Jaybird's Jottings

"Capital Views" Looks Great

When one plays the word association game in Washington, and the words “historic photos” are uttered, there is one answer.   James M. Goode.

This master historian, who has given us such gems as, “Capitol Losses” and “Best Addresses,” has just released “Capital Views.”  In that parallel universe where book readers have plenty of time and money for all their wants and needs, this one gets bought and read.

“Washington at Home, An Illustrated History of Neighborhoods in the Nation’s Capital,” is a wonderful book but it takes the unity-sapping approach of covering only the District.  So I was thrilled to see Goode include chapters on Alexandria, Loudoun County and Frederick County.  

As far as the Alexandria photos, some are stock for history buffs, but his photo of Colross is the best I have seen.   Goode also stumped me with a photo of the John A. Marshall House, which sat at 508 Wolfe, near the southwest corner of Wolfe and S. Pitt.    

“James M. Goode.”

“Terrific!”

 

 

 

 

Photoblogging Old Town Alexandria

Some shots from Old Town today.  

 

Some say Old Town has too many restaurants.   I’m not one of them!

At 1106 King, Notting Hill restaurants looks poised to open.   Le Gaulois used to be there.   

 

At the foot of King I met Randy Plante, airline pilot, dog lover, and author of “My Wingman Oliver.”   Randy, I have to get your book when it comes out in print!

 

Action by Waterfront Park.

 

Professional shoot in the middle of Prince Street.

 

Dog adoption event by Operation Paws for Homes at Old Towne School for Dogs.

 

And finally, a salute to our Veterans.   Thank you for all you do!

 

 

 

Day Trip: Winchester

With the skies clearing from the mid-week gray, and the temps warming up to the mid 60s yesterday, I jumped into car and headed out for a day trip to Winchester.   Sure did miss the better half, who was out of town.   

We went to this mountain town in the late 90s, and I remember thinking something like, not bad, but there’s certainly room for improvement.   Now that I’ve made a return trip, I can say, wow,   what great gains, Winchester has prettied herself up mighty fine.

Winchester, population 26,000 and serving as the county seat of Frederick (not be confused with Maryland's Frederick), is about an hour and a half from Alexandria, a smooth drive on I-66 and Highway 17 going out, and I-81 to I-66 coming back.   Tucked into the northwest corner of Virginia and lying in the northernmost part of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester became the first English town west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.    

Like other Virginia towns, Winchester can brag on its connections to George Washington.   In this case, those bragging rights are extensive.  The tall young man from Mount Vernon spent a decade here as surveyor for Lord Fairfax, an elected representative to the House of Burgesses, and Commander of all Virginia forces.   In his book, “George Washington and Winchester, Virginia, 1748-1758,” Garland R. Quarles notes Washington, “came to Winchester as a boy in 1748; he left Winchester in 1758 as a seasoned leader of men…”

 Winchester did not see Civil War carnage on the scale of Manassas, Fredericksburg and Antietam, but six battles were fought nearby and the town changed hands dozens of times.   General Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters sits two blocks from the center of town.   

A lovely location and history alone will not do the trick for communities wanting their spot on the globe to shine.   You need a vibrant support system if you will, and Winchester has forged one.   Their downtown revitalization effort got started in 1985 when the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development designated them as a “Virginia Main Street Community.”   Winchester was one of the first five in the Commonwealth to obtain this designation and funding.

Here are the highlights of my brief stay.    I would have enjoyed it more had I come before the leaves fell and the museums shifted to their off seaso schedules.   Nevertheless, I had an excellent time.

 

Abram’s Delight/Historical Society/Visitor’s Center

Crossing over Interstate 81, I entered town on 17/50.   They say first impressions are important and Winchester made a good one on me.    Attractive way-finding signs help steer the visitor towards the Old Town section.    Turning right onto Pleasant Valley Road I easily found my first stop, a lovely spot by a small lake where one parking lot gets you easily to Abram’s Delight, the Historical Society and the shiny new Visitor’s Center, which is one of the nicest I have seen. 

