San Antonio Confidential

The Alamo--Where the Legend of Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie Was Made!
(Click to enlarge.)

Before we left San Antonio, we went back into the city to photograph its most famous landmark: The Alamo. The light wasn't the greatest, but this Texas sight lived up to expectation in terms of what I had in my mind's eye. The Alamo--or Mission San Antonio de Valero--was the site of a Spanish mission and home to missionaries and Indian converts in the 1700s. In the 1800s, the Spanish stationed soldiers there who called it Alamo, meaning cottonwood. To read more about the key role this site played in the battle for Texas independence, go here. And to see a few more ho-hum pictures of the Alamo, as well as some of the lovely spring flowers surrounding the mission, see the slideshow.






Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

LBJ Confidential

The boyhood home of Lyndon Baines Johnson, 36th President of the United States
(Click image to enlarge)

Traveling through the Hill Country took us to Johnson City, Texas. This bucolic town is the location of President Lyndon B. Johnson's boyhood home. It's now a national historic park maintained by the U.S. Park Service, along with his ranch a few miles out of town. We stopped in for a quick look and a tour led by park ranger Lou.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

Oak Alley Confidential

Oak Alley Plantation--the South's most photographed plantation--derives its name
from 28 oak trees that lead from the Mississippi River to the front porch.
(Click image to enlarge.)

After New Orleans, we ventured out along the Great River Road and headed for Oak Alley Plantation. Located in Vacherie, Louisiana, Oak Alley is one of the most photographed plantations in the South. The plantation gets its name from 28 oak trees that were planted in a double row perpendicular to the Mississippi River in the early 1700s. These magnificent oaks--estimated to be more than 300 years old--provide the canopy and framework that makes Oak Alley picturesque. To learn more about this beautiful, old sugar cane plantation, go here and here. And a shout out to my sister for recommending this as a must-see.

Left: Alligator--breaded and fried in cornmeal. And no, it does not "taste like chicken"!
Right: Chicken and sausage gumbo--a Louisiana specialty.

For lunch, I had the fried alligator--a first for me--and the chicken and sausage gumbo. Yummy!




Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

Williamsburg Artistic

The Governor's Palace : Colonial Williamsburg

This year, as part of my participation in a group of artists and photographers who are seeking to expand our respective crafts, I'm trying to refine my photography and not simply snap pictures of every little thing I see. To this end, when I was in Jamestown and Williamsburg last week, I tried to be selective about what I photographed and how I framed it. You've seen some of the results of that in my pictures featuring Jamestown. Today's pictures are from Colonial Williamsburg.

Draw the Shutters : George Whyte Plantation : Colonial Williamsburg

Founded in 1632 as the seat of British government in the Virginia Colony and originally called Middle Plantation, Williamsburg became the capital of the colony in 1698. Today, city of Williamsburg, Virginia, is populated by nearly 12,000 souls and is the home of the College of William & Mary.

Armaments : Entry Hall at the Governor's Palace : Colonial Williamsburg

Historic, or Colonial, Williamsburg is a 301-acre restored historic area that includes a reconstruction of the Governor's Palace, a munitions bunker, Virginia's first capitol building, Bruton Parish Church (the oldest continuously-operating Episcopal church in America), and the homes and businesses of many of America's early colonialists. Men like George Washington, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and others walked these streets or lived here.

Spun and Dyed Yarns in the Rafters : Weaver's Building : George Whyte Plantation : Colonial Williamsburg

I can't say winter is the best time to visit Colonial Williamsburg, though the one advantage is, the crowds are small. I'm told this area is particularly beautiful in the spring and fall, so I have a feeling I'll be going back at some point. A note on the side about this historic place: were it not for the foresight of the Rev. Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, pastor of Bruton Parish in the 1950s, and the generosity of philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr., Williamsburg might not be the preserved historic site it is today.

Detail : Gun Stocks : Armory : Colonial Williamsburg

To see more pictures of Colonial Williamsburg, click on the slideshow below.



Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 02/09

Historical Strangers

Paul : Aboard the Susan Constant : James River : Jamestown, Virginia

Picking up my 100 Strangers series again, these are just a couple of the volunteers in and around Jamestown and Williamsburg. They're known as historic interpreters and are sometimes referred to as reenactors. They dress in period clothing and provide visitors with important historical information and guidance as we step back 400 years and discover the beginnings of America. This fellow is a guy named Paul who gave us the goods on how 104 men and boys navigated three ships across the Atlantic in 1606-1607 to land in Virginia. I think Paul was from South Africa, because he had the loveliest lilt. What was great about him is, he very obviously loves what he does. His enthusiasm and knowledge were infectious.

Spinner : Whyte Plantation : Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

I didn't get the name of the historic interpreter in Williamsburg who was spinning linen in the weaver's building behind the estate of George Whyte. Whyte was one of America's lesser known, but significant, signers of the Declaration of Independence. He was also Thomas Jefferson's law tutor. In Colonial America, there were no law schools, so colonialist had to "read the law" with someone who had studied law in Europe. Jefferson read the law with Whyte. Getting back to the weaver's building, though: The reenactors in this building spin and weave blankets and linens and such, which are on display behind and above this spinner.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 02/09

Jamestown 1607

Belfry : Re-creation of the church in Jamestown Fort

Last week, I spent two days out in the states visiting the Historic Triangle of Colonial Virginia. The triangle includes Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown in the southeastern region of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

On Thursday, I spent the day in Jamestown, seeing the historic reconstruction and archeological digs of the oldest permanent English settlement in what would later become the United States. Founded on May 13, 1607 by the London Company--later the Virginia Company--Jamestown was the first seat of government in America beginning with the Jamestown Council in 1616.

Rope en suite : Aboard the Susan Constant

In 2007, the Queen of England revisited Jamestown to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the landing of the London Company and the establishment of this settlement. Prior to her recent visit, Her Majesty visited Jamestown in 1957 to mark the 350th anniversary and to participate in the dedication of the site as an official historic monument.

Rope on deck : Aboard the Susan Constant

These are just a few pictures I took aboard the replica of the Susan Constant, one of three ships that carried 104 men and boys across the Atlantic to Virginia. To see more pictures from Historic Jamestown, see the slideshow below.



Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 02/09

Scandal

The Mayflower Renaissance : Site of fame and foolish frolicking

Anyway who has traveled on business or vacation has stayed in a variety of hotels and motels along the way. Among the elite hotels in this town is the "Grande Dame of Washington"--the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel. Built in 1925, it remains--more than 80 years later--the largest luxury hotel in Washington with 660 rooms, including 78 suites. When the Mayflower opened, it had more gold leaf than any other building in the country outside of the Library of Congress. In the late 1980s, the hotel underwent more than $11 million in renovations. During the reconstruction, a skylight and two murals were uncovered. They had been covered during the Great Depression and World War II to mask the opulence of the building.

The Mayflower has been the site of presidential inaugural balls in the Grand Ballroom for every president since Calvin Coolidge in 1923. Among other historic footnotes: FDR penned his 1933 inaugural address here. Harry Truman lived in the Mayflower during the first 90 days of his administration. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and "the man who ate lunch with him every day for more than 20 years" Clive Tolson dined daily at the Town & Country restaurant in the hotel.

The hotel has also seen its share of uniquely Washington scandals, involving several politicians and their illicit ladies. Among others: John F. Kennedy's mistress, Judith Exner, stayed here and would sneak over to the White House for trysts when Mrs. Kennedy was out; Bill Clinton's infamous intern, Monica Lewinsky, stayed here at the height of the impeachment trials; and, most recently, Eliot Spitzer, former Attorney General and Governor of New York, was caught in the company of a prostitute in room 871 back in February of this year resulting in his ignominious resignation.

One of these days, I'll go and shoot pictures of the interior. In the meantime, the hotel's website features a lovely photo tour.

