September 14
I need to apologize again due to the late hour. A long day of travel, downloading and editing photos, then adding information to the website is too much when I do not make it back to the hotel until 7 PM. I will try to end tomorrow sooner so I can type in the Blog pages.
Well, I did not get back to the next night’s hotel until 8 PM. So, finding time now on September 17 to add comments.
East of the White House, on Pennsylvania Ave, is what locals refer to as Pershing Park. This is the World War I Memorial, established ninety-six years after the war ended. A statue of General Pershing, created by Robert White, stands proudly in the center of the grounds. The 4.7 million Americans who fought in the “war to end all wars” finally have a monument honoring their service. Over 116,000 Americans did not return to our nation’s shores, whose ranks included my father’s uncle, Edgar Wright, a private in the 39th Infantry Regiment (1st Army, III Corps, 4th Division, 7th Brigade), nicknamed “Ivy” for its distinctive insignia of four ivy leaves (from the Roman numerals for 4; IV). Uncle Edgar was killed during the Meuse-Argonne offensive (north of Verdun, France) in late-1918, a few weeks before the armistice. In July-1914 Austria-Hungary went to war against Serbia, after Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Habsburg throne. Sophie, his wife, was also killed in the attack. The chain of events saw Germany request Russia to stay out of the conflict, which backfired. The Russians mobilized. Then Germany invaded France, which brought England into the war. The treaty alliances which the various countries had created in the previous decades forced one country after another to join the fight. The French had more at stake. The Franco-Prussian War in 1870 resulted in France giving its Alsace-Lorraine region to Germany; the French wanted it back. The Western Front became a tale of tragedy and horror. A series of attacks and counter-attacks across the northeastern portion of France brought Germany 30 miles short of Paris at one point. The two sides settled into trench warfare. The battle of Verdun, alone, counted one million casualties between the French and Germans. Horrific gas attacks killed thousands. The Russians were keeping the Germans busy on the Eastern Front. But the Russian Revolution brought the Bolsheviks to power in 1917. The Czar was ousted. The new Russian leaders did not want to continue the conflict with the Central Powers, signing an armistice in December-1917. The Germans now shifted considerable resources to the Western Front. It would be needed because, as a heroic patriot from the 1700s might have said, “the Americans are coming, the Americans are coming.” Please note, Mr. Revere never actually said similar words (they were fabricated over two centuries), but they do provide the perfect context for both situations. President Wilson, in 1917, finally requested Congress to declare war on the Central powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire). The sinking of the luxury ocean liner, Lusitania, with death of hundreds of Americans, began the swing of public opinion for the United States to enter the battle. The continued onslaught of sinking U.S. merchant ships by German U-boats pushed Wilson and Congress past the proverbial tipping point. We joined England, France, Japan, Italy, and Romania in the fight. Many felt this day was late in coming. Others felt we should have stayed neutral. Into the 21st century our country struggles with this issue, involvement or noninterference, as armed conflicts rage across the globe. There will be an unveiling of a bronze sculpture in 2024 to anchor the west end of the monument. Today there was work being done on the Pershing statue, at the east end. There has been plenty of work done since my last visit in 2016. Good job, NPS.
On a sidenote, I had the honor of meeting the last surviving American veteran of WW1, Frank Buckles. I stopped at his West Virginia home in 2008. We talked for about an hour. He was 107 years old. The next year he spoke in front of Congress, the oldest person to do so. He advocated for the creation of the WW1 Memorial. Congress listened. His family was given special permission for Corporal Buckles to be interred at Arlington Cemetery in 2010. The Washington Post wrote, “The hallowed ritual at grave No. 34-581 was not a farewell to one man alone. A reverent crowd of the powerful and the ordinary—President Obama and Vice President Biden, laborers and store clerks, heads bowed—came to salute Buckles' deceased generation, the vanished millions of soldiers and sailors he came to symbolize in the end.”
Now for the White House and President’s Park. I last toured the home at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave about 45 years ago. Back then you just showed up at the entrance gate and walked in. Now you need a ticket, obtained months ahead of time from a member of Congress. That gives the Secret Service time to make sure you are a law abiding person. Humberto met me at the WH Visitor Center at 9:30 AM for the 10 AM tour time on our tickets. Some interesting relics can be viewed, and a great gift shop is available for those who need a true WH trinket.
