Visit Frederick and Feather Your Nest

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Elaine Jean

Destination:Frederick, Maryland

The British poet Dame Edith Sitwell declared that, “winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a good friend’s hand and for a talk beside the fire. It is the time for home.”

A trip to Frederick can help turn your house into a place Dame Edith would happily hibernate in. Founded in 1745 by German and English settlers, the historic town has long been recognized as a go-to place for antique furnishings. The Clintons were said to stop and shop here on their way to Camp David, so you never who you might rub elbows with.

First, drive to the Frederick Visitors Center at 151 S. East St. for a bit of local history. The center is housed in a beautifully restored, circa 1899 warehouse that sets the stage for the day. It offers convenient hours, off-street parking, free maps and a brief film about attractions and upcoming events in Frederick.

Next, travel to East Street and the area known as Everedy Square and Shab Row. This cluster of restored 19th century buildings now offers dining, entertainment and plenty of shopping, with free, untimed parking in the back. You can leave your car here and hoof it for the rest of the day.

The Loft at Antique Imports at 125 N. East St. is the starting point of our tour, with its urban chic blend of old and new. Gorgeous antiques meet DC Design Center samples, with a generous sprinkling of handmade items. This is a place for the decoratively challenged to gather great ideas, and for the savvy shopper to pick up that special accent piece and nab a bargain on high-end upholstered furniture.

The Loft at Antique Imports layers the old with the new, blending antiques with DC Design Center goodies. All photos by Paul Jean

The Little Pottery Shop at 117 N. East St. offers pottery ranging from casual to elegant, so there’s something to compliment any décor. Each piece has been made by hand, and most are functional as well as decorative. This is art you can both use and admire.

Pieces at the Little Pottery Shop are thrown and shaped by hand in a variety of styles.

A large concentration of stores selling antiques and the decorative arts can be found on Patrick Street, an easy walk to the southeast, so consult your map and head downtown.

Detour to Great Stuff by Paul at 10 N. Carroll St., where you’ll often find antiques for the home and garden put to surprising new uses. Past visits have yielded a Dutch clog doing double duty as a planter and a sugar mold stand repurposed as a candle holder. Paul’s additional 52,000-square-foot building at 257 E. 6th Street is touted as a world in a warehouse, with unique items from China and Europe.

Back on East Patrick Street, over a dozen shops turn a few city blocks into one-stop shopping for home decorators.

Emporium Antiques at #112 is a long-time favorite, housing a maze of shops run by over 100 vendors selling everything from cut crystal to heavy furniture. Stop by for the quilts, lace, antique toys, vintage jewelry and mink coats destined to dress up your life, as well as the farm tables, deacons’ benches and grandfather clocks that add substance.

Emporium Antiques has just about everything you’d expect at an antique store, sans the dust.

For another dose of inspiration, visit the Dream House at 102 E. Patrick St., where furnishings and accessories are artfully arranged in a way that both dazzles and empowers. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to pull it all together for yourself, they do offer a full range of design services.

The Dream House gives shoppers a fresh perspective, with furniture and textiles to tie your look together.

It’s the little things that transform a house into a home – kitchen, bar, baby and pet items, as well as frames and seasonal touches – and that’s what’s featured at Home Essentials of Frederick at 38 E. Patrick Street. Don’t miss the wall of Memory Blocks by Sid Dickens, a Vancouver-based artist who adorns individual hand-cast plaster tiles with meaningful themes of historic, romantic and religious significance.

The happy assortment at Home Essentials of Frederick turns a house into a home.

Silk and Burlap at 28 E. Patrick Street creates a world that is that is both cottage-fresh and, at the same time, sophisticated. Rustic tables, vintage glassware and new table linens are presented by two owners who have extensive experience in retail and an eye for detail. Theirs is a lifestyle shop with an ever-changing inventory, so it pays to visit often to see what’s new. Relish Décor also offers design services from this location.

Silk and Burlap’s tables are stacked high with glassware and dishes to compliment the antiques they sell.

The new kid on the block is Salvaged, just across the street at #29. The owner grew up surrounded by the scent of history and varnish, born to two Tennessee antique dealers with a decidedly entrepreneurial streak. The store offers intriguing pieces that have been acquired at auctions, estate sales and barns. Some have been refinished and restored, and many are accompanied by written stories. Decorative accessories are new and made by hand and/or in the United States whenever possible.

Salvaged emits a hip and happy vibe, with antiques of enduring style and quality.

Frederickalso has several consignment stores, such as Fabulous Finds at 24 E. Patrick St. and Heritage Antiques at 39 E. Patrick St., selling both antiques and gently used furnishings that keep the budget in check.

Heritage Antiques offers items ranging from antiques to gently used furnishings at a variety of price points.

The town features a growing number of good restaurants, many found on nearby North Market Street. But chances are you’ll be too busy to sit down and eat, and that’s where the local cupcakeries come into play.

The staff of Sweet Angelina’s Cupcakery takes its work seriously, with dreams of entering the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars.”

Back at Everedy Square and Shab Row, you can sample the diminutive desserts of both Sweet Angela’s Cupcakery at 244 E. Church St. and angelcakes at 319 E. Church St. Each offers perennial favorites, as well as daily specials that combine fun flavors with creative flair. At just $2.50 each, you can afford to decide for yourself who wins Frederick’s cupcake wars.

When you go …

      • Although some stores are open on weekdays, this trip is best made on weekends.
      • Stores are open until 9 p.m. on First Saturday, with monthly themed events.
      • Upcoming events:
          • February 4 – Fire in Ice with ice sculptures, an ice playground, hot cocoa and toasted marshmallows.
          • March 3 – Casino Night with games of chance, live music, prizes and trolley rides.

For a map and additional information, visit www.fredericktourism.org.

The cupcakes at the aptly named angelcakes are lighter than air and beautifully displayed.

Story copyright 2012, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos copyright 2012, Paul N. Jean. All rights reserved.

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Stratford Hall

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Elaine Jean

Destination: The Northern Neck

A visit to the birthplace of Confederate General Robert E. Lee – named Stratford Hall after his ancestral home in Shropshire, England – offers a tranquil day trip along Virginia’s road less traveled.

Robert E. Lee was the last of the Lees to be born at Stratford Hall, later explaining that “Stratford … is endeared to me by many memories.” Photo by Paul Jean

Here you will learn about the five generations of Lees who lived at Stratford Hall, and of the profound impact early members had on the beginning of a new republic. The Union they helped to build proved so strong that even the bloodiest conflict in American history would not destroy it.

Founding Father and President John Adams once remarked that the Lees gave us “More men of merit than any other family,” having produced two signers of the Declaration of Independence, one governor of the Virginia Colony and a distinguished Revolutionary War commander. But it is largely for the role in history one Lee played that the name is best known today.

Robert Edward Lee came into the world in the bed chamber of the stately Southern plantation home on January 19, 1807, but he lived at the mansion for less than four years before his father, Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee, relocated the family to Alexandria.

The Chamber was the most private room in the house, and the infant Robert E. Lee slept in a spindled crib like the one on display. Courtesy of Stratford Hall

The Lees had fallen on hard times and, after Light-Horse Harry died, the future general could not afford a university education. So Lee garnered an appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point, and there he began a distinguished military career.

