the Captain on Board.

Out beyond the northern limits of the Town, just opposite where Mount
Alto Hospital now stands, high on a hill which has been dug away, stood
in those days a tremendous oak tree which was used by the pilots coming
up the river to guide them on their way. For a hundred years it stood,
known as Sailors' Oak, but like so many other things, has had to go in
the interest of Progress.

Chapter III

_The Taverns, Shops, and Schools_

With ships arriving and departing and the land travel passing from North
to South and back again, besides the country gentlemen coming to town to
sell their crops and tend to other business, there was need for many
taverns, and plenty of them there were in George Town.

According to Mr. O. W. Holmes of the National Archives who has recently
written a fine article on the Colonial Taverns of Georgetown for the
Columbia Historical Society, which he read before the Society on January
16, 1951, the earliest tavern of which there is record was kept by
Joseph Belt who was granted a license by the newly created Frederick
County Court in August, 1751 "to keep a Public House of Entertainment at
the Mouth of Rock Creek."

Previously Thomas Odell had petitioned for such a "Lyssance" in 1747 to
Prince George's County for one year--but we hear no more of him so are
not certain that he continued in business. But Joseph Belt did and in
the _Maryland Gazette_ (Annapolis) for March 19, 1752, is this
announcement:

Notice is hereby given that the Land appointed by Act of Assembly to
be laid out into a town, by the name of Georgetown, adjacent to the
warehouse at the Mouth of Rock Creek, in Frederick County, is
accordingly laid out, and the lots will be sold the 4th Monday in
March, being the 23 of the month at the House of Joseph Belt, living
in the said Town in ten of the Clock before noon.

Per order of the Commissioner
Alexander Beall, Cl.

In 1760 Mr. Belt bought two of the most desirable lots in town at the
southeast corner of Water Street (Wisconsin Ave.) and Bridge (M) and
apparently built on the southernmost one of them a tavern where real
estate sales took place frequently--and again in the _Maryland Gazette_
for September 19, 1771, is this insertion:

Frederick County, Sept. 8, 1771

The Subscriber continues to keep a House of Entertainment in George
Town, at the Kings Arms, and as he is provided with Good
Enterta