Downtown (the smaller version)

Hop in my car, and I'll take you on a quick tour from the countryside of central Virginia to the bustling Tidewater region. The picture on the left was taken in front of the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, but we'll start in Montpelier, Virginia, and we'll explore that area before we leap to the east. I don't have any details on the equine statue, anyway; It was a cold night and I snapped the photo from the warmth of my car.

From the previous blog post, in addition to exploring Morris's grandmother's house, our travels took us through portions of Hanover, Louisa, Orange, and Madison counties. We made a calculated decision to take backroads - true backroads that veered off of the two-lane byways - that were paved but off the standard roadmaps. This allowed us to see places like Beaverdam, Bumpass, Fredericks Hall and Cutalong. Some were just crossroads, others were towns that declined when rail travel fell out of favor.

When I ride through these areas, I often wonder how I would like living in such a bucolic setting. In my fantasy I can visualize an old cottage, surrounded by flowers in the spring, and a comfy chair & a book next to a crackling fire in wintertime. I think I would enjoy living in the country, as long as I had a reliable connection to the Internet. And no job to slog off to each day. And a Useful Man (link to The Old Foodie, a very interesting blog) to take care of tasks that would confound me. In other words, I'm better off in my maintenance-free home unless an unexpected & sizable windfall drops into my bank account.

Downtown Montpelier

House in Downtown Montpelier

Church of our Savior (Episcopal)
Montpelier

The Aaron Hall Free School

Just south of Beaverdam, near a place with the alluring name of Old Bandana, we happened upon the Aaron Hall Free School. Boarded up but well maintained, it was obviously an historic property, and we stopped to take a closer look. Aaron Hall, a farmer, bequeathed funds upon his death to establish a school for his neighbors who could not otherwise afford formal educations for their children. What an act of love! The central portion of the structure is obviously the oldest part of the school, constructed with rough-hewn logs in 1844 at a time when this section of Virginia had no nearby schools.

I love exploring city & countryside with Morris because we share a curiousity about our surroundings. I like taking pictures, and Morris never gets impatient when I pull over or turn around for a photo opportunity. No road is too narrow and no village too obscure when we set out for a drive. We took one road near a dot on the map called Rising Sun, but turned around when it began looking suspiciously like someone's driveway.

When we return to our homes, each of us likes to research what we've discovered via the Internet or area libraries. A wealth of information from reliable sources is at our fingertips nowadays. The Library of Virginia, the Virginia Historical Society, the National Park Service, and Virginia Commonwealth University have established websites where we can view court records, maps, essays on history, and old photographs.




Downtown Beaverdam

The old train station in Beaverdam

Terrell's Store, across from the Beaverdam train depot

The Court Cafe in Louisa
The outside looked promising, but the Court Cafe was obviously more bar than restaurant, since at midday we were the only two patrons. People probably swing from the ceiling lights at night. Still, we had good food & very friendly service.

A railroad building in Louisa

A simple country church at a crossroads called Cutalong


Old and new buildings in downtown Norfolk

Madison Hotel
Norfolk

Delicious fare on Granby Street
Norfolk

Colley Avenue Pharmacy
Norfolk
I made a spur-of-the-moment trip down to Norfolk to see Suzanne, who was in town from Amsterdam visiting her mother. I doubted I was going to see her, because we didn't talk until the midpoint of her stay, but I was able to arrange a day away from the office on short notice. We had a fine time. We rode by our old high school, stopped & sat awhile in front of the house where I grew up, and had a nice dinner in Norfolk.

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.
George Eliot

I've got two friends, Suzanne & Brenda, whom I've known since childhood. We have so many shared memories and stories.We have seen each other through the calamities of life: loss of romantic relationships, financial uncertainty, ill health, crazy thinking, financial uncertainty, change of careers, and the death of loved ones. We have celebrated each others' joys & successes. We have shared hours of unbridled laughter. We have seen one another at our best and our worst, but we remain constant. Old friends know us better than we know ourselves, in some ways.
And a youth said, Speak to us of Friendship
And he answered saying:
Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.
Kahlil Gibran

Cake made by the owner's wife at Jenro's Diner
Virginia Beach

To Grandmother's House We Go

Door with peeling paint
Her first name was Ivy. She was the grandmother of my friend Morris, and she moved into this house in Mineral in the mid-1940's. Although the house was probably a single-family home originally, by the time Ivy moved in, it had been divided into two flats. She lived in the lower half of the house. Aunt Dot lived upstairs; she was the sister of one of Ivy's daughters-in-law. Not really an aunt, in other words, but that's how we say things here in The South.

