Saving River Farm Update #5

Our efforts to save historic River Farm are intensifying.  The 28-acre, Potomac riverfront property is a rare jewel in Northern Virginia that should be saved and not developed.

In November, the current owner, the American Horticultural Society (AHS) listed River Farm on the market for $32.9 million.  This value was presumably premised on an appraisal that assumed the  property could be significantly subdivided.  In reality, River Farm is protected by a two-acre easement with the National Park Service (NPS) on its East Boulevard Drive frontage and a ten-acre easement along the Potomac River frontage that was granted to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation in 1978.

Sunset to Virginia's Annexation Moratorium in Sight

There has not been much news in Virginia about annexation in a while, but it may come roaring back in the next couple years. 

For example, some of the complaining I've heard from members of Mt. Vernon and Lee Districts over the years about the Route 1 Corridor reminded me that history often repeats itself.

Washington Evening Star Article About Grumpy
22308 Zip Code Residents

Someone recently gave me a Washington Evening Star article from 1965 which I thought was interesting.  Community residents basically felt that Fairfax County was not investing sufficient tax dollars in the Lee-Mt. Vernon part of Fairfax County and wanted to explore joining the City of Alexandria.

Before 1971, there were dozens of cities created in Virginia and annexations.  Due to a series of partial moratoria, studies and finally a "temporary" ban on annexations in 1987, you haven't read much about these lately. 

For example, the City of Manassas was created in 1975.  At the time, the thinking was that Manassas had a large cluster of commercial property and that concentrating commercial and higher density property tax revenues could allow those residents to skim higher generally property tax revenues and focus them on their city instead of subsidizing the rest of the city.

In other areas, annexations had racial overtones with councils annexation portions of communities to "adjust" voting populations to marginalize minority populations (Richmond, Petersburg).  Other cities were created to avoid annexation by neighboring cities (Salem, Suffolk, Chesapeake, & Virginia Beach).

Recently, some cities have begun to discuss reversions - to town status - due to limited tax bases.  A few years ago, the City of Bedford reverted to a town. 

In 1987, Virginia enacted a moratorium on annexations.  Some commentators think this has had numerous consequences as cities with limited tax bases can no longer threaten annexation to leverage infrastructure improvements.  For example, it has supposedly increased regional cooperation although the stagnation at Metro due a lack of funding makes you wonder whether our local governments are capable of collaborating. 

Map Summarizing Harrisonburg Annexations
(Courtesy of City of Harrisonburg)

This article has an excellent summary of the situation.

Virginia's Never-Ending Moratorium On City-County Annexations, The Virginia News Letter, Weldon-Cooper Center (Jan. 2012)

Apparently, the entire purpose of the moratorium was to buy time to sort out Virginia's ancient and outdated City-County distinctions.  We have made pretty much zero progress on that score and most leaders with knowledge and experience on these issues have moved on. 

The last time the moratorium required extension in 2009, Governor Tim Kaine twice vetoed extensions before the moratorium was extended.

The idea that counties are "rural" and require less taxing authority than cities is nonsensical at this point.  However, local governments merely complaining, but taking absolutely no leadership on any of these issues, it is hard to see a resolution to this any time soon.  Interestingly, January, 2012 article above mentions that it might take a city bankruptcy to force the issue - we might have that opportunity soon. 

Fort Hunt Park Public Comments

The National Park Service is in the process if revising their long-term use plan for Fort Hunt Park.

Their initial proposal was met with a health rebuke from our community.  I wrote about it here, accepted hundreds of community comments, the National Park Service heeded our comments and the process was further revised:

The Dixie Pig: New Fort Hunt Park Plans Up for Discussion! (June 15, 2012)The Dixie Pig: Recognize Fort Hunt's History and Keep Picnic Areas (Sept. 28, 2011)
The Dixie Pig: Comment on Proposed Changes to Fort Hunt Park (Sept. 30, 2011)

 

 

The National Park Service is now out with their final two proposed alternatives (three if you count "no action").  My public comments are below.

Fairfax County Change on U.S. 1 1960-2010

Fairfax County Channel 16 has come out with a new video featuring some historical highlights of the U.S. 1 Corridor 1960-2000's. 

