Jaybird's Jottings

Marine Corps Marathon and Othello

Crystal City was the place to be yesterday.   We metroed in and walked down to Crystal Drive to take in some of the Marine Corps Marathon.    Mile 23 was ran there, bringing back memories of my one and only Marathon, which I ran in San Francisco in 1991.  

The last three miles can be brutal, and for some of the runners yesterday, I could see their struggles to just hang on.  The mental aspect of dealing with "The Wall" was compounded by the fact that this portion of the course on Crystal Drive is laid out as a loop.   This means the runners headed south pass right by those going north to the finish line, making the distance seem even longer.   But the support crews and cheerleaders were active and shouted out their words of encouragement.   One lady carried a sign that said - "There is only one f---ing option – finish!"

After lunch at Jaleos, we walked over to Synetic Theater to see “Othello.”  The play is part of the Silent Shakespeare Festival.   I wasn’t sure what to expect, but came away blown away by a brilliantly creative performance.   

 Read Jordan Wright’s spot-on review and then get thee over to see this magnificent production – (final performance on November 6).  

Paata Tsikurishvili, you are an amazing Director, as is your choreographer and better half Irina.   Praise also to Konstantine Lortkipanidze whose original score channeled Pink Floyd and Star Trek, bended notes wickedly, sampled hard rock riffs, and produced otherworldly sounds.   

The actors not speaking means you better read the synopsis, but their silence opens the door to expressing themselves in ways that project much more emotion.

Go see this play and congrats Marathon runners!

 

 

The 2011 Baseball Season: Believe It

Yesterday, the film “Anonymous” debuted in theaters across the U.S.   Its premise centers on the contention the plays of William Shakespeare were penned by someone else.    Unbelievable, many are saying.

Of the drama that has unfolded on its stage this season, baseball fans are saying the same thing.   But we know it happened, and just how amazing it was.  The Cardinals capped off one of the most incredible seasons in the history of any sport, beating the Texas Rangers 6 to 2 in Game Seven at St. Louis.  

An 11^th trophy seemed so far away when the Redbirds stood ten games back, then three with five to play.   Not the favorite in any of their series, they nonetheless beat three great teams to grab all the glory.   In the World Series, Albert Pujols made history with three home runs in Game Three.   Game Five featured the wackiest of circumstances with skipper Tony LaRussa being ridiculed for poor management.    Game Six was one for the ages with comebacks galore and hometown hero David Freese going from goat to hero with his walk off home run (His .696 “Win Probability Added” surpassed Kirk Gibson and now ranks as the top figure).

But it’s not just their season that defied the odds.   Someone will write a book about the entire 2011 season.   They could do no better than to start with the press mob hounding Albert Pujols about his contract status during spring training.    Or start with the beginning of what proved to be historic collapses of two excellent teams, the Braves and the Red Sox.    Of course, the Cards and Rays had to win at a high rate and they both did.   

The writer of such a book will be compelled to make a decision.   Was 2011 the greatest season ever?   He or she will certainly want to look at Chris Jaffe’s fine analysis at the Hardball Times.    And there are other strong candidates.

I believe a strong case can be made for 2011.   It combined the excitement of the 1908 regular season and the thrills and spills of the 1912 World Series.    That is saying a lot, but sometimes you have to realize that the history being made in front of you can be as great or even better than what came before.

One thing is certain about this season:  major league baseball has always suffered through periods of turmoil, such as the “Black Sox” scandal, the slow to come breaking of color barrier, labor strife and strikes and the “Steroids Era.”    Each time, however, the game came roaring back.   Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Cal Ripken and the home run duo of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa helped in their own way.  This time it’s the game itself that kept fans on the edge of their seats.

The better half and I watched “Anonymous” yesterday.    I believe Shakespeare would have loved the movie, even while it debunks him.    I also believe he would have loved seeing the drama that unfolded this season at the ballparks.  

There’s no better theatre than the game of baseball and we saw why once again in 2011.

 

 

 

New Waterfront Park in Georgetown

If you were contemplating a move to Washington, D.C. in 1987, and then saw the movie “Suspect” starring Cher, Liam Nesson and Dennis Quaid, you could not have been blamed for deciding – no way.   The city, a character itself, is portrayed as cold, gray, and ugly.    In particular, the Georgetown waterfront, where the murder took place, stands out as isolated and dangerous.

