From a small tobacco warehouse to the center of the world: Alexandria since 1608
English settlement from Jamestown in 1608 finally reached "the freshes of the Potomac" in 1669 when Governor Berkeley granted Robert Howsing 6,000 acres "for bringing into the Colony of Virginia one hundred and twenty persons to inhabit." In November 1669, according to the original deed, Captain John Alexander bought the grant for 6,000 pounds of tobacco that would be the basis for the establishment of the new Town of Alexandria in 1749.
Alexandria, Virginia is still a port town, although more scenic than industrial. But because of that port and the port of Georgetown, the federal city was located just north of the town in 1790. The story of Alexandria is told through periods of prosperity and decline and prosperity again. At once it was a port where the trade in tobacco and cotton became national and international businesses.
It was here, too, that Alexandria served as headquarters during the Revolutionary War with militia colonel George Washington in attendance. The Fairfax Resolves of 1774, incendiary for its opposition to taxes imposed by Great Britain, was debated and approved in Gatsby's Tavern and a revolution was born.
While the Civil War raged around this once proud tobacco port, the many buildings and homes languished in disrepair and abandonment which, oddly enough, may have saved its historic past from destruction. Many of the 18th and 19th homes and business are still extant and where possible markers show ones long since turned to newer development. The sense of what Alexandria is and was still commands proper historic respect.
This tour booklet shows 57 different sites, but not all are in the city of Alexandria proper. Nine of the sites are found along the George Washington Parkway to include Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington and Woodlawn, for example, and along Route 1, all just south of the city.
Most of the tour, 38 sites to be exact, encompasses the original boundary of Alexandria as laid out in 1749 and are within walking range. Additional historic sites, 10 in all, are outside the original boundaries and are somewhat spread apart.
What's important to remember is that George Washington, Robert E. Lee, the Fairfax and Lee families, pillars of early American government and society and historic figures all, lived, worked, and grew up within Alexandria proper. Washington speculated in property here with a half acre on South Pitt Street and a townhouse on Cameron Street; Robert E.. Lee grew up on Oronoco Street and went to school next door; debates were held and resolutions adopted at the Lyceum and Gadsby's Tavern, and most of these structures still survive.
Overall Review: 2.8 out of 4
Stats: 57 sites, 39 b/w photos, 2 maps, in booklet form.
Price - 3.5: Cost is $4.95 (57 sites: 8.7 cents a site) in booklet form only.
Availability - 2: The booklet is out of print on Amazon and only available in booklet form only at the Alexandria Visitors Center
at Ramsey House at the corner of King and Fairfax Streets, a historic
site in its own right, and is not available online or as a download
making this tour not so accessible.
Organized: 3 Overall
Directions - 3: Each of the sites are chronological and close together enough to walk easily from one to the next; each site has an address for identification. Some of the outlying sites are not close together and require transportation.
Maps - 3: The maps clearly show the sites
in logical order and easily walkable from site to site, however, the
printing is light for the major tour route and the numbers are small for
the main map.
Photos/Images - 3: Each site has a separate photo even if they are somewhat small and dark, they are still recognizable.
ISBN 1-879295-15-6 by Thomas J. Carrier, L.B. Prince, Co.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
The White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court: Historic Self-Guided Tours
In Washington, D.C., a city steeped in history - from museums and monuments to statues and stations - there are perhaps no structures as prominent as the working symbols of the United States' three-branch government: the White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court. Embodying our nation's complex and, at times, tumultuous history, these buildings also house invaluable pieces of our American past. A visit to these national treasures provides a lesson in both the people and events that have shaped this country.
Representing the heart, soul, and strength of American independence, the White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court tell a fascinating true story - one that includes presidents, vice presidents, senators, justices, and political visionaries. Touring the buildings, visitors see such familiar faces as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., and Susan B. Anthony, as well as learn about lesser-known figures such as Chippewa warrior Beeshekee, Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite, and Vice Presidents Daniel Tompkins and William R. King. The paintings and portraits that adorn the walls, the statues in every corner, and the rooms themselves provide commentary on the political life of a developing nation.
