Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1898 — WHERE WASHINGTON WAS BORN. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHERE WASHINGTON WAS BORN.

Monument Marks the Birthpluce of the Father of Onr Country. A monument in honor of George Washington now marks the place of his In 1805 Congress appropriated SII,OOO in furtherance of the project, but not until July 4 of the following year did unveiling take place. The monument stands fifty-one feet above the cement foundation, the monolith shaft rising 40 feet 4 inches above the base. The shaft springs from a foundation fourteen feet square and eight feet high. Dressed down the shaft weighs about thirty-six tons. Above this [rises the stone of the first base, twelve feet square and one foot eight inches ligh. On this rests the second base, nine feet three inches square and three feet ' iigh. Above this is the die upon which th > inscription is cut, and this is six feet five

inches square and four feet ten inches high. The pjinth just above it is four feet five inches square and one foot two inches high. The shaft that springs from this is three feet eight inches square and rises forty feet four inches above the plinth. The marble for this notable landmark was quarried at Barre, Vt.. Washington’s birthplace is near Wakefield, forty-two miles from Fredericksburg, Va„ and no one can imagine the dreary isolation of the place. The site of the house in which Washington was born, which was determined before the erection of the monument only by a scattering pile of broken bricks and mortar from the chimney, is about one mile and a half from the Potomac at a point where that river is about seven miles wide and about six or seven hundred feet from Pope’s creek, formerly Bridge’s creek. The Government has built a wharf 1,080 feet long out into the Potomac, and when the grounds are beautified it is intended that the river steamers shall stop here.

The nearest point now to be reached is Colonial Beach, some ten or twelve miles distant, from which point one has the choice only of driving or sailing to the spot.

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHPLACE MONUMENT.

HOUSE WHERE WASHINGTON' WAS BORN.