The waterfront still gets raw in the winter, but with a new park there now completed, this once industrial site has undergone a remarkable transformation.   The Grand Opening took place last month.

The completion of this 10-acre park is a long time coming.   The seeds were planted in 1968, when the National Capital Planning Commission tabbed it as a future park.    Senator Charles Percy (1919-2011) played a key advocacy role while The Friends of Georgetown Waterfront Park, The Georgetown Waterfront Commission, the rowing community and the DC government also contributed to the cause.

The park looks great, highlighted by a black metal pergola and water sprays.   Bikers are pleased that the park’s multi-use trail now connects the Capital Crescent Trail with the Rock Creek path.

As far as the crews and cameras, they were last seen on M Street.  Something about cupcakes…

 

 

 

 

Cleveland Park

Cleveland Park is unusual because of its concentration of architect-designed late Victorian frame houses reminiscent of New England summer homes. Also unusual is the fact that the suburban development that began in 1894 was superimposed upon land previously occupied by estates, extant examples of which remain.  – National Park Service

 

After finishing up with LeDroit Park last month, I thought about where I wanted to visit next.   Looking at the map, I felt the desire to go somewhere I had never been to before, or only in passing.   Catching my eye was Cleveland Park in upper Northwest.  Realizing my last four neighborhood visits were in the urban core, I figured, yeah, it’s time for a leafy suburb.    

Before visiting each neighborhood, I try to brush up on its history.   The sources I have been using are serving me quite well, and I am pleased to announce discovering Mark N. Ozer.   A resident of DC since 1964, and author of “Massachusetts Avenue in the Gilded Age” and “Washington, D.C.: Politics and Place,” he has just released “Northwest Washington, DC.”   Politics and Prose calls him the “city’s unofficial resident historian.”

If you guessed that Cleveland Park is named for our 22^nd and 24^th President, you are correct.  Grover Cleveland bought a summer home here in 1885 and called it “Oak View.”   Alexander Graham Bell also called the new area home.   The first resident, however, was General Uriah Forrest, a friend of George Washington who built a stone cottage and then added a farmhouse in 1794.    Before this, the area was a 1,000 acre farm called “Pretty Prospect.”

Wealthy Washingtonians needing an escape from the city’s summer heat were attracted to this streetcar suburb for its cooler heights, and the convenience of the electric cars, which ran along Connecticut Ave starting in the 1890s.

The first street laid out was Newark between 33^rd and Wisconsin, then Ordway running parallel.    Developer John Sherman went the extra mile and hired architects who catered to individual home- owner preferences.   Queen Anne and Shingle-style were popular, as well the Foursquare.   Adding to the charm were the curve-linear portions of the two east-west roads that ran downhill towards Connecticut and the streetcar stop.    

While glowing praise could be heard about Cleveland Park and the employment opportunities nearby, its detachment from the city meant a lack of grocery and retail.   In 1920, the city enacted zoning laws that allowed low-rise neighborhood development and shopping districts.   Stores rose up including the Piggly Wiggly grocery.  

In 1931, with automobiles affordable, Sam’s Park and Shop opened up on the east side of Connecticut, cornered with Ordway.   This was one of the first strip malls, or if you prefer the way “Washington at Home” puts it, “prototype for similar auto oriented shopping complexes around the country.”    

Metro brought more development in 1981, but residents organized and fought back against high-rise proposals that would have torn down the small shopping center.   Community activists also formed a Historical Society to protect properties.  

Prominent Washingtonians continue to live in Cleveland Park.   You don’t hear anything bad about it in the news, meaning it enjoys a Mayberry-like quality.

 Here are the highlights of my visit.   It should be noted that “Washington at Home” makes the following distinctions regarding the boundaries.       

“The historic district is generally defined as Connecticut and Wisconsin to the east and west, Woodley and Klingle to the south, Rodman and Tilden to the north.  But historians and civic leaders believe that the area defined here captures the larger sense of the neighborhood.” 

