tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620889347535446622024-03-13T23:15:02.355-07:00Silver Spring: Then & Again"Silver Spring: Then & Again" offers reflections on the past and present of downtown Silver Spring.Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-57791245696288094572014-09-19T11:17:00.003-07:002014-09-20T10:19:39.412-07:00Silver Spring's Georgia Avenue in Miniature<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since our establishment in 1998, the Silver Spring Historical Society has acquired many unusual artifacts that document the history of our community. The 1946 mahogany Ladies and Men's bathroom doors from Tastee Diner? We have them. A 1938 art deco-designed lobby door from the Silver Theatre? We have it. A 1946 industrial metal and glass door from the Canada Dry Bottling Plant? We have it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yes, we have more than just doors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1965 cornerstone from the Gramax Building (today's Gramax Towers at 8060 13th Street), the 1937 cast-aluminum lobby plaque from the Silver Spring Post Office (building extant at 8412 Georgia), and a colorful hand-painted 1970s wooden sign from Roadhouse Oldies' Thayer Avenue location.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These items and many more have long been in storage and thus unavailable for viewing by the public. Several years ago an offer was extended to place the artifacts on long-term loan for display in the new Silver Spring Library but nothing came of it. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the past few years our board has been diligently working on securing a headquarters space of our own and that goal may actually come to fruition but will require SEVERAL more years before it actually happens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently the SSHS has been offered yet another artifact which, even though we currently have no idea where it can be stored, we HAVE to accept it; a 24' long x 6' (at the widest) HO scale model train layout that reproduces in amazing detail how Silver Spring's Georgia Avenue looked in the 1940s!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first time I saw this layout was in 2003 when the owner, who lives in neighboring Frederick County, invited me to his home. I was stunned as to not only the overall size of it, but the historical accuracy of many of the structures. Its creator spent over a decade constructing it and reproduced in detail many of the buildings that he knew from growing up in downtown Silver Spring in the 1940s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But enough talk. Let me take you on a visual tour of the model train layout.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the roundhouse/train yard in the foreground does not recreate structures that ever existed (its </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">purpose</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">simply is to allow the model trains to turn around), once the trains cross the Georgia Avenue underpass recognizable structures commence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View looking north up Georgia Avenue from the south side of the underpass.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">View looking south down Georgia Avenue from Sligo Avenue.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An incredible amount of detail was put into the creation of Silver Spring's 1945 Baltimore & Ohio Railroad passenger station (8100 Georgia Avenue) including its demolished east bound station and the extant pedestrian tunnel that connected the two structures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">South elevation of the station as viewed from Georgia Avenue.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Running to catch his train!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Train is arriving at the platform!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2XPhyphenhyphenNFJipVPcpD_NP1LxnCuoOOiHViU9dzUhnGBc_-tHWGhNEGB9BPOt-82S-p10chhbv2U2wh8V4yyFUzTDA5r6y2IR1SSZxk_OGyKuc_snpbWteU56N7Hdbt6s25FzMwfJ6AjEO4L/s1600/LayoutMDNews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2XPhyphenhyphenNFJipVPcpD_NP1LxnCuoOOiHViU9dzUhnGBc_-tHWGhNEGB9BPOt-82S-p10chhbv2U2wh8V4yyFUzTDA5r6y2IR1SSZxk_OGyKuc_snpbWteU56N7Hdbt6s25FzMwfJ6AjEO4L/s1600/LayoutMDNews.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Across Georgia Avenue from the station is the 1927 Maryland News newspaper building (today part of Jackie's Sidebar Restaurant, 8081 Georgia) and next door Faye & Andy's Garden Restaurant (today Lotus Cafe, 8077 Georgia, and still with outdoor seating!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the northeast corner of Georgia and Sligo is the legendary Gifford's Ice Cream (today Quality Time Early Learning, 8101 Georgia). The depicted stone retaining wall is extant and wraps around the corner.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN04QR1kaMep09xdVusAu46gBf4bk-IhJh1tJzD1RgIvm5JQiMvk0CtVGxBANSWDjLj_LyVc-Kz3PzTIWTijElOfp78L9ucHR1rq-jXZ0MACjlYFtu4mJXURZTqJpTakursuQaFPUsWSxO/s1600/LayoutSSVFD1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN04QR1kaMep09xdVusAu46gBf4bk-IhJh1tJzD1RgIvm5JQiMvk0CtVGxBANSWDjLj_LyVc-Kz3PzTIWTijElOfp78L9ucHR1rq-jXZ0MACjlYFtu4mJXURZTqJpTakursuQaFPUsWSxO/s1600/LayoutSSVFD1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the opposite end of the block from Gifford's is the 1915 Silver Spring Volunteer Fire Department (today Fire Station 1 Restaurant & Brewing Co., 8131 Georgia). The detail of this building is particularly stunning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Silver Spring Avenue elevation.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheik-Xx4wrqqOKefarOs8vKzkTx7D9gjvJc0tv0ofuNrWG9kqHE5FGOtHwDAfr4RrFG_ex6ja9outIQmNf9m5NToZ5seA7cs0ZN7bP-jbMNAp-Lxk8fHBqg5Z24CkYMEem-bE_nJoA4daj/s1600/LayoutHunter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheik-Xx4wrqqOKefarOs8vKzkTx7D9gjvJc0tv0ofuNrWG9kqHE5FGOtHwDAfr4RrFG_ex6ja9outIQmNf9m5NToZ5seA7cs0ZN7bP-jbMNAp-Lxk8fHBqg5Z24CkYMEem-bE_nJoA4daj/s1600/LayoutHunter.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crossing Georgia Avenue again, we stand in front of the 1925 Hunter's Hardware, whose facade was remodeled in 1949 (today Dor-ne Corset Shoppe, 8126 Georgia, "From </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hardware to </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">underwear" as I point out on my walking tour).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the northwest corner of Georgia and Ripley sat the equally legendary 1935 Little Tavern Hamburgers, tragically demolished in 2003 by its owner who failed to sell it on eBay (but the gravel footprint of the building is still there).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Further up the street is the 1935 Peoples' Drug (today Capital One Bank, 8315 Georgia, who admirably restored and incorporated the facade into new construction in 1996).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0vDbBOkddCEvK1Ak0Nx16PRUGuysnQYvmMqd-BdT2wCBfINp-NTviHMaiY2CPKEYS0o-g1xkkpddO1uMkOs7h4tZeGhY3nE4ynVx-pNMarYLL1L1kAS_-gYlhnnpGie3n_9qNV2p2Rg9/s1600/LayoutGiant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0vDbBOkddCEvK1Ak0Nx16PRUGuysnQYvmMqd-BdT2wCBfINp-NTviHMaiY2CPKEYS0o-g1xkkpddO1uMkOs7h4tZeGhY3nE4ynVx-pNMarYLL1L1kAS_-gYlhnnpGie3n_9qNV2p2Rg9/s1600/LayoutGiant.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking south down Georgia from Thayer Avenue. Pay no attention to the giant swan or man in the distance.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKL3XP8TqJmdjJjBD8Xy2KvUZshSue4UdKdm7aDgmfDtg5NRqpHeLAewPVTgTkHKD4g9o1vTlQFVyQJNEtv89FbtJ_fKqk11u4FVVK6S4ELXCe_UwHuVPsG786ZcbsaWCQvBFxGCZnCSls/s1600/LayoutBankBlock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKL3XP8TqJmdjJjBD8Xy2KvUZshSue4UdKdm7aDgmfDtg5NRqpHeLAewPVTgTkHKD4g9o1vTlQFVyQJNEtv89FbtJ_fKqk11u4FVVK6S4ELXCe_UwHuVPsG786ZcbsaWCQvBFxGCZnCSls/s1600/LayoutBankBlock.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the 8200 block of Georgia between Ripley and Bonifant where was located the recently closed Dale Music. Here was located Silver Spring's first movie theater, the SECO, opened in 1927. At the end of the block is Silver Spring's oldest bank, Suburban Trust as it was in the 1940s. All of these structures are extant except for the brown brick building next to the bank, and ALL are scheduled for demolition next year for construction of a singular, glass mixed-use development.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLC5AyWiZS1_6r-hKZSr7LKlUvGlwuDELgSSIJtaHv62RkGrrX7IVdvSR_AUdCVJoDnFyZZ9oh8wC_PgcW9dHx8L8iANwIl5h97P_uau95Vyc936pw0OpXCdle3Vyk_R_hyphenhyphen9RXPnLtWnFj/s1600/LayoutBonifantEnd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLC5AyWiZS1_6r-hKZSr7LKlUvGlwuDELgSSIJtaHv62RkGrrX7IVdvSR_AUdCVJoDnFyZZ9oh8wC_PgcW9dHx8L8iANwIl5h97P_uau95Vyc936pw0OpXCdle3Vyk_R_hyphenhyphen9RXPnLtWnFj/s1600/LayoutBonifantEnd.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw1Do-1yrXaR0WG54_059uPXauGutzFsaXAsLmMvw4TQsjGa64jM6lGu8R8XHLN4w98r9V62JdlL1XVdOolfQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think you will agree that this is an amazing model train layout that fully displays the love put into it by its creator. The SSHS is grateful to be entrusted with this heirloom but have a big task ahead of us in disassembling, transporting, and most important of all, storing it for an estimated period of five years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If anyone can offer assistance in the form of a cargo van (in which can be transported three 8' x 4' and two 8' x 2' plywood tops and an assortment of framing 2' x 4's, 2' x 8's, and 6' x 8's) or know of long-term and secure storage where these pieces may be kept</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, please contact me. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Future generations will appreciate your help.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jerry A. McCoy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sshistory@yahoo.com</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">301.537.1253</span></div>
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</span>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-14320923350375525192013-07-11T15:55:00.000-07:002013-07-11T16:16:38.061-07:00The Big Engine that Did<span class="userContent"></span><br />
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<span class="userContent"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the sites that I point out on my walking tour to Silver Spring's original "Silver" Spring is this section of mosaic mural located at the Georgia Avenue underpass (where Georgia dips under the Metro/CSX tracks). The murals were designed and put together </span><span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by <a href="http://artsontheblock.com/" target="_blank">Arts on the Block</a> youths </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that I worked with back in 2005 to incorporate Silver Spring images into the designs.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="userContent"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkM8xWjrlZRxF_VBMi3ugOqYUUyqaiNHtBFncALyum54-sgtkX4bnEFdbKT7KGymG_damFWgAATG7r1P__IQz5Ok78Pe6M6qNmluf8mmbCDeno60588vmrqIZdNDKFJi9qYyJrgFiFcaO/s1600/train1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkM8xWjrlZRxF_VBMi3ugOqYUUyqaiNHtBFncALyum54-sgtkX4bnEFdbKT7KGymG_damFWgAATG7r1P__IQz5Ok78Pe6M6qNmluf8mmbCDeno60588vmrqIZdNDKFJi9qYyJrgFiFcaO/s400/train1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLOppTWO7ymjWPVOJYSTC4Dj9R84HcsBP8a9HQRSGJhsskSHQz3zKF44wApJoBAzovOuYNsDA5D_naFvhecO1gtLEU9o5dsqdQSehoG4cYO2ylLRkXJTnXKsoIwXIHmeddM50hdfluMiP/s1600/photo+(5)1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLOppTWO7ymjWPVOJYSTC4Dj9R84HcsBP8a9HQRSGJhsskSHQz3zKF44wApJoBAzovOuYNsDA5D_naFvhecO1gtLEU9o5dsqdQSehoG4cYO2ylLRkXJTnXKsoIwXIHmeddM50hdfluMiP/s400/photo+(5)1.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have fun pointing out to tour participants that this iconic streamline modern locomotive never ran through Silver Spring as part of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad but was one of the New York Central Railroad's legendary "Hudson" locomotives. I'm sure the youths saw a photo of this engine, thought it was cool (which it is!), and decided to reproduce it in their mural.