The video features discussion of change on U.S. 1 through the years has some nice segments on Gum Springs, Mount Vernon High School, Montebello, and Woodlawn.

Great cameos by area history buff Michael Bohn, Gum Springs History Curator Ron Chase, SFDC Executive Director Edyhe Kelleher, Pamela Hess Executive Director of Arcadia Center for Food and Sustainable Agriculture which is about to launch a major initiative at Woodlawn, and a few clips of me.

Great production which summarizes our local history.  You can watch below.

Weekly Column: Gerry Hyland, the Epitome of Public Service

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette and The Mt. Vernon Voice in the week of February 3, 2015.

Gerry Hyland, the Epitome of Public Service

At Saturday’s town hall meeting, we learned that we are losing another 28-years of public policy wisdom, seniority and experience. 

In 1987, Mount Vernon was a different place. In 1987, we had just emerged from a divisive high school merger battle driven by a decline in the number of students. Mount Vernon had seen a tsunami of homes built between 1955 and 1970 and about ten years after the construction stopped, the area found itself with thousands of aging empty nesters, fewer children and vacant schools.

U.S. 1 was blighted by over a dozen old motels, a reputation for its hard knocks and crime, two strip clubs and curiosities like Northern Virginia’s last duck pin bowling alley and the Thieves’ Market. Lorton was known for its prison, from which inmates escaped periodically, a landfill and not much else.  

In 1987 when I got my driver’s license, Mount Vernon elected a local PTA activist, former President of United Community Ministries, 30-year Air Force officer, farmer and lawyer to the Board of Supervisors on a campaign focused on nourishing schools  and closing prisons, landfills, and incinerators and bringing our area a better quality of life. That was Gerry Hyland.

Judge Martin V.B. Bostetter, Jr.

When I got out of law school, the economy was still in the doldrums.  The firm seemed to have a few post-divorce bankruptcies coming through and the partners needed someone to figure them out so it fell to the new guy - me.  That's how I became a bankruptcy lawyer among other things.

At the time, there were two judges in the Alexandria Division Courthouse - Stephen Mitchell and the Chief Judge - Martin V.B. Bostetter, Jr.  I went on to try a few cases to both of them.

Last week, I learned of the passing of Judge Bostetter at the age of 88.

While I did not practice regularly before him and only practice before him for three of his forty years on the bench, I will never forget the day I was sworn in.

Newly Released - Mount Vernon History Revisited!

Waynewood resident Michael Bohn and former Patch Reporter Jessie Biele have come out with a new book that focuses on local history called, Mount Vernon - Revisited.

I picked up a copy a few weeks ago at the Village Hardware.  It's a good primer into the early 44th District and provides some perspective as to how we got to where we are today in the 44th District.

Over the past two decades, Mike has written several series in the Mount Vernon Gazette focused on the Mount Vernon Trolley, old prominent homes in the Mt. Vernon area, and old Mount Vernon schools.  I published a series of them on this blog:

The Dixie Pig: Local History Articles

My favorite pictures are the old shots of U.S. 1 before it was four-laned and straightened out in the 1930's.

It's a quick must read for anyone whose zip code is between 22306 and 22309!

The text of the press release from the publisher is below the fold.

Gum Springs Pride Circa 1966

The 44th District is home to Gum Springs - the oldest historically black neighborhood in Fairfax County tracing its roots back to its found Wes Ford - a freed slave of George Washington.

Gum Springs has endured many challenges through the years and often had to fight for its fair share of resources from the federal, state, and local government.  My grandparents were involved in many of these fights starting when they moved to Mt. Vernon in 1941.

The President of the New Gum Springs Civic Association has forwarded me a link to this fascinating movie made in Gum Springs nearly fifty years ago when Fairfax County was first beginning to confront the effects of desegregation in 1966.

It is a fascinating glimpse into Mt. Vernon's past including a great cameo from then-Mt. Vernon District Supervisor and future Eighth District Congressman Herb Harris.

Local History: Why Is It Called Waynewood?

 

General "Mad Anthony" Wayne

Every once in a while I stumble across a piece of local history that answers a question for me. 