Didn’t have time to tour Abram’s Delight, but an interpretive sign provides info.   Abraham Hollingsworth, a Quaker and early settler, constructed one of the first homes in 1754.   Made of stone, Abram’s Delight is the oldest home in Winchester.   Hollingsworth also put up the first Grist mill and a log cabin.  His home served as the area’s first Quaker Meeting House.

 

Patsy Cline Home

My second stop, a few minutes more towards Old Town, put me in the cozy suburbs of Winchester where country music legend Patsy Cline grew up (“Sweet Dreams,” with Jessica Lange’s stunning voice portrayal, was on TV just the other day).   I’m not always a fan of State Highway markers placed within neighborhoods, but this one does provide the vetted info.   

Born in ’56, I just missed Cline’s arc, cut short by a tragic plane crash in 1963.   But I imagine my Dad and Mom loved listening to her songs.   DigitalDreamDoors ranks Cline as the “Greatest Female Country Vocalist” and third “Greatest Country Music Artist.”   She was also the first female solo artist inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Tragically, he life was cut short in a plane crash in Tennessee.    Cline is buried in Shenandoah Memorial Park in Winchester.  

Appreciating how peaceful and quiet the neighborhood was, I got back in the car and drove the short distance to the center of town.   Parking is free on weekends, and I found a spot easily two blocks from the walking mall.    The rest of the places are all in this two to four block area or just off it.

Handley Regional Library

 Perhaps a bit out of scale, this jewel stands like a temple, Winchester’s version of the Library of Congress.    Built in the Beaux-Arts style and funded by Judge John Handley of Scranton, the Library opened in 1913.    A complete renovation was finished in 2001.    Inside, the juxtaposition of circular architecture and the books will take your breath away.

 

George Washington Museum

Washington got his start militarily and politically in Winchester.   He used this log building as his military office from September 1755 to December 1756.    From here he supervised the building of Fort Loudoun.   A cannon outside was left by General Edward Braddock.   An exhibit documents Washington’s time in these parts.      A statue was erected in 2004.

 

Walking Mall

Winchester Books

This indie, said the lady behind the counter, has been in business for 40 years.   I purchased the aforementioned book by Garland R. Quarles.    Excellent read.  He details the research he did on Washington work as a surveyor and concludes the story that Washington used the office when he was a surveyor is false.    Washington did use it for his military head quarters.

Tropical Island Cafe

According to a google search, Winchester’s core contains nine Zagat-awarded restaurants.   Without my dining companion, I sought out something smaller and quicker.    Approaching the Library, I found the Tropical Island Café at the corner of Braddock and Piccadilly.    The smell of Caribbean spices and posters of Bob Marley on the wall signaled something good.  

A local in front of me ordered the Jamaican beef patty.

They any good?

Yes!   Just the right amount of spice and quality beef.   A smoothie was the perfect partner.   Who needs Zagat?

 

Simple Charming Boutique

Missed you babes, we will have to come here, you will love it!

 

 

 

 

 

Living Legends of Alexandria

Yesterday morning I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Nina Tisara, President of the “Living Legends of Alexandria” (Left in photo).    Along with a friend, she was providing gift wrapping service for early holiday shoppers at the Barnes and Noble in Potomac Yard.  

 

Tisara was also raising awareness for the program she created and nurtures.   Living Legends of Alexandria identifies, honors and chronicles, “individuals who have made significant contributions to the quality of life in Alexandria.”

Members of the public can submit nominees.   There are two criteria. 

The first is, "individuals who have contributed at least one tangible improvement to the quality of the city’s life that would be missing without that person’s vision and energy."   

The second is, "Individuals demonstrating exemplary service to the city for ten years or more."

For more information see their website.     And what a wonderful program it is!