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdDG21KPCTs7bh45CVlAT-m90DfcZavQpzW0NhYMG5CVyh3mGLrT3nbmQlGONi_G2UGm54dCskQdPO8qKj3UYTS4mD-qQ1m2Rg_pSoy2Q0sShRmjPKqydBmKOu6MZB4Q-iQf4_XV7NVMZ/s1600/Hudson_locomotive_for_the_New_York_Central.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYdDG21KPCTs7bh45CVlAT-m90DfcZavQpzW0NhYMG5CVyh3mGLrT3nbmQlGONi_G2UGm54dCskQdPO8qKj3UYTS4mD-qQ1m2Rg_pSoy2Q0sShRmjPKqydBmKOu6MZB4Q-iQf4_XV7NVMZ/s400/Hudson_locomotive_for_the_New_York_Central.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />This engine was designed by the famous industrial designer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Dreyfuss" target="_blank">Henry Dreyfus</a>. If you live in an </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">older house you probably have a Dreyfus original hanging on your wall...his 1953 Honeywell T87 circular wall thermostat!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwuMMjmtsxCTvnqlqMkbVQUrnRThBrgdoYkJ6RrMUqY1TZlnzPFdEjOUoI4mcP6nVEwHxuthbT8kAtfAR_diw_6VG91nQ1fB_V0iG3b1e36_jJ8VJz62-HeMLrpyy932INSrjZmpUpG7l/s1600/Temp1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwuMMjmtsxCTvnqlqMkbVQUrnRThBrgdoYkJ6RrMUqY1TZlnzPFdEjOUoI4mcP6nVEwHxuthbT8kAtfAR_diw_6VG91nQ1fB_V0iG3b1e36_jJ8VJz62-HeMLrpyy932INSrjZmpUpG7l/s400/Temp1.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span class="size14 Helvetica14" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">The next walking tour will be held on </span><span class="size14 Helvetica14" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Saturday, October 5, 2013 from </span><span class="size14 Helvetica14" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. </span><span class="size12 Helvetica12" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Cost $10.00, children under 13 free. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(301) 537-1253</span></span> </span> </span><br />Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-54750419677195969582012-12-29T16:48:00.000-08:002012-12-30T09:50:54.033-08:00So Monday Night I'm Gonna Party Like It's 1978<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some of the places that folks rang in the New Year thirty-four years ago in downtown Silver Spring. All of the advertisements are from the pages of the December 29, 1978 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The</i> <i>Suburban Record.</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYKEsKCNUokGk03HNMgEb9bd-Ln1jI04LYzb9N7ADpzqd3PNlA3fzpIAdbu5r1L-1NrC_lPh0HdkDa4aetoL-hG2dGplnp_H3pVo8rQo0lhCCjxkpTnAXfVVgw_CZyhB7zYHeMAJqE2Xj/s1600/photo-90.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYKEsKCNUokGk03HNMgEb9bd-Ln1jI04LYzb9N7ADpzqd3PNlA3fzpIAdbu5r1L-1NrC_lPh0HdkDa4aetoL-hG2dGplnp_H3pVo8rQo0lhCCjxkpTnAXfVVgw_CZyhB7zYHeMAJqE2Xj/s400/photo-90.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <i>Record</i>, which started publishing in 1944, was located at 8505 Dixon Avenue in 1978. Today this address is part of an office building located at 1010 Wayne Avenue.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Silver Spring Historical Society owns a rare bound copy of this newspaper's run from 1978 that was generously donated by Chip Py a few years ago. If anyone has copies of this important newspaper, please consider donating them to SSHS.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spring Garden was located at 1160 Bonifant Street which is no longer extant, having been replaced by a portion of the <a href="http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/DGS/DBDC/RegionalProjectPages/SilverSpringProjects/sstc.asp">Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOf86fnVTHYIc2vPi9AKxV3WCN-g9TXrZgV4uw9-jl_CetZ1960EKO34470G5p_41OdnHdH5yeYJvK9sO6U2PIbl3Ij9Gw0ohpneihXjuVZPhJelBiiDR1jX-mtzN-KvfVIcYOyOLJ2YM/s1600/photo-87.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOf86fnVTHYIc2vPi9AKxV3WCN-g9TXrZgV4uw9-jl_CetZ1960EKO34470G5p_41OdnHdH5yeYJvK9sO6U2PIbl3Ij9Gw0ohpneihXjuVZPhJelBiiDR1jX-mtzN-KvfVIcYOyOLJ2YM/s400/photo-87.jpg" width="342" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFYp_tAQiGhrrqtqKKvKj2iN5CmwFIeRMSq6JKigFS-NNiocSA0nduZEND3VN8acvQRe7Cmije-dZaGG2d2bT6OZFYs36p-E4Ocd0ClpIeStGa6J27pUFK9RWPbX_43mOHuhGxEwmcqwi/s1600/4816_1_b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFYp_tAQiGhrrqtqKKvKj2iN5CmwFIeRMSq6JKigFS-NNiocSA0nduZEND3VN8acvQRe7Cmije-dZaGG2d2bT6OZFYs36p-E4Ocd0ClpIeStGa6J27pUFK9RWPbX_43mOHuhGxEwmcqwi/s400/4816_1_b.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Courtesy <a href="http://www.silverspringsingular.com/">Silver Spring Singular</a></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Villa Rosa was located at 813 Ellsworth Drive which is also long gone. The restaurant was located about where <a href="http://stores.zpizza.com/silver-spring/">Zpizza</a> sits today.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beacon Auto Body was located at 8111 Mayor Lane. Beacon closed in 2010 after being in business for 38 years. The building is still there (and empty) but not Beacon's awesome sign which was the side of the actual <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Metropolitan">1956 Nash Metropolitan</a> automobile. This car is in the collection of the SSHS and it has been offered, along with other vintage Silver Spring business signs, for permanent display in the to-be-constructed <a href="http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/libtmpl.asp?url=/content/libraries/buildings/ssproject.asp">Silver Spring Library</a>!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And lastly Mike offered a "Cheers" from 1052 Ripley Street, now the site of the <a href="http://www.solaireapts.com/">Solaire Apartments</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wherever you spend this New Year's Eve, may it be memorable!</span></div>
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Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-38356492940782132632012-08-09T07:15:00.001-07:002012-08-09T07:15:14.000-07:00Trash to Treasure<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Every morning when I walk out of my house to pick up the Washington Post (Now where has it been flung today?) I never know what trash I will pick up out of my yard along with the newspaper. Usually though, said trash doesn't get accessioned into the collections of the Silver Spring Historical Society! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This "Ladies Night Concert @ Lucy's" ticket for a party held last night at 8301 Georgia Avenue (known as Langano Ethiopian Restaurant during the day) will be added to the society's "8301 Georgia" vertical file as a great piece of early 21st century ephemera. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Back in 1948 EVERY day was ladies day at 8301 when it operated as the Silver Spring location of the NorBud Shops, a women's undergarment store.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Over the past twenty years, 8301 has been a revolving door of restaurants with none of them seeming to last very long. Anyone remember Mr. Minari American and Japanese Food when it opened in July 1998? In February 2011 it became the short-lived Taste of Morocco which had relocated from City Place Mall. Before the year was over it sequed into Marrakesh Restaurant whose food has now moved to the eastern side of the African continent and is presently Langano. Somewhere in between Minari and Morocco it was a Jerry's Subs and Pizza.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The building itself was constructed in 1923 and features some really beautiful multi-hued cream/yellow/beige/brown brick that is only visible on the Thayer Avenue elevation. This is some of the most beautiful commercial brickwork from the early 20th century still surviving on Georgia Avenue. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Georgia Avenue elevation features the same brickwork but you wouldn't know for it has been encased for the past two decades in tacky wood siding painted dark brown.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Perhaps some year/decade a new owner of 8301 Georgia Avenue will give this building's exterior the sensitive restoration that it deserves.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-50714594251182492882012-07-07T15:00:00.000-07:002012-07-07T15:27:35.000-07:00Thayer Avenue Setting for New Work of Fiction Set in WW II<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">Last year New York author Cheryl A. Pula contacted me inquiring about an appropriate street in Silver SPring for the protagonist of her planned book, "The Ragged Irregulars: The Eighth Air Force Series, Book Two." to live on.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her character, Kelly Davenport, is an 18-year old bombardier with the 8th Air Force, the base's resident genius (IQ 189), and a Princeton graduate with a major in nuclear physics. The character is based on a real WW II veteran that the author interviewed.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Ms. Pula needed a WW II-era middle class neighborhood within walking distance of Montgomery Blair High School, from where Davenport graduated. She chose Silver Spring because she always liked the name of the town. "My brother taught at Catholic University in D.C. for a while. My niece and her family are from Lanham, but just recently moved to Columbia, MD, so I am familiar with the modern day city, but I imagine it has changed immensely since WW II," Pula told me last year.<br /><br />While Silver Spring's Central Business District has certainly changed over the past sixty plus years, I suggested that an excellent location for her character to live would be on Thayer Avenue in the Silver Spring Park, a neighborhood that physically has seen very few changes to its building stock.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plated in 1904, it is still a tree-filled neighborhood sprinkled with bungalows and four squares and is within easy walking distance of MBHS. Oh, and the fact that I live in one of those bungalows...on Thayer Avenue.<br /><br />I received a copy of the book yesterday in the mail and was tickled to see chapter one titled "Friday, 11 September 1936 Michael Davenport Residence, Thayer Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland." As far as I'm concerned, the Davenports lived in my house! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-11015160912810518082012-05-29T16:10:00.000-07:002012-05-29T16:10:28.476-07:00Silver Spring Realia<span style="font-family: Arial;">Recently the Silver Spring Historical Society acquired this realia (library-speak for three dimensional object) with no information regarding its history. Appearing to be an automobile license plate, I posted a query on the Facebook group page <em>You know you grew up in Silver Spring when...</em> to see if any of its members might know something about it. A couple of months later local longtime resident Rick Nelson provided the information I sought supplemented by Rick Kretschmer's amazing web site <a href="http://ricksplates.com/">ricksplates.com</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The state of Maryland started requiring the registration of automobiles in 1904 but it wasn't until 1910 that vehicles had to display state-issued plates. Front and rear license plates were required from 1910 to 1943, 1948 to 1951, and 1956 on. The only years that a single rear plate was required was 1944 to 1947 and 1952 to 1955. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Correctly I assumed that this plate was manufactured as a novelty to be placed on the front of a vehicle. Perhaps a variety of front plates were sold as fundraisers by fraternal organizations, high schools, or simply given away by auto dealers and the like. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">Mr. Nelson remembers that when only single plates were required in 1954 and 1955, front plates could be purchased at any auto supply store. In 1954 the state-issued rear plate was yellow on black and in 1955 it was black on yellow. All of the other single plate years were monochromatic black and white. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zTRUZfcdD6N-9PZWBj2g7KDVimNObwh7kPBOHay9cCEQ7-FTtRPmyCdMJgVarbNh2qN0MATj5VwfbgkrWfv5YZXtCKWaW3kRLDhZ6vaGr2x9ZaVnhSLka3iWZX6698Nk7YD7iZccU_a2/s1600/plate+55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zTRUZfcdD6N-9PZWBj2g7KDVimNObwh7kPBOHay9cCEQ7-FTtRPmyCdMJgVarbNh2qN0MATj5VwfbgkrWfv5YZXtCKWaW3kRLDhZ6vaGr2x9ZaVnhSLka3iWZX6698Nk7YD7iZccU_a2/s400/plate+55.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Courtesy ricksplates.com.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another example of a 1955 Maryland plate may be seen at <a href="http://alpca8123md.50webs.com/">http://alpca8123md.50webs.com</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When compared to the 1954 yellow on black plate next to it, the 1955 plate definitely looks more orange than yellow. My guess then is that the society's plate was sold and used in 1955. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Certainly there must be other versions of Silver Spring automobile plates <em>out there</em>, perhaps ones featuring the names of car dealerships or other local businesses. If you own one, please let me know. Thank you!</span><br />
