From the National Park Service Study on the George Washington Birthplace Memorial, page 32: "Additionally, the government did not know exactly what land it held title to. In October 1931,Raymond Washington “having been made somewhat uneasy by our activities in the neighborhood,”
informed Associate Engineer Robert P. White—then Acting Supervisor of the monument—that he held alease to the very spot where NPS planners were preparing to build staff quarters and roads.79 White wrote to Engineer O.G. Taylor earlier that year about the “sprit of unrest and dissatisfaction on the part of the [neighboring] Latane brothers” regarding government changes to a Wakefield access road. In this case,Taylor was not even able to locate the deed granting right of way to the government.80 And only a monthbefore the official public transfer ceremony, some doubt arose concerning the validity of thevgovernment’s claim to the land surrounding the Washington family burial ground. The source of thisclaim is unknown, but Assistant Director Conrad Wirth assured all involved that the NPS did have rightto the tract in question.81
The Monument is Established78 Pomeroy to Chorley, 28 May 1930; Chorley to Albright, 2 June 1930; Demaray to Pomeroy, 7 June 1930, (Box 2219) 550-610, National Park Service Records, RG 79, NACP.79 Taylor to Director, 27 October 1931: “Inasmuch as one contemplated site for our new residences and monumentutilities area is on the Raymond Washington tract and the two Y branches of the road leading to the Duck Hallproperty traversed this same tract we may find that we are in a position which will not allow us to go ahead as freely as we had contemplated. It is my impression though that this tract of land was deeded to the United States…that
being the case there would be nothing to actually prevent us going ahead as we pleased, but even so if we do go
ahead and build what we wish to build we should respect, insofar as possible, all the promises which Mrs. Rust
made at the time of the purchase from Raymond Washington.” Also see the 1934 special use permit granting the
Washington family use of the tract of 31.5 acres formerly owned by them for occupying the old homestead and
farming adjacent lands of the tract at a $2.00 lease. Both documents in file “D34 Raymond Washington Place,”
NPS Records Box 9 of 25, GEWA.80 Taylor to White, 13 August 1931, file “D34 Raymond Washington Place,” NPS Records Box 9 of 25, GEWA.81 See W.M. Lanier to Albright, 31 March 1933, folder “Transfer to Govt.,” NPS Records Box 6 of 26, GEWA, and anonymous summary of property exchange and legislative matters bearing on the Monument, date unknown though
presumably written in 1935, (Box 2219) 550-610, National Park Service Records, RG 79, NACP. Questions
persisted even beyond the dedication ceremony though and, in March 1933, W.M. Lanier wrote to Albright
suggesting that the NPS claim was invalid given that it was the Washington heirs, not the state of Virginia, who
originally deeded the land to the United States in 1832. This accusation also faded in time, but each of these
incidents demonstrate the extent of the confusion surrounding the Monument’s establishment and suggest that, in their hurry to take one more step toward fulfilling Albright’s vision, the NPS moved at a pace sometimes more
reckless than brisk.
informed Associate Engineer Robert P. White—then Acting Supervisor of the monument—that he held alease to the very spot where NPS planners were preparing to build staff quarters and roads.79 White wrote to Engineer O.G. Taylor earlier that year about the “sprit of unrest and dissatisfaction on the part of the [neighboring] Latane brothers” regarding government changes to a Wakefield access road. In this case,Taylor was not even able to locate the deed granting right of way to the government.80 And only a monthbefore the official public transfer ceremony, some doubt arose concerning the validity of thevgovernment’s claim to the land surrounding the Washington family burial ground. The source of thisclaim is unknown, but Assistant Director Conrad Wirth assured all involved that the NPS did have rightto the tract in question.81
The Monument is Established78 Pomeroy to Chorley, 28 May 1930; Chorley to Albright, 2 June 1930; Demaray to Pomeroy, 7 June 1930, (Box 2219) 550-610, National Park Service Records, RG 79, NACP.79 Taylor to Director, 27 October 1931: “Inasmuch as one contemplated site for our new residences and monumentutilities area is on the Raymond Washington tract and the two Y branches of the road leading to the Duck Hallproperty traversed this same tract we may find that we are in a position which will not allow us to go ahead as freely as we had contemplated. It is my impression though that this tract of land was deeded to the United States…that
being the case there would be nothing to actually prevent us going ahead as we pleased, but even so if we do go
ahead and build what we wish to build we should respect, insofar as possible, all the promises which Mrs. Rust
made at the time of the purchase from Raymond Washington.” Also see the 1934 special use permit granting the
Washington family use of the tract of 31.5 acres formerly owned by them for occupying the old homestead and
farming adjacent lands of the tract at a $2.00 lease. Both documents in file “D34 Raymond Washington Place,”
NPS Records Box 9 of 25, GEWA.80 Taylor to White, 13 August 1931, file “D34 Raymond Washington Place,” NPS Records Box 9 of 25, GEWA.81 See W.M. Lanier to Albright, 31 March 1933, folder “Transfer to Govt.,” NPS Records Box 6 of 26, GEWA, and anonymous summary of property exchange and legislative matters bearing on the Monument, date unknown though
presumably written in 1935, (Box 2219) 550-610, National Park Service Records, RG 79, NACP. Questions
persisted even beyond the dedication ceremony though and, in March 1933, W.M. Lanier wrote to Albright
suggesting that the NPS claim was invalid given that it was the Washington heirs, not the state of Virginia, who
originally deeded the land to the United States in 1832. This accusation also faded in time, but each of these
incidents demonstrate the extent of the confusion surrounding the Monument’s establishment and suggest that, in their hurry to take one more step toward fulfilling Albright’s vision, the NPS moved at a pace sometimes more
reckless than brisk.