He earned three honorary field promotions in the Mexican War, became Assistant to the Chief of the Engineer Corps and Superintendent of West Point, and commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. After the Civil War, Lee became the president of what is now Washington and Lee University.

But from 1807 to 1810, Robert E. Lee wasn’t any of those things; he was just a little boy enjoying a few short years in the house he would always call home. Built in the 1730s by great-uncle Thomas Lee, Stratford Hall was once a thriving plantation, a self-sufficient community that produced tobacco, wheat, barley, oats, flax and corn.

The Potomac River was the lifeline of Stratford Hall, and the plantation’s economy was based on the labor of its slaves and indentured servants. In 1782 the Lees owned approximately 137 slaves, divided among numerous living quarters on the property. The total number of Lee family members and white servants living on the property is estimated at 12.

The slave quarters located closest to the Great House were constructed of stone for improved appearance and resistance to fire. Photo by Paul Jean

Stratford Hall is now owned and operated by the Robert E. Lee Memorial Association, and a multi-million dollar restoration of the Great House is under way to restore several rooms to their late 18th century appearance.

Tickets for a guided tour of the mansion may be purchased in the Stetson Building, where visitors can learn about the Lee family’s historical legacies and discover the wide variety of activities available at this 1,900-acre plantation. Most sightseers are surprised to learn that they can collect sharks teeth and fossils by walking along the small strip of beach adjacent to the grist mill.

The Miocene Cliffs are closed to the public, but visitors are welcome to comb the beach in search of the fossils of prehistoric sea creatures. Courtesy of Stratford Hall

A wood and steel bridge leads to the historic area, crossing a deep ravine – and the past two centuries. A docent will guide you through the house – built from 600,000 bricks that were made on the plantation from its clay and oyster shells and then hand-rubbed by its slaves.

Two meticulously restored and recreated stone buildings housed the families of enslaved people who worked in or near the Great House. The slave quarters are remarkable for both their level of detail and the insight they provide.

The dining room was a multi-purpose room that served as the center of family life at Stratford Hall. Courtesy of Stratford Hall

A guided tour of the house gives a look at the lives of all five generations of Lees, as well as the lives of their slaves and servants. You’ll see an impressive collection of American and English decorative arts that combine family pieces, period pieces and reproductions.

The Great Hall, resplendent in Georgian symmetry, has been described as one of the most beautiful rooms in America. You’ll be asked to take a seat and listen to a brief background of the family and the home, and then you’ll be walked through the mansion. Of special note is the room in which Robert E. Lee was born.

While you’ll see formal rooms that are gorgeous, it’s the utilitarian spaces of Stratford Hall that are especially fascinating. The school room, wet and dry stores, spinning and weaving area, kitchen, wine cellar and laundry illustrate the complexity of life on an 18th century plantation.

In 1935 Stratford was dedicated as a memorial to the Lees, telling the story of a family, their home and their inextricable ties to American history.

When you go …

  • Stratford Hall is currently open weekends, holidays and Robert E. Lee’s birthday.
  • Great House admission is $10 for ages 12 and up, $5 for ages 6 – 11.
  • Grounds Pass is $5 for ages 12 and up, $3 for ages 6 – 11.
  • Hours vary by season; check www.stratfordhall.org.
  • Tours are usually held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Arrive 15 minutes early to buy tickets.
  • The Plantation Store sells gifts, books, souvenirs, honey, drinks and snacks.

The Directors Bridge crosses a ravine – and 200 years – delivering visitors to the Great House and environs. Photo by Paul Jean

Story copyright 2012, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos, except as noted, copyright 2012, Paul N. Jean. All rights reserved.

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American Visionary Art Museum

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Elaine Jean

All Things Round: Galaxies, Eyeballs and Karma

Destination: Baltimore, Maryland

What goes around comes around. Maybe that’s why visitors emerge from All Things Round: Galaxies, Eyeballs and Karma, now at the American Visionary Art Museum, feeling at peace with the world. It’s like a big hug from humanity, reminding us that life is good … for those who believe it.

The museum’s iconic whirligig, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, is on permanent display in the courtyard. All photos taken by Paul Jean with special permission.

Feel the joy the minute the Federal Hill building comes into sight – all spangly and happy and adorned with mirror shards that catch the sun’s rays and bounce them in every direction. Vollis Simpson’s three-ton whirligig beckons, and Nadya Volicer’s welcome mat coaxes a smile. Where else can you clean your feet on 1,500 toothbrushes?

The works inside have been created by ordinary people ranging from high school dropouts to accomplished attorneys – WWII veterans and conscientious objectors alike – using hubcaps, electronic parts and other stuff of life, as well as toothpicks, matchsticks, Styrofoam cups and Mardi Gras beads. Oh, and the ratty tatty bras of 18,000 donors.

The artists are often society’s scavengers – dumpster divers and hoarders – living off the grid, on the wagon or in the apartment building next door. Most aren’t formally trained, but all have answered an inner call to create. You’ll soon realize that these folks are anything but ordinary, and their art is genuine.

A biography accompanies each work. Stories are pointed and poignant, at times describing the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. In other cases, they tell of the happy conclusion to a life well lived. A bigger picture emerges and, in a sense, the entire museum is one grand work of art.

All Things Round: Galaxies, Eyeballs and Karma is billed as the museum’s most voluptuous art exhibition to date. Its co-curators are AVAM‘s founder and director Rebecca Hoffberger and award-winning graphic designer Mary Ellen “Dolly” Vehlow.

Shawn Theron’s photo diary leads directly to the gift shop, where you may find the artist behind the cash register.

One of the first works to greet you is by Shawn Theron. Shawn shares a pivotal year in his life with 12,290 personal photos, punctuated by 52 of the trademark SOGH paintings that have been inspired by his grandmother, Red.

Thumbnail prints make the artist’s every day appear common place – birthdays, weddings, funerals – until you come to the chilling realization that Gus has had both a wedding and a funeral in 2003. Shawn’s friend and coworker was stabbed to death by his bride just a few months after the nuptials. Shawn lost Red that year, too.

Like life itself, the photo diary both warms and breaks the heart. For insight about the artist, look no further than the Sideshow, arguably the best museum gift shop on the planet. Here you’ll find Shawn behind the register much of the time, which begs the question: Is this a job, or is it performance art? No matter, Shawn is a force of nature and it’s always a great day when he’s around (pun intended).

The Sideshow sells original art, great books, vintage memories and fun novelty items, with the motto, “Come shopping, leave smiling.”

Also on the first floor, Emily Duffy’s Mama’s Milk features the aforementioned brouhaha of bras, all wound up in one big ball. Oh Say Can You See features 10 fascinating facts about eyes, along with the story of sculptor Herbert Singleton – an artist who was down but never out.

The banister of the staircase is bedazzled with bottle caps and bling, its walls featuring a favorite voyeuristic opportunity in the form of PostSecrets collected by Frank Warren. A barista’s admission that “When you’re rude to me, I make your drink decaf,” remind us to do unto others … or else.

Scott Weaver’s masterpiece, Rolling Through the Bay, is a personal tribute to San Francisco that started in the 4th grade.

Second-floor galleries include The Earth is a Blue Ball, featuring cosmic paintings by astronomer Greg Mort, and a 100,000 toothpick engineering marvel entitled Rolling through the Bay by Scott Weaver. Watch a film on Weaver’s work in the nearby Circle Theatre, and see the artist rolling ping pong balls through a nine-foot structure that defies both description and gravity.