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<br /></div>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-15641344283799202642012-02-23T07:15:00.001-08:002012-02-23T10:00:37.665-08:00Silver Spring Heritage Trail Finally Gets Props in the Post<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In April 2010 the Silver Spring Historical Society dedicated the first six signs of the Silver Spring Heritage Trail along historic "Main Street" Georgia Avenue. In all there will be twenty signs located throughout downtown Silver Spring extolling the amazing <i>hidden</i> history that our community encompasses.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfuhpppn9r3kiLXCeoWCLP69x6DC1-d0xh5QSMGRelV6afStEDYlE9TcL5AkLAGERTVabbvK3U__11WbCmPCb0lK3s27pLhx0M-u2OXA9VHeh4_osmCQy1RtlpVcRCdRwk_3A_6dBZ_Th/s1600/Heritage+Trail+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBfuhpppn9r3kiLXCeoWCLP69x6DC1-d0xh5QSMGRelV6afStEDYlE9TcL5AkLAGERTVabbvK3U__11WbCmPCb0lK3s27pLhx0M-u2OXA9VHeh4_osmCQy1RtlpVcRCdRwk_3A_6dBZ_Th/s640/Heritage+Trail+Map.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As the first designated heritage trail in Montgomery County, and one that the SSHS worked on for over a decade to create, our organization felt that the trail's dedication deserved coverage in <i>The Washington Post</i> which, of course, it did not receive. Well, finally it has...sort of.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In today's "Local Living / Montgomery Edition" of the <i>Post</i> on p. 17 the article <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/spike-tv-show-gives-silver-springs-piratz-tavern-a-makeover/2012/02/21/gIQADLA9SR_story.html">"Piratz Tavern bar gets a Spike TV makeover"</a> appears with two photographs. One of the photos prominently shows our "Post Office 1936" sign in the foreground with the late Piratz Tavern in the background!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKG3MLqzST7vYJEEtPxmPQHe2RyxWRq5UDpUw_idAUdAOcB8U0w3WSOKKILdYQiZJxiuq-bLcB14rUPHeqPKzmRLpXx5_jab5IYh9bS7zQEB6hpXsmIFlYZwlooT93ewAtujZuPcYiIgE/s1600/photo-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKG3MLqzST7vYJEEtPxmPQHe2RyxWRq5UDpUw_idAUdAOcB8U0w3WSOKKILdYQiZJxiuq-bLcB14rUPHeqPKzmRLpXx5_jab5IYh9bS7zQEB6hpXsmIFlYZwlooT93ewAtujZuPcYiIgE/s400/photo-17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Of course to the uninformed reader no one would know what this sign is much less what is written on it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulb9IBtASgXabwuP6FUvAAM8hiFsWMng-R9u0MdA_cfWdtF83YFs3MPo_CXOFSvMUbrNT4WUyvcQt6p_0f5Zz1YRn6JT-LmzD6ml-u6J-QUNjBM6vz6MEnxAzQnubZJIrN6SkEL6iDQlB/s1600/Heritage+Trail+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulb9IBtASgXabwuP6FUvAAM8hiFsWMng-R9u0MdA_cfWdtF83YFs3MPo_CXOFSvMUbrNT4WUyvcQt6p_0f5Zz1YRn6JT-LmzD6ml-u6J-QUNjBM6vz6MEnxAzQnubZJIrN6SkEL6iDQlB/s1600/Heritage+Trail+3.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hopefully Montgomery County print readers of the <i>Post</i> who are curious about what the sign is will check it out in person and in the process will seek out the other five signs. Stay tuned because two more heritage trails signs are in the works and will hopefully be dedicated later this year.</span></div>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-76554553384291832542012-01-24T10:44:00.000-08:002012-01-24T13:45:21.228-08:00Delights to the Eye<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Takoma and Takoma Park, Silver Springs (sic) and Forest Glen are all picturesque and beautiful villages lying along or within the boundaries of Maryland. They are reached by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, as well as by the trolley. During the summer season many of the people of Washington take up their residences there, where they live in the midst of nature and at the same time of civilization. Glimpses of rural scenery in these neighborhoods are a constant delight to the eye."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From "Every-day Life in Washington...with Pen and Camera" (p. 372) by Charles M. Pepper (New York: The Christian Herald, 1900).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKXefHAFflWC29uKe4iKJJ873E0_WYUXqWAEkErVlpDNY2xjfY4prePvU-dT9jnjLdVLv9qdNcZoi4HU8uJXA192QVap53Get_ezcui-ei5PI0riHKwj0ChRnzF1-cokuxSdYD0dlh20A/s1600/Book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKXefHAFflWC29uKe4iKJJ873E0_WYUXqWAEkErVlpDNY2xjfY4prePvU-dT9jnjLdVLv9qdNcZoi4HU8uJXA192QVap53Get_ezcui-ei5PI0riHKwj0ChRnzF1-cokuxSdYD0dlh20A/s320/Book.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Collection of The Peabody Room, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Georgetown Branch, DC Public Library.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-76705042723381232872011-12-24T18:30:00.000-08:002011-12-26T09:25:36.305-08:00Playing Christmas Day 1955 at the Silver Theater<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyone who wants to go out to see a movie in downtown Silver Spring on Christmas Day has an overwhelming selection of film offerings. From sixteen different motion pictures at the <a href="http://www.movietickets.com/house_detail.asp?house_id=10848">Regal Majestic & IMAX</a> to four films at the <a href="http://www.afi.com/silver/new/">AFI Silver Theatre</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fifty-six years ago Silver Spring filmgoers had far less options. Playing at the Silver Theater (note the spelling difference) on December 25, 1955 was the Janet Leigh & Jack Lemmon musical <i>My Sister Eileen. </i>This singing and dancing remake of the earlier 1942 film of the same name was about two Ohio sisters (Leigh and Betty Garrett) seeking success in the big city...and where else in 1955 was that but in NYC's Greenwich Village.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ET7kSBblzBQ9NfsTXnc_gBh16XkktAUcPEDfzJLtNv9RQkCrzJcbycKdQcjoYqyNl5uHPeY1VYMEQBrfPrPsp9XNJyUk6oz-KElo4sz8DLc8iv1eT0Y5sTkhMTyTYnfW7vwWbwSgnE0n/s1600/Silver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ET7kSBblzBQ9NfsTXnc_gBh16XkktAUcPEDfzJLtNv9RQkCrzJcbycKdQcjoYqyNl5uHPeY1VYMEQBrfPrPsp9XNJyUk6oz-KElo4sz8DLc8iv1eT0Y5sTkhMTyTYnfW7vwWbwSgnE0n/s640/Silver.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Maryland News</i>, December 23, 1955, p. 5. <br />
Microfilm collection of the Silver Spring Historical Society.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favorite dance sequence in the film is when the legendary choreographer and sometimes actor Bob Fosse spars with actor/dancer Tommy Rall. Rall will be 82 years-old on December 27th but Fosse sadly dropped dead of a heart attack in 1987 in front of the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. He was only 60 years-old. </span><br />
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</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interspersed between showings of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>My Sister Eileen</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was the George Montgomery and Nancy Gates western </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048358/">Masterson of Kansas</a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, directed by the equally legendary William Castle. Four years would pass before Castle really begin establishing his reputation with low-budget, over-the-top gimmicky thrillers such as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051744/">House on Haunted Hill </a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053363/">The Tingler</a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, both released in 1959.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both of these Silver Theater/Theatre Christmas Day offerings were second run films with <i>My Sister Eileen (</i>appealing to a <i>mostly</i> female audience) being initially released the previous September and <i>Masterson of Kansas</i>, aimed at the guys, already being a year old having been released the previous Christmas.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Silver's only other local competition was the Roth's Theatre at 8242 Georgia Avenue, originally opened in 1927 as the SECO (Suburban Electrical COmpany). The SECO was the first movie theater to open in downtown Silver Spring and held the monopoly for eleven years until the Silver opened in 1938.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the kids opened their Christmas presents that day and settled down for lunch they could shoot over to Roth's to catch the 2:00 pm Walt Disney hit <i>Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier, </i>starring Fess Parker. Even though the movie had ben released the previous May and was nothing more that a compilation of three <i>Davy Crockett </i>television episodes that aired on the ABC television show<i> Disneyland</i>, it was billed as "NOW...ON THE MOTION PICTURE SCREEN!" I'm sure there were plenty of eight year-old boys wearing their coonskin caps in the theatre.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later that evening the adults could catch Robert Taylor and Kaye Kendall in <i>The Adventures of</i> <i>Quentin Durward</i>, the story of a Scottish night (Taylor) who finds himself in France to facilitate a marriage between a rich and beautiful countess (Kendall) and his aging uncle, King Louis XI, played by Robert Morley. Intrigue ensues. No problem convincing the kids to miss that one.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you REALLY wanted to see the first release films all one had to do was to catch the streetcar at Alaska and Eastern Avenue and head down to F Street, NW where the Loew's Palace (at 13th Street) and the Capital (at 14th Street) were respectively showing <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048538/">Rains of Ranchipur</a>, </i>a drama about<i> </i>an Englishwoman (Lana Turner!) having an affair with a Hindu doctor (Richard Burton!)<i>, </i>and the Vincente Minnelli (Liza'a father) directed musical <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048260/">Kismet</a>, </i>starring Howard Keel and Ann Blyth.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whatever motion picture you watch this Christmas D</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ay, new release or old, in a movie theater, on television, via dvd or streaming, may it be an enjoyable ending to 2011!</span><br />
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</span>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-9574634665071248352011-12-21T14:23:00.000-08:002011-12-26T09:26:23.088-08:00A Silver Spring Christmas: 1955 Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRg8G5-2Zux7WBsvqdsV3qgmz6tqdbQ8zIVzIX2-3xnRaF8amgfjms6OPqfvcwlZtSid82VUvqm5uUYQEC4KOa4tfJ47r74EEIiQZwEhmDqIg4gE_G0Tu8iy-42fLLQiYWQ0XjFnZvyNIZ/s1600/Murphy++1955+ad002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRg8G5-2Zux7WBsvqdsV3qgmz6tqdbQ8zIVzIX2-3xnRaF8amgfjms6OPqfvcwlZtSid82VUvqm5uUYQEC4KOa4tfJ47r74EEIiQZwEhmDqIg4gE_G0Tu8iy-42fLLQiYWQ0XjFnZvyNIZ/s640/Murphy++1955+ad002.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Maryland News</i>, December 23, 1955. <br />