The Residence Act of 1790 required the establishment of a national capital, a permanent seat of government. Philadelphia was named the temporary capital as adopted during the second session of the first United States Congress. In fact, if Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Madison, along with Alexander Hamilton had not brokered a deal, the nation’s capital might have been located elsewhere. Jefferson and Madison wanted the site to be on the Potomac River, while Hamilton wanted the new Federal Government to assume the States’ debt from the war. Jefferson and Madison finally agreed. Hamilton persuaded a group of New York congressmen to back the Potomac idea. The Executive Mansion (this was the house’s official name for decades) was “open for business” in November-1800, with President Adams being the first to enjoy the nation’s home as his residence and his official office. That is right, George Washington never slept here. The British burned the Executive Mansion during their invasion of the city in the War of 1812. A fortuitous thunderstorm extinguished the fires. President Madison requested John Hoban to rebuild after the British were driven back across the ocean. This became the mansion’s second interior renovation. President Teddy Roosevelt authorized the next renovation. The famous West Wing, with the Oval Office, was added to the Executive Mansion in his second year, 1902 (the East Wing was not completed until 1942). This period is when Roosevelt officially changed the name from Executive Mansion to White House.
Manmade structures eventually succumb to the wear and tear of time, as years take their toll on our bodies, though the Egyptian pyramids have done quite well for 4,000 years. Shortly after World War II a consensus was formed that the WH needed major renovations to continue as a proper residence of our country’s top executive. Harry S. Truman moved across the street to Blair House in 1948. He had a great view to watch the restoration. The internal structure was a key factor. Wood timbers do not last forever, and the previous remodeling had aggravated their worn condition. A steel-concrete framework replaced the aging timbers. Truman had to wait until 1952 to return to the WH. The time of interval was acceptable. He was pleased.
The Executive Mansion residents have been just like their fellow citizens in keeping up with the times. Andrew Jackson received running water. James Polk added gas lighting. Benjamin Harrison; electric lights. And who has not repurposed a room. John Adams’ wife, Abigail, used the East Room to hang-dry wet laundry. Seven presidents laid in state here. Theodore Roosevelt’s children installed a roller-skate rink. One constant has remained in the East Room. Dolley Madison saved Gilbert Stuart’s life-size painting of George Washington from the British in 1814. She rehung it after the war. The treasure has never been moved since. Three of the main chambers seen on the WH tour are the color rooms. The names of these rooms, and their official purpose, have changed with time. The Green Room was a dining room for Jefferson, with a green colored canvas to protect the floor. Today’s Blue Room was Dolley Madison’s drawing room. She decorated the windows with red velvet drapes. Monroe installed crimson silk upholstered furniture in 1817. One of the pieces, a gilded beechwood armchair, built by the French cabinetmaker Pierre-Antoine Bellagne, is on display in the WH VC. Martin Van Buren decided the room theme should be blue, a custom which has continued to the 21st century. The Red Room was sunflower yellow in its earliest days. Polk turned the room to red. These rooms are only a small part of the 132 total rooms and 35 bathrooms which comprise the WH complex. It takes six floors to encompass all those rooms. That is a lot of space for the Secret Service to monitor, and for the cleaning crew to keep spotless. Speaking of the Secret Service, Humberto and I made friends with a young (to us) agent. He was interested in the National Parks in Utah, since next month he will travel to that great state for a vacation. There was a constant flow of visitors, but a good thirty minutes is all one needs to slowly go through the one hall, two large rooms, and the three colored rooms.
Humberto and I then walked the 0.8-miles on Vermont Ave to Mary McLeod Bethune Council House. 1318 Vermont Ave NW. That is the address for the Second Empire row house once owned by Mary McLeod Bethune. She purchased the property in 1943, for $15,000, to be her home. Bethune was president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), at this time, having been elected as its first president in 1935. Why not have the house serve a dual purpose? Voila! A new HQ designated for the national organization, operating as such until 1966. Four million women continue Bethune’s work in the organization. Their primary objective is to ameliorate the position, and advance policies, of African-American women in America. Bethune was a daughter of former slaves (fifteenth of seventeen children), giving her an inside track on understanding the inequalities faced by African-Americans. She was born in Mayesville, South Carolina, in 1875, only a few years removed from the Civil War. Though freedom had been won, opportunities to improve the status of most African-Americans did not materialize. Bethune was one of the lucky ones, gaining an education to work as a missionary, finishing her studies in 1895. Subsequently, with no missionary work offered, Bethune turned to teaching. She married Albertus Bethune and moved to Florida to start her own missionary school. Mary moved to Daytona Beach in 1904, after divorcing Albertus, and grew a six-child school into a large secretarial and normal school. The year 1923 saw her school merge with the all-male Cookman Institute. We know the school as the widely respected Bethune-Cookman University. These efforts on a regional scale led McCloud into the national spotlight, joining forces with women such as Maggie L. Walker. Bethune was a logical choice for assignments to U.S. Government initiatives helping balance the scales of African-Americans. She was given appointments to commissions which addressed youth employment and education during Franklin Roosevelt’s years as President. She was great friends with Eleanor Roosevelt. The Federal Council on Negro Affairs tackled the task of increasing opportunities for African-Americans in parallel with the New Deal. Bethune fought to have African-American women selected to serve in the WAACS (Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps) and WAVES (Women Appointed for Voluntary Emergency Service) military units for the five years of World War II. Few items in the house are original to Bethune (she moved to Florida with all her possessions) or the NCNW (the house had a fire in 1966).
