Washington, of course. We parked the car and were near the National Gallery which was
delightfully cool and fountained. We saw many familiar paintings from the Kress and
Chester Dale collections - and Kai saw a prize, “Watson & the Sharks.” This was a
“memorial” painting by John Singleton Copley with a long explanation beneath.
Next we saw French paintings: Monet, Degas, Toulousee Laurtrec, Picasso. It was
all most pleasant. Our party had the usual confusion in getting out of Washington - finally
escaped across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
Lunch was had at a nice picnic spot in Prince William Forest - they also have a
campground. Very handy as it was on (or off) Interstate 95 just a little way. We started
out again at quarter to 1.
We took a quick sidetrip to the Jackson Shrine; Thomas J.’s place was 4 miles
off-- then in on a dirt road. This is in Guinea (VA), originally Quincy. The house was all
nice and freshly painted. We went to the office of the old plantation and the guide was
glad to see someone in his air-conditioned (!) house - he gave us other pamphlets, too.
HOUSE DRAWING
On to Richmond!
Next we went to the Confederate Museum which was the Jefferson Davis White
House. It was full of exhibits of old uniforms and memorabilia. There were two rooms
furnished: the parlor (or drawing room) and a huge bedroom. Curvy stairways!
Found the Martha Washington Motel in Providence Forge - very reasonable rate ($12.00),
clean and air conditioned. We had dinner at a little restaurant (New Kent something) . I
had a soft shelled crab sandwich which consisted of a whole fried crab between two
slices of bread. Breakfast at the Martha Washington - very good. Saw the Westover
Church (Episcopal)
Berkeley - cost us $6.75 but it was most interesting. We saw several beautiful pieces of
furniture, including a “Gentleman’s Chest which had drawers for everything. We bought
tickets from the owner, Mr. Jamison. There was crewel work on the Queen Anne chairs in
the hall.
BERKELEY , “site of the first Thanksgiving”
VSM66
Berkley was the birthplace of Wm Henry Harrison, who gave the impression while
politicking that he was a log cabin boy. Place had run down after the war (used by Gen.
McClellan). Somebody built a porch and cut down the trees. It was restored by Mr.
Jamison , whose father bought it in 1906.
William
Henry Harrison, "Old Tippecanoe"Shirley:
This is the one with the hanging walnut stairway:
In 1841 the boys of the 7th generation dug the acorns out of the carved oak leaf mantel one rainy Sunday. Interesting carving dentil - pineapple & rosettes in Drawing room-
Drove in to:
Belle Aire, featured in the Feb. 1965 issue of Antiques Magazine. It was an old frame and stucco structure. The doors in the dining room had “egg and dart”. The bedroom has a
double Greek key at top and a single at wainscot level. There were no curtains, justwooden shutters which fold into recesses. Only one coat of paint until 1962; They showed us how the original paint had darkened.
Drove into the John Tyler house in Sherwood Forest. It was a long white frame house
constructed circa 1840. Still lived in by Tylers (pg207 -AAA)
John
Tyler (and Tyler, Too!)VSM98-Nancy, Karen and I went back to these houses when we stayed in Williamsburg after Duck/1994. A much more expensive tour than 1966. Stan and Nils took Jeff and Charlie to the Water Park.
JAMESTOWN
Tar and pitch swamp - we saw a red-winged blackbird.
Next we took the tour which went to the tower statues of Pocahontas, Capt. John
Smith. We stopped by the graveyard where a “mother-in-law tree” separated the graves of
Elizabeth Blair and her husband (she was the daughter of Benjamin Harrison. We traveled
the Colonial Parkway to Williamsburg with a side tour by the college. We spent a long
time looking for the Congress Inn because the price looked better in last year’s book but it
wasn’t --$21.00!!!
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