Year: 1860

DIAGRAM 0


A DESCRIPTION on DRUID HILL PARK.


As it appears to us to be matter of more than
ordinary local interest at this time, and that our
readers may be put in possession of whatever in
formation is to be obtained in relation to the Druid
Hill property, which the Commissioners have re-
Gently purchased for public Park, we proceed to
lay before them such description of this fine place
as lies within our ability to give after very
thorough personal inspection of the grounds.


Accompanied by gentleman who has added the
study of the landscape gardener to that of civil eng
neer, we ventured to enter the prohibited domain,
impressed with the conviction that its invalid propri
etor would scarcely regard in the light of trespass
such reconnaissance as we desired to make. 1t is
well known that our original predictions were
strongly in favor of selecting the Stony Run prop
erty as the site of the proposed Park and in point
OF water and certain wild picturesque beauty, we
still regard it as containing within itself every ele-
ment which is required in the. composition of no.
BILE pleasure grounds. We may here premise also
that one objection which has been urged by the
Commissioners to the fine water supply of Stony
Run will not, when properly considered, hold good
Upon this point the Report reads as follows:


"The point in the comparison, however, to which
the Commission addressed themselves with the
greatest interest, was the supply of water. Druid
Hill possesses no running streams except such as
rise within its limits and are fed by its springs
and although the latter sufficient to give it the
character of well-watered farm, yet they are far
inferior in volume to Stony Run, which flows in a
rapid stream between picturesque banks through
the entire extent OF the site to which it gives its
name in this report. So far as such stream is es
sential to Park the advantage is clearly in favor
of the Stony Run site. But this advantage lost
weight greatly with the Commission, when the
whole subject came to be discussed and carefully
considered. 1t then became very doubtful wheth.
er such stream as Stony Run was the best form
IN which water supply could be obtained, drain
ing, as it did, surface liable to rapid rises, and
bringing down with every freshet the alluyion
washed from off the cultivated lands that border
it. Of the quality of this alluvion the Commission
could judge for themselves, as they saw the accu-
mutations of it on the beds of Mr.. CRAFTS ice pond
and of the violence of the stream no better evil
dence was wanting than the ruins of the heavy
dams which this years rains had rent and washed
away from crest to foundation. But admitting the
TACT that the preservation of the dams by making
them freshet proof was merely question of ex-
pense, the Commission were not satisfied that lakes
and ponds that could be kept at all times trans
parent were not preferable elements of the pic
turesque, to those which liable to be muddied
by every rain.'


The Commissioners have overlooked the fact that
nearly the whole of the watershed is embraced
within the limits of the five hundred acres which
the park would have comprised, and that as all the
glades and meadows and open spaces would be laid
down to grass there could not possibly be any cul-
tivated land by the washing of whose soil the Lake
would been choked up with alluvion or even rem
dered turbid by freshets. We admit, however,
that the probable cost of throwing a dam sufficient
strong and extensive across the valley for the pur-
pose of forming lake of any extent, would have
been very great in view of the power exerted bv
that turbulent and eccentric stream under the pres
sure of the immense volume of water which rolls
through its rock-bound channel after a heavy rain
storm. With the limited means therefore, at their
disposal for the purpose Of laying off the walks and
drives, and of decorating the grounds, the engi-
neering difficulties with which they would have
had to contend, matter they were fairly bound
to consider. They state in their Report, hatthis,
among other things did enter into their discussions,
and that the final result the expression of a
very decided preference for Druid Hill.


So Druid Hill was purchased, and we are salts
fled that the public, when admitted to an ins pee
tion of the grounds thus chosen will cordially rat
ify the decision of the Commissioners. In many
important respects the site selected is unquesona
bly, superior to all others. It occupies by far the
highest point of land in the immediate vicinity of
the city. From its principal emnences there are
noble views of the city and the Bay beyond down
to Kent Island and Annapolis; whilst to the East
ward and Westward open up succession of inland
scenes of great beauty and diversity Of character
One feature of primary Importance in the choice
OF location for public park is that it shall have
easy undulations of surface, so that the numerous
walks and drives can be economically constructed
and yet be so disposed by following the contour
lines, that the eye shall not be able to trace out
their various ramfcations. Another is, that where
ever detached masses, groups and clumps of trees
are scattered over the grounds, they shall occupy
such positions will produce the finest possible
effect, and shall be, of themselves the noblest spe-
cimens of their kind. third is, that the DISPOSE
ton of the woodland shall be such that it shall not
only form the more appropriate boundary to the
Park, but that the trees shall be of primitive
growth and of the greatest possible variety that
indigenous to the latitude. In all these respects
Druid Hill is unsurpassed.


Having been in the possession of the same family
for century and half and for a considerable
portion of that time jealousy guarded from intru-
sion, either the pride which some landed proprie-
tors take in conserving the property bequeathed
them by their ancestors, or some other motive, has
fortunately prevented the woodman's axe from de-
stroying what has now become the crowning orna-
ment of the place. But in view of the purpose to
which it is henceforth to be devoted, Druid Hill
has still higher claim to popular acceptation
Upon nearly onehaf of the estate the fine artistic
taste of some earlier proprietor is everywhere vsi-
BILE. All over the extensive lawn in front of the
mansion, and stretching thence across wide ex-
panse of meadow land, magnificent groups and
masses of trees still chequer the surface, and have
been skilfully arranged to lead the eye at ev-
cry turn through succession of long, cool, green
vistas until the view is lost in deeply-embayed re-
cesses of the skrting woodland, or among the sha-
dows cast by the bolder indentatons which have
been formed in the glades of the forest.


One other peculiariy also to the eye of the prac-
tised landscape gardener is particularly noticeable
Whoever it was that planned the laying out of the
groves at Druid Hill, must have had fine eve
for color. The trees sare not only grouped with ex-
quisite taste but those which were originally selec.
ted to remain were evidently chosen with care
full regard to the contrasts which would be pre-
sented by their autumn foliage. This effect has
been further heightened by suffering single trees
such as sassafras and dogwood, to grow up de-
tached from the larger masses and thus to display
in their fullest perfection, the rich orange and
crimson Of their autumn leaves, intensified by be-
ing placed in opposition to the deep browns and
dark purples of the oaks, and the bright golden
tint of the hickory. This artistic skill of the old
improyer is not only visible in what once the
dressed grounds of the place, but is also yet to be
seen in the manner in which he has planted up
many of the various eminences to the westward of
the mansion.


Some vestigea Of those old groups-composed Of