Each of the three historic buildings feature only the areas that were public space when the book was compiled in 2000. Many of the areas are now closed to the public, particularly within the U.S. Capitol where many of the sites within the public tours have been moved to the underground Capitol Visitors Center. The sites in the White House still remain the same, but access is strictly limited. All areas of the Supreme Court shown are still within the public space.
Begin your three branches of government tour at:
- Tour A: The White House tour of 15 sites begins on the Ground Floor Library, to the Vermeil Room where a special gold and silver flatware set is on display, the China Room showing the evolution of official state dinnerware, then up to the East Room where press conferences and state dinners are held, then through the Green, Blue, and Red Rooms, see the State Dining Room, the Cross Hall featuring the presidential flag and seal, the Entrance Hall and finally the North Portico where official guests are sometimes met.
- Tour B: The U.S. Capitol features 154 sites inside and outside the U.S. Capitol grounds from statues, paintings, furniture, and architectural details such as cornices, fixtures, columns and even original staircases, memorials, and glass skylights to find. There are historic trees, streetcar shelters, and even a grotto where a stream runs through it and conspirators met. Many sites have been moved or are now off limits. But with special access many of these wonders can be revealed.
- Tour C: The Supreme Court features only 12 sites, but they do include the interior courtroom where the nine Supreme Court justices meet in open session to discuss constitutional issues. Many of the exhibits change over time but there are sculptures, pediments, statues, busts, furniture, friezes, and staircases that will still dazzle any visitor or staff.
Altogether there are 181 historic sites, 207 images, 8 maps. Care must be taken when visiting each site as they are heavily guarded inside and out. Visitors must get a pass from a member of Congress or Senator at least 6 months ahead of their visit for the White House, but visitors can enter most of the visitor area of the U.S. Capitol throughout the day by registering for a pass at the Capital Visitor Center (unfortunately that does not include a visit to the galleries of the House of Representatives and the Senate; check with a member of Congress for that privilege). There are cafeterias and restrooms in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center and the Supreme Court, but not at the White House. There are many days where visits will either be cut short or be terminated depending on national concerns at the time. Be flexible.
ISBN 0-7385-0557-9 by Thomas J. Carrier, Arcadia Publishing, soft cover book form, cost, http://www.arcadiapublishing.com
Representing the heart, soul, and strength of American independence, the White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court tell a fascinating true story - one that includes presidents, vice presidents, senators, justices, and political visionaries. Touring the buildings, visitors see such familiar faces as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., and Susan B. Anthony, as well as learn about lesser-known figures such as Chippewa warrior Beeshekee, Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite, and Vice Presidents Daniel Tompkins and William R. King. The paintings and portraits that adorn the walls, the statues in every corner, and the rooms themselves provide commentary on the political life of a developing nation.
Each of the three historic buildings feature only the areas that were public space when the book was compiled in 2000. Many of the areas are now closed to the public, particularly within the U.S. Capitol where many of the sites within the public tours have been moved to the underground Capitol Visitors Center. The sites in the White House still remain the same, but access is strictly limited. All areas of the Supreme Court shown are still within the public space.
Begin your three branches of government tour at:
- Tour A: The White House tour of 15 sites begins on the Ground Floor Library, to the Vermeil Room where a special gold and silver flatware set is on display, the China Room showing the evolution of official state dinnerware, then up to the East Room where press conferences and state dinners are held, then through the Green, Blue, and Red Rooms, see the State Dining Room, the Cross Hall featuring the presidential flag and seal, the Entrance Hall and finally the North Portico where official guests are sometimes met.
- Tour B: The U.S. Capitol features 154 sites inside and outside the U.S. Capitol grounds from statues, paintings, furniture, and architectural details such as cornices, fixtures, columns and even original staircases, memorials, and glass skylights to find. There are historic trees, streetcar shelters, and even a grotto where a stream runs through it and conspirators met. Many sites have been moved or are now off limits. But with special access many of these wonders can be revealed.