On a separate and lighter note, Virginia of Birmingham Daily Photo emailed me yesterday evening and asked to see a picture of my People's Choice Award. Here it is:

It may not look like much, but I'm having it framed anyway!

No fancy-schmancy certificates or trophies or cash prizes for this competition. Just the label from the back of my framed exhibit piece and an overlapping piece of paper letting me know people liked my photo. They liked it. They really liked it!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 09/08

Meridian Hill Park

Meridian Hill Park includes this beautiful stepped fountain. Built in the 1930s, it utilized concrete conglomerate--considered an innovative medium for sculpture and park fountains at the time.

Originally the site of a mansion built by John Porter, Meridian Hill Park in northwest Washington lies exactly on the meridian line surveyed by Benjamin Banneker in Jones Point, Virginia, in 1791 thereby setting the first official boundary stone for the District of Columbia.

In the 19th century, the park was the site of Columbia College, which later became The George Washington University. During the Civil War, Union soldiers camped on Meridian Hill. In the early 20th century, the land was bought by the U.S. government and plans were drawn up for a formal garden park meant to rival the royal parks and gardens of Europe. In 1933, the grounds were transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) and in 1936, the park was completed. In 1969, it was suppose to be renamed Malcolm X Park, but Congress wouldn't ratify the name. Still, some long-time residents of the city refer to it as such, while most newer residents continue to call it Meridian Hill.

The park includes statues of James Buchanan, 15th POTUS; Dante Allegri;
and Joan D'Arc. (Click on images to enlarge.)

For many years, the park was a lovely oasis in the city, but in the 1970s and 80s, Meridian Hill fell prey to crime and the drug trade. Open air dealing was not an uncommon site and the area was considered unsafe, especially after sunset. In 1990, a group of citizens banded together to form the "Friends of Meridian Hill Park" after a teenager was murdered in the park. Their work, in conjunction with the NPS, has restored the park to its former glory. Today, the park is again a clean, relatively safe gathering place for residents and visitors.

The stepped fountain as seen from the terrace above. Note in the distance,
the Washington Monument peeking over the top of the apartment building in the foreground.

The park features a beautiful, cascading water fountain and statues of President James Buchanan, Dante Allegri, Joan D'Arc, and an unusual memorial to an unknown Naval officer, William Schvelte. There is also a pavilion on the northeast side of the park and a temporary stage structure on the terrace above the water fountain. It is there during the summer months that a group of musicians congregate and beat their drums on Sundays.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 6/08

Cedar Hill

Cedar Hill, home of Frederick Douglass, freed slave, abolitionist and statesman

This beautiful home in the Anacostia neighborhood in Southeast Washington belonged by Frederick Douglass, a freed slave and abolitionist. Born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in February 1818 near Easton, Maryland, he was separated from his mother shortly after his birth. Until the age of seven, he lived with his grandmother. After her death, he was sent as a slave to the plantation of Hugh Auld of Baltimore. It was there that Auld's wife, Sophia, began teaching young Frederick the alphabet--a practice discouraged among slave owners because they feared the ability to read would lead to discontent and slaves would then demand rights or attempt to run away. Frederick was taken from Hugh Auld and given to a ruthless man named Edward Covey, who continually whipped the young man almost to the point of breaking him. But Frederick rebelled and fought Covey, who, defeated, never whipped him again.

The Growlery--Douglass' backyard respite where he would contemplate and write.

In September 1838, with a few failed escape attempts under his belt, Frederick finally succeeded in running to freedom and escaping Covey's servitude. Armed with false identification papers from a freed black sailor and dressed in a sailor's uniform, he boarded a train to Havre de Grace, Maryland. From there, he traveled to the Susquehanna River and crossed over to Delaware by ferry, then caught a train to Wilmington, a steamboat to Philadelphia, and eventually made it to New York. And all in less than 24 hours! He was now a free man and changed his name to Douglass. Eventually, he arrived in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he settled with his wife, Anna Murray.

