for English trading
vessels.
Scene Of some Of the bloodiest
battles of the Civil War, the town
was practically desolate by 1864
when dead and wounded lined
the streets.
More than $4,000 Union dead
and wounded were the casualties
Of the Battle of Fredericksburg
in 1862, while the Confederates
counted 5000, as a Federal force
Of 10000 men under General
Burnside battled $4,000 troops
from below the MaSon-Dixon line.
The flags of the Confederacy
and the G. A. r. still wave over
the graves Of other patriots who
fell at Charlottesville, the Wilder
ness and Spotsylvania courthouse
nearby.
st. Georges Church, where the
Rev. Patrick Henry, uncle Of the
oratorical statesman, held forth,
attracts many travellers to
Princess Anne and George Streets.
At Charles and Commerce Streets
was located the old slave block,
while the "horSe chestnut tree"
planted by George Washington
still stands between Charles and
Prince Edward Streets, on Eau
quier.
Memorials
Betty Washington Lewis, sister
Of George Washington, once lived
at Kenmore" at Lewis Street
and Washington Avenue and the
memorial to George Rogers Clark
stands in the same vicinity.
At Charles and Lewis Streets is
the home Of Mary washington,
bought by George washington for
his mother in 1772. Among the
one-time visitors were included
Lafayette and Rochambeau dur
ing the Revolutionary campaigns.
Scenes of the heaviest fighting
Of the Battle of Fredericksburg
are marked at Marye's Heights
and the Sunken Road, where on
Highway No. /, $4,000 graves mark
the last resting places Of Northern
and Southern boys.
Founded in 1891, yorktown
really had its beginning over a
half century before when Capt.
Nicholas Martiau received a pat
ent for 1900 acres Of land in the
new country.
CORVALLIS army was bottled up
here by French and American
troops in 1871, and it was in 1914
that the town was the target of
bombardment by the British fleet.
Again Yorktown became the OBJ
jective Of military offensive when
in 1862 General Mcclellan landed
his men at Fortress Monroe and
launched the Peninsula Cam