Wendy Brackman’s Paper Plate Mandala is fine art made from the humblest of materials.

Mandala and Enso is a regular Jung Fest celebrating the inner circle of life, in juxtaposition to the Food Fest of Mario Batali’s Edible Balls. A recipe for the rotund chef’s famous spaghetti and meatballs is written on a paper plate in his own hand.

Mark Swidler uses only a pocket knife and Styrofoam cups to convey the personalities of his subjects.

Time – Cyclical, Linear or All-At-Once includes an exploration of the fast-approaching end of the Mayan calendar, and ReCYCLE: Reuse, Reinvent, Renew features Mark Swidler’s hand-carved Styrofoam cups – a creative way of heeding the New England admonition to “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” Several themed rooms follow, completing an exhibit that’s over 70 visionary artists strong.

Across the courtyard in the Jim  Rouse Visionary Center, the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre displays a delightful collection of interactive wooden sculptures on topics that are rather unexpected. Flogging a Dead Horse, by Paul Spooner, is a favorite for its detail and dark humor.

Winning entries from past Kinetic Sculpture Races are featured, but winner is a relative term; contestants vie for the title of Grand Mediocre East Coast Champion by trying to finish right in the middle of the pack. Vehicles are crafted of garage cast-offs and backyard junk, designed to negotiate asphalt, mud and the cold, deep waters of the Inner Harbor.

"Fifi!" is the mascot of the Kinetic Sculpture Race, where entries are 100% human-powered works of art that traverse 15 miles of asphalt, mud and the deep waters of the Inner Harbor.

Museum Founder and Director Rebecca Alban Hoffberger explains that this race is more about ingenuity and creativity than it is about competition. “Come early for the Blessing of De Feet,” Dame Rebecca advises. “And you really should bring bribes for the judges … chocolate chip cookies, or something like that. We want to teach kids how the real world works.”

Perhaps the most inspirational work in the gallery is DeVon Smith’s enchantingly humanesque World’s First Family of Robots. Smith, a WWII veteran who made his living as a junk dealer and trader, held the Guinness World Record for hitchhiking over 500,000 miles in his lifetime. He left us with simple words he lived by: “Don’t sit in a chair. Get out and do it.”

Yes, get out and do it. Hop in the car, blast up to Baltimore and spend a day at the AVAM – it really will give you a feeling of peace, love and happiness, which you can spread all over the neighborhood when you get home. Because what goes around comes around.

Members of DeVon Smith’s robot family exhibit more than a glimmer of humanity.

When you go …

  • Hours from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., from Tuesday-Sunday (usually closed on Monday).
  • Free admission on Monday, January 16, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.
  • Regular admission is $15.95 for adults, $9.95 for children and students.
  • Abundant metered parking is available on Covington Street and Key Highway.
  • “All Things Round” runs through September 2, 2012.

Gregory Warmack, a.k.a. Mr. Imagination, has donated his throne to the American Visionary Art Museum’s permanent collection.

Story copyright 2012, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos copyright 2012, Paul N. Jean. All rights reserved.

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Middle of Nowhere – Poems & Images from the C&O Canal

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Elaine Jean

Happy New Year! Roamingtheplanet.com is on hiatus from travel this week, enjoying festivities with family and friends.

The following posting is an introduction to “Middle of Nowhere,” a book of poems by George Owens and photography by Paul Jean.

We’ll be back again next week (January 11), with a trip to the American Visionary Art Museum’s latest exhibit, All Things Round: Galaxies, Eyeballs and Karma.

Middle of Nowhere

The C&O Canal is a haven for hikers, cyclists, anglers and lovers of nature, a 184 mile swath of parkland that follows the Potomac River out of Washington, DC. For some, a visit to the canal is a spiritual experience, as well.

Such is the case with George Owens, an English teacher at our local high school. George boldly goes where few have gone before, to the very edges of the canal, in search of its secrets. From his quests come three poignant sets of poems painting lyric paths to love, the onset of age and transcendence.

Paul Jean, on the other hand, goes where many have gone before. As photographer for www.roamingtheplanet.com, Paul usually enjoys the sights of the Mid-Atlantic region through the lens of his Nikon, creating photos to accompany the website’s travel writing.

Now George has led Paul into the Middle of Nowhere, to capture sights that challenge the boundaries of the natural world. From these treks off the beaten path come two sequences of captivating images that express Paul’s own view of the canal.

RTP_050_PNJean_DSC_4282

Plate XIX by Paul Jean

The excerpt below, “Harpers Ferry in December,” gives a glimpse at the wit and wisdom of George Owens. The sample photo, untitled and referred to simply as Plate XIX, reveals Paul’s affinity for the abstract.

The book is presented in gallery format, and its pages lead us on a thought-provoking journey to a place where the past, as William Faulkner observed, has never left the present.

Middle of Nowhere is currently available for purchase through Amazon.com.

Harpers Ferry in December

by George Owens

My bed has the same clean sheets
As two weeks ago and a savings of water and soap.

On the microwave numbers two and five don’t work.
There is an advanced model at the store.

This old one can be restored though
By my little finger’s calculations.

Those dollars not spent are free not to be spent.
Slow the car by the steak house and roll down the window.

Breathe in and keep driving.  Our love is not poor
Which seldom knows the feel of paper and coin.

Anything expensive is something
The crowd wants (that’s plain economics),

So there must be something seriously
Wrong with it. We know about crowds.

Any thing that costs anything is flawed!
So let us, Sweetheart, find our bird friends again!

This sedan holds the narrow road. O, how
That headscarf so rounds your face.

I’ve got my fedora.  Who’s to care
If we’re too much old?  That kiss was not.

On the coldest day, when no one opens a door,
Nick and Nora hold hands under Maryland Heights.

Crowds don’t know the full half of it.
We shiver and watch on the old bridge free.

Story copyright 2012, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved
Excerpts from Middle of Nowhere, copyright 2011, George Owens and Paul Jean. All rights reserved.

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Anglo-Saxon Hoard Sheds Light on the Dark Ages

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Elaine Jean

Destination:Washington, D.C.

It’s a good day to die. At least that’s the feeling that sweeps over visitors to Anglo-Saxon Hoard, the exhibit of medieval artifacts making its only stop in the United States at the National Geographic Museum’s Explorers Hall in Washington, DC.

Warriors in chainmail and helmets do battle on screens that surround the entryway, setting a stage for the fantastic treasure that awaits. Quotes from the epic poem Beowulf adorn the walls, speaking of ancient gold and garnered jewels and the dazzling spoils of war. Suddenly it’s all very real, and it’s right there in front of you.

Two years ago, when hobbyist Terry Herbert set out to explore Fred Johnson’s Staffordshire farm with nothing more than a metal detector, a hunch and a prayer – “Spirits of the yesteryears, take me where the gold appears” – he surely could not have predicted the course of events that would soon follow.

Veteran metal detector hobbyist Terry Herbert holds the equipment that led him to the first objects from the Staffordshire Hoard in 2009. Photograph by Robert Clark

The stash he found on July 5, 2009 was dubbed the Staffordshire Hoard and is the largest uncovered to date, with over 3,500 individual pieces –the fragments of helmets and the hilt plates, pommel caps, collars and mounts of swords –valued at just under $5.3 million. Although most of it is military in nature, a few religious artifacts reveal that these guys might have been preparing to meet their maker.