 

Rosedale, 3501 Newark

Quite a story behind this renovated centerpiece believed by some to be the oldest structure in the District.    Standing majestically atop the hill, the mansion was built in 1740 by General Forrest who called the area around the farmhouse “Rosedale.”   Neighbors organized to create the Rosedale Conservancy, which protects the property.    The home is private property but residents and their best friends use the front lawn.  

Twin Oaks 3225 Woodley Road

I wasn’t able to get past the gate due to an event for the Washington Nationals.   The books say Twin Oaks is the only remaining example of a house designed to be a summer home located in the historic district.  It is an early example of a Colonial Revival house and was designed in 1888 by Francis Richmond Allen on a 17-acre estate which was originally part of a 50-acre tract.     The black wrought iron fence that surrounds the property stands in contrast to the openness one feels in Cleveland Park.   

 

Uptown Theater, 3426 Connecticut

It’s not often you hear the term “historic movie theater,” but this one, built in the Art Deco style, fits the bill.  Matt Slovick sang its praises in his 2007 review at the Washington Post.   World Premieres have taken place here and long lines are the norm as it is a single screen theater.  Don and I saw “Moneyball” here and enjoyed the big crowd experience.   

Restaurant Row

Here’s where my praise of Cleveland Park falls off a bit.  This part of the neighborhood seems to be a symbolic battleground, car versus metro, bikers and walkers.  You can have both, but it’s a shame a tunnel can’t be built here so that the charm is partnered with a more quiet setting.  

The better half and I ate at Tacklebox.   I know we should have eaten somewhere more connected with the hood.   We got ripped off with a $19 lobster roll skimpy on the meat. 

Don and I ate at the Irish Pub, good vibes and service.

 

Sam’s Park and Shop

Connecticut and Ordway

It’s rare for a strip mall to be an object of affection but when the city wanted to put up a high-rise here, the residents rallied and protected this forerunner.    A commemorative marker lies a few steps beyond the metro canopy at the intersection.

 

National Cathedral

Rattled and damaged by the recent earthquake, this iconic house of worship in the southwest corner of the neighborhood stands tall as a symbol of inner strength.

Conclusion

Seems strange that it took me 16 years before I finally visited Cleveland Park, but I’m very pleased I did.   This is a remarkable neighborhood, an enclave framed with the two busy avenues and filled with a variety of eclectic styles.   The spirit of community is alive here and whoever said strip malls were ugly never visited Sam’s Park and Shop.    Flora and fauna are a short walk away.  This neighborhood is like Mayberry, you never hear anything bad about it in the news.   

The saving of the small mall also makes one think about preservation.   We typically focus on the structure itself.  But in this case, it was the benefit to the community that was saved.

Way to go Cleveland Park!

 

 

Pride of Baltimore II

Washington’s rivalry with Baltimore melted away today, at least in Alexandria.   The Pride of Baltimore II, a reproduction of an 1812-era topsail schooner privateer, docked at the Queen Street marina.

Hate to say anything negative but we might as well bring this topic up now, because it has already begun to surface on the web.    

The primer for the Pride of Baltimore II has the following:  

Pride of Baltimore II was commissioned in 1988 as a sailing memorial to her immediate predecessor, the original Pride of Baltimore, which was tragically sunk by a white squall off Puerto Rico in 1986, taking her captain and three crewmembers down with her. Both ships were built in the Inner Harbor as reproductions of 1812-era topsail schooners, the type of vessels, called Baltimore Clippers, that helped America win the War of 1812 and finally secure its freedom.

Did we win the War, or did the British?  Was it a draw?   What about Canada?   All question to be answered in the coming months.  

Anyway, we’ll leave it at that.  This ship is, after all, an ambassador for Maryland, entitled to all the courtesies within.   So welcome to the captain and good crew.  We hope the taverns, cafes and bazaars of Old Town treated you well.    

 

The Route 50 Corridor

Washingtonians wanting to leave the rat race behind have a variety of choices within the region.   Sailing and boating types can head east for the Chesapeake Bay.   Beach lovers trek in the same direction for the Atlantic beaches or southward for the Outer Banks.    And to the west beckons the Blue Ridge Mountains.  

