A Fine Day Out for Washington and Rumsey

A Fine Day Out for Washington and Rumsey

by Nick Blanton

 

Leaving Roosevelt Island – Full crew of the Rumseian Experiment and George Washington,

In 1993 the architect of the US Capitol, George White, organized a bicentennial celebration to commemorate the laying of the cornerstone of the Capitol in 1793, by George Washington.  It was decided to have a re-enactment of the event.  George had been brought up river from Mt Vernon for the occasion ( boats were often the more comfortable way to travel in early America), and an actor portraying Washington was therefore to be dropped off at the Georgetown waterfront. Rather than a long haul from Mt Vernon, it was also decided that transporting  him from Roosevelt Island would be enough.

A historic boat was needed. The Alexandria Seaport Foundation was contacted.  There were a few appropriate boats available. But the event had grown beyond, say,  George stepping off a rowboat. He’d laid the cornerstone in full Masonic regalia, and so naturally the bicentennial celebration turned into a very Masonic event, Masons everywhere wanting in on the mortar, so to speak.  Grand Masters of 50 lodges came. George himself was to have a small entourage. Someone – likely Bill Hunley- suggested the Rumseian Experiment for transport, given James Rumsey’s associations with Washington. It was also the biggest craft available. In any case, Jay Hurley jumped at the chance.

On the afternoon of September  17, therefore, the boat was hitched to Jay’s truck, a crew of Dan Tokar, Ernie Fuss and Roy Leblanc was stuffed into the cab with Jay, and the boat was hauled down to Gravely Point. From there it was given a tow up to the Georgetown Waterfront, and tied to the dock. As soon as the engine was re-assembled, Jay bid good evening to the crew.  Where are we supposed to spend the night? They asked. On the boat, said Jay. What are we sleeping on? Oh, rake up some of those life vests and sleep on those. What if it rains? There’s a tarp over the life vests, use that.  And off he went to a dinner and a bed.

The crew took turns walking into Georgetown and found a few trucks to feed them, then passed an uncomfortable but uneventful night. I arrived early the next morning, and found Roy, Ernie and Dan naturally somewhat stiff and bleary. Jay appeared, and Bill, both richly attired. We got a tow to Roosevelt Island, and the small convoy of historic watercraft assembled; an elegant captain’s gig with matching oarsmen, an immensely charming  miniature square-rigged vessel named The Federalist, and a ramshackle James River bateau.

George Washington and hangers-on arrived, and at the appropriate time we got up steam. Then, as was typical, we ran the engine until it stopped,  cleared the main valve of boiler grunge, ran it again until it stopped,  fixed a problem, raised steam again, ran it, fixed another problem.  Buckets of water, oil cans, bags of wood were moved around, used. Time went by…  Eventually, we actually got underway. As the crew had to swarm about to start and then swarm about to keep the boat slowly going, it was fortunate the actor was deep into Washington’s character, stoically holding a straight face. Eventually, the landing was reached. Washington and entourage disembarked at the Waterfront,  Masons and people of importance crowded around and bore him away.

George Washington arrives in Georgetown

Flotilla docked at Georgetown

We were left to hang out; converse with the other boat people, explain ourselves. We did get to the Capitol, then came back. In the afternoon we steamed up again and chugged about in front of the waterfront, then  got another tow downstream to Gravely Point, where the boat was hauled out and trailered back home. And the crew got to sleep in their beds.

Flotilla in Potomac River near Georgetown

Frederick photographer Harriet Wise took a lot of photos ( tempting to say a boatload- but let’s not). She recently gave them to the Museum, so here is a selection. When she was shooting, Harriet always had a fixed grin on her face, as though she wouldn’t be anywhere else for the world. There was a lot to grin at, that day.

Apparently they’ve already scheduled a tricentennial celebration for 2093.

 

Ernie, Bill and Jay Hurley at the Capitol, attired as befitted the occasion.