Impressive in their sheer number, the 3,500 gold and silver pieces that make up the hoard are remarkable in that they bear no objects intended for female use. It is estimated that the fittings represented in the hoard may have outfitted a band of approximately 80 men. Photograph by Robert Clark

Buried sometime in the late 7th century AD in what was once Mercia – the most powerful of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms fighting for power and land in Post-Roman Britain – the items are mangled, bent and torn asunder. There is much speculation as to what the hoard represents, and why it was found in this condition.

The brief film Lost Gold of the Dark Ages is shown every 20 minutes starting at the top of the hour, putting the discovery into historical context and explaining its significance, as well as the mystery surrounding it. Were the pieces defaced and buried as part of a pagan ritual? Were they stolen by medieval marauders and stashed in the field to pick up later? Or were they the spoils of war, akin to the treasures Beowulf sought?

Staffordshire Hoard - post conservation. Photograph by David Rowan

Lethal times called for lethal weapons, and that is what you’ll see in this exhibit. Elevated and lighted displays bring you about as close to the 7th century as you’ll probably ever want to get. The cache of gold, silver and garnet objects is extraordinary in detail and quality, with filigree and cloisonné made by master craftsmen of the day.

Staffordshire Hoard - post conservation. Photograph by David Rowan

Don’t miss the folded cross – one of only three religious artifacts in the hoard. It may have once topped a processional cross or a Bible cover and contained a large garnet or other gemstone. Now it is the centerpiece of an exhibit that might best be referred to as mind-blowing.

A replica helmet is on display to show how the recovered bits and pieces may have come together. Since only four complete helmets are known to exist from the Anglo-Saxon period, even these broken shards are significant.

The exhibit offers an opportunity to learn about the daily life, clothing, culture and food of the Dark Ages and features plenty of activities for kids. Searching for hidden items in a dig pit with a metal detector illustrates that the hobby requires patience and might not be quite as easy as it looks.

Family activity backpacks are on loan at the front desk for an enhanced educational experience. A daily drop-in project allows kids to build their own helmets at 2 p.m., and weekend workshops on topics ranging from culinary arts to calligraphy are offered at 1 p.m. (advance registration required).

Terry Herbert’s find will probably become the greatest archeological discovery of the 21st Century. It has been carefully examined and researched for the past two years in an effort to better understand the warfare, religion and craftsmanship of the Dark Ages, perhaps yielding more questions than answers.

Staffordshire Hoard - post conservation. Photograph by David Rowan

Anglo-Saxon Hoard is on exhibit from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily until March 4, when it will be returned to its owners, the Birmingham Museum and Arts Gallery and the Pottery Museum and Arts Gallery in Stoke-on-Kent.

When you go…
Admission to the exhibit is included with museum ticket ($8 for adults, $6 for kids 5-12).

Upcoming workshops include:

To register, email NatGeoMuseum@ngs.org.

For additional information, visit http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/exhibits/.

Elephant and Castle Pub and Restaurant
Bang on! That’s British slang for excellent. Exact. Right on.

The Elephant and Castle at the corner of 19th and “Eye” Streets, within walking distance of Explorers Hall, is bang on for a bite to eat after visiting Anglo-Saxon Hoard. The restaurant offers a comfy setting, fire in the fireplace and food that’s out to prove Brits can cook.

The bar: Guinness is on tap, along with classic pub food and good times, at the Elephant and Castle. Photo by Paul Jean

This is comfort food from the other side of the pond. Roast beef stuffed Yorkshire pudding, chicken pot pie, fish and chips, bangers and mash and the ploughman’s platter make up the backbone of a classic pub menu, promising stick-to-your-ribs-on-a-cold-winter-day goodness.

Jameson’s chicken is pan sautéed in whisky cream sauce and served with green beans and garlic mash. Soups, salads and sandwiches round out the menu, and weekend brunch features the Great British Breakfast, as well as $4 Bloody Marys and mimosas.

If you have room, order the Bailey’s Cheesecake, Highland Bread Pudding or Big Ben Brownie. It’s a good day to … eat.

The fireplace: A roaring fire welcomes day trippers after a visit to Anglo-Saxon Hoard at Explorers Hall. Photo by Paul Jean

Story copyright 2011, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos, except as noted, copyright 2011, Paul N. Jean. All rights reserved.

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In Ellicott City, Everything Old Is New Again

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Elaine Jean

Destination: Ellicott City, Maryland

A visit to Ellicott City lends an unmistakable feeling of déjà vu. Nostalgic buildings spanning three centuries house purveyors of fine home accessories, foods, gifts, antiques and collectibles, each with picturesque storefronts and the personalized service reminiscent of a bygone era.

A B&O railroad bridge greets visitors at the west end of town, adding to Ellicott City’s 19th century flavor. All photos by Paul Jean.

Enjoy the ambiance of the town with a stroll along Main Street, starting at the circa 1780 Thomas Isaac Log Cabin on the west end of town. The oldest surviving residential structure in Howard County provides an opportunity to learn about the history of the region and imagine what life was like for the settlers of the Patapsco River Valley.

A mural depicting Ellicott City’s happy, historic vibe adorns one of its buildings.

This was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution in Maryland. Ellicott City started as a tiny trade center for Ellicott Mills, a flour mill established in 1772 by three Quaker brothers from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The trio persuaded farmers to plant wheat instead of tobacco, and they built a thriving business on that agricultural twist of fate.

The town became home to the first terminus of the B&O Railroad outside of Baltimore in 1830, and its train station has been designated the oldest surviving station in America. Located on the east end of town, it’s now a museum that offers something for every member of the family.

The B&O Museum’s Ellicott City Station is the oldest in the country and a great stop during any season.

Exhibits are set up in rooms labeled by purpose – Men’s Waiting Room, Women’s Waiting Room, Telegraph Office – so you can see how the oldest station in the country functioned in its heyday. Sitting on a bench in one of the waiting rooms, you can almost feel the thunder of a steam locomotive approaching the station.

The Freight Agent’s living quarters are recreated in such detail that it appears he just stepped out for a coffee break.

In addition to the Freight House’s permanent HO layout, the Holiday Festival of Trains offers a Thomas the Tank operating G-scale layout, an O-scale crazy train layout, a push button children’s layout, and a brand new multi-level, O-scale model train layout that took over 750 hours for three full-time builders to complete. The holiday displays will be featured through January 29.

Looking out on Ellicott City from its train station, little seems to have changed in the past century.

The town’s Historic District was designated in 1973 to preserve and encourage restoration of its old structures, and you can pick up a map for a walking tour in the Visitors Center. Main Street has evolved quite nicely while retaining the look and feel of its humble roots — this isn’t Walt Disney’s Main Street, it’s yours and mine.

Here everything old is new again –a former Post Office turned Visitors Center, a row house reinvented as an antique emporium and doll hospital, and an old-fashioned movie theater featuring Boyd Bears and Snowbabies on the marquee.

Today visitors flock to Ellicott City to enjoy its unique shops and restaurants in their historic setting.

Antiques reign supreme, in addition to stores selling everything from upscale apparel for dogs at the Yuppy Puppy to sea glass earrings for his best friend at Art and Artisan. Mumbles and Squeaks Toy Shoppe has been touted by the Washington Post as a child’s fantasy brought to life, and Sweet Cascades earned a Best of Baltimore award in 2009.

