George Washington Papers
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[Diary entry: 23 February 1785]

Wednesday 23d. Mercury at 36 in the Morning—40 at Noon and 42 at Night.

In the Morning it was calm and clear. About 10 oclock the wind, for about an hour, blew pretty fresh and cool from the No. West. It then shifted to the Eastward—died away and grew cloudy and towards Night had all the appearances of falling weather.

Planted trees on the South Shrubbery similar to those of yesterday, in the South Shrubbery except the Lilacs for which I thought the ground too wet.

Brought down a number of young Aspan trees from one Saml. Jenkins’s near the old Court House to transplant into the Serpentine Avenues to the Door. As they came late I had the roots buried until they could be transplanted in the places they are intended to grow.

In his second reference to “South Shrubbery” in this entry GW apparently should have written “North Shrubbery.” aspan trees: Populus tremuloides, aspen or quaking aspen.

Fairfax Old Court House was built in 1742 on the road leading from Hunting Creek to Key’s, or Vestal’s, Gap. In 1755 the county seat was moved to Alexandria and in 1800 removed to its present location southwest of the old courthouse, on the road from Alexandria to Williams’, or Snickers’ Gap (HARRISON [1] description begins Fairfax Harrison. Landmarks of Old Prince William: A Study of Origins in Northern Virginia. Berryville, Va., 1964. description ends , 321–26).

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