Evening star., 1948-06-20

1eNkStOWA, 10 oASA, ASco ~ ASt~A
identity back In 1895. when Con-
gress enacted in substance that 1t
should no longer be known by that
name, but should constitute = part
Of the City of Washington, the
Federal Capital. and should be
thus known. But to those born and
reared there, and to all early Wash
ingtonians, though born east OF
Rock Creek, it will always be re-
ferred to by the name 1t bore for
more than a century. Indeed, it is
a great old town, and although we
of this side of the creek have often
in the distant past facetiously re-
ferred to it, yet we cannot do so
any longer, for dear old George
town stands out today as one OF
the most picturesque parts OF the
Nations Capital, and its old build
ings, old families and traditions are
enchanting to the poet and fas-
cinating to the historian.
OF course, the placing Of the Cap
ital on the banks of the Potomac
helped to bring important people to
the District of Columbia before the
Government moved here in 1900,
and as Georgetown was a well-de-
veloped town at that time, many
settled there to mingle with the
older families of that place, to
erect additional mansions and to
join in the social life of the village
In Washington's Day
Washington, the first President,
knew Georgetown very well. He
passed through there in 1755 with
the Braddock expedition on his way
to the Battle of the Monongahela,
in which Gen. Edward Braddock
lost his life, when his command
was badly cut up, and indeed would
have been annihilated had it not
ben for the skill and intrepidity Of
Washington, then provincial
major. OF this his adopted son,
George Washington Parke Gusts,
says: The enemy knew. him well,
from their having left him severely
the year before, at the affair of the
Meadows, and the provincial mill
tary being far more obnoxious to
the French and Indians than the
European troops from the marks
manship Of the rangers and their
intimate knowledge Of the modes of
forest warfare. the fire Of the enemy
became singularly directed against
the devoted young warrior, whom
they afterward trained the spirit
protected man. destined to become
the Chief of Nation and who
could not die in battle
An Important Port
THE hat worn on that eventful
day, and which was pierced by two
balls, was at Mount Vernon and both
seen and handled by several persons
long within our remembrance; yet.
strange to say, 1t was nowhere to be
found on the demise Of the chief
Another and invaluable relic was
also missing; We mean the sword Of
service which was worn In action in
the War of Independence. 1t was
described to us by one who oft had
buckled 1t to the hero's side as be-
ing q kind of hanger. and we have
an indistinct recollection of having
been told in the family that 1t was
given to Greene at the close of the
war. II 50, it surely could not have
been more worthily bestowed"
Indeed. it was in Georgetown that
President Washington met the COM
missioners and the original proprie-
tors in Suffers Tavern, and where
an agreement was reached to locate
the Nations Capital on It's present
site.
AS to the old homes and historic
sites in ye old town, the Francis
Scott Key house, removed only re-
Gently, was one Of the most prom
inent.
Georgetown, in the early days,
was one of the chief shipping ports
in the New World. Its magnificent