Humberto had other plans after the Council House tour, so we shook hands and wished each other safe travels. On the way out of the house I had a wonderful conversation with a group of five women who are on their own quest to visit historic sites. They are also traveling to as many National Parks as possible. I wish them the best. After providing some input on getting to the Virgin Islands parks we said goodbye and I headed northeast to Carter G. Woodson NHS. It is only 0.5 miles away. One must remember this part of Washington, D.C., the Shaw neighborhood, was the focal point of the Black Community in the early 20th century. Dr. Woodson called this Victorian Row House his home for 35 years, until his death in 1950. The home had a dual purpose, as office and home; a familiar theme. The top floor provided for his living comforts while the bottom floors had desks and filing cabinets. The basement stored most of Dr. Woodson’s book collection. He is credited with establishing African-American historiography during his years of research on African American life and history. The country’s educational system was not teaching young people the history of black men and women and their impact on our society. Woodson worked tirelessly to change that result, in his teaching assignments at schools (he retired from teaching in 1922) and through The Association for the Study of Negro American Life and History (since changed to The Association for the Study of the African American Life and History - ASALH), founded in 1915. The association’s primary objective was to teach the public about the role African-Americans played in the history of our country. The nickname “The Father of Black History” is well assigned. A famous quote from Dr. Woodson is, “If you teach the negro that he has accomplished as much good as any other race he will aspire to equality and justice without regard to race.” He included this statement in his 1933 book The Mis-Education of the Negro. An annual celebration which most of the country is aware is Black History Month. Dr. Woodson and the ASALH had established National Black History Week, for the second week of February, between the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln. The goal was increased awareness of African American history, around the world. The celebration has now expanded to the entire month of February in America. President Gerald Ford in 1976 was the first U.S. President to officially recognize the event. The building is currently closed due to major renovations, but the official boundary of the park includes the front porch, where I logged the satellite signals on my GPS unit. An odd observation from a previous visit when the home was open was each doorknob in the various rooms was unique. Is it not common practice for a homeowner to use the same style of doorknob on their interior doors? This is where I felt bonded with Dr. Woodson. He was adamant about minimizing waste. Man should be accountable for his treatment of the world. Always make do with recycling to let nothing go unused. Dr. Woodson would rescue any doorknob from a manmade graveyard and make use of it in his home.
A 500-yard walk to the Shaw subway station and I was headed back to the hotel and my car. I plopped into the front seat and headed to Manassas National Battlefield Park via I-495 and I-66. Two battles of the Civil War were fought on this land. Both outcomes telling tales of what was to come later. The first battle in July-1861 was the coming out event of the new war. The Union army began its offensive to take the Confederacy’s capital of Richmond three months after the Fort Sumter bombardment. Union General McDowell marched his 35,000-man army towards Manassas to capture its vital rail junction. The soldiers were mainly fresh recruits, signed to 90-day volunteer orders. Union forces camped at Centerville on July 18, just 5 miles from Bull Run creek and 22,000 entrenched Confederate troops, under the command of General Pierre G. T. Beauregard. Each knew where to find the other and had estimates of size. This prompted Beauregard to holler for reinforcements from the Shenandoah Valley. General Joe Johnson heeded the call, bringing 10,000 men via the Manassas Gap Railroad. The sun broke over the horizon on Sunday, July 21. Congressmen and other Northern citizens came to Centerville in their carriages, replete with picnic baskets, in hopes of watching a quick win for the North. Southerner supporters laid down their picnic blankets on Douglas Heights, with similar expectation of swift victory. It took less than one day to settle the outcome. Advancement after advancement was followed by counterattack after counterattack. Volley after volley. Matthews Hill, Henry Hill, and Chinn Ridge became famous names that day. Man-made thunder rolled across the fields. The Confederates at one point were in retreat to Henry Hill. General Barnard Bee ordered newly arrived General Thomas Jackson’s brigade to ride towards the sound of guns, into a flank position to form an anchor for the Confederate line. Rallying his troops, General Bee pointed to Jackson and said, “There stands Jackson like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!” The nickname “Stonewall” was born. The Federals stopped their attacks to reorganize, giving the Confederates enough time to reform their lines between Henry Hill and Chinn Ridge. This was not the last lost opportunity by Union generals over the course of the war.