This diminutive candy store is packed with both old fashioned favorites and newfangled flavors. Sweet Cascades owners Sue and Rick Whary have a way with chocolate – enrobing just about anything imaginable with the food of the gods. The results are quite interesting, and you can decide for yourself what’s hot and what’s not.

The owners of Sweet Cascades will wax poetic about enrobing typical snack foods with chocolate if given the opportunity.

Popular items include pork rinds, bacon, Doritos, beefy jerky, jalapeno peppers and Cheetos, all making the chocolate-coated Twinkies on a stick look almost pedestrian. The shop is best known for its Old Bay flavored, crab-shaped chocolates, an unexpectedly pleasing compliment to beer …Marylandmade and microbrewed, of course.

The award-winning Ellicott Mills Brewing Company boasts eight beers on tap, with four-glass flights priced at $6.95 – $7.95. Growler refills are also available with a deposit. An extensive menu offers soups, salads, burgers, steaks, lobsters and, for the more adventurous diner, wild game.

The #14 and #9 trolley cars once stopped right outside the circa 1833 Trolley Stop restaurant, where you can now get breakfast, lunch and dinner.

At the Judge’s Bench Pub you can have your history and eat it, too – this premier tap house was actually Howard County’s courthouse in the 1800s. While taverns remain a popular favorite on a cold winter day, other cuisines are represented with restaurants serving everything from traditional British afternoon tea to Japanese-American fusion.

Other points of historic interest include the county’s first fire station, now a museum that houses firefighting memorabilia and equipment, and the ruins of the Patapsco Female Institute, stabilized to become the centerpiece of a historic park. Hours are limited in the winter, so it’s best to focus on the numerous shops and restaurants at this time of year.

Once a successful department store, Taylor’s is now one of the largest antique malls in the area, with over 60 dealers sharing four floors.

The old-fashioned, unadulterated five-and-dime-store flavor of Ellicott City will probably remind you of somewhere else you’ve been before. If you’re from the Northeast, that might be another mill town like Lowell, Massachusetts, and if you’re from the West it could be one of Colorado’s gold rush magnets, like Leadville.

Ellicott City is our own slice of small town Americana, right in Washington, D.C.’s backyard. A visit will recall a time when we didn’t shop online or at the mall, and we knew the shopkeepers by name and could chat with them about their wares. And ask, “Why bacon?”

Happy Holidays from Ellicott City!

When you go …

  • The B&O Railroad Museum is open Wednesday – Sunday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Museum admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids 2 – 12 and free for kids under 2.
  • Parking is abundant and free at several municipal lots located around the city.

Story copyright 2011, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos copyright 2011, Paul N. Jean. All rights reserved.

Gallery of Historic Images

All images courtesy of the Library of Congress, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA.

1. Ellicott’s Mills, Maryland

Bird's eye view of Ellicott's Mills, Maryland. Lithograph and print by E. Sachse & Co., Baltimore, c1854. (Detail from full print.) Library of Congress Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-pga-02596 (digital file from original print).

2. Main Street, Ellicott City, Maryland, 1936

8010-8046 Main Street (Stone House Facades), Ellicott City, Howard County, MD. Historic American Buildings Survey, E. H. Pickering, Photographer, August 1936. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HABS MD, 14-ELLCI, 8--1

3. Main Street, Ellicott City, Maryland, 1936

8133 Main Street (Shop Front), Ellicott City, Howard County, MD. Historic American Buildings Survey, E. H. Pickering, Photographer, August 1936. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HABS MD, 14-ELLCI, 9--1

4. Columbia Pike, Ellicott City, Maryland, 1936

Columbia Pike (Stone Houses), Ellicott City, Howard County, MD. Historic American Buildings Survey, E. H. Pickering, Photographer, August 1936. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HABS MD, 14-ELLCI, 5--1

5. B&O Railroad, Ellicott’s Mills Station

VIEW OF STATION AND PLATFORM, LOOKING SOUTH TOWARDS BALTIMORE - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Ellicott's Mills Station, South Side of State Route 144, Ellicott City, Howard County, MD. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HAER MD, 14-ELLCI, 11--3

6. B&O Railroad, Ellicott’s Mills Station, South Elevation

VIEW OF SOUTH ELEVATION - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Ellicott's Mills Station. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HAER MD, 14-ELLCI, 11--6

7. B&O Railroad, Ellicott’s Mills Station, Station Agent‘s Office

INTERIOR VIEW OF STATION AGENT'S OFFICE - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Ellicott's Mills Station. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HAER MD, 14-ELLCI, 11--8

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Morven Park

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Elaine Jean

Destination: Leesburg, Virginia

Morven Park isn’t just another pretty mansion; it’s a grand country house with a fascinating past. For 40 years this was the home of Westmoreland Davis, Virginia’s 55th governor and advocate for the farmers whose land dotted the surrounding countryside. Today it’s a National Register Historic Property to enjoy for all seasons, especially near the winter holidays.

Morven Park, the former home of Virginia’s 55th governor, is particularly inviting when blanketed with snow. Photo courtesy of Morven Park.

Even without its finery of mistletoe and holly, the former home of Westmoreland and Marguerite Davis would still be warm and welcoming – the kind of mansion you could really cozy up to and call home.

The mansion’s Trophy Room is the ultimate man cave, with rich wood paneling on the ceiling and walls. Photo by Paul Jean.

The style in which the Davises chose to decorate their Greek Revival residence might best be described as eclectic, reflecting their personal taste with objects collected on trips to Europe, Asia and Africa combined with inherited pieces from the estate of Marguerite’s parents. Tours are held daily, so you can learn more about the lives of the people who called Morven Park home.

The Renaissance Great Hall that greets visitors to the Greek Revival mansion showcases rare Flemish tapestry. Photo courtesy of Morven Park.

Westmoreland Davis was raised in Virginia and attended VMI and UVA before studying at Columbia Law School and taking up residence in New York. He built his law practice there and met Marguerite in 1892, when he was hired to settle the estate of her parents. The two married one year later in London, when he was 33 and she was just 22.

When Davis returned to Virginia and purchased Morven Park in 1903, it was already a substantial home with the latest styles and newest innovations. They did not alter the house much, but instead chose to adapt their lifestyles to mesh with the unusual layout.

The holiday dining table is set as it might have been for the guests of Marguerite and Westmoreland Davis. Photo by Paul Jean.

The Davises especially enjoyed equestrian sports – fox hunting, carriage driving and horse riding – and the successful young lawyer was elected Master of Fox Hounds for the Loudoun Hunt in 1906. This was a pivotal point in his life, connecting him with local farmers who explained the issues that were important to them.

He began to read Southern Planter magazine, and extracted information from its articles to revitalize his own farm at Morven Park, transforming it into a model of innovation, science and efficiency. During this time, he also lobbied Richmond for laws that would benefit farmers.

Westmoreland Davis spent a great deal of time in his library, researching new agricultural approaches and techniques. Photo by Paul Jean.

Davis purchased Southern Planter in 1912 and used it as a tool for sharing new ideas, writing educational tutorials and rallying farmers to make their voices heard in state government. By 1915 Davis had made vast improvements to the lives of rural Virginians, and he decided that he wanted to continue his work at a higher level. In 1917 he tossed his hat in the ring, and his campaign proved successful.