The view from the front of Cedar Hill.
On a clear day, one can see all the way to the Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in northeast Washington. (Click on the image to enlarge
and see the Capitol and the Library of Congress.)

Douglass became a fiery orator and spoke out against slavery, advocated for suffrage and rights for women, and was a trusted adviser to President Abraham Lincoln. In 1872, Douglass was a candidate for vice president on the Equal Rights Party ticket with Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president. In 1877, Douglass and his wife purchased a home in Washington, D.C., in the Anacostia community not far from the Anacostia River. He named it Cedar Hill and from here not only did he continue to work for the rights of African-Americans in post-Civil War America, but Douglass believed in equality for all and worked tirelessly for the rights not only of his own people, but for Native Americans, women, and immigrants.

Magnolia in bloom on the grounds of Cedar Hill.

Douglass and his wife, Anna, had five children. In 1882, she passed away leaving Douglass bewildered and depressed. In 1884, Douglass married a white feminist named Helen Pitts, the daughter of a fellow abolitionist. The marriage was controversial and resulted in Pitts' family not speaking to her and Douglass' children feeling hurt. On February 20, 1895, after attending a meeting of the National Council of Women in downtown Washington, Douglass returned home where he had a massive heart attack and died. Frederick Douglass is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York. He was believed to be 77 years old at the time he died.

*** Note: This entry has been edited to correct an error. Victoria Woodhull died and is buried in England, not in Congressional Cemetery here in Washington as was previously stated. Her contemporary, and the second woman to run for president in the U.S., Ann Lockwood, is buried in Congressional Cemetery. My thanks to an anonymous commenter for bringing this error to light. ***

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 6/08

Oak Hill

Corcoran Mausoleum:
Burial site of William W. Corcoran, co-founder of Oak Hill Cemetery

Located on the eastern edge of Georgetown and bordering Rock Creek Parkway is one of Washington's finest examples of 19th Century Romantic garden-style cemeteries. (To see larger photos, click on the images to enlarge.)

Oak Hill Cemetery: a natural, not-formal English garden setting

Oak Hill Cemetery, created in 1849 by an act of Congress and plotted on land donated by William W. Corcoran, is "a natural and not formal English garden accepting and blending with nature rather than being a geometrical imposition on nature."

Among the notables buried here: the aforementioned William W. Corcoran, banker and founder of the former Riggs Bank and namesake of the Corcoran Gallery of Art; John Marbury, son of William Marbury of the landmark Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison; Edwin Stanton, President Lincoln's Secretary of War; William Wallace Lincoln, son of President Lincoln (later removed to Illinois to be buried with his father after his assassination); Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy (later removed in 1893 and buried in Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederacy); architect Adolph Cluss and poet John Joyce, as well as numerous Revolutionary War and Civil War notables.

The Renwick Chapel: an example of English Gothic architecture.
Its garden is the site of the graves of the Achesons and Grahams.

In the 20th Century, some of the noteworthy names interred here include Dean Acheson, Secretary of State in the Truman Administration; and Katharine Graham, publisher and chief executive of The Washington Post. Acheson and his wife and their daughters, and Mrs. Graham and her husband, Philip, are buried in the garden of the Renwick Chapel. The Chapel is a beautiful "representation of the finest English specimens of old Gothic chapels."

As with all old cemeteries, there are interesting grave markers and mausoleums throughout Oak Hill. The lanes are narrow, so driving your car through the cemetery is discouraged. If you want a good hike in a 19th century English garden replete with the dearly departed, this is a lovely spot for a vigorous stroll.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 4/08

Scottish Rite 33'

Scottish Rite of Freemasonry--the national headquarters for the Supreme Council
(Taken at around noon on President's Day, 2008)

Several weeks ago, I featured photos from the Masonic Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. Masonic temples are not an uncommon sight in the D.C. area. On the corner of 16th and S Streets NW stands an imposing structure: The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Supreme Council 33’ (1733 16th Street NW.)