 

 

Shepherdstown Tour of Historic Churches, 2024

Shepherdstown Historic Houses of Worship Walking Tour
– Thursday, December 26:  3 – 7 pm
– Free to the public
– Seven churches (spanning from the late 18th century until the early 21st century) open with docents to discuss the history of the structure and congregation
– Walking tour brochures will be available at the War Memorial Building and the Historic Shepherdstown Museum (the museum will be open for touring)
– Sponsors:  Historic Shepherdstown Commission (also the organizer), Shepherdstown Community Club, Jefferson County Convention & Visitors Center, Corporation of Shepherdstown, participating churches

Holiday decoration for sale

For the tenth consecutive year, Historic Shepherdstown Museum is offering a beautiful holiday ornament celebrating an iconic historic structure in town. This year we honor the War Memorial Building on German Street, home to the Shepherdstown Community Club and the site of numerous civic events. The structure was built in 1867 and served as the home of the town’s Southern Methodist congregation until acquired by the Community Club in 1947. To purchase an ornament, visit the Historic Shepherdstown office in the Entler building or go to our website at Historic Shepherdstown Museum Store
Previous designs include Christ Reformed Church, James Rumsey steamboat, Thomas Shepherd Mill, Opera House, Jefferson Security Bank aka the Yellow Brick Bank, Entler Hotel, Rumsey Monument, Old Market Hall aka Old Library, and McMurran Hall. All of the ornaments are available on the website as are books of local history.

Shepherdstown’s BooFest and the Historic Shepherdstown Museum Ghost Tours, October 26 and 27.

Entler Hotel

Halloween is coming and that means it’s time for Shepherdstown’s BooFest and the Historic Shepherdstown Museum’s Ghost Tours.

Here, at the most haunted building in the most haunted town in America, you will hear about some of our most prominent spirits — the lady in white, the amorous Frenchman, Civil War soldiers, and the unlucky duelist.  Don’t miss the Traveler’s Room that, according to some, is the most haunted room in the building.

Join us for a free tour of the Museum and learn about some of the two dozen spirits that visitors have claimed to have seen, sensed and even felt. Tours will be offered on Saturday, October 26, and Sunday, October 27, every half hour from 1:00 to 3:30 PM. (Donations are always welcomed.)

On Saturday and Sunday evenings, follow local paranormal investigators Patricia Marin and Meredith Moore, along with psychic medium Angel Wells and dowser Les Johnson, as they explore the three floors of the museum. Tickets for these evening events are available below, and on Historic Shepherdstown and are $15 per person. Preregistration is required and participation is limited.

Feel free to bring your digital recorders to capture EVPs (spirit voices) and EMF meters (which may help locate the spirits), along with any other equipment you may have.

Don’t be scared. Our ghosts are known to be friendly, but curious. At least up to now.

Tickets for the Ghost Tour are available here:

Ghost Tour – October 26

Ghost Tour – October 27

Undecided? Watch Halloween in Shepherdstown

Aren’t you curious now?

Speaker Series – The Architectural Features of the Shepherdstown Historic District, 1850 to present – Tom Mayes and Keith Alexander, October 16, 2024.

Tom Mayes and Keith Alexander

Historic Shepherdstown Commission & Museum is pleased to announce the fourth and final presentation in its 2024 Speaker Series.  National Trust for Historic Preservation Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel Tom Mayes and Shepherd University Associate Professor of History Dr. Keith Alexander will discuss and illustrate the architectural features of the Shepherdstown Historic District, focusing on 1850 to present.   Open to the public and free of charge, the talk will be held on Wednesday, October 16 at 7 pm at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education at Shepherd University.

As West Virginia’s oldest town, Shepherdstown has a rich and diverse architectural and historical heritage spanning four centuries.   The majority of Shepherdstown is within a designated historic district that was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, just seven years after the register was authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act.

Tom Mayes and Keith Alexander both serve on Shepherdstown’s Historic Landmarks Commission, with Alexander serving as chair.

  • Mayes oversees the National Trust’s legal defense fund, which advocates for the protection of significant places and defends and strengthens historic preservation law. The recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Rome Prize in Historic Preservation in 2013, Mayes is the author of Why Old Places Matter.  For many years, he taught historic preservation law at the University of Maryland.
  • Alexander co-directs with Dr. Julia Sandy the Historic Preservation and Public History concentration within the history major at Shepherd. His most recent projects include a study of the Wheeling National Heritage Area and an analysis of the landscape and structures at Ferry Hill in the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park as a window into the lives of enslaved persons.
LOC

162nd Anniversary of the Battle of Shepherdstown commemorated at Entler.