The following was in the Mt. Vernon At Home Newsletter a few months ago regarding the community of Waynewood which is about 56 years-old:

Waynewood - A Family Community With a Historic Past
by Anna Peterson

Even long-time residents of Waynewood occasionally wonder about the origin of its name.  It turns out that Waynewood was named after General "Mad Anthony" Wayne (1745-1796), a Pennsylvanian who was a close friend of George Washington.   



U.S. Postage Stamp Commemorating
Battle of Fallen Timbers and General Wayne

At Valley Forge, he raided the British line to obtain supplies for the Continental Army.  He fought the British in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.  He was a member of the convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution. 

After being commissioned General-in-Chief of the American Army in 1782, Major General Wayne was sent to subjugate Native Americans, and his army destroyed many of their villages.  Later, Washington appointed him commissioner to negotiate treaties with them, and it was on one of these assignments that he fell ill and died in what is now Erie, Pennsylvania.

Consisting of 753 homes on about 300 acres, Waynewood was developed by the late Clarence W. Gosnell and was formally opened in 1957.  It is situated on land that was one known as River Farm, a parcel which originally consisted of 1,806 acres purchased by George Washington in 1769.

There is ton's more information on the exploits of General "Mad Anthony" Wayne on his Wikipedia page.  Apparently, his nickname had nothing to do with him being crazy. 

44th District History: The Girls' Friendly Society Holiday House

My father used to tell me about a summer camp that was located down the street from our house overlooking the George Washington Memorial Parkway called The Girls' Friendly Society Holiday House.

One of my neighbors who is also a local recently researched this and wrote up the piece below for our community newsletter.  I thought it was an interesting piece of local history.

Interestingly, the Holiday House was also the first place of worship for the Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church and is mentioned on their history on their website.  I haven't been able to find any pictures of it though.

Tauxemont of Old – The Girls’ Friendly Society (GFS) Holiday House
by Pat Thompson  

After writing an article last year in our newsletter about the Alexandria Dairy, I embarked on an effort to find more information about a collection of old barracks-type buildings among the woods and thickets on the north side of the Alexandria Avenue stone bridge that many of us explored as children. This is what I found:  

 The land and buildings belonged to the Episcopal Church’s Girls’ Friendly Society (GFS) of Washington. The land extended from the north side of the overpass to Morningside Lane. In the early years of the 20th century, the Episcopal Seminary was closed in the summer, so seminary students held services in the GFS’s Holiday House small chapel on this land.

The Destruction of Liberty by Government-Owned Rec Centers

As Memorial Day approaches and our local pools open up for the weekend, we thought it was important to highlight Ken Cuccinelli's views on public recreation centers. 

I wrote about this and about the history of the Mt. Vernon Recreation Center last week here:

The Dixie Pig: Ice Rinks Become Political in 2013 (Apr. 14, 2013)

Today, I appeared at the free Fairfax County pool at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Gum Springs to highlight another "liberty-destroying" facility in our community with Democratic Chairwoman Charnielle Herring and Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay.  Our conference is below. 

Happy Memorial Day! 

Ice Rinks Become Political in 2013

The other day, I dropped my girls off at the Mt. Vernon Ice Skating Rink for the weekly Skate Night.  Skate Night is basically a bunch of 5th through 8th graders skating in circles with disco lights, music, and a bunch of parents huddled in the stands gossiping away.

I've been going to this rink and the Rec Center my entire life.  Skated there and played in the pool as a kid.  We did infant swimming lessons there with my girls.  My children have taken soccer classes and gymnastics at the Lee District Recreation Center.

One night, I noticed a plaque outside the entrance to the skating rink.  It said the following:

In 1978, the Fairfax County Park Authority opened the region's first public indoor ice skating rink significantly enhancing opportunities for healthful activities, competition and leisure time pursuits available to Fairfax County residents.  The Mount Vernon Ice Skating Rink would not have become a reality without the tireless support and effort of:
Warren I. Cikins
Mt. Vernon District Supervisor
1975-79

During the session, I read Ken Cuccinelli’s new book.  In the book, he wrote the following:

As a result of the unfair competition of the government-owned rec center, not only is the business person essentially prevented from doing business (his liberty—his opportunity to pursue happiness—curtailed), but the citizens are also harmed because everyone has to pay for the rec center through taxes, even if they never use it.  
                                                   - Ken Cuccinnelli, The Last Line of Defense, Page 241

This left me scratching my head.