Morris remembers visiting his grandmother, and staying overnight on weekends frequently. He & his brother would also spend at least one week each summer with her. The house is in Mineral, originally known as Tolersville. Morris recalls hearing the train wail in the quiet hours of deepest night, for the house is situated just a couple of streets over from the train tracks that run through town.

The town was known as Mineral at least as far back as 1902, when it was incorporated as such because of the many nearby mines. Fool's Gold (pyrite), as well as real gold, copper, sulphur, and iron ore were mined by various companies, and hauled out of Mineral over the railroad. At one time there were fifteen gold mines within two miles of town.

The picture above shows the current view of the guest room where Morris slept when he stayed with his grandmother. Like my own grandmother, Ivy was poor but feisty, and she enjoyed having her family in to visit. Although the home was small, with two bedrooms, a living room, and an eat-in kitchen, places were found for everyone to sleep. Privacy wasn't a priority when it came to family get-togethers. There were two double beds in the guest room, and the overflow would sleep on sofas or with Ivy.

All the women would pitch in to cook the family meals. Ivy had a "modern" stove in a corner, and a wood stove along the center of one wall. The kitchen was large, but there was no dining room, so meals were served in three sittings at the kitchen table. Ivy ate with the men at the first seating, since it was her house. Her presence probably discouraged food fights, also. The rest of the women took the second seating, and the kids ate last.

The women cleaned up after the meal, except for Aunt Kat who disappeared upstairs to her siser's flat with a promise to be back to help in a minute. The other women exchanged looks, because they knew they wouldn't see Kat & her manicured nails until the last pot was washed & dried. The men & children ran off to play.

Morris and I were on one of our explorations, this time through the countryside northwest of Richmond. We visited his mother's grave in Hanover County, and then continued into Louisa County, stopping in Mineral to see his grandmother's old place.

Both of our grandmothers lived through hard times in the Great Depression, and both spent most of their lives in rented homes. My grandmother bought her first home in the 1960's when she herself was in her 60's. Morris's grandmother lived at her home in Mineral until she died at the hospital in the 1980's. Both of our grandmothers were widowed in their 60's, and lived into their 90's. Both used wringer washers, and enjoyed their stories (soap operas) on afternoon television. You could hear the trains pass by from both houses; one in Mineral, the other in Morrison, Iowa. For their grandchildren, both created lasting memories of home-cooked meals and the fellowship of family.

Ivy never locked her doors. In fact, when new tenants moved in following her death, the landlord had to install locks on the doors. Now, the house has been vacant for many years. It was the first time that Morris had been inside since the estate sale. It was good to see him walking through the rooms, and hear him share his memories. Mineral is today a sleepy town with many of its businesses gone and old buildings demolished. Coleman Hotel, Mineral Hotel, Noel's Store, and the Mineral Tea Room exist only in photographs. The town has a population of a little over 400 souls, quite a drop since the 1910 census tallying 3,200.

Morris remembers when staying in Mineral meant excitement. We both grew up in suburban neighborhoods; you got in the car to go places. At his grandmother's, he was right in town, with trains chugging by, stores a short stroll away, and the fire station down the block. It was heaven for a child from suburban Richmond.

As we drove away for more adventures, we both reflected silently on our childhood memories. I would walk to the post office to fetch Grandma's mail, and return to her house for a glass of cold milk & a handful of homemade cookies. The postmistress, Jessie, would put a notice of our visit in the social column of the Grundy County Register, and it was always exciting to see our names in the newspaper. Grandma knew who lived in every house in town. Times sure have changed.

