Treasures of DC's Capitol Hill

                                   “City of Magnificent Intentions” Charles Dickens

In 1790, while Philadelphia functioned as the Capitol, Congress granted George Washington the power, under the Residence Act, to find a location for and establish a permanent federal city. The following year Pierre L’Enfant was hired to create plans for the 10-sq-mile diamond-shaped Territory of Columbia. In 1792 Washington fired L’Enfant. 

Thomas recommended a free African American architect, astronomer and mathematician, to Washington that same year. At a rate of $2 daily he was designated assistant surveyor. His job included fixing the boundaries for and creating maps of the new city. More than 400 slaves worked on Jenkin’s Hill clearing trees and stumps. Their owners received $5 a month but had to supply the enslaved with a blanket.

The Territory of Columbia was the earliest city designed for a distinctive function. Jenkin’s Hill was selected, as the high point at the end of The Mall for the construction of the Capitol. The Capitol was to be the center of the city, not the White House. The idea was that the focus should always be on the law. The city has four quadrants. The north-south streets are numbered and the east-west streets are lettered with the exception of a missing “J” Street.

On August 24, 1814 British soldiers burned the building. After restorations the Capitol needed a new dome. The Statue of Freedom atop the building is 19-feet 6-inches, rises 288-ft and weighs 14,985 pounds. Philip Reid, an enslaved worker, assisted in casting the bronze sections.

The 4-sq.-mile Capitol Hill District is one of the United States’ largest historic districts. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It is within walking distance of Union Station, the Metro, museums and the major federal buildings in the city.

The 2023 Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill offers 273 luxurious accommodations, deluxe amenities, a 10-story atrium, VIP pet packages and a number of the largest guestrooms in the city. They provide all the luxe amenities, WIFI, designer linens and enhanced cleaning standards. Public spaces feature curated artworks and an outstanding rooftop view. www.sonesta.com/royal-sonesta/dc/washington

Fine dining is part of the royal experience in Bistro Du Jour. The bar serves a menu of specialty cocktails and the restaurant presents French inspired cuisine with an American influence. Bistro Du Jour is open for all three meals and brunch. 

The Knight of Capitol Hill is the hotel’s ambassador. A beaver was chosen because of his early presence in the city and his engineering abilities. Legend has it that he was often seen swimming aside John Q. Adams.

Union Station was restored in the 1980s at a cost of $160-million. The Beaux-Arts building was constructed of granite. The Main Hall has a 96-ft. barrel-vaulted ceiling. The 3-level Concourse is filled with shops and eateries. 

The 1800 Sewall-Belmont became the National Women’s Headquarters in 1929 after a series of relocations. The mansion was rebuilt after the fire in 1814 making it one of the Capitol Hill’s oldest mansions. In 1997 it was declared a museum and the archives of the National Woman’s Party headquarters. Suffragettes were persecuted by the public and the police for attempting to gain the vote. Many were imprisoned and abused. On the exterior of the building are the original steps of the Occoquan Prison. 

The Supreme Court is located on the site of the Old Brick Capitol and the Old Capitol Prison. The prison held the enslaved, POWs, spies, John Mosby, Belle Boyd and the Lincoln conspirators including Mary Surratt. Today the Supreme Court stands as a monument to justice and the law and the classical exterior, harkening back to the Parthenon, is awe-inspiring. The building, facing the Capitol, is 385-feet long, 304-feet wide and is entered by 6.5-ton bronze doors. A 252-ft. wide oval terrace showcases two seated statues, a female, the Contemplation of Justice and a male sculpture representing the Guardian or Authority of Law. The façade is comprised of Vermont marble with white Georgia marble used for the four inner courtyards. The main pediment displays robed figures and the architect, Cass Gilbert, placed himself among them. The building’s cornerstone was laid on October 13, 1932. 