Demolish Woodlawn Elementary School?

Woodlawn Elementary School Today

The Mt. Vernon-Lee part of Fairfax County has always been known for its history.  The Mt. Vernon Estate is our crown jewel.  The Woodlawn Mansion is a National Historic Landmark and the entire estate is subject to a historic zoning district.  The Grist Mill is growing in popularity.  Gunston Hall was the home of founding father George Mason.

U.S. 1 was renamed "Historic Route One" by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2010 with an amendment by Governor McDonnell to HB530 that I requested honoring Route 1 for its trove of historic assets.  One other asset along the road is Woodlawn Elementary School, but it is threatened.

History of U.S. 1: Early Schools along Route One, Part 3

In 2006, the Mount Vernon Gazette ran a series of articles by local author Michael K. Bohn on the history of U.S. 1. They provide some interesting history on U.S. 1.
The following was written by Michael K. Bohn and ran in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, in 2006.

Early Schools along Route One, Part 3

Michael K. Bohn
Mount Vernon Gazette, 2006

This is the final part of the schools segment in the Route One history series. It describes the remaining historic elementary schools and early high schools near Route One.

Potter’s Hill offere a few high school courses, but
was primarily an elementary school.

Potter’s Hill. Telegraph and Accotink Roads (now approximately Telegraph and Beulah Roads). Built prior to1879, the school was replaced by a new structure in 1917 that offered both elementary grades as well as a few high school subjects. Not deeded to the county until 1918, Potter’s Hill burned in 1934.

History of U.S. 1: Early Schools Along Route One, Part II

In 2006, the Mount Vernon Gazette ran a series of articles by local author Michael K. Bohn on the history of U.S. 1. They provide some interesting history on U.S. 1.  Part I can be be found here:

History of U.S. 1: Early Schools on U.S. 1, Part I (Mar. 26, 2013)

The following was written by Michael K. Bohn and ran in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, in 2006.

Early Schools along Route One, Part 2

Michael K. Bohn
Mount Vernon Gazette, 2006

This is the second of a three-part schools segment in the Route One history series. The first reviewed the development of education in Fairfax County from colonial times through desegregation in the 1960s, and described elementary schools at Accotink, Cameron, Colchester, Groveton and Gum Springs. This section addresses five historic schools in the Mason Neck area. The third and final schools article will survey the remaining historic elementary schools along Route One, as well as area high schools.

History of U.S. 1: Early Schools on U.S. 1, Part I

In 2006, the Mount Vernon Gazette ran a series of articles by local author Michael K. Bohn on the history of U.S. 1. They provide some interesting history on U.S. 1.

The following was written by Michael K. Bohn and ran in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, in 2006.

Early Schools along Route One, Part 1
Michael K. Bohn
Mount Vernon Gazette, 2006

This is another segment in the continuing series about the history of Route One in the Mount Vernon area.

Route One, and its predecessor, the Potomac Path, has been at the center of economic, residential, and religious development in southeast Fairfax County for hundreds of years. Just as settlers built their homes and churches along the road, they created schools near the route for their children. The population was sparse enough until the middle of the 20th century that transportation to and from school drove the selection of school sites.

History of U.S. 1: Introduction

Back in 2005, the Mount Vernon Gazette ran a series of articles by local author Michael K. Bohn on the history of U.S. 1.  They provide some interesting history and context to why U.S. 1 runs where it is today.

The following was written by Michael K. Bohn and ran in the Mt. Vernon Gazette in April, 2005:

Introduction to the Route One Series
Michael K. Bohn
Mount Vernon Gazette, April 2005  

Route One. To some, it’s just a road, a way to get home after work. Residents close by, however, view it as their Main Street, the commercial center of their community. Others use “Route One” as a pejorative term to describe an area that has been down on its heels—a place of strip malls, fast food joints, and yellow crime-scene tape.