Microfilm collection of the Silver Spring Historical Society.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like this year, Christmas day fell on a Sunday in 1955. Shoppers who had yet to complete their holiday purchases might have felt relieved when this advertisement for <a href="http://www.gcmurphy.org/history.html">G. C. Murphy & Co.</a> appeared in the Friday, December 23rd <em>Maryland News.</em></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This "five and dime" variety store was the namesake of George Clinton Murphy, who founded the business in 1906 in McKeesport, PA. A national chain store that offered low-priced merchandise, Murphy's had been located at 8237 Georgia Avenue since 1937.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Murphy's occupied the ground floor of the MUCH altered building that still sits on the southeast corner of Georgia and Thayer avenues (originally contructed c. 1927 and named the Heizer Building after its owner, Roy M. Heizer). It is difficult to imagine all of the merchandise touted in this advertisement fitting into such a small building.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Adjusted for inflation, the advertised prices do not seem too dissimilar from what one would pay for the same items today. That 67c nylon hosiery for your wife or girlfriend is equal to $5.66 and the high-end $5.98 all-metal wagon for little Dickie (or Sue) would be set you back $50.48. Keep in mind that the national average wage in 1955 was $</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3,301.44 or $68.78 each week...before taxes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Murphy's remained in the Heizer Building thru at least 1968. Amazingly, no photographs of either the exterior or interior of this business that served our community for over three decades have surfaced. If you have photos...or even reminiscences of shopping or working at this Murphy location...please share them here.</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-52417657441715531502011-10-08T07:17:00.000-07:002011-12-22T10:17:03.692-08:00Montgomery Blair Coming to a Screen Near You?<span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently a research company working on Steven Spielberg's $100M motion picture <em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443272/">Lincoln</a></em>, to be released December 2012, contacted me. They are looking for an image of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery_Blair">Montgomery Blair's</a> "crest," a heraldic design that I've never come across.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If it ever existed, perhaps it looked something like these...</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwqjdF5b3x4n-lUGEgqrs00AyC-oVv13o-nEdUgFUJ9kqVKPswoQRVigluo0zjlgVQ1HtLMhHpjogP6C8ith-taj4qe3lGAjhn_8RJCvdeWxtlh1ohZzOTtgSYuUwNzHHAASuV6CqpQqV/s1600/blair.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwqjdF5b3x4n-lUGEgqrs00AyC-oVv13o-nEdUgFUJ9kqVKPswoQRVigluo0zjlgVQ1HtLMhHpjogP6C8ith-taj4qe3lGAjhn_8RJCvdeWxtlh1ohZzOTtgSYuUwNzHHAASuV6CqpQqV/s200/blair.gif" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blair family crest courtesy of </span><br />
<a href="http://www.allfamilycrests.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.allfamilycrests.com</span></a></td></tr>
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpAK3gZW68MSrk9dPvYJWaaKJ55JRVWslD5viigsg5FO8ugOdDReN0WGnXSpOluuyThRS6UUn2z8QNyg0-xM2aJifcuOlEK9bjvwlVNd0kOmYFZE5lAhRbW2-sbz2fwwjnJgTsMToV0PR/s1600/crests112906_cmykb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpAK3gZW68MSrk9dPvYJWaaKJ55JRVWslD5viigsg5FO8ugOdDReN0WGnXSpOluuyThRS6UUn2z8QNyg0-xM2aJifcuOlEK9bjvwlVNd0kOmYFZE5lAhRbW2-sbz2fwwjnJgTsMToV0PR/s320/crests112906_cmykb.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Montgomery Blair High School crest</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">courtesy Laurie DeWitt⁄The Gazette</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The question that begs to be asked though is does this mean that Blair, Lincoln's postmaster general from 1861-1864, will be in the film that is based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin's 2005 biography <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Team-Rivals-Political-Abraham-Lincoln/dp/0743270754/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1318080753&sr=1-1"><em>Team of Rivals: the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln</em></a><span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial;">? Montgomery is well represented in the book along with his father and brother, Frances (senior and junior), mother Eliza, brother James, and sister Elizabeth.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To my knowledge the last depiction of Montgomery Blair...at least on the small screen...was in 1955 when Mack Williams (I know, who?) played him in <em><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0696445/">Lincoln's Doctor's Dog</a></em>, an episode written by William R. Cox and Christopher Morley that was part of the short-lived television anthology series <em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_Directors_Playhouse">Screen Directors Playhouse</a></em>. Although Mack Williams did not have a single line of dialogue, he was a spiting image of Blair so some casting agent did their job well.</span></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7Pd1hv173v0NgX4e3fMjwYqz-CYkwQd2rdi5mK4WOvUwjQJvYZgicL7XlYj09ct7BuriU3NCU7AoSVTsV-nqfoC0L0jOFVpK4P4O1X-RaremDLi9g1XSZurJFzpg6QXWc4lUFmgTdZY9/s1600/Bald.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7Pd1hv173v0NgX4e3fMjwYqz-CYkwQd2rdi5mK4WOvUwjQJvYZgicL7XlYj09ct7BuriU3NCU7AoSVTsV-nqfoC0L0jOFVpK4P4O1X-RaremDLi9g1XSZurJFzpg6QXWc4lUFmgTdZY9/s320/Bald.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Montgomery Blair courtesy of </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Gilder Lehrman Collection, New York<br />
Reference Number: GLC 5111.07</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="messageBody translationEligibleUserMessage" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who do you think Spielberg should cast as Montgomery Blair?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">UPDATE:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Remembering that I had been in email contact with a few Blair descendants over the years, I checked my emails and lo and behold found THE Blair family crest:</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUROx6ItgTAtUWM3ADXLv7rA_-TRPKce0PU2IQFar1-SOY5oIu_ol81-93Flx-7gnrfjiyiFDBU2kgo2-aTJR7x1CA4vww8W3x3yXV8ew-cSKuLc8zKmazxaaLG_dBXFtynG-m2QjSJ1g5/s1600/Blair%252520Crest.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUROx6ItgTAtUWM3ADXLv7rA_-TRPKce0PU2IQFar1-SOY5oIu_ol81-93Flx-7gnrfjiyiFDBU2kgo2-aTJR7x1CA4vww8W3x3yXV8ew-cSKuLc8zKmazxaaLG_dBXFtynG-m2QjSJ1g5/s320/Blair%252520Crest.gif" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Courtesy</span><br />
<a href="http://katharinesweb.net/Ancestors/Blair/Blair.htm"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://katharinesweb.net/Ancestors/Blair/Blair.htm</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">L</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">et's hope that Montgomery Blair doesn't wind up on the cutting room floor!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">UPDATE:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blair certainly has not wound up on the cutting room floor as he is being played by 86 year old <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001358/">Hal Holbrook</a>. I hope Spielberg uses CGI on Holbrook's face as Blair was in his late 40s/early 50s during the years he was Lincoln's postmaster general (1861-64)!</span>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-15477923486546386992011-09-28T18:56:00.000-07:002011-09-28T19:07:03.479-07:00Mean Streets?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every fall when institutions of higher learning start classes, I begin to get emails from both local as well as not so local graduate students (Canada, I'm talking about you) . They have a paper to write and have chosen Silver Spring as their topic.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The below email arrived in my in-box today:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Hello. My name is BLANK and I am a senior psychology major attending BLANK. I have been living in Silver Spring for the past four years. I have an assignment for my Urban Sociology class where I need to look at the population demographics of Silver Spring from the year 2000 to now. I was able to find some information on the census website, but a lot of people tell me Silver Spring used to be a tough area not too long ago. I was wondering if you would be able to give me some insight on how the area has changed, what caused the social change to occur, and around what year(s) did it happen? I would be very appreciative of any information you would be able to give me. Thank you."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I smiled at the thought of Silver Spring being thought of as "a tough area." By <span class="Apple-style-span">2000 both Whole Foods (then named Fresh Fields) and Strosniders Hardware opened in "Phase One" of Silver Spring's "Town Center." Discovery Communications and the American Film Institute had also decided by 2000 to locate here.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This "tough area" is one of the biggest (sub)urban myths that Silver Spring still seems to be trying to live down. I've lived in downtown Silver Spring since 1992 and have been a visitor since the late 1970s and never once felt any more endangered here than anywhere else in the DC metro area that I have ever been to.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitL8RqVuso7mmajH4CfU5a9zTdgN1a3urVandUNWWezdY9vnIoRGVuhw12A5Gg4-vvbZEUHEcTCXG7LMWtCOMH3d2C0AHgUzSnBz4KSU1wXZOa8UWEddbP9hyphenhyphenWK21IyAjqJ-4BywIhcaOA/s1600/Mean_Streets_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitL8RqVuso7mmajH4CfU5a9zTdgN1a3urVandUNWWezdY9vnIoRGVuhw12A5Gg4-vvbZEUHEcTCXG7LMWtCOMH3d2C0AHgUzSnBz4KSU1wXZOa8UWEddbP9hyphenhyphenWK21IyAjqJ-4BywIhcaOA/s320/Mean_Streets_poster.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I welcome readers' opinions/answers to this student's questions. Please post comments and I will share them with this individual. Thank you.</span></div>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-3606597982821953952011-09-27T13:31:00.000-07:002011-09-27T13:39:26.502-07:00See the World's Largest Acorn & More Unusual Local Attractions!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVFALE5cFMiSHlL9LEkwXGU1T8o-eiy-73gMBxirrHlSKyR6dts1L6mrYmmTwX_o9PCXoSd1jMSX2DWQUMaghxFXWZfxON6YZWmlu8GLm2fxP9Ga5f0tVch9SAsJGaOHv0340YkfUz0bO/s1600/WETA002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVFALE5cFMiSHlL9LEkwXGU1T8o-eiy-73gMBxirrHlSKyR6dts1L6mrYmmTwX_o9PCXoSd1jMSX2DWQUMaghxFXWZfxON6YZWmlu8GLm2fxP9Ga5f0tVch9SAsJGaOHv0340YkfUz0bO/s400/WETA002.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>Did you know that the world's largest (man-made) acorn can be found right here in downtown Silver Spring or that a statue of a lobsterman is in Washington, DC?<br />
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These and other greater Washington one-of-a-kind landmarks and destinations will be featured on <em>More Unusual Attractions</em>, to air on October 7th and 10th at 9 pm on WETA TV 26.<br />
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I will appear in the segment about Silver Spring's historic circa 1850 Acorn Gazebo, located in Acorn Park at the corner of East-West Highway and Newell Street. For information about the other landmarks and attractions that will appear in the program, visit the <em><a href="http://www.weta.org/tv/local/wetaguide/moreattractions/map">More Unusual Attractions Map</a></em>.<br />
<br />
Please join me this <strong>Saturday, October 1st</strong>, for a walking tour of historic Silver Spring that will include the Acorn Gazebo along with other fascinating insights into Silver Spring's history.<br />
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The tour kicks off at 10 am from the <a href="http://www.montgomerypreservation.org/BOStation.html">Silver Spring Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station</a>, 8100 Georgia Avenue, and concludes at noon. The cost is $5 per person. Reservations are not required. Limited parking available in front of the station or a short walk from the Silver Spring Metro Station. Well behaved dogs welcome!<br />
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(The railroad station is open FREE from 10-3 on Saturday.)<br />