Sunday afternoon warmth at the Scottish Rite Temple

The cornerstone was laid in 1911 and the building was completed in 1915. It is the national headquarters of the Supreme Council and is an adaptation of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The architect for the building was John Russell Pope who also built the Jefferson Memorial and the west wing of the National Gallery of Art.

Scottish Rite Temple at night (taken at midnight, to be precise)

The building is open to the public for guided tours. Unfortunately, I have yet to go inside. When I took the first picture, it was closed for President's Day. The second picture was taken on a Sunday and they were closed. And the third picture was taken after midnight. Obviously not open then either! However, you can take a virtual tour.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 2/08 and 3/08

Home Sweet Home

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue--home to U.S. presidents since 1800

Today is primary day in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The prize: a four-year term as the most powerful leader in the world and residence in the most coveted address in America. Tonight, John McCain is the presumptive nominee for the Republicans. Over in the Democratic camp, it's still too close to call.

Here are some interesting sites about the White House.

The official site of the White House and the 43rd President, George W. Bush. Today, President Bush met with King Abdullah of Jordan.

The officious web site of the White House and a parody on the presidency of George W. Bush.

And the White House Historical Association's web site, which provides some wonderful facts, figures, and trivia, as well as a gift shop. The annual White House Christmas commemorative ornament is always a lovely gift for any home.

Sorry to phone this one in today, but I got swamped with some personal stuff. I promise a better picture and typical post-with-information of this important building down the road.


Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 2/08

Vastness

Soaring arches, beautiful stained glass
Washington National Cathedral

One of the things I love most about Washington National Cathedral is the vastness of the space. I also enjoy the light coming through the stained glass. If I could, all of my southwestern facing windows in my house would be stained glass. This picture shows the grand arches of the cathedral, along with the beautiful Rose Window at the western end of the church above the entrance. The cathedral has three Rose Windows depicting: Creation (see above), Church Triumphant, and Last Judgment.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 1/08

Garth

Quiet corner in a Garth, Washington National Cathedral

Wednesday's picture featured the colannade on the northeast corner of Washington National Cathedral. As an anonymous commenter pointed out, the garden beyond the colonnade is called a Garth. This, then, is the Garth on the northeast corner of the cathedral. The entire Garth is actually much larger than this. I just liked the tree and tower in this particular corner of this lovely garden. I can only imagine how lovely it will be in the spring.

And I thought Garths were just country singers and math teachers. (I had a math teacher in high school named Garth Dennis Gooch. In addition to teaching math, he was also a farmer. That's like gardening, right?)

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 1/08

Breezeway

Gothic breezeway, Washington National Cathedral

Architectural structures offer so many photo opportunities. This is the breezeway on the northeastern side of Washington National Cathedral that connects the cathedral proper with church offices on the back. To the left is a quiet little garden space I'll post a picture of later.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 1/08

For All People

Washington National Cathedral: Celebrating 100 Years

The official name of Washington National Cathedral is The Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The second-largest cathedral in the United States and the sixth largest in the world, it is the seat of the Diocese of Washington, D.C., of the Episcopal Church in America. Regardless of its affiliation with the Episcopal faith, National Cathedral is known as the National Church for All People and is largely non-denominational.

In 1792, Pierre L'Enfant included a "great church for national purposes" in his "Plan of the Federal City." In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the cathedral. Eighty-three years later, in 1990, the cathedral was declared finished. The great organ was installed by Skinner & Co. and today features 10,650 pipes and 186 ranks, making it the 17th largest organ in the United States (32nd in the world.)

Gothic cathedrals feature grotesques and gargoyles, the former for deflecting rain water and the latter for carrying it away. One of the most famous and unusual grotesques is Darth Vadar. Located on the back of the North Tower (in the picture above, the tower on the left), he appears as a result of a contest the Cathedral and National Geographic held in the 1980s. Young people were asked to submit their ideas and Christopher Rader of Kearney, Nebraska, won the contest. You need binoculars or a telephoto lens to see the grotesques.