However widely impressions vary of Route One in Mount Vernon, there is one perception of the highway that is rarely acknowledged—the history of Route One is the history of southeast Fairfax County. Travelers along what started as an Indian path have witnessed the spread of English settlements north from Jamestown, the construction of colonial churches and court houses, and the creation of the grand plantations owned by Virginia’s first families—Mason, Fairfax, and Washington. Known in Colonial times as the Potomac Path, the route served General Washington and his French ally, Comte de Rochambeau, during their march to destiny at Yorktown, just as the route carried both Federals and Johhny Rebs during the Civil War. The road’s ford at Little Hunting Creek--Gum Springs--became not only a key intersection on the way to post-war Mount Vernon, but also a growing refuge for African-Americans living in segregated Fairfax County. World War I saw the opening of Fort Belvoir, with the Army paving the section of the highway between the new installation and Alexandria. The onset of the automobile, and later the motel, made Route One a prominent feature of the county during the middle of the 20th century. The route is a four-hundred-year timeline, one that began when the forest knew only the Dogue Indians.

Where I Stand Today On Widening of U.S. 1

I've now posted up a couple articles about the background of the widening of U.S. 1, Woodlawn and Woodlawn Stables.  You can read them here:

The Dixie Pig: Public Discourse of Widending U.S. 1

The Dixie Pig: Some Historical Context on Woodlawn

From my point of view, this is a balancing act.  Here are some of the variables I've been thinking about balancing in arriving at my position:

• The need to expand U.S. 1 to handle present and future transportation needs including enhanced mass transit.
• The community's interest in promoting economic development in the U.S. 1 corridor including the promotion of our community's historic assets such as U.S. 1 itself, the Mount Vernon Estate, The Grist Mill/Distillery Complex, Woodlawn Mansion, Gunston Hall, and coming soon, the U.S. Army Museum.
• Minimizing the impact of improvements on existing community institutions such as Woodlawn Baptist Church, Woodlawn Stables and the Woodlawn Estate.
• Ensuring this is achieved in a timely manner without undue delay that could jeopardize funding.

It's also important to keep a long-term perspective about these matters. The configuration for U.S. 1 will be in place for generations and potentially in perpetuity. According to most maps, the road has been in its current location since it was originally constructed and then widened for four lanes in the 1930's.

Public Discourse on U.S. 1 Widening

Earlier this week, I wrote about some of the historical and legal background to the U.S. 1 widening problem.  I said I would write more on Tuesday, but I got a nasty cold from my kids - sorry for the delay!  In this article, I focus on the back and forth on the political parts of this.

As a quick aside, the image at the right is a close up of a detailed 1928 Fire Prevention Map for Fort Humphreys (Belvoir) that I've got framed in my house.  Note that the entire area has no trees.

After a multi-year oddyssey, Congressman Jim Moran was finally able to secure funding for U.S. 1 by transforming an earmark into a grant program.  Fairfax County applied for a grant and last November, was awarded $180 million to widen U.S. 1 between Telegraph Road and Mount Vernon Memorial Highway (VA-235) to mitigate the effects of BRAC.

New Fort Hunt Park Plans Up for Discussion!

Last year, the National Park Service (NPS) came out with plans to significantly modify Fort Hunt Park including demolition of most of the existing picnic pavillions.  I wrote about it here:

The Dixie Pig: Recognize Fort Hunt's History and Keep Picnic Areas (Sept. 28, 2011)

The Dixie Pig: Comment on Proposed Changes to Fort Hunt Park (Sept. 30, 2011)

Seventy-seven people provided feedback on this blog, nearly all opposed, which I forwarded to the NPS.  Congressman Jim Moran and Supervisor Gerry Hyland were also instrumental in working with the NPS.

The NPS eventually deferred their proposed plans and started over.

Today, they announced their new proposals.  They are much improved.  You can view or download them below the fold and there will be a public hearing:

NPS Fort Hunt Park Site Development Plan Public Hearing
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Fort Hunt Elementary School
8832 Linton Lane
Alexandria, VA 22308