Evening star., 1947-09-14

There were many swimming holes
in and around Washington when
members of the Oldest Inhabitants
were boys, but the one which the
writer recalls best was known as
Big Rock, located in an isolated and
obscure place on the east side OF
Rock Creek. perhaps not over 1000
feet south of the old stone quarries,
Just to the south after leaving the
old Quarry road. 1t was SO named
because of the large rock, about 4
py feet, which protruded from l
to 3 feet out of the stream. depend
ing upon the height of the water.
AS there were no distractions in
front of this big fiat stone, and as
the water was about or 8 feet in
depth here, it was one of the best
diving places to which the boys were
privileged to 60.
There were two ways of getting
to Big Rock One was by way OF
Quarry road and the other through
Milk House lane. The former is
partly still on the map, though sepa-
rated by Lanier place where the old
road is abruptly cut off and its con-
tinuation gained only by way of a
long cement stairway. But Milk
House lane is practically lost, though
1t quite likely followed the course
Of what is now Ontario road which
runs from Columbia road toward
Rock Greek.
Milk House Lane.
Milk House lane, no doubt. got
It's name from the fact that along
about where the Adams Mill road
intercepts Ontario road-or rather
about where Ontario road reaches
the Geological Park-there was an
old but unpretentious house in
which a family lived and kept cows
and dogs and other things. In
order to get to Big Rock by this
road 1t was necessary to pass close
to the house and dairy buildings,
and because the cattle and dogs al
ways looked sort of offended at in
truders the boys ordinarily avoided
this route and used it only when
there was quite number of lads
in the party. Before and during
the early '80s there was no other
house on Milk House lane and but
one on Quarry road.
The only house then on Quarry
road stood at the entrance of the
lane on the south side and after
ward about $50 feet back from Co.
lumbia road on the north side, to
which place it was later moved. 1t
was early occupied by family
named Haho, and subsequently by
the Widow Mulligan and her inter-
esting family.
Beginning about 1887 other houses
were built facing the road. Duane
C. Turner erected a cottage on the
spring lot, where he formed lake
with the water from the spring,
stocking it with fish and pond lilies.
Many a man will recall having
uuenched his thirst with the pure
nectar from this old spring in the
DAYS when he wore knee breeches
and when rheumatism and gout and
similar ailments were to him un-
known. Indeed, 1t was Tor Whl!e
depended upon by the early settlers
of this neighborhood as their only
supply of drinking water. Later,
the home of William A. Fry. a civil
engineer, also faced Quarry road, as
did the home of family named
Buckingham.
Early Residents.
Among the early residents OF
Lanier Heights, which is bounded by
Columbia road. Quarry road and
Adams Mill road, was the family of
Archibald M. McLachlen. who, l be-
lieve, laid out this subdivision and
whose residence occupied the site
where the Ontario Apartments now
stands. The home of DR.. G. Brown
Goode, late assistant secretary OF
the Smithsonian Institution, stood
near the top of the stone quarry
ond aver1ooked the GEOLOGICAL Park.