From 1918 until 1922, he and Marguerite lived in the Governor’s Mansion in Richmond, and he brought about significant change for the state, reforming its outdated education, transportation, medical, prison and budgetary systems. When his term was over, the Davises returned to Morven Park and immediately started campaigning for the US Senate, but the run was unsuccessful. He retired at his beloved home in the country.

The Davises remained active in the community, and they lived here until his death in 1942. Today Morven Park is dedicated to honoring the life and mission of Westmoreland Davis and to preserving Virginia’s rural history and culture.

A guided tour is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12, offering insight about the mansion and its owners. Professionally trained historic interpreters bring visitors inside this world of not one but two governors –Governor Thomas Swann of Maryland was the 19th century owner of the estate, responsible for the park-like gardens that Marguerite would later rejuvenate.

The furnishings and décor you’ll see are those of Westmoreland and Marguerite Davis, circa 1920. The elaborate entrance hall features a series of four 16th century Brabant tapestries, thought to be originally part of the Royal Spanish collection.

The mansion’s expansive kitchen features abundant storage space and a then state-of-the-art refrigerator. Photo by Paul Jean.

Also on the tour is the Jacobean dining room that appears ready to host a holiday feast, as well as the French drawing room where visitors were entertained, and the library where Davis did much of his reading and research. Glancing at the volumes on the walls, it’s obvious that he was an intellectually curious person of tremendously varied interests.

Displays in the Trophy Room remind visitors that the former residents enjoyed the thrill of the hunt. Photo by Paul Jean.

The Winmill Carriage Museum is located on the property, showcasing a wide variety of antique vehicles from the 19th and 20th centuries, donated by the late Viola Winmill of Warrenton. Of particular interest is the road coach of General Tom Thumb, famed diminutive performer with the Barnum and Bailey Circus.

The collection also runs to the wonderfully exotic, with a colorfully painted donkey cart from Sicily and a Russian-style sleigh that’s worthy of Santa’s annual ride. A tour that includes both the mansion and the carriage collection is $9 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12.

This horse-drawn carriage, known as a caleche, was the forerunner to today’s convertible. Photo courtesy of Morven Park.

Round out the day at the Museum of Hounds and Hunting, located in the North Wing of the mansion. Here the oil paintings of 20th-century sporting artist John Bowles are on display, as well as two multi-media exhibits featuring the life-size workshops of a harness maker and a farrier. Admission is free, and hours are the same as for Morven Park.

Morven Park is beautifully situated on over 1,000 acres. When weather permits, a self-guided tour of replica Civil War huts is available for $3 per adult, with children ages 11 and under admitted free.

An Antiques Appraisal with Ben Hastings will be held on December 17 at 11:30 a.m., and the First Lady of Virginia’s Holiday Tea will be offered on December 18 at 1 p.m. For additional information and reservations to these events, visit www.morvenpark.org.

When you go …

  • Morven Park is open from noon to 4 p.m., except Christmas and New Year’s Day.
  • Tours are offered every half hour, with the last tour starting at 3 p.m.
  • The mansion will be closed from January 9-February 29, 2012 for deep cleaning.

Story copyright 2011, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos, except as noted, copyright 2011, Paul N. Jean. All rights reserved.

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Seasons Greenings at the US Botanic Garden

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Elaine Jean

Destination:Washington,DC

The Giraffe Garage is a favorite among visitors to Seasons Greenings at the US Botanic Garden. All photos by Paul Jean.

The US Botanic Garden has hosted a woodsy wonderland of model railroading every holiday season since 2004. This year’s Garden Railway is the best yet, featuring over 800 feet of track, dozens of bridges and a waterfall, all set in a whimsical world that delights dreamers of all ages.

Landscape architect Paul Busse is a magician. From nature’s bounty of twigs, leaves, pine cone scales, acorns, and grapevine tendrils – the stuff we crunch underfoot in the forest – he conjures a fantastical setting where anything is possible.

Busse and his company, Applied Imagination of Alexandria, Kentucky, are best known for their detailed horticultural renderings of famous buildings. DC’s own landmarks are tucked among huge pots of poinsettia plants in the Garden Court, and you’ll enjoy seeing some of them as you wait to enter the East Gallery for the main event, where the style of his work changes dramatically.

Trains wind through villages and pass over bridges made of plants and other horticultural materials.

The door to the Garden Railway exhibit is a portal to another dimension. Dwellings made from plants and other earthy materials bear more than a passing resemblance to their inhabitants, and kids revel in a game of “Who lives here.” Parents can’t help pondering the vast amount of talent, creativity and effort that has gone into miniature masterpieces with names like Monkey Mansion, Porcupine Place, and Hummingbird Home.

The Peacock Palace is a spectacular example of the talent and creativity behind Paul Busse’s work.

Multiple trains – including a B&O freight train and a Thomas the Tank Engine – clickity clack along tracks and wend through villages. Kids and limber adults crawl through a tunnel featuring lighted vignettes built into its walls, where it appears that critters are enjoying all the creature comforts.

Trains travel ‘round the bend in the enchanting enclave.

Comfort is, in fact, the operative word of the day. It’s in the scent of cedar, the lushness of the greenery and the otherworldliness of the design. You want to believe this enchanted enclave really is inhabited by tiny woodland animals, and the kid in you does.

The exhibit ends with a cluster of famous homes –Mount Vernon and Monticello included – and exits back into the Garden Court, where you can take a closer look at Busse’s models of the Washington Monument, Library of Congress, White House and buildings along the Mall. The Capitol Hill layout under the tree is a great place to snap seasonal photos for family and friends.

The US Capitol Building has a prominent place in the Garden Court.

The room features holiday music, a reflecting pool and more heady scents – with camellia added to the mix. You might be tempted to park yourself on a bench to become blissfully sedated for the remainder of the day, but don’t. Ecosystems of the world await.

Enter The Jungle through its sealed glass doors, and you’ll immediately know the humidity level has been stepped up quite a few notches to support abundant palm trees, prayer plants and bromeliads – all plants we try – and often fail — to grow at home.

This Coral Aphelandra is one of the tropical plants in the Jungle Room.

Wooden walkways and stone bridges are enveloped by greenery, and a catwalk crawling with vines lets you walk along treetops, al a George of the Jungle. Back on terra firma, a children’s garden is a fantasy of topiary, ferns and blossoms, and holiday ornaments dot the landscape just to remind you that you’re in DC and not some faraway place.

The transition to World Desserts is a bit jarring, with red rocks and prickly cacti in sharp contrast to the preceding room. But a dry, minerally breeze stirs, and the beauty of the dessert becomes apparent with its vibrant flowers sprinkled among muted tones.

A lone cactus flower reveals the softer side of the dessert.

In Hawaii, a waterfall and stone archway surrounded by cool, green lusciousness bring to life the marketing phrase “Land of Enchantment.” And at the Garden Primeval, a glorious mystery is revealed: Where did all our flowers come from?

The plants here are representative of vegetation that dominated the earth 150 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period. Kids are naturally delighted by macabre carnivorous plants, letting imaginations run wild. It’s easy when you’ve stepped back in time and are standing next to a pond that looks like the manifestation of primordial soup.