President Adams authorized $5000 for books for Congressional use in 1800. This was the genesis of the Library of Congress, the world’s largest library. The collection is in the millions as well as the U.S. Copyright Office. After the library was burned in 1814, during the War of 1812, former President Thomas Jefferson sold Congress his 6,487-volume personal library for $23,950. 

The Library of Congress is actually three buildings, the 1897 Thomas Jefferson Building the 1938 John Adams Building and the 1981 James Madison Memorial Building was completed in 1981. A highlight of a visit to the Library of Congress is the impressive Thomas Jefferson Building. It is modeled after the Paris Opera House. The mosaics, murals and statuary reinforce the themes of knowledge and education. Treasures include a Gutenberg Bible printed with moveable type and the contents of Lincoln’s pockets when he was assassinated. Tours are free.

Located below the East Front Plaza of the Capitol is the Capitol Visitor Center, the main entrance to the U.S. Capitol. Statues are on view around the site including a true to size model of the Statue of Freedom. Nearby is a small display on African American contributions to the construction of the Capitol.

Any season is perfect for a visit to Capitol Hill but the December Holiday season is particularly exciting. Many of the streets are decorated and the National Christmas Tree, The National Menorah and the US Capitol Christmas Tree are dressed in holiday lights.

Experience comfort and joy in the Capitol Hill District. 

#destinationdc  #visitdc

THE SOUL of MACON

“I try to write songs that people can relate to, that touch their hearts and make them feel something.”   Otis Redding

             Macon, Georgia is located in the Piedmont province on the west bank of the Ocumulgee River, in the place where soul was created and is sustained. The area was settled in 1806 under the auspices of Thomas Jefferson when he established a military outpost, Fort Hawkins, and a center for trading with the natives in the then Indian Territory. #VisitMarconGA

             The Cherokee, Muskogee and Uchee Indians ceded the territory and in 1823 and Macon, named after Senator Nathaniel Macon, was born. Ocumulgee Mounds National Historical Park stands as a starkreminder of 17,000 years of native culture. A highlight of the site is the rebuilt Earth Lodge with a 1,000-year-old floor.

            The earliest group of enslaved Africans in the region accompanied the Spanish Explorers, most notably among Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón's 600 colonists in 1526. Later the majority of the enslaved from Charleston, Savannah and St. Augustine. Whenever and wherever Africans went they carried their music with them in the form of instruments, dance and song. The music eased the daily burdens, expressed religious beliefs, emotions and celebrated small victories and joys. 

            Soul music is a blending of blues, gospel, jazz and is defined by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the “music that arose out of the black experience in America.” Soul music is participatory in that the audience is encouraged to dance, sing, clap, respond, etc. It was popularized in America in the 60s and 70s and went on to be influential worldwide. Macon, Georgia emerged as the womb of Southern rock and soul music and the spiritual and physical home of the Allman Brothers, Little Richard and Otis Redding. 

The annual King of Soul Music Festival honors Redding’s ongoing contributions to music and culture as well as his personal legacy. The festival benefits the Otis Redding Foundation for the Arts and its current goal is to erect a center with labs, studio space and an amphitheater. Otis Redding’s stated in 1967 his desire to establish a summer camp for children and teach economic and civic responsibilities. 

            Otis Redding Museum relates the story of Redding’s life through a curated series of photographs, artifacts and memorabilia. An on-site shop enhances your tour with unique books and customized items.

                  The Allman Brothers, 70s pioneers of Southern rock, lived in The Big House, along with their posse, from 1970 to 1973. Now a museum, each room is a gallery dedicated to an aspect of their music. Nearby H&H Soul Food was a particular favorite of the Allman Brothers and other musicians.

            Little Richard House Resource Center is charged with preserving his childhood home. The Architect of Rock and Roll, Richard Wayne Pennimen, was born in Macon on December 5,1932. His home is on view at 416 Craft St. A birthday celebration will be held Dec. 4- 7.