 

Chandra Manning and Distinguished Panel Discuss Contrabands

At the corner of S. Washington and Church Street in the southern part of Old Town, construction continues on the “Alexandria Contrabands and Freedmen’s Cemetery and Memorial Park.”     Work also continues for researchers and historians, who are bringing to life the unique and important story of these refugees who escaped their bondage during the Civil War by fleeing to Fort Monroe, Union camps and Alexandria.

One such researcher is Dr. Chandra Manning, an assistant professor of history at Georgetown University, resident of Alexandria, and the author of the award-winning book, "What This Cruel War Was Over: Soldiers, Slavery, and the Civil War."

Manning spoke last night at the Alexandria Black History Museum in Parker-Gray, the historically black neighborhood in Old Town.   Her lecture was titled, “Refugees from Slavery:  Contrabands in Washington, DC. and Northern Virginia.”   A panel discussion on “research and remembrance” followed.

Manning began by noting Alexandria was at the center of the contraband story.   Pinpointing exact numbers of refugees to the city is difficult to know, but during Q&A, Timothy Dennee said perhaps as many as 8,000 came north to Alexandria.    Even more passed through on their way to Washington.   During the panel discussion, Dr. Pamela Cressey noted that of the 1,711 persons buried at the Alexandria Freedman’s Cemetery, most were women and young children.

Manning said it easy to romanticize the saga of the contraband, but their life in camps was deleterious to their health.   Having arrived tired and weary, the refugees found primitive shelter, little food, and scant medical care.   Many died of disease.  

Some of the refugees did find work in Alexandria at the train station, docks, stores, and some were spies and guides.   90 women worked in hospitals.  Heroes such as Harriet Jacobs and Julie Wilbur provided care, food and supplies.  

Manning made the overall point that these contrabands helped influence Federal policy by humanizing their experiences with Union soldiers.    After the war, some of these Northern veterans were voted into office, and remembered their interactions with these African Americans.   As politicians, they helped pass the 14^th Amendment in 1868, which struck down the Supreme Court’s ruling eleven years earlier, (Dred Scott), that said black people could not be citizens.

After the main presentation and a short break, a panel of distinguished local historians spoke on the subject.    They included Dr. Channing, Dr. Cressey, Dr. Audrey Davis (Director of the Alexandria Black History Museum), Dr. Thomas Williams (President of the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington), Dennee, architectural historian and author of many articles on Alexandria history, and Matthew Penrod, park ranger at the Arlington Cemetery.

They each spoke about their research.   One of them noted that Alexandria researcher Char Bah found over 100 descendant families, some of whom were unaware that their ancestors were contraband refugees.

The others spoke about resources for those interested in the subject.   The Gladwin Record is available on line and at the Alexandria Queen Street Library Special Collections Section (hours limited -  check website or call).

The Contraband Memorial website has some writings and will add even more this summer.   Section 27 at Arlington Cemetery has contraband history.

The Alexandria Contraband Memorial is scheduled to open this spring, and will feature bronze panels that will display the names of those buried there.    Their journey has been a long one, and soon these freedom seekers will finally rest peacefully, and with the dignity they deserve.

Giants on the Mountain Top

An interviewer once asked Neil Peart, “What’s your favorite RUSH album?

The Rush drummer replied, “Our latest.”

In trying to put the San Francisco Giants two world championships in three years into historical perspective, it is certainly very tempting to think along those same lines.

For the sake of argument, let us don our “Protect the Field” caps, take a step back, and see if we can put aside the current passions in order to assess the situation.   Let’s take a look at ten periods when things were great for the Giants and their fans, and then try and see where the current run resides among them.

 

1888-1889 

The “New York Game” became widely popular in the middle of the 19^th Century, but strangely enough, Manhattan did not have a team in the National League until cigar magnate John B. Day entered the Giants into “the League” during the winter meetings of 1882.    New Yorkers were thrilled to finally have their own team, but had to watch other cities like Chicago grab the glory until Mutrie’s men won the post-season exhibition matches back to back in 1888 and 1889.