- Tour C: The Supreme Court features only 12 sites, but they do include the interior courtroom where the nine Supreme Court justices meet in open session to discuss constitutional issues. Many of the exhibits change over time but there are sculptures, pediments, statues, busts, furniture, friezes, and staircases that will still dazzle any visitor or staff.
Altogether there are 181 historic sites, 207 images, 8 maps. Care must be taken when visiting each site as they are heavily guarded inside and out. Visitors must get a pass from a member of Congress or Senator at least 6 months ahead of their visit for the White House, but visitors can enter most of the visitor area of the U.S. Capitol throughout the day by registering for a pass at the Capital Visitor Center (unfortunately that does not include a visit to the galleries of the House of Representatives and the Senate; check with a member of Congress for that privilege). There are cafeterias and restrooms in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center and the Supreme Court, but not at the White House. There are many days where visits will either be cut short or be terminated depending on national concerns at the time. Be flexible.
ISBN 0-7385-0557-9 by Thomas J. Carrier, Arcadia Publishing, soft cover book form, cost, http://www.arcadiapublishing.com
Historic Georgetown: A Walking Tour
The area known as Georgetown was once a central meeting place for nearly 40 Native American tribes situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Potomac River. It was inevitable that the very rivers that served these native people would attract the first European settlers to the region, settlers who established Georgetown as a hustling port and key commercial center. In 1791, George Washington fixed the small community's enduring importance by including it in the plans for the new Federal City.
Taking you down cobblestone streets, Historic Georgetown: A Walking Tour includes local sites associated with such historic figures as John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy, Alexander Graham Bell, Francis Scott Key, and Victorian novelist E.D.E.N. Southworth. Enjoy the eighteenth-and nineteenth-century charms of Georgetown's architecture as you visit private homes, businesses, and social establishments. Climb the stairs on which the climactic scene of William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist took place!
This is the story of Georgetown from its earliest days as a small tobacco port to its modern-day status as the most fashionable neighborhood in America's capital city. This pictorial tour will be your guide on an entertaining and educational journey where the history of our nation can be found at nearly every turn.
Each of the seven different walking tours are arranged separately from south along the Potomac River north to Oak Hill Cemetery. Start with:
- Tour A: The Waterfront features 55 distinctive sites such as the Old Stone House, the oldest building in Washington, D.C., the C&O canal, early headquarters of IBM, Rock Creek Park, the Key Bridge, Roosevelt Island, and many early waterfront buildings such as Jack's Boathouse and the Washington Canoe Club, and other sites.
- Tour B: Southwest Georgetown features 21 historic sites such as the home of William Thornton, the architect of the Capitol, many additional historic homes and streets such as Rock Hill made from the ballast of ships, Southworth Cottage that overlooked the Excorcist stairs, the homes of Senator John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy, and other prominent sites.
- Tour C: Georgetown University features only 9 sites, but they do feature prominently during its early years such as the Old North Building where George Washington addressed the students in 1797, Healy Hall with the tall clock tower, the cemetery of the Jesuit community, and the original Observatory, among other sites.
- Tour D: Northwest Georgetown has 15 historic sites to include the Georgetown Convent of the Visitation, the home of Alexander Graham Bell, a look at alley life in early DC history, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and the earliest homes of the first settlers of Georgetown from mansions to stable house are all featured here.
- Tour E: North Georgetown features 15 historic sites as well, but includes the venerable Oak Hill Cemetery where Revolutionary War and early settlers are laid to rest including the daughter of Davie Burnes on whose land sits the White House, a view of Rock Creek Park, Montrose Park, the old historic Dumbarton Oaks mansion, and even a Lovers Lane among other sites.