            Macon was designated one of the 2024 Great American Main Street Award winners for excellence in historic preservation. The city has fifteen historic districts with more than 6,000 structures, on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can access a “Tour Mobile” app that interprets African American sites along the "Black Heritage Trail" trail. The Macon Visitor's Center creatively presents the people and history of the city. Highlights are a giant music legends mural and a literal walk -through history. A one-hour guided riding tour is offered that includes the major sites.

The Tubman Museum is a jewel in Macon’s crown. Highlights of the exhibits are a 63-foot-long mural depicting the African American experience from Africa to the 21^st-century and an outstanding gallery display on the life and career of Tyler Perry. The Tubman is one of the largest museums of its type in the region.

            Charles Douglass built the Douglass Theater in 1921. The theater was one of the first black owned theaters and presented all of the renowned entertainers of the era. It was on the Chitlin Circuit. Otis Redding won the singing competition here so often that he was barred from the competition. The Douglass has been lovingly restored and tours are available.

            The Macon Terminal Station was constructed in 1916 by the architect who built Grand Central Station. The station closed in 1975 but the city elected to retain the exterior carved sign reading “Colored Only” as a memorial.

            Hotel Forty Five is located in the Business District and is within walking distance of the most significant locations. It is a full-service boutique hotel with three dining venues. There are 94 guestrooms, deluxe amenities and designer touches with a music theme. Hotelfortyfive.com

“If these streets could talk, they’d sing.” 

Seeking Squanto and the First Thanksgiving

“A spetiall instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectations.”

 Gov. William Bradford (Regarding Squanto)

                  I can clearly recall the day, in 6^th grade we began to study the landing of the Plgrims in Massachusetts. The colony was ill-equipped for the weather and they were starving when suddenly a Native American appeared, speaking fluent English, and offering assistance. Even then I wondered where this man learned to speak fluent English. Little did I know how convoluted the story was and how intertwined the lives of the Indigenous people and the Pilgrims were. Tisquantum, known in legend as Squanto, has faded into much of the story of the first Thanksgiving but his salvation of the Pilgrims, by interpreting for them and teaching them about New World food techniques and sources, is less prominent in the overall chronicle.

Squanto was born around 1580 into the Patuxet Tribe of the Wampanoags, People of the First Light. He, and about 25 other natives, were enticed aboard a British slave ship bound for Spain. As many as 5.5 million natives were enslaved from 1492 and 1880. With assistance he escaped, fled to London and was employed by John Slaney the treasurer of Newfoundland. From Newfoundland he worked aboard another ship that took him closer to Patuxet. #Squanto

In the New World European explorers spread the plague, The Great Dying, from 1616-1619. The plague wiped out 2/3 of the 70,000 indigenous people in the 69 Patuxet villages. When the Pilgrims landed the bones of the dead littered the landscape and they viewed it as a sign that God had made a way for the Puritan faith to flourish. 

In 1609 the Puritans had immigrated from England and settled in Leiden in the Netherlands, for 11-years, but the Britishcontinued to harass them. Finally, in 1619, the Dutch Merchant Adventurers financed a land patent near the Hudson River including provisions, two ships, the Mayflower and the Speedwell.

The Leiden American Pilgrim Museum is housed in Leiden in a house constructed in 1365. The 2-room museum has exhibits reflective of a room the Pilgrims might have inhabited and a room that showcases medieval décor. Due to its size reservations are encouraged.

The Pilgrims sailed from the port of Delfshaven near Rotterdam. On August 1, 1620. The Speedwell, originally a 1577 warship, docked in Southampton to board passengers but it began to leak. The 102 Pilgrims were then placed aboard the 106-ft. Mayflower. The Mayflower landed near Plymouth Rock on December 18, 1620. More than 50% of the party died the first winter in Massachusetts, The Starving Time. The first Blacks arrived in Plymouth Colony between 1623 and 1640. They were accepted into the Plymouth community and served in the Plymouth militia. 

