The Washington times., 1937-03-04
NOW
Plan to Restore
Annapolis
SPRING FEVER
BY HELEN EsSARY

Annapolis may soon be restored
to it's Colonial elegance and ap'
pearance.
A definite plan is under way to
do over the Maryland capital as
williamsburg was done over. And
cautiously and carefully bring back
its Eighteenth century look.
Before the Revolution, Annapolis
was gay and luxurious. The old
houses that still stand on the ro-
mantically named streets show by
their elegance the taste and habits
Of their famous owners.
The Maryland Garden Club will
give the proceeds of its spring tour,
April 30 to May 8, to the Annapolis
Restoration Fund. Governor Nice
who made over the Victorian Gov
ernor's Mansion into a Georgian
house, of the period of other
famous Annapolis mansions, is
pushing the plan.
The town still awaits, however,
the coming of a good financial
fairy with the sort of a wand Mr..
Rockefeller used in the restoration
Of Colonial Williamsburg.
The fever for restoration Is
spreading faster than the measles
over a country too long careless
Of it's beginnings st. Augustine,
Fla, is definitely on the way to
rejuvenation.
The city's Fountain of Youth,
discovered by the Spanish ex-
plorer, Ponce de Leon, is not the
means of this rejuvenation. A
very rich man whose name at
present is concealed has offered
enormous funds to do the work.
st. Augustine, the Oldest city
in the United States, is one of
the country'S most romantic cities.
Ponce de Leon, wandering through
Florida in 1918, stopped in what
is now the town. In 1865, many
Spaniards actually settled there.
A hundred years before the
Pilgrims landed, st. Augustine was
sacked and partially burned by
the same Sir Francis Drake who
destroyed the invincible Spanish
Armada.
San Marco, now Fort Marion.
is thrilling example of medieval
fortress. Like the Spanish Cath
edral, the Oldest house in Amer
lea, the mythical fountain, a real
museum and narrow streets over
hung by iron grilled balconies, it
is a fascinating reminder OF st.
Augustine's past.
Rejuvenation is a nice idea.
Consider it as you will And you
will consider it soon, because
spring is almost here.
But since we can't rejuvenate
sad old bodies as Ponce de Leon
hoped to, by all means let's take
cities back to their childhood
Here is delightful way for men
Of great wealth to avoid paying
taxes. Fortunes invested in re-
storing historical places are tax
exempt Spending ones money
thus, is more agreeable than sink
ing it into pernicious taxes.
Besides philanthropiStS are able
to feel pretty noble about them
selves almost all the time.
Speaking personally, this old
manse of ours needs a few restor-
ations by some kind philanthro-
pist.
It's superb examples of soil ero-
sion should delight Mr.. Wallace of
the Department of Agriculture.
Here, grass and floWerbedS rush
down terraces during every rain.
During a particularly hard storm
they can be seen hurrying along
Newark Street, and galloping into
Connecticut Avenue.
Also the cellar door, period Gro
yer Cleveland, has some rattly old
hinges that ought to be preserved
for posterity.
Garden Clubs and congenial
groups are tying up their interests
cleverly this spring. The Virginia
and Maryland garden clubs are so
organized that their tours will
not overlap.
The annual meeting Of the
American HORTICULTURAL Society is
set to take place in Washington
during the Alexandria Daffodil
Show.
And when will that be? When
ever the bulbs blossom. If March
continues in her lamblike way, daft
fodils will soon be popping up on
many bare flower beds.
On the subject of gardens again
-old-faShioned "pinkS" have
staged a comeback:
They are prettier and frillier
than when your great-grand-
mother clipped them for the after
noon tea table.
People like them better. too,
than they did during the Big
Boom Days. Sales have doubled in
the last four years.
A new variety of pink, Dictator"
It its name, is deep sunset color
and holds its head high. There
are also maroon and yellow pinks.
And a white one tipped in red
called "Dimity."
Good wives, I hear, lay a ma
Continued on Page 26, Col. 81
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