- Tour F: Northeast Georgetown has 27 historic sites along the streets and back alleys to include many historic houses known for early settlers to Washington D.C. such as Emma Brown, an early educator for the African-American community, merchant Edward Linthicum and others. There is the gunbarrel fence, the P Street Bridge, the prominent Mt Zion Cemetery and an early African-American cemetery, and other sites,
- Tour G: Southeast Georgetown has 24 historic sites to include early taverns, theatres, shops, and several historic churches such as Christ Episcopal and Dumbarton Methodist. Here Jackie Kennedy moved from the White House in 1963 and Robert Todd Lincoln, son of Abraham Lincoln, also lived nearby, among other sites.
Altogether there are 166 historic sites, 207 images and 8 maps. In Georgetown they still retain some of the neighborhood stores within the community where you can rest and get packaged foods. Along M Street and Wisconsin Avenue there are many stores, the Georgetown Park Mall and many smaller convenience stores and cafes to rest. Georgetown cannot be done in a day, so the book while priced near $20 will be a companion for the resident over a long period of time and for a visitor to refer to on their next several visits.
ISBN 0-7385-0239-1 by Thomas J. Carrier, Arcadia Publishing, soft cover book, cost, http://www.arcadiapublishing.com
Taking you down cobblestone streets, Historic Georgetown: A Walking Tour includes local sites associated with such historic figures as John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy, Alexander Graham Bell, Francis Scott Key, and Victorian novelist E.D.E.N. Southworth. Enjoy the eighteenth-and nineteenth-century charms of Georgetown's architecture as you visit private homes, businesses, and social establishments. Climb the stairs on which the climactic scene of William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist took place!
This is the story of Georgetown from its earliest days as a small tobacco port to its modern-day status as the most fashionable neighborhood in America's capital city. This pictorial tour will be your guide on an entertaining and educational journey where the history of our nation can be found at nearly every turn.
Each of the seven different walking tours are arranged separately from south along the Potomac River north to Oak Hill Cemetery. Start with:
- Tour A: The Waterfront features 55 distinctive sites such as the Old Stone House, the oldest building in Washington, D.C., the C&O canal, early headquarters of IBM, Rock Creek Park, the Key Bridge, Roosevelt Island, and many early waterfront buildings such as Jack's Boathouse and the Washington Canoe Club, and other sites.
- Tour B: Southwest Georgetown features 21 historic sites such as the home of William Thornton, the architect of the Capitol, many additional historic homes and streets such as Rock Hill made from the ballast of ships, Southworth Cottage that overlooked the Excorcist stairs, the homes of Senator John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy, and other prominent sites.
- Tour C: Georgetown University features only 9 sites, but they do feature prominently during its early years such as the Old North Building where George Washington addressed the students in 1797, Healy Hall with the tall clock tower, the cemetery of the Jesuit community, and the original Observatory, among other sites.
- Tour D: Northwest Georgetown has 15 historic sites to include the Georgetown Convent of the Visitation, the home of Alexander Graham Bell, a look at alley life in early DC history, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and the earliest homes of the first settlers of Georgetown from mansions to stable house are all featured here.
- Tour E: North Georgetown features 15 historic sites as well, but includes the venerable Oak Hill Cemetery where Revolutionary War and early settlers are laid to rest including the daughter of Davie Burnes on whose land sits the White House, a view of Rock Creek Park, Montrose Park, the old historic Dumbarton Oaks mansion, and even a Lovers Lane among other sites.
- Tour F: Northeast Georgetown has 27 historic sites along the streets and back alleys to include many historic houses known for early settlers to Washington D.C. such as Emma Brown, an early educator for the African-American community, merchant Edward Linthicum and others. There is the gunbarrel fence, the P Street Bridge, the prominent Mt Zion Cemetery and an early African-American cemetery, and other sites,
- Tour G: Southeast Georgetown has 24 historic sites to include early taverns, theatres, shops, and several historic churches such as Christ Episcopal and Dumbarton Methodist. Here Jackie Kennedy moved from the White House in 1963 and Robert Todd Lincoln, son of Abraham Lincoln, also lived nearby, among other sites.