Scenes from Hither & Yon

It's November already! The month of giving thanks and incinerating turkeys. The 11th month, when at some point we say "Oh, Crap! It's almost Christmas!" I'm trying to coordinate an office move, so I haven't been writing much on here lately. I've had a few photo-snapping adventures, though, and I wanted to post some pictures today.

The top picture was taken at an open house one Sunday. I'd noticed that an old house on Riverside Drive was up for sale, so I called Jean and we took a tour. This picture was taken in a sunroom off the master bedroom, and I liked the view of the trees. Three walls of windows looked out toward similar views, and it would be the perfect room for curling up with a good book. I got a bunch of other cool shots at the house that I may post later.

This past Saturday I was invited to a pig roast on the Northern Neck, about two hours from Richmond on a peninsula between the Potomac & Rappahannock Rivers on Chesapeake Bay. Morris & I traveled together. Outside Irvington we spotted this giant corkscrew at the entrance to White Fences Vineyard. When I was drinking, gin was my preferred poison, but I would make do with wine on Sundays if my bottle was empty. It would have taken a bottle this big to handle my alcohol addiction!

Morris & I stopped by the Tides Inn to walk around the grounds & poke through the gift shop. The picture below shows a sailboat on Carter's Creek taken from the lawn at the inn. It was a brisk & sunny fall day, and we were looking forward to the pig roast.

As we drove up Route 200, through the pleasant town of Kilmarnock and toward the bridge over the Rappahannock, we saw an old church on a small hill in the country. Morattico Baptist Church was founded in 1778, and the current church was erected in 1856. There were many interesting markers in the surrounding graveyard.

In short time we were at Cheryl & Jan's campground. The pig was on the roaster, being tended by their neighbor, Phil, who knows all about smoking a pig. We spent the day there, enjoying the company of friends and campground neighbors. I was impressed with the casual atmosphere and genuine friendliness of the folks who stopped by. The campground is a seasonal resort where people set up permanent campsites, so all the residents zip around on golf carts and wave, or stop to chat. Everyone had a splendid time, and the food was wonderful. Not a good event for vegetarians, however.

A couple weeks prior, when Jean & I went to the open house on Riverside Drive, we drove along the James River...
...and then continued on through old Bon Air, which was a Victorian-era resort outside Richmond. Now, Bon Air is a Richmond suburb, but many old homes still reflect a time when this area offered a respite from the sooty summer air of the 19th Century industrial city. One item you may find interesting: Polk Street in Bon Air was named after a local pharmacist who founded a pet care product company as the result of creating treatments for his favorite hunting dog. His dog's name was Sergeant.

The remaining pictures are just random shots taken around town and beyond. It's fun to get out of the house with my camera to see what I can find. The weather has been comfortable, after a summer of wilting heat, and I enjoy exploring.

Some of you may remember the pictures I posted from Goochland's Field Day of the Past back in September. One of the event organizers saw the photos on this blog, and asked whether I would be interested in photographing their event next year. He said they liked my pictures better then the ones they got from the company they hired. Isn't that a hoot? All I've got is a cheap point-n-shoot digital camera and an untrained eye.

The 3rd Generation Barber & Beauty Salon on East Grace Street.

A window display right next door to the 3rd Generation Barber & Beauty Salon.

A Richmond landmark, still working faithfully since the 1960's.

The Scott House bathed in the early morning sunlight one Sunday on my way to Perly's for breakfast.

A lakeside stroll in Forest Hill Park.

Oregon Hill, with downtown beyond. Oregon Hill sits on a bluff overlooking the James River, off-camera to the right.

The last picture was taken in Amsterdam last December. It reminds me that days are getting shorter. I rather like the feeling of cozy warmth when I'm indoors with hot coffee and a book, in the glow of lamplight as the autumn night presses against the windows.

The Village of Dashed Dreams

Westover Church, circa 1730
I had a wonderful Labor Day weekend, and I hope you did, too. I had four days away from the office, and I threatened myself with public lashing every time I was tempted to go there "just to catch a few things up during the off-hours." A few of us had kicked around the idea of going to Hillsville for their annual Labor Day Flea Market & Gun Show, but our collective good sense prevailed. For one thing, it was a last minute idea (which would not have deterred us), but then Robespierre's knee "swole up" to the size of a grapefruit and we didn't have time to rent him a scooter.