If you’re short on time, the latter option is very appealing.  A mere zip down I-66, then a 10-minute drive northward along Highway 15 puts you on the rural “Route 50 Corridor.”   There lies a trip back in time – slow, scenic drives along the Piedmont hills with views of the mountains, horse farms, stone walls, and wineries.   Lined up along this protected stretch lies Aldie, Middleburg, Upperville, and Paris, small towns that popped up two centuries ago as stops along the way for weary stage coach and wagon travelers.  

The better half and I have been along this road before, paying visits to Middleburg a couple of times, but had yet to continue on to Upperville and Paris.   We got the chance yesterday.   Helping a friend re-capture a lost memory, we paid a quick visit to Paris and, ate at The Blackthorne Inn and Restaurant in Upperville, and took a guided tour at The Mill in Aldie.   

Our original choice was The Ashby Inn in Paris, which got a good review from Tom Sietsima and others.   But on Sundays they only serve brunch, a really expensive one that nixed our initial plan.

As things turned out, Blackthorne, not the Ashby Inn in Paris, was our friend’s cloudy memory.   The old stone house dates back to 1763.   In 1775, George Washington bought the land from Lord Fairfax.

Service was a little slow, and we were not served bread (probably a good thing), but the ambience in the sunroom-like dining area soothed the beast.    My steak salad was tasty, although the meat was a bit overcooked.

After lunch we cruised through Middleburg, the one spot on the historic corridor with a stoplight and where the word “crowded” might apply.   We then headed on to Aldie and stopped at the stone mill there.   The guided tour takes about 20 minutes, and is ca vaut la pliene.   The building took 20 years to restore.   Part of the tour is getting to see the corn grinding.   Our miller explained how the sayings, "Grinded to a halt," and "Keep your nose to the grindstone," originated with this work process.   

We also learned the Little River runs behind the mill, and yes, that’s where the Little River Turnpike got its name.   Once the turnpike reached the mill, the name changed to Ashby Turnpike.   Joe, our guide, said there was toll booth right there.   According to the website of the Corridor:

In 1806, the Little River Turnpike Company opened 34 miles of "paved" road from Alexandria to Aldie and the Aldie-Ashby's Gap Turnpike Company was formed four years later to operate a toll road westward to the crest of the Blue Ridge. In 1922, the Little River Turnpike and Ashby's Gap Turnpike were taken over by the Commonwealth of Virginia and became US Route 50, linking Washington, DC with St. Louis, Missouri, and the West. 

For history buffs, the entire drive from Aldie to Paris is rich with Civil War history.   Interpretive markers can be found throughout the stretch.   For five days in the middle of June 1863, Union forces clashed with the Confederate Army along Route 50, known then as Ashby Gap Turnpike (Below is a brief synopsis of the battle).

Anyway, a thank you goes out to the state and local comminuty organizations for the work protecting the corridor.   If Washington is getting you down, escaping to this rural setting is not a bad option.    Just remember the constables like it slow here too…

Note:

We drove on I-66 to Exit (Delaplane), took Highway 17 up to Route 50 at Paris, and then returned on Highway 50.   You can also take 55 to Middleburg.

Brief Overview of the Battle of Upperville, June 21, 1863

After their victory at Chancellorsville in May 1863, General Robert E. Lee (historians consider this one his greatest) and his Army of Northern Virginia were on the move to Pennsylvania. Along Route 50, then known at Ashby Gap Turnpike, Major General Jeb Stuart and his men were charged with protecting Lee’s advance along the Shenandoah Valley.    The Union Army, under Brig. General Alfred Pleasonton, were given orders to advance westward along the road to try and locate Lee and the Confederates.   Some indications had been given of a move northward, but General Hooker needed more precise information.

Two markers in Upperville document the battle there, which was part of a five-day campaign (June 17-21) that was fought in Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville.   20,000 troops engaged with an estimated 1360 casualties (400 dead).   At time the fighting was fierce, what the National Park Service called, “Stubborn brawling – the kind of stirrup to stirrup mounted combat with saber and pistol that took a deadly toll of men and mounts.”

At the end of the fifth day, the Confederates were forced to retreat to Paris, but held enough ground to allow Lee to continue his march northward.    The Union Calvary gained some fame when their Confederate counterparts acknowledged their new found fierceness which they had first shown at Brandy Station.   Lincoln, however, wanted and needed the intel.   Not getting it, he fired General Hooker.