An exhibit on Medicinal Plants showcases the usual suspects – aloe, ginger, lavender, coffee, tea and herbs – as well as witch hazel, goldenseal wild cherry and other homeopathic remedies used to cure everything from bad breath to insomnia. You’ll feel better just breathing the air.

North America boasts over 140 varieties of orchids, and several are on display in the Orchid Room.

The Orchid Room is a spectacular conclusion to the day – blooms that range from soft and subdued to bold and happy are set against a backdrop of mossy rocks, deep green leaves and babbling brook. Blood pressure drops, the spirit soars and the frenzied nature of the holiday season melts away, if just for a few hours. The Garden Railway exhibit runs through January 2.

When you go …

  • The U.S. Botanic Garden is at 100 Maryland Avenue SW, next to the Capitol Building.
  • Limited metered parking spaces are available in the adjacent parking lot.
  • The nearest Metro stops are Federal Center SW or Capitol South.
  • Directions and detailed information are available at www.usbg.gov.
  • Admission is free, and the US Botanic Garden is open every day from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Hours extend to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, featuring live holiday music.

Live Holiday Music Schedule

A model of the US Botanic Garden is found in the West Gallery, along with interactive stations and educational exhibits.

Story copyright 2011, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos copyright 2011, Paul N. Jean. All rights reserved.

 

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ICE! Warms the Heart with Merry Madagascar

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Elaine Jean

Destination: National Harbor, Maryland

Not in the holiday mood yet? A visit to the Gaylord Hotel at the National Harbor will surely banish the blues. That’s the magic of ICE!, a 15,000 square foot extravaganza that’s been hand carved entirely from two million pounds of frozen H2O.

The ice artisans of China’s northernmost province bring the story of Merry Madagascar to life, using traditional tools and techniques. All photos by Paul Jean.

This year the Gaylord has teamed up with DreamWorks Animation, bringing Merry Madagascar to life with sparkling scenes from the 30-minute holiday special. Before you enter the highly insulated nine-degree pavilion, you’ll be asked to don a big blue parka that has been specially designed for the task. Yes, it will make your butt look fat; but it will keep you toasty warm, too.

Next you’ll walk through jaw-dropping scenes of our favorite expats from Central Park as they help Santa save Christmas. It seems the jolly old elf has crash landed on the island of Madagascar and suffered an acute case of amnesia.

Alex, Marty, Gloria, Melman and the wacky penguins commandeer Santa’s sleigh and deliver presents to the children of the world. Even King Julian learns that it’s better to give than to receive, getting himself removed from Santa’s naughty list for good.

The plot may be simple, but this is definitely not child’s play. Forty master carvers from Harbin, China– famous for its 100-acre Ice and Snow Festival – traveled halfway around the world to recreate the DreamWorks story of Merry Madagascar. The artisans have devoted over 30 days to meticulously sculpting the 5,000 blocks of ice using traditional tools and techniques.

Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman watch as Santa crash lands on the island of Madagascar.

Since each block is nearly 400 pounds, the entire display weighs in at about one thousand tons. The ice is custom made in Ohio in three varieties – crystal clear, opaque and colored – then shipped to the Gaylord to be carved on location in carefully monitored conditions. ICE! is as much a feat of engineering as it is a work of art.

The centerpiece of the winter wonderland is a set of towering ice slides that whisks riders down two stories and past the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and other sights our heroes enjoyed during their trip around the world. ICE! is literally and figuratively over the top.

The four friends save Christmas by delivering toys to the children of the world, and a two-story set of ice slides recreates their journey.

The last room of ice sculptures is a nod to more traditional symbols of the season, rendered in glistening, crystal clear ice that’s in stark contrast to the cartoonish hues of Merry Madagascar. It’s a great note to end on, leaving this visitor wondering how it’s possible to feel so warm and fuzzy while surrounded by two million pounds of ice.

Exit from the pavilion is made through a gift shop, where you can purchase a commemorative photo, souvenirs, snacks and drinks. DreamWorks characters offer hugs and photo opportunities and are found just outside the exhibit, along with an ice skating rink and the Potomac Express ride-on train.

Kids can take a ride on the Potomac Express for an additional fee.

When you go:

  • ICE! Merry Madagascar runs from November 18, 2011 – January 8, 2012.
  • Admission is $25-35 for adults (13 and up), $20-30 for kids (4-12).
  • Tickets are limited and may be purchased online to ensure admission.
  • Ice skating and train ride are offered at extra cost.
  • For hours of operation, visit their website. (www.christmasonthepotomac.com.)
  • Park in the self-parking garage at a special rate of $10 (up to three hours).

The Gaylord Hotel’s atrium is all decked out for the holidays.

Christmas on the Potomac
ICE! is part of the larger Christmas on thePotomaccelebration, now in its fourth year at the Gaylord. Attracting over 250,000 visitors annually, it’s been deemed one of the 12 most festive places to find the holiday spirit by AAA Magazine.

If ICE! Merry Madagascar isn’t enough to snap you out of your funk, visit the Gaylord’s atrium, where millions of lights twinkle and snow falls indoors– yes, seriously – every day.

Some timed events are free and worth planning around, including nightly tree lighting by DreamWorks characters with the aforementioned indoor snowfall at 6:30 p.m. Water is choreographed to dance to traditional holiday music in the Brightest Star Fountain show at 9:30 p.m., with a narration of the classic Christmas story featured.

Other events are offered for an additional charge. Gingy, the larger-than-life gingerbread man of Shrek fame, is hosting his own cookie event. Gingerbread houses and/or families are available to purchase and decorate, and packages include visits with Gingy. Be sure to bring your camera to capture the fun.

Gingy inspires kids to decorate gingerbread houses, people, cat and dogs.

Santa will be in the atrium, and you can visit and have a photo taken on weekdays from noon to 9 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 3 to 9 p.m. Brunch with Santa is offered on weekends from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Even the trees are decorated, making the Gaylord holiday central at the National Harbor.

But wait, there’s more …
The National Harbor hosts numerous events this season. Friday nights through December 23 feature fireworks, food and fun from 6 to 9 p.m., with a tree lighting at 7 p.m. and the fireworks immediately after.

The Hot Chocolate 5K/15K is scheduled for December 3 at 7:30 p.m., and the 26th Annual Waterskiing Santa can be seen on December 24 at 1 p.m. The National Children’s Museum Launch Zone and many of the shops and restaurants at the National Harbor are also celebrating the season with special attractions and offers.

A 60-foot tall “candy” glass tree is suspended above the Gaylord Hotel's atrium and lit every night at 6:30 p.m.

Story copyright 2011, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos copyright 2011, Paul N. Jean. All rights reserved.

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All Aboard for Holiday Fun at the B&O Railroad Museum

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Elaine Jean

Destination: Baltimore, Maryland

A visit to the B&O Museum in Baltimore makes a great day trip for all ages at any time of year. They’ve just finished decking the halls – along with their spectacular roundhouse –and this weekend they’ll kick off seasonal events that every member of the family will enjoy.

Santa and Mrs. Claus welcome visitors to participate in a wide range of holiday activities at the B&O Museum in Baltimore. Courtesy of the B&O Railroad Museum.

This is the birthplace of American railroading. On July 4, 1828 the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence laid the inaugural stone for mile one of America’s first commercial train track. On this 40 acre site that railroad buffs consider hallowed ground, passenger cars were built and repaired, timetables and publicity materials were printed, and people devoted their lives to working on the railroad.

