Jaybird's Jottings

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: The Alexandria African-American Heritage Park

African-American Heritage Park

Holland Lane and Jamieson Avenue

 

I love this park, it is so well done, a brilliant combination of reverence and hopefulness, the wetlands on one side and the buildings of Carlyle rising on the other, the plaques are informative, tasteful and original.   I would rate this the best park in Old Town and a top one in the Washington area.

 

This nine-acre park opened in 1995.   Six headstones and Jerome Meadows’s bronze trees are the focal point.  A booklet is available, a nice rare touch.  Informational plaques can also be found at the corner and along the water.   Their creativity is the best I have seen.

 

Pet Gazette

The Alexandria Gazette published a special Pets Issue on Thursday.   We’re pleased to say they selected our beloved Lydia as one of the featured pets.

 

They did a nice job.  The issue includes a map of the 17 dog parks in Alexandria, a list of pet places like Old Town School for Dogs, and info on how to adopt.   

 

Prrrrfect!

Bank Replaces Wendy's

A quick shout out for the new PNC Bank at the corner of N. Washington and Montgomery in Old Town.    I don’t normally write about banks but this morning I promised the two nice ladies working there I would post something.  

They did a nice job with the building re-hab.   This used to be a Wendy’s.

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Alexandria Canal

Alexandria Canal

Waterfront Between Montgomery and First

Every day, including weekends, cars and vehicles stream along the GW Parkway in Alexandria.   Whether it’s those headed south towards Mount Vernon, or those headed north towards Washington, the red light at First or Montgomery always catches more than its fair share of motorists.   

If you find yourself waiting there at the light, try some quick time traveling as you wait for the light to change.   Look over at Powhatan, the angling street, now marked with new townhomes (remember the key making place that was there?).   This was once the beginning stretch of the Alexandria and Washington Turnpike.   Built around 1808, it joined up with what is now Route One, crossed Four Mile Run and hooked up with the Long Bridge (present day I-395 Bridge).  A marvel it was at the time, significantly shortening the trip to Washington. 

35 years later, merchants, who had been suffering economically, were pleased to see a new 60 feet wide canal and lock system that flowed from the river between Montgomery and First, crossed Washington, made a sharp turn to the north, and hooked up with the C&O canal in Georgetown.   For several decades, the Canal helped Alexandria prosper.

If you have the time some day, turn on to First, and then make a right at N. Pitt by the Safeway.   On the left hand side, in front of Waterman Place, is a small plaque noting that the stones there were taken from one of the locks during the excavation by the Alexandria Archeological Museum in 1982.

Continue on towards the river, one block over on N. Royal, by the tennis courts.  There lies a superbly done plaque placed by the Alexandria Archeological Museum.

And of course, you will want to park and walk down to the river (parking is better on Saturday mornings), and walk to the interpretive plaque and the part of the canal they left intact.  (unfortunately, the marker is scratched up).

The Alexandria Canal lasted for a total of about forty years.    The railroads and steam tugboats signaled its end. These days, the only thing flowing along Montgomery and crossing Washington Street is the traffic you see as you wait for the light to turn green.   

Sources:   Alexandria Canal, Its History and Preservation by Thomas Hahn and Emory L. Kemp, Maritime Alexandria, Donald Shomette, Alexandria Archeological Museum website

Big Haul

Let’s see, there’s the worry that the greats of our day, Bonds, Clemens, on down the line, won’t be elected to the Hall of Fame because enough of the writers will shut out those who they believe used steroids.    In turn, Cooperstown is worried about a reduction in the number of fans who come their hallowed halls and souvenir shops.    And then, earlier this week, the Hall announced new voting rules to let more players and others in.

 

Fascinating.

 

Well, we’re tossing our cynical thoughts aside and embracing the fun side.  There’s nothing like discussing who belongs and who does not belong in the Hall of Fame.   

 

Seemingly prescient in all this is SABR’s 19^th Century Committee, who created the Overlooked 19^th Century Baseball Legends Election last year.   First to be elected was Tom Browning.    This year, the results will be announced August 5, at the SABR Convention in Atlanta.

 

Deacon White was second last year, and seems to be the favorite to be elected this year.

 

As far as what Giants might make it, I’d like to see consideration for Jim Mutrie.

 

His wiki entry:

 

James J. Mutrie (June 13, 1851 - January 24, 1938) was an American baseball pioneer who was the co-founder and first manager of both the original New York Metropolitans and the New York Giants. His career winning percentage of .611 was a 19th-century record, and remains the second highest by any major league manager with at least 500 wins, trailing only Joe McCarthy's mark of .615.