Lee marched over the Potomac on his way into the Quaker state.   Two weeks after the battles along Route 50, the two weary armies met in the open fields at Gettysburg.   

 

 

Commemorations in 2012

History buffs in the mid-Atlantic, get ready for a busy next year.   2012 will see commemorations of three major Civil War battles - Antietam, Second Manassas and Fredericksburg, as well as the Grand Opening of the new Museum of the Confederacy in Appomattox (expansion facility) this spring.

And that’s to say nothing of the events and forums for The War of 1812.   I know I have some catch-up reading to do.

Started in on George C. Daughan’s new book titled “1812: The Navy’s War.”  Getting great reviews and I can see why.   After a gripping introduction involving the USS President, a 44-gun frigate, chasing HMS Belvidera off the coast of Massachusetts, the author begins to explain why Madison decided to go to war with Great Britain.   An eye-opener is the brutal treatment British officers unmercifully gave their sailors.    Politically, the story is stirring with debates in Washington over supporting either France or Great Britain.    

I’m also reading Michael Lee Pope’s, “The Hidden History of Alexandria, DC.”    In Chapter Three he reminds us of the humble pie we must sometimes have to swallow, and the bruising of our patriotic pride.    After their sail up the Potomac in August 1814, a British armada terrified Alexandria for three days with six ships possessing 74 guns, two mortars and a rocket vessel.     The seaport city’s defense consisted of harsh language.

After the Mayor and the Common Council surrendered to Commodore James Gordon, Alexandria was criticized and lampooned in the press.  But Pope’s research found such coverage was unfair.   He writes:

“Much of the early news was inaccurate and flavored with partisan bias and regional jealousy.”

Anyway, it’s time to hit the books.   One that I may not get to, but looks interesting and useful is Ralph E. Eshelman’s, “The War of 1812 in the Chesapeake: A Reference Guide to Historic Sites in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.”  He will speak tomorrow afternoon at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomon’s Island, Maryland.

 

 

 

A Majestic Birthday

Yours truly turned two nickels yesterday.  I’d like to thank family, friends and Facebook pals for their notes and thoughts.

The better half took me to The Majestic last night in Old Town.    Scrumptious meal, fab service and a candle to top things off.

Getting older isn’t always a lot of fun, so we can only live each day to the fullest.  I did yesterday, thanks to the people I know.

Heart.

 

 

 

New Town Rising: Part Three

Today we conclude our three-part series on Parker-Gray with a look in the rear-view mirror.   Once again, my goal was to select a variety of places to get a slice of life in the neighborhood in years past.   When I first started looking, I tried not to range outside the area where the new properties are located.   But that would have limited the selection, so I widened the scope down to Queen Street. (You get a lot of licenses when you run your own blog).

 

10a Parker Gray School

Wythe Between N. Patrick and N. Alfred

There Now:   Charles Houston Rec Center

Prior to 1920, black children attended school at either the Hallowell School for Girls on N. Alfred between Princess and Oronoco, or the Snowden School for boys on S. Pitt Street between Gibbon and Franklin Streets.  (Thus the Snowden-Hallowell street bisecting the Old Town Commons).

In 1920, the two were consolidated, and the resulting school was named the Parker-Gray School.  Parker-Gray School was named for John Parker, principal of the Snowden School for Boys, and Sarah Gray, principal of the Hallowell School for Girls.  The school was built on Wythe between Patrick and Alfred.  It served students in grades one through eight.    At that time, there was no high school in the city of Alexandria for African-Americans, so those students had to board a bus, travel to 12^th and D Northwest in the District, and walk 21 blocks to either Dunbar or Armstrong.

 

10b Parker-Gray High School

1207 Madison

There Now:  Madison Townhomes

In 1932, the Parker Gray School expanded to include high school.  After graduating its first class in 1936, the High School moved into a new building at 1207 Madison, the first black high school in Alexandria.   The Parker-Gray elementary school on Wythe was renamed Charles Houston Elementary School, in honor of Houston, the famed Civil Rights lawyer who helped in the legal push to banish segregation laws.