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Hope to see you Saturday!Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-77333020206212269402011-09-16T08:51:00.000-07:002011-09-16T12:14:10.450-07:00"Nothing By You"<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a good chuckle when I came across this cartoon on p. 35 of the September 12, 2011 issue of <em>The New Yorker</em>.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64QfzP_9Ka67nnbcOfeQE890WZYd4BVFpacfj8TEyRzgQSXtDGocXGd-DI_aCghvBJC6mraBVS1RamVL5GVxxMyGTz6hdKGbiM66cobYsVFGKUGutaLrn1ApsQydh-sZF-LiO2dIRGpJI/s1600/New+Yorker005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64QfzP_9Ka67nnbcOfeQE890WZYd4BVFpacfj8TEyRzgQSXtDGocXGd-DI_aCghvBJC6mraBVS1RamVL5GVxxMyGTz6hdKGbiM66cobYsVFGKUGutaLrn1ApsQydh-sZF-LiO2dIRGpJI/s400/New+Yorker005.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get it?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">For those who don't, the cartoon depicts a stylized view of the 5th Avenue facade of the landmark 1911 New York Public Library as seen from E. 41st Street. The banner hanging over the entrance is chiding the reader who would be <em>so</em> lucky to have a work represented in one of the greatest libraries in the world.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">To which I immediately thought, "Hey, maybe I do!"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Off to <a href="http://catalog.nypl.org/">http://catalog.nypl.org/</a> I went and in the author field I typed "McCoy Jerry A." and hit the "Submit" button. My jaw dropped.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCavB92AXExDMS1yRCA4qPPyvHWtY5THaw38TCtXrbfkfp9Ep3fPDK8r_5clHWFhR-OVGXYRoaMYJ-FEN3HJ7OTvE9_uFk3KvsVVEfOHJh3GH4fHHs6GLZIkTEbU2tmtvE66q4LF77ytSX/s1600/NY+PUblic+Library001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCavB92AXExDMS1yRCA4qPPyvHWtY5THaw38TCtXrbfkfp9Ep3fPDK8r_5clHWFhR-OVGXYRoaMYJ-FEN3HJ7OTvE9_uFk3KvsVVEfOHJh3GH4fHHs6GLZIkTEbU2tmtvE66q4LF77ytSX/s640/NY+PUblic+Library001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">There, shelved inside this century old marble Beaux Arts edifice designed by <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carrère and Hastings, sits </span><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Downtown-Silver-Spring-Then-Arcadia/dp/0738586315/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316187057&sr=1-1">Downtown Silver Spring</a></em> in the <a href="http://www.nypl.org/locations/schwarzman/milstein-division-us-history-local-history-genealogy">Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy</a>. The neighboring book to the right is <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Smith-Island-Chesapeake-Frances-Dize/dp/B0041UXLYM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316186952&sr=1-1">Smith Island, Chesapeake Bay</a></em> by Frances W. Dize and to the left sits another book on Silver Spring, <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Forest-Glen-Endangered-National/dp/0967475201/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316187016&sr=1-1">Enchanted Forest Glen : the Endangered Legacy of National Park Seminary Historic District in Silver Spring, Maryland</a></em><strong>.</strong></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I have been planning a visit to NY see the <a href="http://www.thehighline.org/">High Line</a> and the <a href="http://www.911memorial.org/">National September 11 Memorial & Museum</a>. To these sites I will now add Room 121 of the NYPL's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Public_Library_Main_Branch">Stephen A. Schwarzman Building</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-91980505601672315182011-07-20T13:41:00.000-07:002011-07-20T13:42:21.020-07:00New TD Bank Location Features Historic Silver Spring Mural<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Customers entering the recently opened TD Bank "store" at 8661 Colesville Road (inside City Place) will be greeted by a large colorful mural depicting Georgia Avenue as it looked in 1927. The original source black and white photograph was supplied by the Silver Spring Historical Society.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These murals are a unique feature of the interior decor of TD Banks and allow local historical societies to educate customers about the visual history of the community where the bank is located. This is the second time that SSHS has worked with TD Bank, having provided another archival image for its 3132 Briggs Chaney Road location that opened in 2008.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Small 11" x 17" poster versions of each mural are available for free at each respective bank. Stop in and take home a piece of Silver Spring's history with you!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IaZJwQ4nap4wFZqBbHpwKG5-i9Zdig-jmxhemhPBqGTKlag01JUNkqnj5KjPTllqJVp8chyp3cinsRsOCTsMuahMn6rkqygysyad4KeZt_00s0FP6xLtz9QlohkZt63NgE1T_gLaut-A/s1600/270998_1908308472904_1397597708_31798631_7399119_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IaZJwQ4nap4wFZqBbHpwKG5-i9Zdig-jmxhemhPBqGTKlag01JUNkqnj5KjPTllqJVp8chyp3cinsRsOCTsMuahMn6rkqygysyad4KeZt_00s0FP6xLtz9QlohkZt63NgE1T_gLaut-A/s400/270998_1908308472904_1397597708_31798631_7399119_n.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerry A. McCoy poses with Delana H. Coyle, Assistant VP and store manager of the downtown Silver Spring TD Bank. The mural depicts Georgia Avenue at the intersection of Wayne Avenue in 1927. The brick building is St. Michael's Church, which sat in the middle of today's Wayne Avenue</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0I-LGU1mVeq5C2Tf15EQBA0qop3Onm2WCmbG5owIZsTQwbY2hPKxszg6KZEWFOz1jGKYN1zt9vMub99R3G4FFdiRgd2QGq0Y3Gigpuw2eVTWqZQfp5TcBKf3JnNyPrSAknbc9y9lRSBxi/s1600/Bank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0I-LGU1mVeq5C2Tf15EQBA0qop3Onm2WCmbG5owIZsTQwbY2hPKxszg6KZEWFOz1jGKYN1zt9vMub99R3G4FFdiRgd2QGq0Y3Gigpuw2eVTWqZQfp5TcBKf3JnNyPrSAknbc9y9lRSBxi/s400/Bank.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This 2008 mural depicts the way Georgia Avenue at Silver Spring Avenue looked in 1917. TD Bank lobby, 3132 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring, MD. Photo by Jerry A. McCoy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com1Silver Spring, MD, USA38.997408204301884 -77.02715266137693138.968347704301884 -77.073280161376928 39.026468704301884 -76.981025161376934tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-42661967639841017752011-06-27T07:51:00.000-07:002011-06-27T07:57:55.648-07:00World's Largest Acorn & Other Amazing Sites<span data-jsid="text">Yesterday I conducted a free walking tour of south Silver Spring as part of the 14th Annual <a href="http://www.heritagemontgomery.org/content/heritage-days-0">Montgomery County Heritage Days Weekend</a>. </span><span data-jsid="text">About a dozen engaged and interested participants attended which was a really nice antidote to recent criticisms expended about SSHS's historic preservation efforts. Here are a few photographs taken by George French. As always thanks George!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxLWHnZtR_i2VQUUgr8NtdOsaDooIiCqYmDTI6AAMVQSTxlU9350NcKytnTqEZzbrOTBRak8hO5DznR8F0vtNzdB3T8StFJZeAoo0vC7faoYau2Q2AUd3OGwdokN7Gq_w61J8AlKQAeip/s1600/Jerry+Tour+Heritage+Days+B%2526O+6-26-11+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxLWHnZtR_i2VQUUgr8NtdOsaDooIiCqYmDTI6AAMVQSTxlU9350NcKytnTqEZzbrOTBRak8hO5DznR8F0vtNzdB3T8StFJZeAoo0vC7faoYau2Q2AUd3OGwdokN7Gq_w61J8AlKQAeip/s400/Jerry+Tour+Heritage+Days+B%2526O+6-26-11+013.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">I hereby proclaim this structure WORLD'S LARGEST ACORN </span></div><div align="center"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">(pay no </span><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">attention to Raleigh, </span><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">North Carolina's claim)! </span><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">Located </span></div><div align="center"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">in Acorn Park, </span><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">corner of East-West Highway & </span><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">Newell Street,</span></div><div align="center"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">this gazebo was constructed </span><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">circa 1850 by Benjamin C. King at</span></div><div align="center"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">the bequest of Silver Spring founder Francis Preston Blair for</span></div><div align="center"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">his wife Eliza Gist Blair.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE94MkpeNyRybuunlRDeGlW5cqMOJx7efxTmvcGMUvWFuN4vVJtPNViaU_nu-lOdIzug0vxXZrHI55NTfWLmfoUfVXAjkI4tcktS2BwlzLJpQ_U2m4f7a8W-eD6hE2nmxrsXLjHgDZyL7r/s1600/Jerry+Tour+Heritage+Days+B%2526O+6-26-11+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE94MkpeNyRybuunlRDeGlW5cqMOJx7efxTmvcGMUvWFuN4vVJtPNViaU_nu-lOdIzug0vxXZrHI55NTfWLmfoUfVXAjkI4tcktS2BwlzLJpQ_U2m4f7a8W-eD6hE2nmxrsXLjHgDZyL7r/s400/Jerry+Tour+Heritage+Days+B%2526O+6-26-11+019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">Directly across from the Acorn Gazebo is the "birthplace" of Silver Spring, the original</span><br />
<span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">spring discovered by Francis Preston Blair in 1840 (courtesy of his horse Selim). </span><br />
<span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">Blair began construction of his country estate <em>Silver Spring</em> nearby in 1842 </span><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">which</span><br />
<span class="fbPhotoCaptionText"> led to the growth of our community. </span><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">No, the water is not from the spring, </span><br />
<span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">which ceased flowing about 70 years ago, but WSSC tap water!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3Tsjo3XeY20iXPr4gArKOUkgX4YC7FAPVUncLlXxn3inr5dEjq1n_Hvi2YCjZQ3ambQfGhn-AOYRnCPkjG9vyEh4cC9NsmqVtkOlgnLGrw3oW-nSXBdgrGNqz5NXArvgd1Cb5Dc5g6r7/s1600/Jerry+Tour+Heritage+Days+B%2526O+6-26-11+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3Tsjo3XeY20iXPr4gArKOUkgX4YC7FAPVUncLlXxn3inr5dEjq1n_Hvi2YCjZQ3ambQfGhn-AOYRnCPkjG9vyEh4cC9NsmqVtkOlgnLGrw3oW-nSXBdgrGNqz5NXArvgd1Cb5Dc5g6r7/s320/Jerry+Tour+Heritage+Days+B%2526O+6-26-11+014.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Across from Acorn Park is the 1946 Canada Dry Bottling Plant, designed by New York City </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText"><span style="font-size: x-small;">industrial architect Walter Monroe Cory whose motto was "Factories CAN be beautiful."</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The bottling plant closed in 1999 an </span></span><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText"><span style="font-size: x-small;">reopened in 2005 as the Silverton Condominiums </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(although everyone I've ever talked to who resides there say they live in "Canada Dry").</span></span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com2Silver Spring, MD, USA38.989548269000814 -77.028984785736138.960487769000814 -77.0751122857361 39.018608769000814 -76.9828572857361tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-60928379930445232832011-06-21T13:47:00.000-07:002011-06-25T07:32:17.716-07:00Silver Spring's Lost Bungalows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>One hundred years ago a real estate advertisement for a nine room Silver Spring bungalow appeared in the June 18, 1911 Washington <em>Evening Star</em> newspaper. Owned by James H. Cissel, president of the Silver Spring National Bank (est. 1910), this new slate-roofed home featured a full basement, front porch, furnace heat, hot and cold running water, electric lights, and a fireplace.<br />
<br />
Situated on a 50 ft. by 220 ft lot all of this was yours for $5,500. If not ready for home ownership, the bungalow could be rented for $40 per month. Adjusted for inflation, these costs would be about $127,000 and $925 respectively. Still a bargain!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphencPNfU1By3g6DRYnEjGZ_-nTrNerZO1pdRVlDhqx00eSbByx-RlT6TEFg13Mqj_v58I5FNh7jmsqKnqLKaTPMfl5CljCaOAsFjgeYWn6xGW5Y1W94T-66eysDgU1oRSTPHnFt6J2iDHo/s1600/Cissel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphencPNfU1By3g6DRYnEjGZ_-nTrNerZO1pdRVlDhqx00eSbByx-RlT6TEFg13Mqj_v58I5FNh7jmsqKnqLKaTPMfl5CljCaOAsFjgeYWn6xGW5Y1W94T-66eysDgU1oRSTPHnFt6J2iDHo/s400/Cissel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy Washingtoniana Division, DC Public Library<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unfortunately this house is no longer extant. It was originally located at 913 Sligo Avenue and was typical of the residences constructed in the Silver Spring Park subdivision, located on the east side of the Washington & Brookeville Turnpike (today's Georgia Avenue).<br />