The Second Manassas battle at Bull Run was fought 13 months later, August-1862. This time three days were needed to decide the victor, with the Union army conceding another unexpected Southern victory. The result renewed Confederacy hopes. The prelude to the battle was skirmishes up and down the coast between Manassas and Richmond. Fate as it seems is not without a bit of irony. Gen. Joseph Johnson was wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines on May 31, so CSA President Davis placed General Robert E. Lee in charge of the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee was a top graduate of West Point Military Academy, followed by exceptional service for the United States. He continually emerged the victor on the battlefield against larger Union forces over the next two years. Who knows how the war would have unfolded if Johnson had not been replaced. The second engagement had no mass of onlookers sitting on hillsides with picnic blankets and baskets. The realities of war had become the realities of life. The country would experience war for another three years until April-1865.
Various cannons are positioned across the battlefield at the important events, such as on Henry Hill and the two Union guns which were overrun in the first encounter, giving the Confederates the day. The Stone House sat in the middle of both battles, being used as an aid station for the wounded. The signatures of two Confederate soldiers are still engraved in floorboards on the second floor, a relic which many visitors want to see. The Stone Bridge which Union soldiers scampered across on their retreat back to D.C. at the end of the first battle has been replicated to look as it did in 1861. When you visit this park be sure to keep your eyes open for speeding traffic, especially during rush hour. Two semi-major roads cut through the park and intersect near its middle. We are fortunate to have this hallowed ground protected. Commercial interests had their sights set on this land for many decades. Housing and retail are butted against the east and south park boundaries. But the roads remain.
It just so happened to be rush hour. The normally short trek over to Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts took twice as long. I found a parking space in the general lot closest to the main entrance to the Filene Center, the main stage in the park. But there were plenty of other parked cars, and many people having tailgates. That could only mean one thing; a performance. Sure enough, I learned later The Squeeze were to roll out their 1980s music later that evening. I headed towards the main gate hoping a Ranger Office would be close by. I saw a building which said Park Police and thought that might be it. It was not. A couple who had a cooler in tow and were waiting for the gates to open, asked about my tee-shirt. We struck up a good conversation about the National Parks. The lady pointed to a ranger walking by and I proceeded to ask where I could get the Passport Cancellation stamp. She pointed to the Ranger Station around the corner. And there was another ranger inside. It seems that on concert nights the station is open until the concertgoers go home. Makes sense. The stamp was inside the door. Another ranger and a volunteer arrived, and the four of us talked about my Quest, then I headed out to get a photo of the Filene Center.
Wolf Trap is a 117-acre complex located in Vienna, Virginia. Catherine Filene Shouse purchased a 52-acre farm at this spot in 1930, for $5,300. She bought adjacent plots of land, growing to 168 acres. The farm produced grains and vegetables for family and friends, but during World War II she allowed others to plant and harvest. Food was scarce at times. Shouse was a copious supporter of the performing arts and wanted to insure future generations had a venue to enjoy fine arts. She requested a meeting with Stewart Udall, the Secretary of the Interior Department. Udall explained the NPS managed parks for recreation but had none for the Arts. She asked if he wanted Wolf Trap. The transaction was completed in 1966. Shouse donated the land, along with funds to build a theater. What a tax write-off. The theater had its inaugural performance in 1971. Since the beginning the NPS has managed the property, but the Wolf Trap Foundation handles day-to-day operations, including all performances. Wolf Trap is the lone NPS unit dedicated to honoring the Performing Arts. The Filene Center is open-air, seating 4,000 people under roof with room on the yard for an additional 3,000 spectators. This lawn area is on a sloped hillside, so one can see over the head of the person in front of them. The indoor audience is seated either on the main floor or in a second-floor balcony. I attended a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons concert while in high school. My seat was in the balcony section. The view was excellent. Could Frankie ever sing! It is not surprising the Broadway show Jersey Boys (the story of Valli and his music) became a smash hit. The park’s Children’s Theater-in-the-Woods venue has performances in the morning from late-June to earlyAugust (Tuesday through Saturday), coinciding with summer break for students. Shows at this stage are more family-oriented, including puppetry and storytelling. The stage is situated in a clearing, a short walk north of the Filene Center. Kids love the walk since it snakes through woods and over a bridge at Wolf Trap Creek. There are 800 bench seats, first-come-first-serve. On non-performance days folks can take two hikes. The TRACK trail is 1.5 miles round-trip, leisurely covering much of the area around the Filene Center. The Wolf Trap Trail is 2.5 miles in length and extends out to the wetlands and woods at the park’s boundaries.