Integration was finally made possible in 1964.   Black high school students attended Alexandria’s George Washington, T.C. Williams, and Francis C. Hammond.   In 1965, Parker-Gray High School changed to a middle school and served students from 1965 to 1979.     In the early 80s, the school was torn down and the Madison Street townhomes were built.

The Charles Houston elementary school (Wythe) closed in 1968 and was torn down in the 70s.  In 1976, at that site, a rec center was built.  It was demolished in 2007, and the new Charles Houston Rec Center was built.

10c Commemorative Marker for Parker Gray High School

Near Braddock Road Metro, by the brick arch

(Instead of putting this in the existing category, I put it here)

Several years ago, a commemorative marker was put up near the Braddock Street Metro.   It is not on the exact site of the school that was on Madison, but was put there, I’m guessing, for better visibility.

There is not a commemorative marker for the Wythe Street location, but an article in the Alexandria Gazette-Packett (“The Fight for Parker Gray High School” by Sarah Becker) notes that:

“Responding directly to the community’s heart-felt expression, developer Trammell Crow has teamed with The Parker-Gray Alumni Association to celebrate Parker-Gray’s educational history. Together they have applied for a Virginia Highway Marker to memorialize the city’s black-only High School. Trammell Crow is redeveloping the property at 800 N. Henry Street, a property adjacent to the facility’s 1950 site.”

I called the point of contact at the Virginia Highway Marker Program office and was told there is delay for the marker.    Hopefully, we will see this one in 2012.

 

11 -  Colross

Oronoco between Fayette and Henry.

There Now:  Monarch.

An 1853 lithograph of the area of Alexandria that became known as the Parker-Gray neighborhood shows open lots and just a couple of structures.   One of them was likely Belle Aire, a colonial mansion built around the turn of the 19^th Century by John Potts, Secretary of Washington’s Potomac Navigation Company.  Several prominent Alexandrians, including Thomson Mason, the grandson of George Mason, occupied the two-story home.   Later known as “Colross,” the mansion fronted Oronoco in between Henry and Fayette.   The estate occupied two blocks (Oronoco, Wythe, Henry, and Fayette Streets), today occupied by the Monarch, Starbucks, and the Post Office.   In the early 30s, the house was moved to Princeton, New Jersey, and became home to the Princeton Day School.

Prior to the construction of the Monarch, an archeological dig in 2005 uncovered just a few artifacts, but gave historians a better look at life back then.    A burial vault was uncovered but no remains were found.   If you are a ghost story lover, the story doesn’t stop there.  Be sure and read Chapter 8 of Michael Lee Pope’s “Ghosts of Alexandria.”

For the longest time, Andy’s Car Wash was located where Colross’s front yard would have been. The owner was from North Carolina and returned there after retiring.    Commuters along Route 1 may remember the Hennage Creative Printers shop on the Henry side, one of the most unattractive buildings ever built in the City.

 

12 - The Hump Neighborhood

Madison and N. Alfred and others

There Now:  Public Housing and homes on First Street.

It’s not difficult to know where the Hump, one of five new African-American neighborhoods that rose up during and after the Civil War, was located.     It is the half dozen blocks now occupied by the James Bland Public Housing (built in the 1950s) or those being torn down.    When the Old Town Commons development is completed, the only hint to a harder past will be the Church at the corner of Montgomery and N. Alfred and the half block between First and Second.

The Alexandria Black History Museum has a wealth of info on the archeological dig that was performed on this area.    Located on the tip of the outward growth north of Cameron and King, it drew in working class part blacks and whites who found jobs at the plants that made beer and glass. 

Unfortunately, the digs did not find a lot, but the oral histories the City has conducted are a wealth of information.    One man, Henry Johnson, said:

"It was so cold that you could go to bed and see the moon shining (through the walls). The snow'd come through them cracks on your feet...Ice'd freeze on the washstand...It'd freeze in your bedroom...We had to go to a pump to get water to wash with. The pump was right in the street on just 'bout every corner — great big old wooden pump."

 

13 -  Railroad Tracks

Henry and Fayette

There Now:   A small length of tracks was left untouched at the NW corner of Henry and Duke.