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Beginning in the mid 20th century, this home and dozens of others located on Sligo, Silver Spring, Thayer, and Bonifant streets between Georgia Avenue and Fenton Street were converted to commercial use or simply razed to make way for larger structures. A few of the homes escaped destruction and can be seen in the area known today as Fenton Village. Today, a portion of the bungalow's footprint is occupied by The Nora School, 955 Sligo Avenue.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuRJNPwHC3aVdB_VPV-Sn4Q5SNpE4Q94OUk03rafosrxs12uM78SZSMjE6mLvnIQff-2LJNKNdwVqATrtF7Vc6Zy55izZ6newbzENw0YDN23vpP0Go8ygso3DnwDtezqR6Ddhqq_tlLly/s1600/DSCN8318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuRJNPwHC3aVdB_VPV-Sn4Q5SNpE4Q94OUk03rafosrxs12uM78SZSMjE6mLvnIQff-2LJNKNdwVqATrtF7Vc6Zy55izZ6newbzENw0YDN23vpP0Go8ygso3DnwDtezqR6Ddhqq_tlLly/s400/DSCN8318.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of 913 Sligo Avenue (right) taken on June 21, 1917 by <br />
Washington, DC postcard photographer Willard R. Ross.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-V8pVT2GNO-6PoPYeYsxDt66VGslEgFMyi-IxPDh-p36rXiZj_2HmywR6o5iav4l1YlpkEl6wvGcYNqO7TLHWMOzZTeslCbVutKlS1sXE2yzOwRhR7s120KmEXXi7_AFbKxwN750FSq2/s1600/DSCN8316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-V8pVT2GNO-6PoPYeYsxDt66VGslEgFMyi-IxPDh-p36rXiZj_2HmywR6o5iav4l1YlpkEl6wvGcYNqO7TLHWMOzZTeslCbVutKlS1sXE2yzOwRhR7s120KmEXXi7_AFbKxwN750FSq2/s400/DSCN8316.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five homes were located on the north side of the 900 block of Sligo Avenue<br />
between today's Mayor Lane (above the "G" in "SLIGO") and Fenton Street on<br />
the right. From 1931 <i>Atlas of Montgomery County, Vol. One</i>. Collection of<br />
the Silver Spring Historical Society.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-38206290295518082632011-06-08T13:01:00.000-07:002011-06-08T13:09:58.853-07:00More Was Misplaced Than the Extra "S" !Recently I had the opportunity to use the <em><a href="http://www.csa.com/factsheets/avery-set-c.php">Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals</a>, </em>an on-line database of citations to articles in approximately 300 current and over 1,000 retrospective architectural and related periodicals dating from the 1930s to the present. Access to such a database is invaluable when researching architects, their buildings, or even structures located in specific locations.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately this very expensive database is not available via Montgomery County or District of Columbia public libraries or even Montgomery College. It is primarily found at universities and it was through Catholic University that I was able to access it.<br />
<br />
A quick keyword search of "Silver Spring, MD" pulled up multiple hits but one immediately jumped out at me:<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Title: Tourist Center [Silver Springs, Md.] </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Source: Progressive architecture, 1958 Apr., v. 39, p. 146-148, illustrations, plan </div><div style="text-align: left;">Language: English. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Abstract: Victor A. Lundy, archt. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Subject(s): Vacation camps </div><div style="text-align: left;">People: Lundy, Victor Alfred, 1923- </div><div style="text-align: left;">Document Type(s): journal article </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A tourist center was planned for Silver Spring in 1958? That was news to me! It made perfect sense. Perhaps the center was to serve as a gateway to tourists planning to visit the Nation's Capital. Visions of an awesome example of mid-century roadside architecture formed in my mind. I couldn't wait to see not only what this structure looked like but <em>where</em> it had been planned to be built. </div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSpqz8a9pcvJyXRq03W-wZmp2Ejga_7TpFZgo2IcxBC2J5v_p0vMMZDSFwGp0mc0yIRcaRF7tZWgLl4iSyUVlhgndv_OVsvCIHZYbPomqMMNW4k1HnvI3x9e8AJPM_JHLmDJ8iD8mdWjU/s1600/TramwayGasStation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSpqz8a9pcvJyXRq03W-wZmp2Ejga_7TpFZgo2IcxBC2J5v_p0vMMZDSFwGp0mc0yIRcaRF7tZWgLl4iSyUVlhgndv_OVsvCIHZYbPomqMMNW4k1HnvI3x9e8AJPM_JHLmDJ8iD8mdWjU/s320/TramwayGasStation.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palm Spring, CA Visitors Center, originally built in 1963 as the Tramway Gas station. <br />
Photo courtesy Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Luckily the DC Public Library carries original back issues of <em>Progressive Architecture</em> and I was able to access to April 1958 issue. I laughed when I flipped to page 146 of the issue only to see:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVjhRy0pY7N8zD1az_i0q4ze4311u_FOxA9gLhtJyW6qJ0B6HiC4b-Cd0YHJ6O_ZmA5rikUkvEkbUFwyYmQUOkJPVGLfdjiYLSRbKl96pxrHAF6KO3Lwml7-1ilotkn61v4dcm-JINdJt/s1600/Silver+Spring+Floriada001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWVjhRy0pY7N8zD1az_i0q4ze4311u_FOxA9gLhtJyW6qJ0B6HiC4b-Cd0YHJ6O_ZmA5rikUkvEkbUFwyYmQUOkJPVGLfdjiYLSRbKl96pxrHAF6KO3Lwml7-1ilotkn61v4dcm-JINdJt/s640/Silver+Spring+Floriada001.jpg" t8="true" width="336" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy DC Public Library.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Oh well. I still think a tourist center in downtown Silver Spring is a good idea. A great location would be the empty c. 1850 <em>Moorings</em> mansion in Jesup Blair Park near Georgia Avenue and the DC/MD line.Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-10500524173855671862011-04-29T13:06:00.000-07:002011-05-01T04:39:53.182-07:00Celebrating Silver Spring's Treasures<div><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">May is the <a href="http://www.preservationnation.org/">National Trust for Historic Preservation's</a> <em>National Preservation Month</em> and this year's theme is "Celebrating America's Treasures." The purpose of this advocacy is to showcase our country's diverse and unique heritage and downtown Silver Spring is certainly home to a wide variety of treasures worth celebrating. </span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">One such treasure is the building located at 8412 Georgia Avenue, constructed in 1937 as the Silver Spring Post Office<span style="font-size: small;">. This federal buildings (the first to be erected in Montgomery County) was one of 1,100 post offices constructed in the United States between 1934 and 1944 that featured murals or sculptures commissioned by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Section of Painting and Sculpture. Fourteen of these post offices were located in Maryland with three in Montgomery County (the other two were Rockville and Bethesda).</span></span></span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-irou_qftkfJgLL2m3-9XjE4tDkXDfstnWjg_uATB8chz-fqtbtmRPu9hpHdmchMtIC9wIJlvjaLhGW_ORGsQBw247NhHMZHVqNaM2KS2ZqUEkxeEjzr5nGtC_fF1l6D6UihVwXGaTuR/s1600/Post+Office+Now003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-irou_qftkfJgLL2m3-9XjE4tDkXDfstnWjg_uATB8chz-fqtbtmRPu9hpHdmchMtIC9wIJlvjaLhGW_ORGsQBw247NhHMZHVqNaM2KS2ZqUEkxeEjzr5nGtC_fF1l6D6UihVwXGaTuR/s320/Post+Office+Now003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Located in the lobby of Silver Spring's new post office was a 16-foot-long oil on canvas mural titled <i>The Old Tavern</i> by Nicolai Cikovsky. The mural depicted the crossroads of Sligo, Maryland (today’s intersection of Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road) at the end of the Civil War. Civil War Union soldiers are reading mail picked up at a tavern located where Discovery Communications stands today. </span></span></span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When the post office closed in 1981 and relocated to Second Avenue, the mural was carefully removed from the wall, placed in storage and promptly forgotten. </span></span></strong><br />
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</div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In 1994 after a year long search I located the mural rolled up in a cardboard carpet tube that was stored in the basement of the demolished (2003) Blair Station Post Office, located at 8045 Newell Street. A</span></span><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> three-year effort was commenced by the Friends of the Silver Spring Library to raise </span></span></strong></strong></span></span></span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">$25,000 to conserve the mural, which was badly deteriorated. I</span></span></strong></strong></span></span></span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">n 1997 the restored mural was ceremoniously unveiled at the Silver Spring Library where it is now on permanent view. I'm told that the mural will become the centerpiece of the new Silver Spring Library, planned for the corner of Fenton and Bonifant streets.</span></span></strong></strong></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">After the mural was removed from the post office in 1981, the rest of the interior was completely gutted. Disposed were the postal clerk windows, post office boxes, writing tables, highly stylized ceiling light fixtures (they looked like miniatures of the planet Saturn), and a plaque honoring the individuals responsible for the post office’s construction. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s name was prominently placed near the top of this plaque. </span></span></strong><br />
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</span></span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Although no extant photographs had surfaced showing the plaque in situ, documentation of its existence was established through a full-scale architectural rendering housed in the archives of the Silver Spring Historical Society. Long had I wondered what became of the plaque, along with everything else that had graced the lobby. </span></span></strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2006 I received a note in the mail from the manager of the Silver Spring Library. A man in Western Maryland had mailed to the library a small black and white photograph. The image showed a group of well-dressed men lined up in front of the Silver Spring Post Office. Written on the back was, “Silver Spring Post Office / Recruiting Office in 1942." </span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This <span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">was new information to me as I had not known that the draft board during WW II was located in the post office, theorizing instead that draftees went to 1927 Maryland National Guard Armory, located east of Georgia Avenue on Wayne Avenue. The Armory, a <span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Montgomery County-designated Master Plan for Historic Preservation structure, was demolished in 1998 for construction of a parking garage that was built five years later. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The library manager thought that the Silver Spring Historical Society would be an appropriate home for <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">the photograph. Little did the manager, or I, know what other “treasures” the donor of this photograph possessed.</span></span></strong></span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Enclosed with the photograph was contact information for the sender who lived in Little Orleans, Maryland. I immediately called the gentleman, identified myself as founder and president of the Silver Spring Historical Society, and explained how the Silver Spring Library had sent me the photograph. When the man said, “I also have a plaque if you want it,” I couldn’t believe what I had heard. Without asking I knew exactly what plaque he was referring to. </span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It turned out that the caller had worked at the Silver Spring Post Office from 1958 to 1975. Later, he had advanced to the position of postmaster of Mt. Rainier, Maryland and the plaque was given to him by a fellow post office employee who had obtained it when the Silver Spring Post Office's Georgia Avenue facility closed in 1981. The plaque was in his shed where it had been sitting for over two decades. </span></span></strong></strong><br />