What might have been…

The player’s rebellion in 1890 financially destroyed Day and Mutrie.    The Giants fell into a decade long funk, and went through 14 managers until McGraw arrived in 1903.  

 

1904-1905

Ruling with an iron fist, the new skipper from Baltimore revamped the lineup and whipped them into a winner with back-to-back pennants.   The 1904 team won 106 games (162 = 112) and might have won the World Series against Boston, but stubborn McGraw refused to recognize Ban Johnson's new American League.   A year later, the Giants won 105 games (Brooklyn finished 56.5 games behind), and Christy Mathewson pitched his way into stardom with three shutouts of the A’s.

 

What might have been…

McGraw gets over his stubbornness and plays the 1904 Series.   The Giants finished 96 and 56 in 1906, but the Cubs smoked the field that year.

 

1911-1913

No trophy during this time but these three straight pennants were good enough to make the Giants the best team in the National League. 

 

What might have been…

We always remember Fred Snodgrass dropping a routine fly late in Game Seven in 1912.    Just as bad was Mathewson, Myers and Merkle, and the foul pop between first and home that was not fielded that hurt.

 

1921-1924

Sometimes you can win without a superstar and McGraw proved it by winning these four straight pennants and two World Series with lineups that did lack star quality.

This great run for the Giants was sandwiched between second place finishes in 1918-1920 and 1925.   Beating Ruth and the Yankees back to back made McGraw a very happy man.

What might have been…

That bad hop single over Fred Lindstrom’s head at Griffith Stadium in Game Seven of 1924.

 

1933-1937

Bill Terry had the difficult task of taking over the reigns from McGraw, who had led the Giants to 10 pennants and three World Series, and an overall .591 winning pct (162 =  96-66)

Terry did the job and then some.  In the next five seasons, the Giants averaged 92 wins, won two pennants and the Series in 1933.

 

What might have been…

During the start of spring training in 1934, a reporter with the Brooklyn Eagle asked Terry, What about Brooklyn, Bill, what are their chances this year.

Terry quipped, “Brooklyn?  Are they still in the league?”

They were and despite residing in the second division, the Dodgers beat the Giants on the penultimate day and then knocked them out on the final day, allowing the Cards to win the pennant.

 

1951-1954

Another high point for the Giants when Thomson hit his “Shot Heard Round the World.”   The sweep of the Indians and Mays’s epic catch in Game One at the Polo Grounds temporarily held off the Yankees, who had won five straight Fall Classics.

What might have been…

When Mays got back from the Army in ’54, and walked into the spring training clubhouse in Arizona, someone quipped, Hey Leo, here comes your pennant!

 

1962-1966

I know, you’re raising your eyebrow.   Nary a World Series trophy here, but for sustained good teams and marquee players, this was a great time for the Giants.  The pennant in ‘62 pumped up civic pride in the City by the Bay like never before.

What might have been…

And you laughed at Johnnie LeMaster.

 

1987-1989

Will the Thrill, Hum Baby, Kevin Mitchell, and you appreciate a division title the most when you’ve waited the longest.   

What might have been…

Glaring lights, bad shakes, I think the gods were messing with the Giants.

 

2000-2003

Beautiful new park, Bonds swatting splash balls, Dusty at the helm, sold out crowds, and two division flags.  

What might have been…

In late March 2001, I met Russ Ortiz at the luggage claim in the Phoenix airport.   Nice guy, and if I met him again, I would ask him what he was thinking after Dusty Baker pulled him the seventh inning in Game Six.

 

2010-2012

Two world series trophies in three years.  Great pitching, the cast of characters, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum making further strides for the Hall of Fame, Bruch Bochy makes his case for the Hall, Posey has the greatest season ever by a Giants catcher, the Giants surpass the Cardinals for most pennants in the National League, and the way they did it, winning 8 of 9 series games, and five elimination games.   