The land now known as Parker-Gray was mostly vacant land until building began around the 1870s.   An 1877 Hopkins City Atlas map of Alexandria does show two railroad tracks running along Henry and Fayette.   The Washington City Virginia Midland and Great Southern Railroad ran along Henry to the station which was located near Henry and Duke (tracks visible at NE part of intersection).  

The Alexandria and Fredericksburg Railroad ran along Fayette and had a passenger stop at the northeast corner with Cameron.   At the Duke Street Station, both made the sharp turn to the right and headed west out of town.           

 

14 - Belle Pre Bottle Company

Henry and Madison.

There Now:    Rubble from demolition of warehouse.

In his new book, “Historic Alexandria,” Ted Pulliam writes about Alexandria’s efforts to join Richmond and Atlanta in the “New South” movement.   Business leaders in the port city looked to manufacturing post Civil War.   Pulliam notes four glass bottling plants rose up in the city around the turn of the century.   Two were located in the northwest part of town.  The Belle Pre Bottle Company lit its fires along N. Henry between Madison and Montgomery.  It was organized in 1902 by a group of Washington businessmen.  They owned a patent on one of the types of milk bottles and produced one of the largest amounts in the U.S.    In 1912, they declared bankruptcy and went out of business.

 

15 - Colored Rosemont:

The houses still exist but I put this in the previous category.

From the Alexandria website:

“One of the last African American neighborhoods to develop was the section known as “Colored Rosemont,” in the 600 and 700 blocks of West and Payne Streets (and adjoining areas).  Colored Rosemont became united with the Uptown/Parker-Gray area when the Parker-Gray high school was built there, replacing the older Parker Gray school that had been on a site near the center of the northern half of the nominated area.”

 

16 - Alexandria Glass

Northwest corner of Henry and Montgomery

The Alexandria Glass Company got its start around 1900.   In 1916, a fire destroyed the plant, putting 175 men and boys out of work. 

At the Alexandria Archaeology Museum website, there is a story about Ashby Corbin.  In 1911, he was a young teenager who lived at 413 N. St Asaph.  He worked at the Alexandria Glass Company.

With the help of Amy Bertsch of the Office of Historic Alexandria, Joe Manning found Ashby’s daughter and interviewed her.  The info can be found at his blog, Mornings on Maple Street.

 

17 - Mills Bakery

921 Oronoco

There Now:  Private home.

Mills Bakery, located at 921 Oronoco Street, was in business from about 1888 to about 1910.

 

18 - Jimmie’s Place

728 Patrick

There Now:  Salon and Barber.

A confectionery shop called “Jimmie’s Place,” was located at 728 N. Patrick Street in 1936.    The building is now occupied by a Salon and Barber.

 

19 - The Alexandria Home Bakery

521 Henry

There now:    A sign that says "No Trespassing."

An article from the Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria website):   

“Jackson’s Home Bakery was one of Alexandria’s best known black-owned businesses during the 1920s and 30s. Old friends here can’t remember Mr. Jackson’s first name. He was simply Baker Jackson, a great salesman: "You could just be talking to him, and he’d sell you something."

And from “Out of the Attic,” provided by the Office of Historic Alexandria, they note the owner was John Wesley Jackson, the only African-American owner of the five bakeries in Alexandria.  (March 4, 2009)

 

20 - Hallowell School

407-415 N. Alfred

There Now:  Set of small businesses. 

On the Hopkins City Atlas map of 1877, Lee School House is shown on the east side of N. Alfred between Princess and Oronoco.   The Alexandria Black History website notes this school was one of two built by George Seaton.

This one was opened for girls in 1867 and was called the Alfred Street School before being renamed for Robert E. Lee when he died.   It was then changed to the Hallowell School, after the well-known Quaker Educator and prominent citizen Benjamin Hallowell.    The other school, Snowden School for boys was located on S. Pitt Street between Gibbon and Franklin Streets.  

 

21 - Alexandria Courthouse

N. Columbus between Queen and Princess

There Now:  Private homes. 

John A. Dixon sold this land to the US in 1838.  The Courtroom was on the second floor.  In 1898 a new court and jail was built.   The courthouse building was torn down.  A photo can be seen hanging on the wall in the Special Collections section of the Queen Street (Barrett Branch) Library.