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</div><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"I’ll be out this weekend,” was my response! I knew the exact location of Little Orleans, 108 miles west of Silver Spring, as I had stopped there during a four-day C & O Canal bicycle “ride through” from Cumberland, MD to Georgetown in 2003. My companions and I had replenished our water bottles at the landmark Bill’s Place in Little Orleans where I, of course, had no idea that the object of my desire was just up the hill and around the bend. </span></span></strong></span></span></strong></strong><br />
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<strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The plaque, fabricated of cast aluminum, weighs 17 lbs. and measures 21” x 32”. Also donated to the SSHS a hinged 3 1/2” x 5” front door to PO Box 413 that was in the post office’s lobby. The cast aluminum front features a proud, bas-relief eagle surrounded by radiating lines with the locking mechanism centered in a shield placed over the eagle’s breast. I wondered whose hands had held the many keys that opened and closed this door for forty-four years and what missives did the door guard?</span></span></strong></span></span></strong></span></span></strong></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ06GTQwtAKdxw9rIERGvewapu01qqpzaVj75aodcjuYmr6CvgTNF386g_tAse6OlZTb6eEiTF9wk9RlQ09TSsON8E1sTh1kwxTRgy9nOp0J8RoKGPBvP6jA6ccLAfKLWBdCz-i2-qiKqM/s1600/Post+Office+Box+413002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ06GTQwtAKdxw9rIERGvewapu01qqpzaVj75aodcjuYmr6CvgTNF386g_tAse6OlZTb6eEiTF9wk9RlQ09TSsON8E1sTh1kwxTRgy9nOp0J8RoKGPBvP6jA6ccLAfKLWBdCz-i2-qiKqM/s320/Post+Office+Box+413002.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The Silver Spring Historical Society desires to permanently exhibit these items alongside the <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">mural at the new Silver Spring Library. An offer was made a couple of years ago to officials with the Montgomery County Public Library system to display the items at the new library but no acceptance was ever given. So attention MCPL! Display of these and many other historical artifacts located in our archives are still available and would serve as a wonderful library amenity to educate the public about Silver Spring’s fascinating heritage! </span></span></strong></span></span></strong></span></span></strong></span></span></strong></span></span></strong></strong><br />
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<strong><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If you or someone you know worked for the Silver Spring Post Office on Georgia Avenue, please share your reminiscences (and perhaps photos) with the Silver Spring Historical Society. Please email me at <a href="mailto:sshistory@yahoo.com">sshistory@yahoo.com</a>.</span></span></strong></span></span></strong></span></span></strong></span></span></strong></span></span></strong></span></span></strong></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUDEyig878lhYWP_WXK3fDH-kuGTW5FggzTNSgAcsuiFNMANwtylAq9XFFWNcNPpyAQL5mQr_81i-EXMQTOHBzrqGfKye71sPZ7M1x7D-Y7sVZpNdW24jeLgFil0LwfJZSstKfRbpA-qp/s1600/DSCN7928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUDEyig878lhYWP_WXK3fDH-kuGTW5FggzTNSgAcsuiFNMANwtylAq9XFFWNcNPpyAQL5mQr_81i-EXMQTOHBzrqGfKye71sPZ7M1x7D-Y7sVZpNdW24jeLgFil0LwfJZSstKfRbpA-qp/s320/DSCN7928.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">During my remarks to the five people who took the time to remember Norman, I mentioned that I expected the wreath to be stolen before the day was over. Well, I was a bit too pessimistic. It lasted four days before it was ripped off. Whoever stole it, sometime between Sunday afternoon and this morning, couldn't be bothered with the metal stand that the wreath was attached to and left it behind.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXq-GrSCQQGvhhkTvZxyWsx5V9VyoDHQoY6C7ETONiwgr1h2FeJVx_a5ZQJrWWVY_P4k_AC35o5_Pl973hiTnyx1OmD3jbW0Z7AmBxQGO3RmkX1sabKdNWmh4MNGYx87xKVT27B1SVUAy/s1600/DSCN7978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXq-GrSCQQGvhhkTvZxyWsx5V9VyoDHQoY6C7ETONiwgr1h2FeJVx_a5ZQJrWWVY_P4k_AC35o5_Pl973hiTnyx1OmD3jbW0Z7AmBxQGO3RmkX1sabKdNWmh4MNGYx87xKVT27B1SVUAy/s320/DSCN7978.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This event sadly reminds me of a recent exchange I had with an individual who thought "someone" should find a copy of the Grecian nymph statue that originally graced (nearly a century ago) the stone grotto of the Silver Spring and install it. I told this person that such a statue wouldn't stand a chance of surviving because vandals would either destroy it or steal it outright. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">This person was incredulous that anyone would do such a thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Ah, the joy of ignorance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The little benevolent piece left inside of me should say, "If this person needed the flowers so badly, then they should have and enjoy them." But it just can't. For too long disrespect has been shown to Silver Spring's heritage and this theft is simply the latest example.</span>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-63537681817839720382011-04-14T11:48:00.000-07:002011-04-14T11:51:04.523-07:00Happy 100th Birthday Norman!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Half a dozen folks gathered this morning at Georgia Avenue's <em>Mayor's Promenade </em>to honor the 100th birthday of <a href="http://silverspringthenagain.blogspot.com/2011/04/dont-worry-about-it.html">Norman Lane</a>. Placed before artist <a href="http://www.fredfolsom.com/">Fred Folsom's</a> 1991 portrait bronze statue of Norman was a beautiful floral wreath donated by Bell Flowers (thanks Chad Mangum!).</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Left to right) Chad Mangum, Jerry A. McCoy, Charles Atwell, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richard Jaeggi, </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Chris Matthews, unidentified. Top & bottom photos by George French.</span></td></tr>
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</div><span style="font-family: Arial;">The quick 15 minute event began and ended on a note that Norman would have especially appreciated. A homeless man approach one of the free newspaper boxes positioned directly opposite the statue. He opened the box and started rooting through the newspapers and, one by one, pulled out four cans of malt liquor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">After the formal portion of the ceremony was over a few of us were talking when a different homeless man came around the corner singing out loud and barged right into the middle of our group. He asked for money for "coffee." In return he was asked, "Do you know where you are going to go to buy it?" He responded, "No." It was suggested to him that Kefa Cafe would be a good place to go! </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">I don't know if money was proffered for at that point I needed to leave to go to work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This fall will be the 20th anniversary of the statue's dedication. Perhaps another event can be held to commemorate one of the best examples of public art in Montgomery County.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyohD2wQl4hJx0ql-MPiQdRzKYsswjkeWuMRpMnAUXniUhpby4z-OQN-D0HGypkfokM-G3lTZNon6PGOF7-v3zEOzSdBOCjlmw3fBjaXEQ21wzzKRHr9YV359WaxdLquisEuGlZWIMQE1/s1600/DSCN7965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyohD2wQl4hJx0ql-MPiQdRzKYsswjkeWuMRpMnAUXniUhpby4z-OQN-D0HGypkfokM-G3lTZNon6PGOF7-v3zEOzSdBOCjlmw3fBjaXEQ21wzzKRHr9YV359WaxdLquisEuGlZWIMQE1/s320/DSCN7965.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photo by Jerry A. McCoy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-89492245848425385002011-04-12T14:49:00.000-07:002011-04-13T05:58:10.656-07:00"Don't Worry About It!"<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thus was the catch phrase spoken by Norman Collins Lane, affectionately known as the "Mayor of Silver Spring," who was born a century ago on April 14, 1911. Norman was a homeless man who </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">spent the better part of twenty-five years walking the streets and alleys of downtown Silver Spring.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD8jfQz3nKu4_rNfao6a9pyCcyS6sosLtCEYzlKLP6-E_5oG89rGp-4ByBHPnjcYGJtDlJYG5nTNHGbL5dghshguCJhJHRuE7poDbb373yk5K4xCwK5dKdfdrtivJwqQtSw0LEaKFORsk/s1600/Norman+Lane+Stovall+Portrait005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD8jfQz3nKu4_rNfao6a9pyCcyS6sosLtCEYzlKLP6-E_5oG89rGp-4ByBHPnjcYGJtDlJYG5nTNHGbL5dghshguCJhJHRuE7poDbb373yk5K4xCwK5dKdfdrtivJwqQtSw0LEaKFORsk/s320/Norman+Lane+Stovall+Portrait005.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This dignified portrait of Norman was taken in 1971. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Copyright Dave Stovall.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He collected handouts of money and food and did odd jobs around the community. One of these jobs was as a groundskeeper picking up trash at the Bethesda Naval Hospital. One day in October of 1965 he encountered the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson. President Johnson was at Bethesda to have his gall bladder removed and supposedly said to Norman upon meeting him, "Christ, you look in worse shape than I do!"</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKx02K7EGtMi7q7yrmvZi54E5NUPnYwMvTB5IjUaGBeBZaSWItSTpse7uEgCgt90ifpCyJ_Ihz9YFkA3Ok7PfLE2yfaKO3Txsu_lMDwBAumLWZ7W47j5pzwqA1Yu55FlKQzzaUzS0NmBe/s1600/Norman+Lane+and+LBJ004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKx02K7EGtMi7q7yrmvZi54E5NUPnYwMvTB5IjUaGBeBZaSWItSTpse7uEgCgt90ifpCyJ_Ihz9YFkA3Ok7PfLE2yfaKO3Txsu_lMDwBAumLWZ7W47j5pzwqA1Yu55FlKQzzaUzS0NmBe/s320/Norman+Lane+and+LBJ004.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photograph taken in 1965 of Norman meeting President Johnson. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The photo is inscribed, "To Norman Lane</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With best wishes Lyndon B. Johnson." Collection of Iris Hyson.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Norman's beverage of choice was Pabst Blue Ribbon beer...morning, noon and night...and he usually wore a construction hard hat. Robert Phillips, owner of the Silver Spring Auto Body Co. (demolished) provided Norman with a cot and a hot plate in his business, the closest that Norman would accept to the comforts of a home. Norman liked to </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rummage through the dumpsters behind Bell Florist and Pumphrey's Funeral Home (demolished) where he would retrieve discarded roses and then proceed to give one to each woman he passed on Georgia Avenue. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBz1PGvFO2l5Ac8SgRC5r7N2QJ6ekSj6Ee4rPThvrT65gjDJAeLsVoiRKJ0aY8TtrPwrtgfB_nNwyGtU0q9p0UJHxU_N-u5QQuuBr2ZfMzrAWGagTm5AQC3urUVN-d2uEpvJS5iFfHALVr/s1600/Norman+Sign.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBz1PGvFO2l5Ac8SgRC5r7N2QJ6ekSj6Ee4rPThvrT65gjDJAeLsVoiRKJ0aY8TtrPwrtgfB_nNwyGtU0q9p0UJHxU_N-u5QQuuBr2ZfMzrAWGagTm5AQC3urUVN-d2uEpvJS5iFfHALVr/s320/Norman+Sign.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">For years this sign was attached to the Silver Spring Auto Body Co. until it disappeared</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> in 2003 after the business shut down. Photo taken by Jerry A. McCoy in 1996.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzaVsV8IdLIlrpon7qA1cXXmzKmkw3eyEBiEEHcm-BMPKa8DEkdRqg48fzDkrcJnlGVYtxiq6MYR16-k_bqOdkKQF2WoLLDAmqwADA_OPKvZiN45QWFBpBz_TKWRxhM1IPEZ9JKeJteSc/s1600/Silver+Spring+Auto+Body+Sign003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzaVsV8IdLIlrpon7qA1cXXmzKmkw3eyEBiEEHcm-BMPKa8DEkdRqg48fzDkrcJnlGVYtxiq6MYR16-k_bqOdkKQF2WoLLDAmqwADA_OPKvZiN45QWFBpBz_TKWRxhM1IPEZ9JKeJteSc/s320/Silver+Spring+Auto+Body+Sign003.