So, the big question, who gets top billing, McGraw and the early 20s, or Bochy’s current run?

Quite frankly, I’m torn.    The former makes quite a case with the four straight pennants and back-to-back World Series.   Baseball was America’s beloved pastime and as many as 56,000 packed Yankee Stadium in the 1923 Series.    Fans across the country gathered in downtowns to watch the play-by-play on a mechanical play-o-graph or bulletin board.  In Manhattan, the numbers were in the tens of thousands.  

Owning New York meant owning the world as far as McGraw was concerned, and he wore some even bigger britches after the World Tour (Europe) in November 1924.    The legendary skipper even met King George V of England.   

Of course, not that many people came to those contests, and it certainly wasn’t beamed live to the States.   Contrast that to the modern world and all the wonders of technology.     Giants fans with the MLB Network watched the parade and ceremony on Wednesday, or snuck peaks from work via the web.    Social media and the “twittersphere” were on fire during the games.   

And how about the way the current Giants got to the top?   They won six straight elimination games, and clinched 5 of the 6 series on the road.  Of the nine World Series games, they won all but one.  

So for now, we’ll table this discussion until next October and soak up the feeling of the 2012 Giants standing on top of the mountain.   Whether you believe they’re alone there, or sharing it with other great teams in franchise history, it doesn’t matter.    It’s all good.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to prepare a memo for McGraw, explaining what a tweet is...

Potomac Blockade

The most serious effect of the blockade was not the personal problems people faced such as higher prices and inconvenience but rather humiliation, not only for Washington but for the entire nation.  It was inconceivable that the great Capital of the United States was a beleaguered city. -  “The Confederate Blockade of Washington, D.C., 1861-1862” by Mary Alice Wills

 

 

One of the many forgotten stories of the Civil War took place about twenty miles south of Washington along the Potomac River.   From October 1861 to March 1862, the Confederates blockaded the capital city by placing artillery batteries on and three capes on the Virginia shore near Dumfries.   

During the war, these strategic points, located on a seven-mile front, had names such as “Shipping Point” and “Possum Nose.”  Folks in Prince William County know these three places today as Leesylvania State Park, the area east of the Cherry Hill neighborhood and Quantico.   Riders on VRE pass by the points and some of the sites of the camps. 

After their trouncing of the Union army at First Manassas/Bull Run in July 1861, the Southern forces controlled this part of Virginia south of the Occoquan River, a defensive line that extended from Centreville to the Potomac river.   They considered similar strategic places closer to Washington, but feared being too close to the Union Army in and south of Alexandria.

To commemorate the blockade, the Prince William County Historic Preservation hosts a series of boat tours of the sites.   Yesterday, about 18 hearty souls braved morning temperatures in the mid 40s and met by the dock at Freestone Point in Leesylvania Park.  Located about five miles south of Woodbridge, this woodsy 500-acre park was once a plantation owned by Harry “Light Horse” Lee and used by the Lee family.  

While some of the sites we visited (we did not get off the boat for any of them) have lost their original name, this first one is still known by some as “Freestone Point.”   This northernmost site drew the first fire from the Union Navy’s “Potomac Flotilla,” on September 25, 1861.   The northern guns returned on January 3, 1862.   Like all the skirmishes that took place here, little damage was done to either side.

Hopping on board the “Rivershore,” a 50-foot commercial pontoon boat out of Occoquan, we shoved off around 1030.  Our guide was Robert Alton, author of "Stratagem 1861, Early Civil War Tactics and the Battle for the Potomac."  

Reflecting a quiet pride, Alton told us about his passion for finding Civil War relics along these wooded bluffs.   His book benefits from his countless trips to look for the buried treasure.   The photographs of his findings are beautifully presented.     

About 15 minutes after shoving off, we arrived at the first cape below the park.    On older maps it’s called called “Possum Nose,” and also “Possum Point.”    The confusion is cleared up by The Virginia Historic Landmark Commission form that notes, “Cockpit Point and Possum Point were considered one point called Cockpit Point.”    