Squanto appeared shortly after the Pilgrims came ashore. He functioned in a variety of roles including peacemaker, notably for Chief Massasoit of the Pokanoket tribe. Squanto helped negotiate a peace treaty with Chief Massasoit. The two groups shared a harvest feast, Thanksgiving, in 1621, to solidify their “partnership.” A majestic sculpture of Chief Massasoit on the First Thanksgiving stands in Plymouth.

                  Squanto was the last member of his tribe. He had been kidnapped, enslaved, traveled the world and is believed to have been poisoned by either the natives or the Pilgrims as a result of a belief that he had helped betray one group or the other.

                  The Mayflower Pilgrims landed on a 600-million-year-old rock of Dedham granodiorite. It has been moved several times and is today in a granite portico, the first national landmark. It is inscribed with the year 1620, placed there at a later date.

Plimoth Patuxet Museums immerses visitors into the 17^th century and invites you to a number of living history sites, the Mayflower II, Plimoth Grist Mill, 17th-Century English Village and Historic Patuxet. 

Historic Patuxet interprets the culture and lifestyle of the Native population. Inside a reconstructed wetu (home). You can participate in activities in the campsite including cooking, weaving, gardening and toolmaking. The tribe also consists of Wampanoag descended from those the English enslaved in the 1670s.

                  The original site of the English Village is 2.5-miles from the recreated colony. Homesites are denoted along Leyden Street by historical plaques. Structures are interpreted by authentically clad docents.

                  Plymouth Colonists’ original 1636 grain mill is situated on Town Brook. Tours are offered.

                  No one is certain what happened to the original Mayflower. Many historians theorize that after it returned to England it was scrapped for timber. A full-sized replica was constructed in England and sailed to Massachusetts in 1957. In 2020 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. plimoth.org

The 81-ft. tall National Monument to the Forefathers is on a hilltop in Plymouth, Mass, the largest freestanding granite monument in the world. Faith, a 36-ft statue is carved with symbols that represent the ideals of the Pilgrim Forefathers and was dedicated in 1889. Faith looks back to Plymouth, England with a foot on Plymouth Rock. A star atop her head represents wisdom.

                  Massachusetts is a year-round destination that affords the opportunity to get up close and personal with and understand those who impacted on North American history from its beginning. #VisitMa.com

                  Give thanks every day!

 

                  

 

Hunting History in Winston-Salem

“In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; and in all things, love.” –Moravian Motto

                  Winston-Salem, one of the oldest cities in the state, is actually two cites, the oldest, Salem, dates from 1752. The Moravians, a protestant sect that originated in what is now the Czech Republic, originally settled in Pennsylvania but eventually a group moved to 100,000-acres in North Carolina and named their colony Wachovia, the land of streams and rivers. In 1766, Salem was chosen as the administration center site.

                  Salem has been a destination since its founding as a congregational town in 1766. The village had the first public waterworks in the country by 1788 and 3-years later George Washington visited to see it and spent 2 nights in the Tavern. In 1849 land was sold by Salem to establish Winston but it was not until 1913 that the two towns officially incorporated. VisitWinstonSalem.com

                  Interestingly, some of the greatest innovations the area has to offer are to be found in historic Old Salem dating from 1760-1850s. The district has more original historic structures than Williamsburg and 8 restored gardens surrounded by historic fencing styles. 

                  The Heritage Bridge visually and physically connects modern Salem with Old Salem Historic District. Fishcetti designed this 1999 replica of an 1800s frame bridge. As you walk the 120-ft. bridge you can almost feel the centuries slide away and then you step out into the Moravian world, as it existed between 1766 and 1840. www.oldsalem.com

Old Salem Museums & Gardens preserves more than 70 structures and is an important and well-regarded living history site. The Old Salem Visitor Center was constructed in 2003 and provides an orientation to Old Salem through an introductory video and themed exhibitions. Housed in the James Gray Auditorium is a Pennsylvania, restored, 1800 David Tannenberg Organ

