Evening star., 1937-07-11
By John Clagen Proctor.

Back turn backward oh time in youl
flight,
Make me a child again Just for
tonight.
Mother. come back from the echo.
less shore.
Take me again to your heart as OF
yore."
INDEED there is nothing more
precious to us than recollections
of our childhood days, and Of the
L many pleasant happenings OF
that period, and as we look backward
and dream OF the past, we can find
nothing in our memory that charms
us more than the picnics and excur-
sions we attended when we were
young and carefree. and had no idea
of the problems awaiting us in the
days to come.
Today it would be hard to find the
picnic places of so years ago around
Washington, for they afe all now
covered with residences. Littles
woods, an attractive picnic place in
its day, bordered Columbia road to
the east and Rock Greek to the west.
Its southern boundary was about
Nineteenth street, and it extended as
far north as Adams Mill road. This
was an ideal place for its purposes,
having many primeval trees and the
creek, where the boys could go
swimming.
An account, dated 1867. or 10 years
ago, tells us that in Rock Greek
Valley could then be found several
varieties of trees, including the oak,
the birch, locust, mulberry, hickory
sassafras. persimmon. dogwood and
pine, with a great many shrubs and
vines, ''creepers, growing, climbing
and trailing throughout the woods.
1t was real country at this time, and
some of the land could have been
bought for as low as $50 an acre, and
the highest price was placed at $1,000
an acre. The Little farm was Joined
on the north by the property of Mrs
large tract of land belonging to the
heirs of j. Corcoran. Columbia road
was then known as Taylors Lane road
Except in that part of the Little
farnl-a part of which also extended
as far east as Champlain avenue
now part of the Rock Creek Park
system, all the beautiful trees have
blance of the once picturesque place
where we spent so many happy hours
swinging in the grapevine swing and
enjoying other invigorating harmless
sports can be found to gladden. our
eyes and point out to us the dense
wooded playground we loved to fire.
quent in those good old days of yore.
A MOTHER place We would 60 in
the great four and six horse
omnibuses was Berrys woods, which
lay between Lincoln avenue and the
old Bladensburg road and not far
from Glenwood Cemetery. This farm
was the homestead of Washington
Berry. and was once urged as suit
able place for the White House. 1t
contained about $50 acres and could
have been bought so or 10 years age
for $500 an acre.
When the subject of securing a new
location for the White House was un-
der discussion, shortly after the close
of the Civil War, the Berry property
then called Metropolis View, was de-
scribed as follows:
metropolis View is beautifully sit
uated, having high and command
ing position; it is partially covered
with groves of fine old trees, deciduous
and evergreens and possessed of an
abundance of timber. A fine spring
rises in the place, and two small
streams, tributaries of the Tiber,
course through it. In nearly every
direction the eye meets with charming
landscape scenes and it overlooks the
Capital and the broad valley of the
Potomac. This locality possesses many
attractions, and is susceptible of great
Improvement 1t is easy of access by
some Of the finest avenues and streets
leading out of the city, and is at a
very convenient distance from the
most prominent public buildings.
lexington is delightful place
but it is not sufficiently high to afford
any extensive views. 1t should, how
ever, be purchased in addition to the
Berry estate, should Metropolis View
be selected as the lite. The two tracts
of land united would furnish ample
grounds to surround the mansion, and
also open fine park to connect with
the city on the direct line with the
Capitol"
FCKINGTON, here referred to, was
called Gales Woods in our youth
ful days, having once been the country
home of Joseph Gales, jr., one of the
editors of the National -ntelligencer.
The old mansion house was built in
1880, prior to which Mr. Gales lived in
farm house, located near the Brent
wood road, which was there when he
bought the place. He was mayor of
Washington from 1927 to 1929, and
died at lexington, July 81, 1860, and
is buried in Congressional Cemetery
IhS was also popular place for
Sunday school picnics during til los,
as was Forest Glen, to WHICH the
youngsters went by train.
In those days the parents Of the
Sunday school children did not have
to bother much about taking along
1ood to the picnics, for this was usually
all furnished by the school commit
tee, and many frazzle-headed boy
then, with abundance of lock. of hair,
though now admiring shapely bald
head, will still recall, with a longing
taste in his mouth, the delicious ice
cream and cakes served in abundance
to the children upon these occasions
and the big barrels of lemonade,
enough to drown ones self in, that
were always kept filled regardless of
the demand made upon the supply.
But, after all, perhaps it was the
cursions up the canal, and particu-
larly down the river, that furnished
the greatest delight, and amused the
children most. The steamboat itself
was marvellous thing, and how greatly