Evening star., 1937-01-31
By John ClageH Proctor.

dLUcIluulk GIlC OA q
II new motion picture house in
L y Brightwood as a guest, and
was waiting for the exercises to COM
mence. his mind wandered back to
the pioneer days of this territory, not
only as he knew it personally to be for
more than half a century, but as he
learned 1t was even before his time
from persons many years his senior
and before it was given the name
"Brightwood" and was called Crystal
Spring, from a very large spring which
flowed for many years close to the
street car loop at Kennedy and Four
teenth streets. There were other
springs in this vicinity, and on Colo
RADIO avenue, little south of Kennedy
street, stood the old Brightwood race
track, conducted from 1863 to 1880 by
Frederick G. Rohr, and little to the
north. in brick building still stand
ing, resided as early as 1866 Stephen
Yost.
The history of Brightwood as such
runs back to Civil War days. prior to
which it was, as stated, known as
Crystal Spring. an early popular pic
mic place. especially in the vicinity Of
the old abandoned reservoir. near Six
teenth and Kennedy streets, which
dates from about 1900.
The name "Brightwood," as given to
this locality, according to one author
ity. was the joint creation of Archibald
White and Lewis Brunett before the
war" Civil War;. But the earliest
use of the name the writer has been
able to find is contained in an item in
The Star of November Is, 1861, in
which it is stated that Peter Martin
Of Company B, 36th New York Volun-
teers, died at Camp Brightwood." "
However, the earlier name did not die
out for some time afterward, for in
1854. when the 9Th Army Corps was
racing to the protection of Washing
ton. we find a contingent encamping
at Crystal Spring
There was probably but one colonial
road that passed through what may
be termed the center of Brightwood,
and that was the Milk House Ford
road. which crossed Georgia avenue
where is the Masonic Hall, and the
course of which may still be traced
from the north of Georgetown to
Bladensburg. Military road came into
existence during the Civil War.
WHAT is now Georgia avenue did
not come into existence until
subsequent to February IS, 1919, when
authority was given Maryland COM
pany by Congress to build a turnpike
along this course to the District line,
and which, when completed, was
known as the road to Rockville. Later
1t was generally called the Seventh
street turnpike and still later Seventh
street road, Brightwood avenue and
finally its present name. In 1871 1t
was bought by the District govern
inent and in few years the old toll
gate was done away with.
Brightwood is not a subdivision. and
Its boundaries are not easily deter
mined. AS late as 1876 we find the
press referring to points as far south
as Winebergers home. at about Geor-
Gia avenue and Rock Creek Church
road, as being in Brightwood, and the
railroad station of the Metropolitan
branch Of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail-
road called by this name, was at a
point near where the Piney Branch
road crosses to Blair road, now in
Takoma Park. In the early days mail
addressed to persons residing as far
north as Silver Spring, was addressed
to Brightwood, and its approximate
eastern and western boundaries were
Blair road and Rock Greek, and such
patents, or parts Of patents, as Peters
Mill Seat" Girls Portion" Turkey
Thicket" and Whites Discovery" may
be included in this well-known terri
tory.
So far as known the first settler
Of this location was James White,
and his coming must have been a
long way back. since his grave in Rock
Creek Cemetery Is marked with a
stone on which the date of his death
Is given as 1901, and at which time
he was s6 years of age, His wife.
Eleanor White, who lies close by, died
in 1795. in her 80th year. They had
evidently lived in welded bliss, since
the tombstone states they had been
married for so years.
THE father Of James White was
Robert White, who early settled
in Anne Arundel County. Nd, and
married there Ann, daughter Of Ed
ward Burgess. His son James. be-
fore mentioned, was the father of
Zachariah White, who, in turn, was
the father OF Capt. James White and
Of Eleanor, who married Rev. John
Breckenridge, whose heirs sold Hare
wood to w. w. Corcoran In 1872, and
transferred this tract Of land, con-
sisting of 191 acres, to the Soldiers
Home interests. Eleanor Bracken-
ridge was not the daughter Of Capt.
James White, as formerly stated, but
his sister, as here given.
Capt. James White was the father
Of Archibald White, and his issue still
occupies the old White homestead In
Brightwood-surely one of the Oldest
residences standing in this part of
the District of Columbia. In Rock
Greek Cemetery are buried James
White (died 1s01); his grandson,
Capt. James White, and the latter's
son, Archibald White. whose daugh-
ter. Miss Ida M. White, the writer
saw at the motion picture house OPEN
ing before referred to, and truly one
Of the most representative residents
Of the pioneers of this part of the
country, and yet few knew Of her early
neighborhood background.
THE site of the old White Manor
house, which stands on . high
embankment on the north" side Of