Altogether there are 166 historic sites, 207 images and 8 maps. In Georgetown they still retain some of the neighborhood stores within the community where you can rest and get packaged foods. Along M Street and Wisconsin Avenue there are many stores, the Georgetown Park Mall and many smaller convenience stores and cafes to rest. Georgetown cannot be done in a day, so the book while priced near $20 will be a companion for the resident over a long period of time and for a visitor to refer to on their next several visits.
ISBN 0-7385-0239-1 by Thomas J. Carrier, Arcadia Publishing, soft cover book, cost, http://www.arcadiapublishing.com
Washington, D.C.: A Historical Walking Tour
When it was passed in 1789, the Constitution set out the boundaries not only for a new government but for a new capital city as well. At the time, the new District of Columbia covered 5,000 acres, dominated by marshland on the south, pastureland on the area that is now the National Mall, farms near the White House and Capitol Hill, and undeveloped woods throughout.
Covering Capitol Hill, the Old Downtown area, the Ellipse, Lafayette Square, and Foggy Bottom, this engaging photographic history and walking tour documents how the Federal City grew from farmland to world capital. Striking images and detailed captions tell the fascinating stories behind many of the famous and the not so famous buildings and monuments that cover the D.C. landscape, from Union Station and the Capitol to the White House and Watergate Hotel and many important sites in between.
In total there are seven different walking tour routes:
- Tour A: Capitol Hill features 32 different historic stops including the well known: the U.S. Capitol, Union Station, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Libraries of Congress, and the lesser known sites such as: homes of orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass and artist in the U.S. Capitol Constantino Brumidi along with the Capital Grotto where Watergate figures met on the Capitol grounds, and others.
- Tour B: Old Downtown features 33 different historic stops including Chinatown, home of Civil War conspirator Mary Surratt, statue of Abraham Lincoln, the Trylon of Freedom sculpture, the Embassy of Canada, the workshop of Civil War photographer Matthew Brady, Clara Barton's boarding house and the Metropolitan Theatre site where Al Jolson's 'talkie' 'The Jazz Singer' premiered in Washington DC, and others.
- Tour C: The East Mall features 21 different historic stops including the Smithsonian Castle and most of the museums including Air & Space, American History, and Natural History, but also the Galleries of Art, the Washington Monument, the Bureau of Printing of Engraving, and even smaller, unknown sites such as Jefferson's Pier, Andrew Jackson Downing's Urn, and others.
- Tour D: Lafayette Square was the epicenter of the new federal city and this tour features the White House, of course, but also a total of 24 historic stops such as the statues of Generals Lafayette, von Steuben, Kosciusko, and Rochambeau, Revolutionary War heroes all, along with famous residences belonging to Frances Blair, now a White House guest house, the Philip Lee House, Decatur House and other landmarks such as St. John's Church, a memorial to Jackie Kennedy, and others.
- Tour E: The Ellipse features 25 historic stops just south of the White House to include the site of the National Christmas Tree, the Boy Scout Memorial, the Zero Milestone where all distances from the US are calculated, a memorial to Titanic casualties, the national headquarters of the Red Cross, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Organization of American States, and others.
- Tour F: The West Mall is more spread out featuring16 historic sites, not including the newly dedicated Martin Luther King Monument and the World War II Memorial, but does include the memorials to FDR, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and even Commodore John Paul Jones, among others.
- Tour G: Foggy Bottom features 23 historic sites in and around the original Town of Funkstown as laid out in 1765. The company that would become IBM was located here, the Watergate Complex, the Kennedy Center, the embassy of Saudia Arabia, the Naval Observatory, the wonderful statues of Albert Einstein, Don Quixote, and Benito Juarez, and others are located throughout this 130 acres.
In total there are 174 well known and little known historic sites throughout this historic area of Washington, D.C. with 8 different maps, and 214 images. All of the sites were reviewed for historic accuracy by Keith Melder, chairman emeritus of the Division of Social History of the National Museum of American History. Many images were from the Washingtoniana Division of the Martin Luther King Library.