The Annex Building (circa 1891) houses the main entrance to the museum, as well as a gift shop and exhibition gallery. After parking among a sea of locomotives and other impressive heavy machinery, step inside the building, buy a ticket and prepare to stay a while.

The yard outside the roundhouse offers a carousel, ride-on train, G-scale train layouts and rolling stock you can walk through. Photo by Paul Jean.

The architecturally striking 1884 Baldwin Roundhouse was originally built as a railroad car repair shop, and it now hosts a significant collection of locomotives and rolling stock, along with smaller historic items. The Alex Brown & Sons Exhibition Gallery showcases the timepieces, lanterns, dining car china, signals, and tools of the trade used by people who made the great machine work.

The ceiling of the roundhouse, rebuilt after severe damage was sustained during a 2003 snowstorm, has been fully restored. Photo by Paul Jean.

A cutaway display exposes a 60-foot wide turntable that was central to the operation. Workers used it to shuttle trains weighing up to 50 tons in and out of their bays – where restored beauties are parked today – with an aptly named, hand-operated Armstrong devise. Docents are available to answer questions and give tours, helping to bring the collection into focus and put it in context.

The 1863 Thatcher Perkins steam locomotive was used to tackle the tough mountain grades of West Virginia. Photo by Paul Jean.

To commemorate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the Civil War, the museum is proud to host The War Came by Train. The five-year-long exhibit features the largest collection of Civil War railroad equipment in the world, along with life-size dioramas, artifacts of interest on loan from other institutions, and a train ride to the site of the largest Union soldier encampment in Baltimore.

This passenger coach, featured in many pageants, fairs and movies, is typical of Civil War era train transportation. Photo by Paul Jean.

The B&O Passenger Car Works, located next to the roundhouse, was completed in the 1870s and used to build, refurbish and repair passenger cars. Now the structure holds some of the museum’s most impressive steam and diesel engines and offers the visitor a rare opportunity to climb aboard and play engineer.

The North Car Shop of the B&O Passenger Car Works houses some of the museum’s most significant steam and diesel engines. Photo by Paul Jean.

Beginning on November 25, the Baldwin Roundhouse will host the layout of a different model railroading club each weekend. Kicking off the season from November 25-27 is a LEGO train display constructed entirely of the patented plastic blocks – right down to its track – and created by the Washington DC Metropolitan Area LEGO Train Club. In addition, live entertainment will be provided by local choral and dance groups.

New this year is an operational, floor-level G-scale layout, in addition to indoor train carousel rides, Santa’s Workshop and a North Pole Postage Bag. The museum supports the US Marine Corp’s Toys for Tots Program, and visitors bringing an unwrapped, new toy with them receive 50 percent off admission until December 18. Toys purchased in the gift shop for donation will be sold at a discount.

Photo opportunities and train rides with Santa will be offered during weekends through December 18, and then Frosty will take over for the remainder of the month. The train travels along the first commercial mile of track laid in America, and on Saturday, December 3 you can ride it to visit Mount Clare, the home of B&O founder Charles Carroll.

The grounds of his 1760 Colonial Georgian mansion are steeped in Civil War history. Camp Carroll was established as a training camp for US soldiers, and it was in use continuously until the end of the war in 1865.

The Mount Clare mansion will be adorned with traditional 18th and 19th century holiday decorations – fruit, nuts, pine cones and feathers – and admission is included with the price of the train ticket ($8 for adults, $7 for children and reduced rates for seniors and B&O members). The Mount Clare train runs at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

A walk through the C&O coach in the yard rewards visitors with a detailed layout of Baltimore, the way it was. Photo by Paul Jean.

Be sure to explore the attractions in the cars along the platforms in the yard, including an HO-scale layout of 20th century Baltimore designed by Jeff Springer and permanently displayed in a restored C&O coach. The nearby theater car shows short films if the family needs to chill after a bout of sensory overload. And the last in the line is a charming caboose, of course.

Visitors to the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore have a rare opportunity to see, touch, hear and explore the oldest, most significant train collection in the Western Hemisphere. The museum showcases an unparalleled line-up of 19th and 20th century railroad equipment, providing an impressive backdrop for over-the-top winter fun for the entire month of December.

Built in 1929, this caboose has a cupola that kids love to climb in with a view train buffs love. Photo by Paul Jean.

When you go …

  • Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Admission: $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $8 for children 2-12.
  • Train ride, carousel ride and photography are available for additional fees.
  • On site parking is abundant and free.
  • For a complete schedule of displays and events, visit www.borail.org.

The circa 1883 Iron Pot Hopper was used to haul 20 tons of coal, at a time when other railroads were still using wooden gondolas. Photo by Paul Jean.

Story copyright 2011, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos copyright 2011, Paul N. Jean, except as noted. All rights reserved.

Gallery of Historic Images

All images courtesy of the Library of Congress, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA.

1. B&O Railroad, Mount Clare Train Station, 1936

Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Mount Clare Station, 500 block West Pratt Street, Baltimore, Independent City, MD. Historic American Buildings Survey, E.H. Pickering, Photographer, August 1936. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HABS MD, 4-BALT, 51--1

The following images come from a Historic American Engineering Record collection available from the Library of Congress.  The significance of these railroad structures are captured in notes provided with the photos:

“Mount Clare Shops were the earliest railroad shops in the western hemisphere, if not the world. The B & O had a facility at this site since 1829. At its height, it was the most comprehensive, self-contained shop complex producing everything from steam locomotives, freight and passenger cars, bridges, small hardware and building components for use throughout the system. Operations included metal casting, forging and machinery, wood working and boiler making. After years of diminishing operations as craftsmen retired, and work was either produced elsewhere on the system or purchased, the shops were demolished in 1974. The B & O Transportation Museum uses Mount Clare Station, the circular passenger car-shop, the print shop, the paint and repair shop and the electrical pipe and hardware shop for museum purposes.”

2. B&O Railroad, Mount Clare Passenger Car Shop & Paint Shop

RAILROAD TRRACKS LEADING TO PAINT & REPAIR SHOP; PASSENGER CAR SHOP TO THE LEFT - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Mount Clare Passenger Car Shop, Southwest corner of Pratt & Poppleton Streets, Baltimore, Independent City, MD. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HAER MD, 4-BALT, 127--5

3. B&O Railroad, Cupola Atop Passenger Car Shop

GENERAL VIEW OF CUPOLA ATOP PASSENGER CAR SHOP - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Mount Clare Passenger Car Shop. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HAER MD, 4-BALT, 127--4

4. B&O Railroad, Arial View of Museum Collection

AERIAL VIEW OF ENGINE DISPLAY INSIDE PASSENGER CAR SHOP (NOW A TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM) - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Mount Clare Passenger Car Shop. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HAER MD, 4-BALT, 127--14

5. B&O Railroad Museum, Damage from Collapsed Roof, February 2003

View northwest from damaged roof area. - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Mount Clare Passenger Car Shop. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HAER MD, 4-BALT, 127--21

6.  B&O Railroad Museum, Repairs to Mount Clare Passenger Car Shop

Exterior view, from west - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Mount Clare Passenger Car Shop, Southwest corner of Pratt & Poppleton Streets, Baltimore, MD. Library of Congress Reproduction Number: HAER MD, 4-BALT, 127--25

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