Mason family members visiting the Washington, DC area will want to visit Mason’s Island, the name given to it when purchased in 1717 by George Mason III. In 1792, the Island was bequeathed to John Mason, the 4th son of George Mason of Gunston Hall. He had always referred to it as Analostan Island and that name remained until it was purchased in 1931 by the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Association. It is now home to a lavish stone memorial honoring President Theodore Roosevelt and the remaining 70 acres are a wildlife preserve that looks much like it did when Captain John Smith saw it for the first time.

Gen. Mason built an elegant brick and sandstone summer house on the Island at the end of the 18th century. In addition to being a small working plantation, it was quite a social attraction, visited by many very important figures in history, including Louis Philippe, Duke of Orleans and later King of France, Secretary of State John Marshall, Thomas Jefferson, Frances Scott Key and President Madison. In 1833, Gen. Mason was forced to sell the Island and the plantation suffered the ravages of time, fire and neglect. It was burned down in the Civil War and all but the stone walls were destroyed.

The only access to the island is a long footbridge across the Potomac River and on the day we visited, the view was typical of autumn in Washington, DC. The trees were losing their uniform green and were beginning to take on an array of orange, yellow and red. The sky was a clear blue and the sun penetrated through the trees as we walked the one and a half mile long trail. My family and I found it exciting to be on land that had been owned and inhabited by our ancestors and we tried to imagine what it must have looked like at the height of the social season. When we stood on the ground where the house had been, we tried to imagine the beauty of the gardens we had read about and that John was so proud. As we hiked through the woods and around the Island, we came across plaques that gave us the history and visuals to aid our imaginations.

In its current state as a wildlife preserve, we encountered a small garden snake, excessively large worms (at least that’s what we think they were) and birds we could not identify. The plaques tell us that the types of birds include tufted titmouses, Carolina wrens, Cardinals, and Catbirds. Due to the large number of people visiting the Island, the rest of the wildlife had gone in to hiding. The Island seems to be a popular jogging trail as well.

Knowing the Island once belonged to an Indian Tribe, we had to stop and try to find arrowheads. While we didn’t find any Indian relics, my 12 year old daughter did find $6, only to lose it again before we left the Island. Easy come, easy go my wife and I told her.

Roosevelt Island is only minutes from I-95. No appointment is necessary and it is free to the public. The park closes at dusk. Be sure to have lunch at one of the many area restaurants as you will be doing a lot of walking.