Some concerns regarded the quality of some of the photographs and images and that some of the sites such as the congressional office buildings didn't show the office buildings themselves, but for the person for whom they were named. The cost of nearly $20 for a black and white tour book was considered rather high, but at about 11.5 cents per site it could be a bargain tour that will be used again and again.
ISBN: 0-7385-0049-6, by Thomas J. Carrier, Arcadia Publishing, soft cover book, cost, http://www.arcadiapublishing.com
Covering Capitol Hill, the Old Downtown area, the Ellipse, Lafayette Square, and Foggy Bottom, this engaging photographic history and walking tour documents how the Federal City grew from farmland to world capital. Striking images and detailed captions tell the fascinating stories behind many of the famous and the not so famous buildings and monuments that cover the D.C. landscape, from Union Station and the Capitol to the White House and Watergate Hotel and many important sites in between.
In total there are seven different walking tour routes:
- Tour A: Capitol Hill features 32 different historic stops including the well known: the U.S. Capitol, Union Station, the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Libraries of Congress, and the lesser known sites such as: homes of orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass and artist in the U.S. Capitol Constantino Brumidi along with the Capital Grotto where Watergate figures met on the Capitol grounds, and others.
- Tour B: Old Downtown features 33 different historic stops including Chinatown, home of Civil War conspirator Mary Surratt, statue of Abraham Lincoln, the Trylon of Freedom sculpture, the Embassy of Canada, the workshop of Civil War photographer Matthew Brady, Clara Barton's boarding house and the Metropolitan Theatre site where Al Jolson's 'talkie' 'The Jazz Singer' premiered in Washington DC, and others.
- Tour C: The East Mall features 21 different historic stops including the Smithsonian Castle and most of the museums including Air & Space, American History, and Natural History, but also the Galleries of Art, the Washington Monument, the Bureau of Printing of Engraving, and even smaller, unknown sites such as Jefferson's Pier, Andrew Jackson Downing's Urn, and others.
- Tour D: Lafayette Square was the epicenter of the new federal city and this tour features the White House, of course, but also a total of 24 historic stops such as the statues of Generals Lafayette, von Steuben, Kosciusko, and Rochambeau, Revolutionary War heroes all, along with famous residences belonging to Frances Blair, now a White House guest house, the Philip Lee House, Decatur House and other landmarks such as St. John's Church, a memorial to Jackie Kennedy, and others.
- Tour E: The Ellipse features 25 historic stops just south of the White House to include the site of the National Christmas Tree, the Boy Scout Memorial, the Zero Milestone where all distances from the US are calculated, a memorial to Titanic casualties, the national headquarters of the Red Cross, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Organization of American States, and others.
- Tour F: The West Mall is more spread out featuring16 historic sites, not including the newly dedicated Martin Luther King Monument and the World War II Memorial, but does include the memorials to FDR, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and even Commodore John Paul Jones, among others.
- Tour G: Foggy Bottom features 23 historic sites in and around the original Town of Funkstown as laid out in 1765. The company that would become IBM was located here, the Watergate Complex, the Kennedy Center, the embassy of Saudia Arabia, the Naval Observatory, the wonderful statues of Albert Einstein, Don Quixote, and Benito Juarez, and others are located throughout this 130 acres.
In total there are 174 well known and little known historic sites throughout this historic area of Washington, D.C. with 8 different maps, and 214 images. All of the sites were reviewed for historic accuracy by Keith Melder, chairman emeritus of the Division of Social History of the National Museum of American History. Many images were from the Washingtoniana Division of the Martin Luther King Library.
Some concerns regarded the quality of some of the photographs and images and that some of the sites such as the congressional office buildings didn't show the office buildings themselves, but for the person for whom they were named. The cost of nearly $20 for a black and white tour book was considered rather high, but at about 11.5 cents per site it could be a bargain tour that will be used again and again.
ISBN: 0-7385-0049-6, by Thomas J. Carrier, Arcadia Publishing, soft cover book, cost, http://www.arcadiapublishing.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)