Mutrie managed the Metropolitans in 1883 and 1884, leading them to the 1884 World Series the latter year. In 1885, he switched to managing the Gothams, and is credited with giving them their nickname, the Giants. With star players such as Buck Ewing, Tim Keefe, and Roger Connor, the Giants won National League pennants and World Series titles under Mutrie in 1888 and 1889.

 

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Alexandria National Cemetery

Alexandria National Cemetery

1450 Wilkes

Tucked away in the southwest corner of Old Town, Alexandria National Cemetery has rested peacefully for the past century and a half.   On its west side, a stream and ribbon of trees provide a natural border.   These features and several no through traffic streets keep the five acres quiet for the most part.   Every month or so, the calm is broken by engine roars from a fleet of special duty Alexandria policeman, their motorcycles guiding another funeral procession into the cemetery.  

 

This sacred burial ground was established in 1862, one of many National Cemeteries needed as the number of Civil War dead increased.   Union soldiers who passed away in nearby hospitals were the first to be laid to rest here, as well as those injured in nearby battlefields.   In his book, For Those Upon the Curtain Has Fallen: The Past and Present Cemeteries of Alexandria, Virginia, Mark D. Greenly notes that 3,533 Civil War veterans are buried here.  Of those, 229 are African-Americans.   

 

In 1865, four men who drowned while trying to capture John Wilkes Booth were buried in a prominent place near the front of the cemetery, a stone and plaque marking their final resting place.   

 

When all the space was used up at the Alexandria National Cemetery, the government turned to other locations nearby.  This need led to the building of Arlington Cemetery.

 

The land prior to the establishment of the cemetery was known as Spring Garden Park, a resort area where George Washington attended Fourth of July proceedings in 1798 (Madison).    

Confederate soldiers were buried here until December 1879, when they were moved to Christ Church (Smith and Miller).

 

Promenade Classique

On an early morning walk the other day, one designed to beat the heat, I was down by the Potomac.   The spot is just north of Oronoco Bay, a quiet one usually bypassed by those cruising along the Mount Vernon Trail.   Checking for plaques for the Alexandria Canal and what else might be down there, I sought shelter in the form of shade.   Walking northward, I came across a public art display.   My brain shot me a “seems I saw this once before” message.”  This time I had time to linger.

 

Named “Promenade Classique,” this lovely set of pieces was sculpted by French artists Anne and Patrick Poirier.   Public art is often controversial, and I’m sure this one raised the eyebrows of those who prefer beaten paths, but I fell in love with it, the complete package with marble white, a bronze arrow, trees, a waterfall and pool, and the stillness provide by the lack of traffic.

 

Can’t say I like the miniature Washington Monument, but I would say this is one of Old Town’s most beautiful spots.   If you are a biker, jogger, or walker, it’s well worth the diversion from the Mount Vernon Trail (if you are heading north, turn right on Montgomery, from the south, turn left at the fork after the power plant).    

 

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Chapter Four

Before we get started with the next phase of the survey, let me say that I will be implementing a change in the way I post the plaques.   I’m pretty sure this will be true for the rest of the way.  

 

Previously I posted them in the logical order of proximity to each other, or block by block.   That method, however, poses some limitations and is hampering my efforts.   

 

From here on out, I will post them in no certain order or area. For example, because I know they have plaques, I have already been taking photos of Alexandria National Cemetery, and the Canal Park area.

 

Hopefully this change will only be disappointing to the geographical purists.    The final map will be in the logical order of location as the others have been.

 

Thanks.

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Chapter Three Completed

The last post closes out Chapter Three.   Apologies for the cluttered look.   I am hoping to eventually find something that is better in this regard.

 

Please also note that I did not post anything on the United Methodist Church, number 75, and the Alleyne Church, number 96.  Hope to find better info on those.

Also, for the Edmonson Sisters sculpture.   There is no plaque there, so I am waiting to see if the City erects one.   I do have a write up on this sculpture posted in June.  

 

The Washington Examiner covered the unveiling and provided the following information that the City gave:

 

“[The] 10 foot-high bronze sculpture … commemorates their lives and those of others who were enslaved at the Bruin Slave Jail. In addition to the Edmonson sisters, thousands of enslaved people were held there after being separated from their families in the Chesapeake region and later sold away to owners who needed their labor in other Southern states. [The sculpture] honors the lives destroyed by slavery while celebrating the triumph of human spirit.”

 

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Alexandria in the Civil War

Alexandria in the Civil War

Union Station

110 Callahan Drive

 

Alexandria did not see any battles during the war, but the occupation by the Union forces took its toll on the town folk as this interpretive marker notes.    Those loyal to the South who stayed were harassed by the men in blue.   

 

A very good book on the subject is Alexandria in the Civil War by James G.  Barber.