This month marks the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Shepherdstown.
On September 19, 1862, two days after the bloodletting at  Antietam, Union soldiers pushed across the Potomac River at Boteler’s Ford. just below Shepherdstown, and attacked the Confederate rearguard. Early the next day, two Union divisions crossed the river to establish a bridgehead. As the Union soldiers were crossing the river, the Confederates counterattacked, inflicting heavy casualties before the Union troops could pull back to the Maryland shore. This rearguard battle discouraged Federal pursuit of Robert E. Lee’s defeated army back to Virginia and ended Lee’s Maryland Campaign.
On Saturday, September 21, from 11 am -to 5 pm, the Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association will have an exhibit in front of the Historic Shepherdstown Museum displaying battle maps, books, and artifacts related to the battle.
Stop by and say hello!

Speaker Series – Historic National Road. Tiffany Ahalt, September 4, 2024 – now online

Speaker Series – Historic National Road. Tiffany Ahalt, September 4.

The 2024 Historic Shepherdstown Speaker Series featured Tiffany Ahalt on September 4 at 6:45 pm in the auditorium of the Shepherd University Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, talking about the history, preservation and promotion of the historic National Road.

The National Road was the first major federally funded highway built by the US government.   Built between 1811 and 1837, the original 620 mile road was a major transport path to the West for thousands of settlers and also stimulated the earliest forms of travel-related tourism.  Often nicknamed the Main Street of America, in the 20th century with the advent of the automobile the National Road was connected with other historic routes to California with much of it aligned with U.S. Route 40.   Ms. Ahalt explored this history and how national and state programs are paving the way to preserve and promote the landscapes and main streets along the National Road and other scenic byways.

Historic Shepherdstown Annual Meeting held, September 4, 2024

Jerry Bock, president of the Historic Shepherdstown Commission, announced the 2024 James C. Price Preservation of Historic Legacies Award winners:
  • Arthur (Jim) Auxer III: Jim has been selected based on his years of actively promoting and preserving our local history. In his role as long time Mayor of Shepherdstown, he was a staunch supporter of the Shepherdstown Historic District and the Historic Shepherdstown Museum. Jim’s expertise and his contribution to preserving the history of Shepherdstown are most appreciated. Thank you for your many years of dedication to our town!
  • Jim Broomall: Jim has provided incredible leadership as Director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War, and more recently as Director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education. In addition, his contributions as a board member at Historic Shepherdstown and service on the Shepherdstown Historic Landmarks Commission have been of great value to the community.
  • Keith Alexander: In his role as history professor at Shepherd University, Keith has educated young (and older) minds to understand the importance of preserving our incredible local history. His leadership on the Shepherdstown Historic Landmarks Commission and his many contributions to the Historic Shepherdstown Commission and Museum are recognized.

 

For the Service to Historic Shepherdstown Commission Award:

  • Al Levitan: We are recognizing Al’s service on the HSC Board of Directors, and especially his incredible efforts as a member and later Chair of the Entler Building Committee. Al has spent countless hours handling a huge variety of maintenance projects at the Entler complex, greatly contributing to the preservation of an important historic landmark.
  • Johnna Armstrong: We are recognizing Johnna’s service on the HSC Board of Directors, her service as Treasurer at HSC, and especially her tireless efforts as an on-line media specialist/technician for our organization. Her expertise is very much appreciated and has proved invaluable to HSC on numerous occasions over many years.

Speaker Series – Historic National Road. Tiffany Ahalt, September 4.

The 2024 Historic Shepherdstown Speaker Series will feature Tiffany Ahalt on September 4 at 6:45 pm in the auditorium of the Shepherd University Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, talking about the history, preservation and promotion of the historic National Road.  The program is free and open to the public.

With thirty years of experience in the hospitality and tourism industry, Tiffany Ahalt has held leadership roles with the National Road Heritage Foundation, C&O Canal Association, Howard County (MD) Tourism Council and Maryland National Road Association.   A promoter of Washington County as a visitor destination, she also recently chaired Frederick County’s Rural and Scenic Roads Advisory Committee which was instrumental in creating an official commission overseeing the designation and protection of the County’s most historic, scenic and unaltered rural roads.

The National Road was the first major federally funded highway built by the US government.   Built between 1811 and 1837, the original 620 mile road was a major transport path to the West for thousands of settlers and also stimulated the earliest forms of travel-related tourism.  Often nicknamed the Main Street of America, in the 20th century with the advent of the automobile the National Road was connected with other historic routes to California with much of it aligned with U.S. Route 40.   Ms. Ahalt will explore this history and how national and state programs are paving the way to preserve and promote the landscapes and main streets along the National Road and other scenic byways.

The talk will be preceded by a short Annual Business Meeting for Historic Shepherdstown Commission, which will feature the presentation of the 2024 Historic Preservation Awards.