The 80-foot high cliff made this spot appealing to the Confederate Army.    They put six guns here and rifle pits.   The earthworks remain in fairly good shape.    Our veteran captain chimed in that the state hopes to make the historic point accessable to the public with interpretive markers and a pier for boats.   As we gazed at the point, an eagle watched from his sentry post.

The captain pushed the throttle once again and we headed toward Quantico.   Looking across the river, one notices the Maryland shore has come a little closer.    The distance, about 2,500 yards, seems too wide to be called a gauntlet, but I’m sure it felt that way on the occasions the lead flew.   

The “Old Line State” played a Role in this story too.    President Lincoln needed Maryland badly, a border state which wraps around Washington on three sides.    During the blockade, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, running from Baltimore to Washington, carried some of the needed supplies.   Nevertheless, prices for goods soared during the blockade.  Alton said the price of coffee was higher than it is now.

The majority of Marylanders fought for the Union, but a significant number of folks in Southern Maryland whistled “Dixie” during the war.    Those living near the Potomac in Charles County had to hide behind their barns when Major General Hooker brought 8,000 Union troops to Budd’s Ferry and nearby places such as Posey’s Plantation.    

 The Federals set up their artillery, camps and a depot. With Chief Aeronaut Thaddeus Lowe at the helm, they launched a spy balloon, the Constitution, from the specially equipped boat G.W. Parke Custis.   The aerial reconnaissance confirmed the Confederate positions, provided a good estimate of the number of troops, and allowed a sketch of their positions  (Our boat captain said maybe we should consider this the first case of an aircraft carrier).

Armed with this knowledge, a confident and no-doubt restless Hooker devised a plan of attack.  McClellan, however, balked.  It wasn’t until March 8^th, that he finally prepared to green light Hooker’s assault after President Lincoln issued written orders.   

No such movement, however, was needed.  The next day General Johnston ordered a retreat to the Rappahannock River.   Jefferson Davis and the War Council had decided to defend Richmond more closely.

Chugging along the slightly rough waters, we headed further south towards Quantico.   The unspoiled beauty of the riverscape is interrupted by the Dominion Power plant.   Looking ahead, we spotted the railroad bridge over the mouth of Quantico Creek.  This was the “Shipping Point,” whose site is on Quantico’s northern tip.   

The Quantico Naval Hospital was located at this small peninsula starting in 1939, before giving way to USMC Systems Command.  The biggest batteries were located here.    The Confederates also put two batteries on Waller Hill about ½ mile south of Shipping Point.   During this time, Quantico was known as “Evansport.”

As we returned to Freestone, Alton wrapped up his presentation, and signed copies of his book.   The unique setting capped a fantastic tour. 

 
Additional Reading

“The Confederate Blockade of Washington, D.C., 1861-1862” by Mary Alice Wills

 Stratagem 1861, Robert Alton

 

 

Job Applicant Sues WAMU/NPR

By Jaded Roberts

Special to the Garlic Times 

 

Joe Johnson, a Washington, D.C. resident, is suing WAMU/88.5 American University Radio, and NPR (National Public Radio) for job discrimination.

 

Johnson was not available for comment.   His lawyer, Charles Whitehead, appeared in District Court yesterday and spoke with reporters.

 

“Our case is simple,” Whitehead said.  “We believe WAMU and NPR discriminate against job applicants with common names.”

 

Standing in front of the courthouse, Whitehead read a list of names of current hosts and reporters with WAMU and NPR. 

 

“Inskeep, Ben Achour, Totenberg, Temple-Raston, Meymo Lyons, Lakshmi Singh, Audie Cornish, Guy Raz."   

 

“Should I go on?” he said.

 

“What about Jerry Edwards?” someone shouted.

 

“He’s the local traffic reporter.  That doesn’t count.”