Inherited

This is an oil painting fired on porcelain. The piece, titled "Maria", was painted by my late maternal grandmother. When my maternal grandfather passed away last year, my mother inherited it. She gave it to me, because I've always liked this piece. It now hangs in my home.


My paternal grandmother, who grew up in rural Texas and migrated to California during the Depression, gave me this oil can several years ago. It belonged to my great-grandparents and was used to carry lighting oil to the farmhouse to replenish the lamps.


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

Fraternal

Monument to the Grand Army of the Republic,
a fraternal order established in 1866 for Union Army veterans of the Civil War.

For today's Another Dead Guy Statue Day, I bring you the monument to the Grand Army of the Republic. The GAR was the first fraternal order of war veterans founded in the United States after the Civil War. The GAR was founded for Union Army veterans by Benjamin Stephenson, M.D., in Decatur, Illinois, in April 1866. The order was a mix of freemasonry and military structure meant to give veterans of the 'War of Rebellion' a place to meet with those who understood and appreciated the shared experience of combat.

The GAR is considered one of the first special interests groups to lobby in Washington and, for many years, no Republican was nominated to run for the presidency without the endorsement of the GAR. The group was instrumental in pension legislation and the creation of old soldiers' homes, which eventually became the Department of Veterans Affairs. At its pinnacle in 1890, the GAR boasted membership numbers of nearly half a million.

American's can thank the GAR for the holiday that is now used to mark the annual beginning of this country's summer vacation season. Two years after its inception, the organization issued General Order #11 calling for May 30 to be designated as a day of remembrance for Union veterans. The holiday was originally called "Decoration Day" and later evolved into a national holiday known as Memorial Day.

This memorial is located in the plaza at the corner of 7th Street and Pennsylvania and Indiana Avenues NW.

Zip: 20004

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

Mosaic

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Several months ago, I went with friends to visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in northeast Washington. I didn't have a camera with me that day, but today I was in the neighborhood and swung by to take some pictures.

Entrance to the Basilica

The origin of the basilica dates back to 1847, when Pope Pius IX "named the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the United States." Sixty-six years later, the rector of The Catholic University of America--Bishop Thomas Shahan--presented to Pope Pius X a plan to build a shrine to Mary next to the CUA. The pope not only approved, but he wrote a check for $400.

A portion of the mosaic in the Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The cornerstone of the shrine was laid in 1920 by James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, and the lower Crypt Church was completed in 1926. The Great Depression and World War II interrupted construction of the Upper Church, but in the 1950s construction resumed. Catholics nationwide responded generously to fundraisers and the shrine was completed and dedicated in November 1959. In 1990, Pope John Paul II "gave it the papal honor and title 'Basilica.'"

This mosaic is one of two that were presented to the basilica as gifts from the Vatican. What is particularly striking about this mosaic is that the tiles are made from naturally colored stones and are so delicate that, unless you look closely, the mosaic almost appears to be a painting.

All of the chapels within the basilica pay homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary and represent the universality of Catholicism with mosaics from Mexico, Czechoslavakia, Poland, China, the Philippines, Italy, and the United States.

A different angle of the Basilica

The basilica is the largest in the western hemisphere and the seventh largest Catholic church in the world. It is also the largest repository of mosaics in the world and includes mosaics that were gifts from John Paul II to the basilica. The last mosaic in the central dome will be installed and unveiled in 2009. Contrary to popular myth, the basilica is not the diocesan seat for the Diocese of Washington. That honor belongs to St. Matthew's Cathedral in downtown Washington.

The basilica is open daily for services and tours are free. There is also a cafeteria and book shop. Regardless of your religious upbringing, the basilica is a tour that is well-worth taking.

Zip: 20017

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

Ballet

The Kirov Academy of Ballet, Washington, D.C.

The arts are a core element in the character of Washington, D.C., and ballet is especially well-loved in this city. No ballet company is more famous than the Kirov Ballet of Russia. In 1990, at the behest of President George H.W. Bush, the Kirov established a school in Washington near Catholic University of America.

Today, the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington D.C. produces some of America's and the world's finest dancers.

Zip: 20017

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

New Feature

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American Poet, 1807-1882
(Sculptors: Thomas Bell and William Couper, 1909)

Washington is filled with monuments to figures of history and their contributions to the building of America and U.S. conquests in the world. In England, they say you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a vicar. The same could be said here: in Washington, you can't swing a dead politician without hitting a monument. Every corner holds some piece of memorialized history--a plaque, a statue, a nameplate. As the years march on, some memorials are less obvious than perhaps they once were.

Take, for example, this statue of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It sits on a little island of real estate bounded by Connecticut Avenue, M Street, and 18th Street NW. Why? Why is Longfellow sitting in the middle of a little spit of land where few, but the homeless and drunk, give him more than just a glance? There are many other statues and memorials like this one scattered throughout the city. No doubt, at the time Longfellow's statue was erected in 1909, he was well-remembered and beloved as the greatest American poet. Ever. Still. Why? No doubt Longfellow himself is asking that same question.

To memorialize the memorial, I'm starting a new feature here at D.C. Confidential. I'm tongue-in-cheek calling it "Another Dead Guy Statue Day" and I'll feature pictures of monuments and memorials that aren't as visible and visited, let alone well-known as your Mall-variety memorials.

Here's to dead guys (and the occasional historical gal) and their memorials! Cheers, Henry!

Zip: 20036

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

Moroni Who?

Stretch of Georgia Avenue between Decatur and Delafield looking north.
Note the yellow and red awning half way down the block.

Moroni and Brothers Pizza--
one of Georgia Avenue's newest business ventures!