The country’s largest collection of southern furniture and decorative arts is situated adjacent to the visitor center in the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA). African American crafts and craftsmen are prominently represented throughout. Three of the most renowned artists whose works are included are Joshua Johnson, David Drake the Potter and Thomas Day. In the late-1700s Johnson was the first African American portraitist in the country. Only one of his portraits was signed. Dave the potter was born in 1801 and was taught to read and write by his owner. He included original poems on some of his works and he signed some of his pieces. In his 30s he lost a leg and could no longer operate the treadle on the pottery wheel. The slaveowner paired him with another slave who had crippled hands but could work the treadle. During the Civil War his owner had him make pots to hide his fortune. mesda.org

African Americans were always an integral part of Salem. They made the bricks, helped construct the structures and were artisans, craftsmen, tradesmen woven into the settlement’s fabric. The majority of the enslaved were bilingual, speaking both German and English, and were called upon to serve as translators. Four years after Salem was established records reveal that Africans and African Americans were approximately 20% of the population. 

Attitudes towards the enslaved changed in the 1800s and in 1822 blacks organized their own church funded by the Female Missionary Society of the Moravian Church. The “Negro Church” was log and stood 32-ft. by 28-ft. The Missionary Society established a school there in 1827 that operated until teaching African Americans to read became illegal. The congregation outgrew the church and in 1861 built a new one. The church became a Freedman’s Hospital after the Civil War. In 1999 it was reconstructed on its original.

In 1861, the congregation constructed a Greek revival brick church. Union Chaplain, Reverend Clark, read the Emancipation Proclamation from the pulpit on May 21, 1965. In 1914 the church was officially named St. Philip’s Moravian Church in reaction to its being known as the slave church. stphilipsmoravian.org

Moravians were originally buried together in God’s Acre (1766) by choir, or gender group and non-Moravians were buried in the Stranger’s Graveyard. The first black burial was Catarina (Sukey) in 1799 and the final one was in 1813. In 1816, it was determined that burials should be segregated and “Negro God’s Acre” was established at the opposite end of town

In the 1990s, efforts were made to locate and identify the gravesites. Excavations determined there are more than 100 graves. One elderly woman recalled hearing that there were gravestones beneath the church steps, acting on this information they recovered 12 gravestones. 

                  The village was laid out in a grid pattern with a main square flanked by a street on a north-south axis. At one end of the town a tavern for use by “outsiders” was erected in 1784. No windows were built in the side that faced the village. It now functions as the Tavern Museum and reflects the experience of a person lodging there. It is believed to be haunted and is one of two National Historic Landmarks in Old Salem.

The 1769 Single Brothers’ House, the second landmark, housed the unmarried brethren. 

Winkler Bakery has one of the oldest operating dome ovens in the nation and is wood heated. This functioning bakery sells both Moravian cookies and their famous sugar cake. Mrs. Hunters’ Moravian Cookies are hand-rolled, hand-cut and hand-packed at the rate of more than 10-million annually. Oprah Winfrey listed them as one of her favorite things. Hanescookies.com

In the 1930s Vernon Rudolph began making doughnuts in a rental property in Old Salem. The secret recipe was purchased from a chef in New Orleans and went on to become known as Krispy Kreme doughnuts. 

Richard Joshua Reynolds founded a tobacco company in Winston-Salem and established one of the world’s largest tobacco firms in 1874. In 1912 40 dependencies on their 1,067-acre formed a model farm estate. The residence, Reynolda House, is considered one of the last and best-preserved examples of American Country House architecture. The 64-room, interior is filled with the best American craftsmanship of the era with metalwork by Caldwell & Company and furniture ordered from Wanamaker Department Store’s. The original furnishings have survived and are largely Italian Renaissance and English Tudor. A 2,566 pipe Aeolian organ, one of only 899 made, is situated in the two-story Reception Hall and is played daily. The house has four levels in the center with two additional wings. Ironically, Reynolds, responsible for the first successful packaged cigarettes, did not smoke cigarettes or cigars.

