More of 2019 Missed

 July and August 2019

I am going to blame the fact that I was concentrating so much on my "medical issues" that I just missed the things we did in July and August.  So like the Library of Congress, I am placing them at the beginning of the 2020 book to preserve the memories.  Let's face it, 2020 needs all the help it can get.

July

On one of our many road trips, we visited Glen Echo Park.  Glen Echo Park was an amusement park and public swimming pool back in the day.  It began as the National Chautauqua on June 6, 1891.  After the financial troubles of the owners and unfounded rumors of rampant malaria, the facilities were closed.

The Washing Railway and Electric Company constructed a trolley park (amusement park) in 1902.  It was popular into the 1940s.  The successor to WR&E, Capital Transit Company added a number of Streamline Moderne structures, but by the 1950s attendance began to decline.  The successor to Capital Transit Company, DC Transit Systems, Inc., closed the trolley line serving the park in 1960.

Glen Echo suffered segregation problems like many places in the 60s, but by 1961 the park was opened to all.   

On Easter Monday, 1966, a cigarette was thrown on the tracks of the roller coaster, damaging them.   The coaster closed early and a lack of communication caused tensions to flare and more damage was caused to buses.  The park, already a failing enterprise, was closed.

The GSA acquired the property in 1970 and the National Park Service took over the management.  The Park was transferred to the NPS in 1976.

The original land was divided to create the Clara Barton National Historic Site and the remaining land to the George Washington Parkway.  today the park is a successful Arts and Culture Center. 

Bruce always has an eye for patterns.

July

Again on a road trip, we followed a brown sign.  Love those brown signs.  We discovered Mount Calvert.  This is a historical and Archaeological Park.  We were lucky today because they were open to the public and we were able to visit a dig as well as the house.