Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1947-05-15

Many of you have told us that
you enjoyed reading about our re-
cent trip to the "deep South" and
were planning to take similar
trip some time, which prompted us
to tell you about the trip taken by
the Roger Farquhars of George
town, once owners of Cherry
Grove, near Ashton. While on the
garden tour on Wednesday we ran
across Mrs. Farquhar at their
former home, now owned by Mr..
and Mrs. George H. Riggs, Jr. Be
cause they were interested in our
trip they sent us wonderful ac-
count of their wanderings, cover
ing $500 miles through 9 states.
Leaving Washington April 10th,
they drove leisurely some days
only 100 or so miles = they had
most of their trip planned before
leaving, with the help of the AAA.
They returned loud in their praise
Of its services and the tourist
courts which they used.
They drove to Charleston and
saw the Middleton and Magnolia
Gardens, and Mulberry Plantation
(1714). The most beautiful high
way of their trip was the Ashley
Highway from Charleston to Sum-
merville, lined for over rs miles
with gigantic live oak trees with
Spanish moss completely over
shadowing the driveway = a rare
sight, they said. They visited many
old houses in this locality and then
skipped through Savannah, Jack
sonville and Brunswick, to linger
in st. Augustine.
Of all the places visited, Mr.. and
Mrs. Farquhar found st. Angus
tine the most interesting, with the
Oldest house, the oldest schoolhouse,
one of the most impregnable fort
resses Tin Colonial days. and of
course, the Fountain of Youth,
from which they, like all visitors,
partook.
They visited Florida's beautiful
capital, Tallahassee; Pensacola,
and drove along the old Spanish
Trail to Biloxi, where they stopped
overnight and then went on to New
Orleans which they said was their
main objective. They visited all the
places we saw on our recent trip
and many more. They confessed
that the food was too rich for them
also, and they too had to resort to
very simple food after one of An
tonnes famous dinners.
After five days in New Orleans,
our friends then went to Baton
Rouge and to Natchez, which we
missed because we were travelling
without car. In Natchez they saw
among other fine old homes, "Green
Leaves" which they described as a
museum in itself" 1t was recently
included in spread in the Ladies
Home Journal, many of you will
remember. They were told that
during the house visitation during
the month of March 10000 persons
visited the town, an average of g.
600 day.
They visited Memphis, vicks-
burg and Nashville. East of Nash
vile IL miles, they went to the
Hermitage" of Andrew Johnson,
which Mr.. Farquhar said he had
long wished to see. This is where
Andrew johnson built long house
in 1904 and later the very grand
mansion, now owned by The Her.
mitage Ladies Group, where ne
lived for eight years after retiring
from the presidency and where he
died in 1845. They were intrigued
by the rare antiques and momen-
toes of life of over 100 years ago.
Among them the coach in which
johnson made his trips to Wash
ington, taking about thirty days
for the distance of $50 miles. The
coach has two double seats facing
each other, big high wheels, the
body suspended on feathers for
springs.
From Knoxville they visited the
Norris Dam and then hurried on