Reynolda House Museum of American Art exhibits the best collection of American Art in the Southeast United States. Tours are self-guided and audio guides are available. Continue your visit in Reynolda Gardens, a fine example of the American Garden Movement. reynoldahouse.org

Maya Angelou was a resident of Winston-Salem and both her 75^th birthday party and her funeral repast were hosted by Oprah Winfrey and held at the Graylyn Estate. World class cuisine and 85 accommodations are on offer there.graylyn.com

 

Color Your Senses on the Blue Ridge Parkway

            The Blue Ridge Parkway, recognized as "America's Favorite Drive," was constructed by President Roosevelt’s New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps and Italian and Spanish stone masons in 1930. The Parkway runs along the rim of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 469-miles scenic miles with panoramic views. The drive was created to connect Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park with North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park of North Carolina. Mileposts are used to mark distances on the trail. Beginning with zero in the Shenandoah Valley and increasing in number as you drive southward.

               The Parkway traverses 29 counties and features 26 tunnels, 176 bridges and six viaducts. Bluff Mountain Tunnel, located at milepost 53.1, is the only tunnel in the Virginia section of the Parkway. Winter weather may cause closings of portions of the road so drivers should check for alerts prior to any trip. The National Park Service operates the Blue Ridge Parkway and it is the most visited unit in the National Park System. www.nps.gov

                 The Blue Ridge Mountain and foothills were the homeland of the Cherokee, Monacan, Saponi and Tutelo indigenous tribes. It is the Cherokee of North Carolina who first named the mountains Shaconage, “land of the Blue Mist,” denoting the blue haze that cloaks parts of the mountain. Additional names along the Parkway reflect the Indian presence. The Peaks of Otter Visitor Center Museum, at milepost 85.9, interprets the archeological finds in the area including tools. The entrance to the Cherokee Indian Reservation is located at milepost 457.7 and at Lickstone Parking Overlook, milepost 458.9, there is an informational plaque.

               European settlers entered the area to establish homesteads bringing with them their unique arts and culture and the Parkway showcases a number of pioneer buildings in their original settings. The first of these clusters is found at MP 5.8 at the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center and Mountain Farm. An easy self-guided path takes visitors to a group of 19^th-century farm structures. The center offers seasonal history programs.

            MP 85.9, the Peaks of Otter, offers a loop trail to a farm owned by the Johnson Family for generations. Polly Woods Ordinary, believed to be the oldest edifice on the Parkway is also situated here. Constructed of logs in the early 1800s it functioned as an inn, run by the widow Polly, from the 1830s to the 1850s. She was licensed to run an ordinary, an inn that catered to the ordinary needs of travelers. Eventually it closed because Polly’s retired.

            The Claudill Cabin (MP 241) is considered one of the finest pioneer cabins along the Parkway. The cabin is isolated and is accessed by a 9.4-mile trail. The Jesse Brown Farmstead (MP 272.5) is a complex inclusive of a cabin, spring house and Cool Springs Baptist Church. Jesse Brown was a preacher who rode the circuit. Services were held outdoors and the church was only used during inclement weather. The structures, believed to have been built prior to the 1860s, have been relocated to land he owned.

            The region’s pioneers engaged in industries remnants of which remain. Yankee Horse Ridge parking area (MP 34.4) has a portion of reconstructed narrow-gauge railroad track, known as the Irish Creek Railway and a display on logging. MP 63.6, the James River visitor center has a restored lock dating from the mid-19th century. 

            Mabry Mill Trail (MP 176.2) is a series of structures including Matthew’s Cabin a blacksmith’s shop, whiskey still, wheelwright’s shop and the Mabry Mill. The Mill was constructed by Mr. Mabry circa 1903-1914 and functioned from 1905-1935. The water powered mill is the most photographed edifice on the Parkway, hosting more than 100,000 visitors annually. 