From the National Park Service Study on the George Washington Birthplace Memorial, page 32: "Additionally, the government did not know exactly what land it held title to. In October 1931,Raymond Washington “having been made somewhat uneasy by our activities in the neighborhood,”
informed Associate Engineer Robert P. White—then Acting Supervisor of the monument—that he held alease to the very spot where NPS planners were preparing to build staff quarters and roads.79 White wrote to Engineer O.G. Taylor earlier that year about the “sprit of unrest and dissatisfaction on the part of the [neighboring] Latane brothers” regarding government changes to a Wakefield access road. In this case,Taylor was not even able to locate the deed granting right of way to the government.80 And only a monthbefore the official public transfer ceremony, some doubt arose concerning the validity of thevgovernment’s claim to the land surrounding the Washington family burial ground. The source of thisclaim is unknown, but Assistant Director Conrad Wirth assured all involved that the NPS did have rightto the tract in question.81
The Monument is Established78 Pomeroy to Chorley, 28 May 1930; Chorley to Albright, 2 June 1930; Demaray to Pomeroy, 7 June 1930, (Box 2219) 550-610, National Park Service Records, RG 79, NACP.79 Taylor to Director, 27 October 1931: “Inasmuch as one contemplated site for our new residences and monumentutilities area is on the Raymond Washington tract and the two Y branches of the road leading to the Duck Hallproperty traversed this same tract we may find that we are in a position which will not allow us to go ahead as freely as we had contemplated. It is my impression though that this tract of land was deeded to the United States…that
being the case there would be nothing to actually prevent us going ahead as we pleased, but even so if we do go
ahead and build what we wish to build we should respect, insofar as possible, all the promises which Mrs. Rust
made at the time of the purchase from Raymond Washington.” Also see the 1934 special use permit granting the
Washington family use of the tract of 31.5 acres formerly owned by them for occupying the old homestead and
farming adjacent lands of the tract at a $2.00 lease. Both documents in file “D34 Raymond Washington Place,”
NPS Records Box 9 of 25, GEWA.80 Taylor to White, 13 August 1931, file “D34 Raymond Washington Place,” NPS Records Box 9 of 25, GEWA.81 See W.M. Lanier to Albright, 31 March 1933, folder “Transfer to Govt.,” NPS Records Box 6 of 26, GEWA, and anonymous summary of property exchange and legislative matters bearing on the Monument, date unknown though
presumably written in 1935, (Box 2219) 550-610, National Park Service Records, RG 79, NACP. Questions
persisted even beyond the dedication ceremony though and, in March 1933, W.M. Lanier wrote to Albright
suggesting that the NPS claim was invalid given that it was the Washington heirs, not the state of Virginia, who
originally deeded the land to the United States in 1832. This accusation also faded in time, but each of these
incidents demonstrate the extent of the confusion surrounding the Monument’s establishment and suggest that, in their hurry to take one more step toward fulfilling Albright’s vision, the NPS moved at a pace sometimes more
reckless than brisk.
informed Associate Engineer Robert P. White—then Acting Supervisor of the monument—that he held alease to the very spot where NPS planners were preparing to build staff quarters and roads.79 White wrote to Engineer O.G. Taylor earlier that year about the “sprit of unrest and dissatisfaction on the part of the [neighboring] Latane brothers” regarding government changes to a Wakefield access road. In this case,Taylor was not even able to locate the deed granting right of way to the government.80 And only a monthbefore the official public transfer ceremony, some doubt arose concerning the validity of thevgovernment’s claim to the land surrounding the Washington family burial ground. The source of thisclaim is unknown, but Assistant Director Conrad Wirth assured all involved that the NPS did have rightto the tract in question.81
The Monument is Established78 Pomeroy to Chorley, 28 May 1930; Chorley to Albright, 2 June 1930; Demaray to Pomeroy, 7 June 1930, (Box 2219) 550-610, National Park Service Records, RG 79, NACP.79 Taylor to Director, 27 October 1931: “Inasmuch as one contemplated site for our new residences and monumentutilities area is on the Raymond Washington tract and the two Y branches of the road leading to the Duck Hallproperty traversed this same tract we may find that we are in a position which will not allow us to go ahead as freely as we had contemplated. It is my impression though that this tract of land was deeded to the United States…that
being the case there would be nothing to actually prevent us going ahead as we pleased, but even so if we do go
ahead and build what we wish to build we should respect, insofar as possible, all the promises which Mrs. Rust
made at the time of the purchase from Raymond Washington.” Also see the 1934 special use permit granting the
Washington family use of the tract of 31.5 acres formerly owned by them for occupying the old homestead and
farming adjacent lands of the tract at a $2.00 lease. Both documents in file “D34 Raymond Washington Place,”
NPS Records Box 9 of 25, GEWA.80 Taylor to White, 13 August 1931, file “D34 Raymond Washington Place,” NPS Records Box 9 of 25, GEWA.81 See W.M. Lanier to Albright, 31 March 1933, folder “Transfer to Govt.,” NPS Records Box 6 of 26, GEWA, and anonymous summary of property exchange and legislative matters bearing on the Monument, date unknown though
presumably written in 1935, (Box 2219) 550-610, National Park Service Records, RG 79, NACP. Questions
persisted even beyond the dedication ceremony though and, in March 1933, W.M. Lanier wrote to Albright
suggesting that the NPS claim was invalid given that it was the Washington heirs, not the state of Virginia, who
originally deeded the land to the United States in 1832. This accusation also faded in time, but each of these
incidents demonstrate the extent of the confusion surrounding the Monument’s establishment and suggest that, in their hurry to take one more step toward fulfilling Albright’s vision, the NPS moved at a pace sometimes more
reckless than brisk.
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