In 2004 and again in 2006, National Cathedral was the setting for the funerals of Presidents Reagan and Ford. The former was an elaborate affair while the latter was a bit humbler, but both were reflective of the lives of their honorees. President Woodrow Wilson is buried here. This was also the setting for the 2001 National Day of Prayer following the attacks on September 11.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 1/08

Historic

The Founders Library on the campus of Howard University

When you drive along Georgia Avenue just north of Florida Avenue, you pass Howard University, one of more than 100 historic black colleges and universities in the United States. Originally conceived after the Civil War as a seminary for black theologians, the idea grew to include building a university. In 1867, Congress and President Andrew Johnson approved a charter for the school and Howard University was born. It started with a college of liberal arts and a college of medicine and has since grown to include engineering, science, literature, dentistry, pharmacology, and a seminary. Named after Civil War Union General Oliver O. Howard, the university is considered to be among the Ivy League of historic black colleges and universities.

Here's a good talking point for your next dinner party: in order to carry the respected label "Historic Black Universities and Colleges" the school must have been chartered before 1964--prior to passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965--and must have as its "mission the education of black Americans."

Among Howard's most notable alumni are these people:

Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Supreme Court Justice
L. Douglas Wilder, former Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the first African-American governor in the U.S.
Toni Morrison, Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Phylicia Rashad, Emmy Award-winning actress
Jessye Norman, Opera Singer
Andrew Young, U.N. Ambassador and former mayor

To name but a very few. If you have a chance to visit any of this city's many colleges and universities, be sure to visit this one.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/07

King

One of two lions that flank the entrance of the Corcoran Gallery of Art on 17th Street NW. I fiddled around with some of the settings in iPhoto to get this look. That said, I need to get Adobe PhotoShop loaded onto my MacBook. And speaking of photography, the Corcoran is currently showing an Annie Liebovitz exhibition. I haven't been yet, but I've heard it's quite good.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/07

Executive

The southern facade of the Old Executive Office Building.
The north, east, and west facades are the same.

This is the Old Executive Office Building on 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. This building houses White House staff and includes the Office of the Vice President of the United States. It is next door to the White House and adjacent the West Wing. Built between 1871 and 1888, it originally housed the Departments of State, War, and Navy. The architecture is "one of America's best examples of the French Second Empire style." At the time it was built, the Executive Office Building was the largest office building in the world and the largest granite structure in America; the latter, a distinction it maintains to this day. The building barely escaped demolition in 1957 and has since been renovated and preserved. The official name of the building is now the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/07.

Equality

The Charles Sumner School. Architect: Adolf Cluss.
Built: 1872. Renovated: 1984-1986.

Located on the corner of M and 17th Streets NW, the Charles Sumner School was built in 1872. Named after a senator, Sumner was a leading figure in the fight against slavery and the establishment of equal rights for black Americans. The Sumner School was one of the first public school buildings erected in Washington for the education of the city's black community. Charles Sumner was not only a strict abolitionist, he was also instrumental in creating a Freedman's Bureau, obtaining pay for black soldiers that was equal to white soldiers, and fighting for the rights of African Americans to ride street cars in the District. He was, in other words, a leader ahead of his country who believed in equal rights for everyone--regardless of skin color.

For nearly a century, the school educated blacks, but eventually it fell into disrepair. In the 1980s, the building was meticulously and beautifully restored. Today, the Sumner School houses a museum on education in the District of Columbia, as well as conference rooms.

The building was designed and built by German immigrant and architect Adolf Cluss. Cluss is also the designer and builder of numerous other well-known and long standing buildings of historical significance and contemporary use in Washington, D.C., including Calvary Baptist Church, the Arts & Industries Building, the Eastern Market, and the Masonic Temple at 9th and F Streets NW, among many others.

Zip: 20036

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential (Janet M. Kincaid, 08/07)