            There are several stories regarding the naming of the Peaks of Otter at MP 86. My favorite is that they were named after a form of the Cherokee name, ”Otari,” meaning high places. Native Americans visited this area for more than 8,000 years and considered it a place of power. Today it continues to be a place of stunning beauty. Surrounding Abbott Lake are the Peaks, three mountain peaks, Sharp Top, Flat Top and Harkening Hill. Thomas Jefferson wrote of the Peaks of Otter, believing they were taller than they were. Virginia was so in awe of the Peaks that they sent stones to be used in the construction of the Washington Monument. Visitors can contemplate the view from the Otter Lodge and restaurant.

            Nine miles from the Peaks of Otter, just off. the Parkway, is the town of Bedford, Virginia, home to the astonishing National D-Day Memorial. The quiet town of Bedford had the highest per capita losses in the nation on D-Day. The memorial’s invasion tableau is particularly powerful. A self-guided tour takes you through the planning stages, through the battle and ends at a victory arch.

            Back on the Parkway at MP 407.6 there is a trail to the top of Mt. Pisgah. The hike is strenuous up the 5,721-ft. peak but the views are rewarding. The Pisgah Inn is located at MP 408.7. The only inn and restaurant on the Parkway in Virginia. The inn is situated at 5,000-ft. and while dining you can bask in the view from the restaurant’s big windows.

            The 1,234-ft. Linn Cove Viaduct in North Carolina was completed in 1987. It clings to Grandfather Mountain and is considered an architectural marvel at MP 304. This concrete s-shaped bridge is comprised of 153, 50-ton, sections.

            There are entrances and exits to the interesting sites adjacent to the Parkway. Downtown Roanoke is a short drive from MP 120 and at the other end Asheville exits (MP 382, 393).

            North Carolina is a perfect place to purchase traditional, local, mountain handcrafts. Three places on the Parkway are Northwest Trading Post MP 258.6, Parkway Craft Center MP 294.1 and the Folk Art Center MP 382. #Visitnorthcarolina

            The Blue Ridge Parkway is considered one of the bucket list road trips in the United States with world class scenic panoramas of mountain vistas. If you are planning a trip all pertinent information is available at Blueridgeparkway.org

 

            

 

 

THE CROOKED ROAD: VIRGINIA’S HERITAGE MUSIC TRAIL

“Where words fail music speaks.”  Hans Christian Anderson

            Music critic Nat Hentoff told a story of Charlie “Yardbird” Parker on a break during a New York club gig. Bird was observed selecting songs on a jukebox and to his friend’s amazement they were country songs. When jokingly asked why those songs he responded, “Listen to the words.” The lyrics and emotions were a focal point of tunes, that the 17^th-century English, German, Irish and Scottish colonists and African brought to the new world. These basic songs would incorporate elements of Blues, spirituals and gospel as the people migrated inland to areas in the Appalachians recalling their homelands and this synthesis of musical tradition, emotion and lyrics. The music they created is considered the second oldest musical genre in the US, with Native American music recognized as the oldest.

                  Southwest Virginia inaugurated the Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail in 2004 with the goal of promoting and presenting Appalachian old time and bluegrass music. The trail is 333-miles long and features 10 major sites, 60 smaller locations and 50 towns. This is a spectacular year to travel the road at your own pace to celebrate and pay homage to this cultural trail and join celebrations of the 20^th-anniversay of both The Crooked Road and the Ralph Stanley Museum, the 10th Anniversary of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the 40th Anniversary of the Floyd Country Store Friday Night Jamboree and the 50^th-Anniversary of the iconic Carter Family Fold. thecrookedroadva.com

                  An ideal place to begin your road trip is in Bristol, Virginia, a unique city that abuts Bristol, TN. Once  the site of a Cherokee village in 1771 a trading post and fort were constructed there to provide aid to westward travelers. In 1890 both Bristol, TN and VA were chartered as Bristol. In 1901 a line was drawn down the middle of State Street as a boundary between the two states. Bristol, VA has a congressional designation as the “Birthplace of Country Music.”

