Wednesday, 20 March 2019
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| today's route |
Along the way I passed wooded areas, creeks and farms. I passed a historical marker for Mildred and Richard Loving, and realized that's what it said only as I passed it. So I later looked it up and found this article from the local newspaper. princewilliamtimes.com/new-historic-marker Sometimes it seems to take a while for history to catch up with you.
I passed a sign noting this was part of the Washington-Rochambeau route. I remember first seeing these signs in Connecticut (the Nov. 11th post). Central Virginia is a ways away from central Connecticut.
I passed another historical marker, this one titled Assassin's End. Of course that sounded intriguing enough for me to look it up, and it turns out to be the location of the farm where John Wilkes Booth was found and killed.
I passed an isolated house - ordinary frame house with a small front porch, and the entire front of the house was covered by a pile of brush about 4' high. Stretched all the way across the front of the house and was interwoven in the pillers for the front porch. I can't even conceive what it was doing there if they're not planning to set fire to the house.
James Monroe's Birthplace
This site is still being developed; a replica of the original home and a separate visitor center are both under construction. The visitor center is open only on weekends. About the only thing for visitors at the moment are several informational markers, which are helpful but didn't really answer some of the questions I had about this president.
The above marker (in 2 photos) gives some information. Here's a little more, though there're still some gaps.
This other marker I found interesting.
The birthplace of a nation. Literally. Even more interesting is the fact that Robert E. Lee was born just a few miles down the road. He helped build a very different version of this nation.
I imagine this Monroe site will be an interesting place to visit in a year or so when they're more put together, and if they have more visitor-friendly hours. I would have liked to learn much more about this man.
George Washington's Birthplace
Nine miles from Monroe's birthplace is Washington's. The National Park Service is in charge of this site, which is extensive. They have videos and lectures and brochures and knowledgeable staff on hand. And I learned a lot I hadn't known before about George's early life.
He was born on his family's farm, called Pope's Creek Plantation. His father owned quite a bit of property, including the land at Mt. Vernon, which was originally purchased by George's great grandfather, another farm called Ferry Farm, a mill, and an iron mine. His father believed in diversification, for crops and for finances.
George was born to his father's second wife. There were 2 children from the first marriage who survived into adulthood: George's half-brothers Lawrence, who inherited the Mt. Vernon property, and Augustine, who inherited Pope's Creek. George was 11 when his father died, and his mother Mary inherited a life interest in Ferry Farm and the iron mine, which the father expected would provide enough income to support George and his 4 siblings.
Mary was a smart woman and encouraged George to spend time with his half-brothers. They were considerably older than he was and acted as surrogate fathers, teaching him about farming techniques. Through Lawrence and his father-in-law Lord Fairfax, George learned how to survey land, which gave him employment at a young age and an entrée to the wider world.
Lawrence died of tuberculosis and left his wife a life interest in Mt. Vernon, with full ownership to George on her death. George rented the property from the widow and lived there with her while he farmed the land. George loved farming and went back to it immediately after every term of public service. George never had children himself, but he married Martha Custis, who had 2, and they adopted 4 more. George's step-great-granddaughter married Robt. E. Lee. Those Tidewater folks really stuck together.
George only lived on the Pope's Creek Plantation where he was born until he was 3 or 4 years old, when the family moved to Ferry Farm. But he visited there often when Augustine inherited it, and the network of families from the region were part of the fabric of his entire life.
I'd say, if ever there were a reluctant hero, he'd be in the running. He was a farmer at heart.
The drive back
The computer told me to go down a road that had a state route number, but it turned out that I really shouldn't have been on it. It was very nearly one long s-curve after another for 18 miles, with not a vestige of a shoulder the whole way. I got really lucky and there was almost no traffic, and none of it was behind me, so I didn't have to worry about somebody fuming because I went too slowly for the locals. It was really pretty though.
I passed lots of horses and cows and chickens and goats and sheep. Farmhouses and 2 large nurseries for landscaping plants and huge fields that were practically neon green.
I crossed the Rappahannock River on a perfectly ordinary bridge (though it's a big river even this far upstream), at the town of Tappahannock. Banners in town say "Making history since 1608," which is when John Smith first landed here, though a nearby historical marker says the town wasn't established until 1680.
All day I was pained by the amount of litter I kept seeing. And then I passed a highway sign that said littering carried a fine of up to $2,500. I think it's Maryland that's got the same level of fine and I didn't see any litter to speak of there. I don't know what's so different here.
I passed through the town of Central Garage. I swear. Population about 1,200.
Back on the highway I was passed by a truck for Harris Teeter grocery stores, and on the side was a photo of a shrimp as high as the truck. And a small note next to it said, "Actual size may vary."
I was pooped when we got back.
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