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Silver Spring Auto Body Co. sign donated by Charles Atwell. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Collection of SSHS Archives.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the ABC television show "Real People" featured a 7 1/2 minute segment on Norman in 1979, it asked people in downtown Silver Spring if they'd vote for him if he ran for office. Everybody said sure with one black guy responding, "Why not? The last two white men I voted for were bums too."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Such a colorful personality seemed to beg to be immortalized and that was what artist Fred Folsom did, starting in 1974 by creating dozens of studies, paintings and lithographs depicting Norman. On October 11, 1991, four years after Norman passed away in the back seat of an National DC cab abandoned off of Sligo Avenue, Folsom dedicated a life-sized bronze portrait of him. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxYDzLA3a4WaXLLEkMl4F0wTUesPjQ-4Qk7dYEOzBiDx-bUo0oKGfLYMkLORQRkiPbWHeH0BBO6t3E3UqNgChu9iQB14MpXn6_PfeE4RWG7I0aQ2iXJkYLSpED0y22JgJFQ2s_C5TZXQ8/s1600/Norman+painting.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxYDzLA3a4WaXLLEkMl4F0wTUesPjQ-4Qk7dYEOzBiDx-bUo0oKGfLYMkLORQRkiPbWHeH0BBO6t3E3UqNgChu9iQB14MpXn6_PfeE4RWG7I0aQ2iXJkYLSpED0y22JgJFQ2s_C5TZXQ8/s320/Norman+painting.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oil on masonite, 12" x 12", by Fred Folson, copyright 1987.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Collection of Jerry A. McCoy.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bust is located in the walkway, named "Mayor's Promenade," located next to 8219 Georgia Avenue. This walkway led back to the front door of the Silver Spring Auto Body Co. The alley that this business faced, running parallel to Georgia between Thayer and Sligo avenues, was also named "Mayor Lane."</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfn3ZSncVdkHKp8Z2XhzhGug75knl2PzD3-KXtdbX9e1xpF7CF1B5LgdFh3NO3ktHwB5AbA5MztVkbfTNpf4L7KDmuUhhu5wW2-Ei6BKTCns0UezwTsAbvZelrP0RNE1YgnQaxibgknfX0/s1600/Norman+Bust.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfn3ZSncVdkHKp8Z2XhzhGug75knl2PzD3-KXtdbX9e1xpF7CF1B5LgdFh3NO3ktHwB5AbA5MztVkbfTNpf4L7KDmuUhhu5wW2-Ei6BKTCns0UezwTsAbvZelrP0RNE1YgnQaxibgknfX0/s320/Norman+Bust.bmp" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Photo by Jerry A. McCoy</span>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Please join the Silver Spring Historical Society on Thursday, April 14th, at 9:00 a.m to honor Norman on his 100th birthday. If anyone knew him, we would love to hear some stories. And if anyone knows how the tune goes, we could sing this song written in 1979 by Harry Merrick, then the lead singer of the five-member Chase Holiday Band...</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial;">"He's walking down the sidewalk, moving kind of slow. He looks kind of funny, but he's never feeling low. And if you ask him he'll tell you everything is OK. He never worries, you can always hear him say, </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">'It's all right, don't worry about it.' </span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial;">He's the mayor of Silver Spring, Norman is his name. Things will come and go, but he'll always stay the same. People have to relax and take it day by day because he never worries and you can always hear him say, 'It's all right, don't worry about it.' "</span></em>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-14412007114474863942011-04-03T07:36:00.000-07:002011-04-03T08:30:26.134-07:00I'm Walking Yes Indeed I'm Talking...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday I led a two hour, half mile walking tour of Downtown Silver Spring for about twenty folks. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The free tour was filmed and will appear as a short segment of the cable television show</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/100marylandave"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paths to the Present: Montgomery County Stories</span></a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, produced by Barbara Grunbaum for County Cable Montgomery and the Montgomery County Historical Society. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike the cameraman films the group in front of the 1922 Silver Spring National Bank, <br />
scene of our community's first bank robbery. Photo by Barbara Grunbaum.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The walk was held in association with the Montgomery County Historical Society and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County as part of the dual exhibits </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Between Fences </span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good Neighbors: Fences in Montgomery County</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, currently on display at the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://montgomeryhistory.org/museum_exhibits"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Silver Spring Civic Building</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> thru April 30, 2011. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Between Fences</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> is a traveling exhibit organized by the Smithsonian Institution and is well worth seeing, as is </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good Neighbors, </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">organized by the MCHS.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSo3btdWbLWFE4R_gpDBGexCeQ6Y_I1Fa7yFl35dfjRemdz8DDC6sgEDI9MUJuAp-QUhL9koEgLKru_dlrvbh8XxhDScMhAuO0UqXEvxaULjWo69aEWaWQGIyxVMYtYmbFRKf4H8z-WWL/s1600/DSCN7836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXSo3btdWbLWFE4R_gpDBGexCeQ6Y_I1Fa7yFl35dfjRemdz8DDC6sgEDI9MUJuAp-QUhL9koEgLKru_dlrvbh8XxhDScMhAuO0UqXEvxaULjWo69aEWaWQGIyxVMYtYmbFRKf4H8z-WWL/s320/DSCN7836.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me the tour was reaffirming after last Monday's </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/3edwaso"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">depressing loss</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> before the Historic Preservation Commission of the Silver Spring Historical Society's nomination of the 1956 First Baptist Church of Silver Spring. It </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was nice to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who believe that it is important to preserve Silver Spring's history. They were engaged, interested, and asked questions about the many buildings that I profiled, including the ones that were no longer extant. Sadly, some of these lost structures were standing when I first began to offer these tours over ten years ago.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"If you've got a camera, take a photo of this church while it's still here!"<br />
Photo by Barbara Grunbaum. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajckoVH_Gtjpq6nEYblb0DygFyDEviVZsPUcwyQA1vCiJ-SrpV0od7UyjSVs1rXvA3R5e_nCsXsdR9wBkNSs8UcpQ1187tPkD898iDlCrwCZ3lpUB_Yht14aJILBcVclBiWzgEj5N7mXo/s1600/DSCN7616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajckoVH_Gtjpq6nEYblb0DygFyDEviVZsPUcwyQA1vCiJ-SrpV0od7UyjSVs1rXvA3R5e_nCsXsdR9wBkNSs8UcpQ1187tPkD898iDlCrwCZ3lpUB_Yht14aJILBcVclBiWzgEj5N7mXo/s320/DSCN7616.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A "Currier & Ives" view of the First Baptist Church of Silver Spring.<br />
Photo by Jerry A. McCoy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8WzSJNayfGeQVWYHAWWVWZPlW78D86BcUN1TEt6wiwdk7n4BEMbnG2mVwflqOhccLJd5GGAMP3mogCgazYR2CIcb5KF8rmCIoRga9FjQHDtDyFvUffY88nrsFrNATLo9qIwqM9WAx3r6/s1600/DSCN6972-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8WzSJNayfGeQVWYHAWWVWZPlW78D86BcUN1TEt6wiwdk7n4BEMbnG2mVwflqOhccLJd5GGAMP3mogCgazYR2CIcb5KF8rmCIoRga9FjQHDtDyFvUffY88nrsFrNATLo9qIwqM9WAx3r6/s320/DSCN6972-1.jpg" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tour participant looks a photos of the 1927 Silver Spring Armory, a designated historic <br />
structure destroyed by Montgomery County in 1998 for construction of a parking garage. <br />
A piece of the armory is in the background. Photo by Barbara Grunbaum.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0VtQNgdAShyphenhyphenLS2-s8KtulUo5MdjICTZqWPpNwUTVnOHPjWOlxcacx8eqg-q1Q1-UzdP2YYz-zIcAoHbR91oGOZXw8mTwg1Nyd2Rv3qJqNi4p0lTjWwmoXjpDd7SPTc34hsbhygu6xLMC/s1600/Historic+Silver+Spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0VtQNgdAShyphenhyphenLS2-s8KtulUo5MdjICTZqWPpNwUTVnOHPjWOlxcacx8eqg-q1Q1-UzdP2YYz-zIcAoHbR91oGOZXw8mTwg1Nyd2Rv3qJqNi4p0lTjWwmoXjpDd7SPTc34hsbhygu6xLMC/s320/Historic+Silver+Spring.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwFzj8nY3kNnwK-TO5pxnlONeC_AkvUTceYvgXAz2uIjfKNs7wFuO8lVHyxmuUfx2fTH7vb3C7EUGR8OC9220fGBBMYRr8WtsXA_9r9yVxS9pKKWMux8_p98SXTnJfEoziapaWZWNZEut/s1600/DSCN6987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJwFzj8nY3kNnwK-TO5pxnlONeC_AkvUTceYvgXAz2uIjfKNs7wFuO8lVHyxmuUfx2fTH7vb3C7EUGR8OC9220fGBBMYRr8WtsXA_9r9yVxS9pKKWMux8_p98SXTnJfEoziapaWZWNZEut/s320/DSCN6987.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tour concluded at Silver Spring's restored 1945 Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Station.<br />
Open for free tours the first Saturday of each month, a new attraction at the station is the<br />
installation of a large </span><a href="http://www.gazette.net/stories/03232011/burtnew211215_32533.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">model railroad display</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...swamped by kids! Photo by Barbara Grunbaum.</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-87110373191081814712011-03-29T18:27:00.000-07:002011-04-04T09:32:37.822-07:00Here is a Bargain!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today at work I was clipping copies of 1940s <i>Evening Star</i> newspapers. Even though the DC Public Library's <a href="http://www.dclibrary.org/research/collections">Washingtoniana Division</a> has this newspaper on microfilm, whenever I encounter original loose copies I always go through them and clip interesting photographs to place into our Washington Historical Image Collection.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the February 8, 1941 issue (p. B-5) I found this awesome advertisement for a bungalow in the Blair Takoma section of Silver Spring. $5,750 doesn't sound like much money and indeed, when adjusted for inflation today equals only about $86K</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GXaDKU7CXiUo9iwspkbRd2JCgtaDmlq6arP5I6dC8yv5qKNL0dq_rISTBa5-G6icsDVaWHT7olG-4Ij7OyeRg6AC7gzW_lf5_8Cwm_8udXJdAP1l57jjlWdcodsKBYGJ1ij12nJ-ghB6/s1600/Bargain%2521002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GXaDKU7CXiUo9iwspkbRd2JCgtaDmlq6arP5I6dC8yv5qKNL0dq_rISTBa5-G6icsDVaWHT7olG-4Ij7OyeRg6AC7gzW_lf5_8Cwm_8udXJdAP1l57jjlWdcodsKBYGJ1ij12nJ-ghB6/s400/Bargain%2521002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bungalow was constructed in 1925 and last sold in 2005 for $450,000, which certainly would have amazed Mr. Phillips! It appears to look much as it did 70 years ago, with the only difference being today's reverse color scheme, chimney cap addition, and simplified porch railing.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwLViBCG2hOI8qmgo9B6aa6pxAMF-CSjeMpQDBmryP4YyMNpq_WAVVXvN92RqDIPThyT_AafjoMfHYTHx2_yMR8jqPVXg388WnWX_D4c9ILoq1hA9upBCbPG6ZhknNxCazlIP5feU6VOO/s1600/DSCN7893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwLViBCG2hOI8qmgo9B6aa6pxAMF-CSjeMpQDBmryP4YyMNpq_WAVVXvN92RqDIPThyT_AafjoMfHYTHx2_yMR8jqPVXg388WnWX_D4c9ILoq1hA9upBCbPG6ZhknNxCazlIP5feU6VOO/s400/DSCN7893.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<small>View Larger Map</small>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1062088934753544662.post-57974691888662676252011-03-18T14:13:00.000-07:002011-03-18T14:13:20.464-07:00Next American City » Buzz » Misunderstanding Historic Preservation<a href="http://americancity.org/buzz/entry/2936/?sms_ss=blogger&at_xt=4d83caebbc896c11%2C1">Next American City » Buzz » Misunderstanding Historic Preservation</a>Silver Spring: Then and Againhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10462944785780000002noreply@blogger.com0