 

Conclusion:

There’s something very moving and poignant about the Parker-Gray neighborhood.    In some ways, it seems unfair the teardown pace there is dizzying, while in Old Town proper, nothing gets torn down (or it takes decades to decide).   

And who can’t be moved by the black men hanging out on Princess Street?   It’s like a societal Rorschach test.   Some look at them and see possible danger, while others see no danger at all.

On the other hand, gentrification opens up life to the next generations.    

On my survey of plaques, I was pleased to find the markers that I did in Parker-Gray, but the total number seems on the low end of what should be.   I think it would be great if more could come about, including one for the historic district itself.  

Also, I encourage businesses to hang black and white photos of the area, as the Starbucks on S. Union does, or pay homage to the area’s history as in some other way.   As we previously noted, a nice example of this can be found at Nicole’s Café, where local artist Leisa Collins’s paintings of historic homes are on display.

Lastly, let’s never forget the discrimination residents here faced.   “Uptown” sounds snazzy now, but the “separate, but equal” laws pushed blacks away from the center of town.    Many are proud of the life they lived, and some of their oral histories remind us not to dwell on the negative things they encountered.   There was kindness among whites towards blacks too.  But the very existence of Parker-Gray reminds us of a time not too long ago when blacks and whites were separated by law, custom and fear.

To those of you moving in at these new places, we ask you to remember the history made here as you help define the next chapter in the long and rich history of the Parker-Gray.    The neighborhood has a bright future, and we wish it well.

 

Sources:

The searching can be very frustrating for someone interested in the history of Parker Gray.  Many of the books on Alexandria include little or nothing north of Queen.  (Hint, hint, someone should do an “Images of America,” or "On This Spot" type book).

Fortunately, other sources are available.   A tremendous debt is owed to Audrey Davis and her folks at the Alexandria Black History Museum, and Pamela Cressey and her staff at the Alexandria Archaeological Museum.    Equally valuable is the staff at John Milner Associates of Alexandria, who researched the neighborhood’s history and prepared the Historic District application with the National Park Service.  

On the same outstanding team of providers is the Special Collections section at the Queen Street Library where George and Mark provide tip-top service and their own invaluable expertise.

My reliable companion, “A Seaport Saga,” cleared paths, as did Ted Pulliam’s superb "Historic Alexandria."   I also used some of my own findings from the commemorative marker survey I performed last year.  

For current real estate happenings between the river and the rails, DC Mud is the place to go.     And I never thank my wife enough.   She's not only the better half, she's the smarter half too.

Any mistakes are mine and I would gladly welcome and appreciate corrections.

 

 

 

 

Destiny of the Republic

Just finished reading “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President” by Candice Millard.   I’m on record as disliking long subtitles, but in this case this book is all those things and more.   Millard does a fabulous job telling this tragic story.   Her book is the type you don’t want to end, and you worry the next one won’t be near as good.   I enjoyed it so much, although the burden the reader carries, the knowledge the President will not pull through, is made even heavier when we learn the way he died.   

On July 2, 1881, Charles Guiteau shot Garfield twice inside the Baltimore and Potomac train station (now the main building of the National Gallery of Art).   Leading up to that tragic day, we learn about Lucretia, the President’s loyal and loving wife, Alexander Graham Bell, who tried so desperately to save Garfield with his new induction machine, a precursor to the metal detector; Guiteau, the insane assassin who argued he shot the President but medicine killed him; Senator Roscoe Conkling, the powerful Senator from New York who wanted to maintain the spoils system; Vice President Chester Arthur who gives the story its ironic ending, and Bliss, the intransigent doctor in charge of Garfield’s treatment which lasted an agonizing ten weeks.

Most of all we learn about Garfield.   He was a great speaker, a beloved man who pulled himself out of a youthful rut that could have easily made him just another face in the crowd.  

This is a very sad chapter in our history, but some good did come out of the tragedy.   The Civil Service system was adopted to replace the spoils system, and the country united in the aftermath of Garfield’s death.

My Book of the Year is now a tight, three-way race and the oddsmakers are liking this one.

 

Note:  The Garfield statue is on the west side of the Capitol at the end of Maryland Avenue.