Recently, the city government of D.C. announced $100 million in economic development for impoverished and blighted Georgia Avenue, which stretches from Florida Avenue in the south to Silver Spring, Maryland, in the north. This is a hard-scrabble stretch in the District, suffering urban decay for decades. But hope is on the horizon.

One of the newer businesses to open its doors on Georgia is an El Salvadoran pizza joint called Moroni and Brother's Pizza Restaurant. If you grew up Mormon or you have friends who are Mormons, the name should cause you to sit up and take notice. If it was just Moroni and Brother's without the trumpets, you might think "how quaint" but with the trumpets thrown in,* you have to wonder if the owners aren't connected to that American-born faith. (I'll leave it to my readers to visit the establishment and ask the proprietors themselves.) I will tell you, though, there is a Moroni; I've met him. He's the youngest son of the owners and he does have a brother--Alberto. And he looks nothing like the statue of the angel, Moroni, affixed to the top of the Mormon Temple off of Connecticut Avenue in Kensington, Maryland!

I had pizza from Moroni and Brother's Pizza the other night with friends and it's not bad. They bake it in a brick oven and it's thin crust, which is my favorite. The menu also includes Salvadoran fare and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Moroni's is open six days a week and closed on Sundays. Here's to Moroni and Brother's and their contribution to the revitalization of Georgia Avenue!

Zip: 20011

* Click on the picture to see a larger version. Note in the corner of the awnings are trumpets. They're sort of hard to see but they're there.

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

History

The Baltimore & Ohio Train Station, Ellicott City, MD.
America's railroad was born at this place and began the westward expansion of industrialization.

Old, old church. I believe it was/is Presbyterian.
(I can't find my notes, but I seem to recall that's what it was.)

The Retropolitan--an antique shop just below the train trestles. I loved the logo.

Lookin' down the tracks.
This picture would have been perfect if there had been a train blowing through.
But alas... Some other time perhaps?

I'm a little slow posting these. Since the 4th of July fell on a Wednesday this year, it was difficult to get out of town for any extended period of time. Instead, that morning, I hopped in the car and headed out Colesville Road/MD Route 29 to see where the road would lead. Lo, and behold, it led to Ellicott City, Maryland, home of America's first railroad. If you're in the mood for some quiet, interesting sightseeing, take a drive out Route 29 to this historic town with its old downtown, mills, and train station. The station was closed on July 4th, so I'll have to go back. It's so close, though, that another drive out there will actually be enjoyable!

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

Miniature

Penjing and bonsai

More penjing and bonsai

Haven't done any picture taking this week. (It's been one of those weeks.) Nevertheless, in my collection of photos a la D.C. were pictures I took last summer at the U.S. National Arboretum in NE. The Arboretum is a gem of gardens and plant collections that are spectacular! Getting to the arboretum isn't necessarily a cake walk and literally tens of thousands of people drive by it every day without stopping in. But once you stop saying, "One of these days I'm going to go there" and you actually do go, you'll never regret it.

I went to the Arboretum twice year; first, with a friend and then with my sister. These pictures are from the bonsai and penjing exhibits. Bonsai is the Japanese art of small trees, while penjing is its Chinese precursor. Some of the bonsai/penjing in the Arboretum's collection are more than 400 years old. Many of these trees are tended and passed down in families for generations, which makes them that much more awe-inspiring.

The arboretum features lily ponds with koi, an herb farm, hiking trails, collections of state trees and flowers, crape myrtle and azaleas in abundance, the aforementioned bonsai and penjing museums, full moon hikes, and--in the works--a Chinese pavilion. There is no entrance fee as the Arboretum is also a research component of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but donations are accepted. The grounds also include a collection of columns that originally were part of the U.S. Capitol Building. You can tour the Arboretum's vast acreage from the comfort of your own car, on the seat of your bike, or whilst shod in a solid pair of hiking shoes; tram tours are also available. If you live in D.C. and its environs or if you're visiting, a day at the Arboretum is time well-spent.

Zip: 20002

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 07/06

Nostalgic

Years ago, my maternal grandfather came to Virginia and lived with my mom and dad for eight months. During his extended visit, he and my dad made a set of trains--one for each grandchild and one for each of his daughters. My grandparents lived in a part of the country where the railroad was--and still is--a major feature in the life of the American West. Grandpa made a replica of a Union Pacific train that was often part of small town parades and is certainly part of the memories my siblings and I have of our grandfather.

This picture is the result of fiddling around with outside light, a piece of white poster board, and the locomotive Grandpa made for my brother that year he lived with my mom and dad. Here it is: Bangerter Special No. 7433.

Industrious

Pierce Mill at Beach Drive and Tilden Road NW.
This view includes the side that would have housed the waterwheel.

Rock Creek at Pierce Mill.

Sometimes, instead of going through town to get home from work, I'll go a little out of my way and take Rock Creek Parkway. At the intersection of Beach Drive and Park/Tilden Roads is Pierce Mill.

According to a National Park Service plaque in front of the mill, Pierce Mill was "the last of several grain mills operating on Rock Creek during an era when most American mills derived their power from small streams. Located near an Indian site, the land was conveyed to Isaac Pierce by the Revolutionary patriot William Deakins in 1794. [The] mill was built about 1820 by Isaac and Abner Pierce, inherited by a nephew, Shoemaker Pierce, in 1851, and operated until 1897. Purchased by the Federal Government in 1890 and restored by the National Park Service in 1936."

Recently, the NPS replaced the roof on the building. At one time, there was a waterwheel on the side of the building--you can still see the trench that fed the water from the creek to the wheel, which turned the stones that ground the grain into flour--but none exists now. I don't know if the NPS is planning to rebuild it or if they're refurbishing it or what.

Zip: 20010

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