                  Brass markers etched with the state names denote the state line and visitors can straddle a marker for a photo op. In 1910 the iconic Bristol Sign was placed atop a hardware store. In 1915 the 25-ft sign was moved to State Street. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are more than 50 venues in the downtown district that offer shopping, dining and entertainment. #bristolva

                  On State Street in 12 days in August 1927 nineteen artists recorded 76 songs in a former hat factory. Victor Talking Machine Company representative Ralph Peer produced the first commercial country music recordings including songs by the Carter Family and the event is widely recognized as “the big bang” of country music. Bristol was selected as the site of the sessions because it was accessible to the railroad. #loveVA

                  Over two floors The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate, relates stories of the Bristol Sessions, music, instruments, individuals and pivotal events through state-of-the-art displays, artifacts, memorabilia, 4 films, galleries, performances and live WBCM Radio Bristol @ListenRadioBristol.org. Highlights of the exhibitions are Jimmie Rogers’ stage guitar and galleries on the contributions of African Americans to the genre including the African genesis of the banjo and race recordings.

                  Union 41, helmed by Torrece “Chef T” Gregoire, adapted the open kitchen style to present masterful menus with local, fresh, ingredients and a taste of her island roots. The infusion of flavors unique to the African diaspora make each dish a culinary masterpiece. She adds tastes to her cuisine as people contributed to the music. Her skills have been displayed on Hell’s Kitchen Season 14 and Food Network’s Big Restaurant Bet. @union41bristol 

                  Continue the Crooked Road experience with a stay at the Sessions Hotel. Rooms are curated to reflect the ethos of country music’s birthplace. Guest rooms and public spaces harken back to the session’s era and events through art and accoutrements. The hotel presents performances on an outdoor stage, offers comfort food in the Southern Craft restaurant and helps you feel like a star in the Vision Salon and Star Barber Shop.

The Carter Family recorded 300 songs from 1927-1942 and A. P. Carter, head of the family, often traveled throughout the area to obtain unrecorded songs. He hired Lesley Riddle, an African American, to accompany him and memorize the music as he memorized the lyrics. Riddle’s style was unique because he had lost two fingers and a leg in two different accidents. His 5-year contribution is acknowledged at the Birthplace of Country Music and the Carter Family Fold. He has been credited with teaching Maybelle guitar techniques.

The Family Fold was founded to memorialize the memory and legacy of the Carter Family. The original family lived on the land here in the foothills of Clinch Mountain in SW Virginia. The complex includes A.P. Carter's old general store museum, the reconstructed original A.P. Carter Homeplace and a concert venue. In August a concert will be held to commemorate the anniversary of Alvin Pleasant Carter, his wife Sara, brother Ezra and sister-in-law Maybelle formed the original Carter Family band. The museum showcases photographs, instruments, stage outfits and other family items donated by June Carter and Johnny Cash. A. P.’s birthplace is a furnished log cabin near the store.

Carter Family Memorial Center was established in 1979 to nurture and preserve traditional bluegrass and folk music. The 800-seat auditorium presents scheduled concerts. Johnny Cash returned to The Fold when his health began to fail. He called it his home and his final concert was played there.

Wayne C. Henderson School of Appalachian Arts in Marion is named for Wayne C. Henderson, an international ambassador for the music of the Southern Appalachian region. Workshops are offered on the creation of guitars, fiddles, stained glass, quilts and letterpress. You can build your own guitar and then participate in an on-site jam session. @waynechendersonschool 

The Blue Ridge Music Center highlights evolving musical traditions and the influence of American Roots music. Galleries in the interpretive center include a museum, theater and gift shop. Live music is regularly scheduled on the breezeway of the center. @brmusiccenter

Floyd Country Store is an extraordinary site to end this portion of the road. It is in this authentic general store that the community would gather in the early 1900s for Friday night jamborees. On the weekends you can still participate in the ongoing Appalachian experience. This is still a functioning store and includes a café. You can learn to dance or show off your skills along the Crooked Heritage Road. @thefloydcountrystore