Still, just think of the pictures I could have taken! The flea market, one of the largest east of the Mississippi, would have been a giant, outdoor People of Walmart photo extravaganza. Brenda even designed a Bingo card to take with me with items like Beanie Babies, Funnel Cakes, knives & ammo, boxes of 8-track tapes, and (my favorite) Sno-Cone machine surrounded by bees. Oh, well, perhaps next year.

Cemetery at Westover Church
Sheldon called me and asked if I would be interested in a Bill-style road trip on Sunday, which means there's a firm departure point, but everything else is up for grabs. Sheldon, Sadie & I headed east on Route 5, the Plantation Route, first making a stop at Country Style Donuts.

Route 5 parallels the north bank of the James River, passing by old plantations such as Shirley, Berkeley, Edgewood, Westover, Evelynton, Belle Air, Sherwood Forest, and Weyanoke. A rural oasis between Richmond and Williamsburg, this landscape was the first westward expansion of English-speaking America. The two-lane highway curves and winds through gently rolling countryside, alternating expanses of fields with stretches of trees that arch over the road. Our first stop was at Westover Church, which sits at the end of a dirt lane that crosses a field (currently soybeans).

There were several very friendly parishioners outside waiting for church to start, and they urged us to take a look inside. Westover Parish was established in 1613 on Westover Plantation, and our hosts told us that the church was moved to the current spot because the Byrd family grew tired of feeling obligated to feed churchgoers on their plantation by 1730.

Our next stop was River's Rest, a resort on the Chickahominy River that was hell to find. After a wrong turn, Sheldon & I got into a giggle fit. Sadie was bewildered by our silliness, but we can be like two 8-year-old boys when we're together. Once we extricated ourselves from the backwoods, we blundered our way to River's Rest, which turned out to be a well-maintained marina with a tidy motel, pool, and riverside restaurant.

River's Rest Marina on the Chickahominy River
We continued on to Jamestown, where we caught the ferry to the south bank of the James, disembarked at Scotland, and drove a few miles to Surry Courthouse.

Gulls at the Jamestown Ferry
After eating lunch and exploring the county seat, I asked Sheldon to drive a few miles east. I was curious to see if an old friend, an abandoned house in the country, was still standing up to the combined forces of gravity and invasive vines. The last time I saw it was in March of 2009, and it looked like this:

It's still there, and it looks about the same structurally. In the photo above, taken at the end of the winter season, the vines were hanging on but dormant. Here's how it looked this Labor Day weekend, after the vines flourished over the summer:

Incredible, isn't it? Here's a closer look...


I was a high school hooligan when I first found this house, and you can read about my criminal past by clicking here.

Sheldon & Sadie found a small family cemetery off to the side of the property, and I finally located the owner of the house, Ruth Dearth. My assumption that she had died and the house then abandoned was true. She lived a long life in this old homestead.

We traveled west on Route 10 to return home. This road is the southern counterpart to Route 5, but is not quite as pretty. Still, it's rural, so there are certain charms. One diversion was a side trip to Claremont.

Claremont is not on the way to anywhere. You need to make a determined effort to get there. It's not a town you're going to find by passing through, because it's at the end of the road, pal. If you don't find what you're looking for in Claremont, you've gotta backtrack to return to a highway that has lines painted on it. And your chances of finding something are slim, because there's only one old convenience store that still hangs an open sign on the door.

I kinda like Claremont.

Shopping district in downtown Claremont

...don't forget these stores!
Claremont is located on bluffs above the river. The James is wide and navigable here, and Claremont was a port town with a busy wharf during the late 1600's & 1700's. With our system of modern roadways, it's easy to forget that rivers were once the safest, most reliable means of transporting goods to colonial frontier settlements.

Two satellite dishes connect this house with the larger world
Claremont had high hopes of becoming a boom town in the 1880's when it became the eastern terminus of the Atlantic & Danville Railway. An old map shows hundreds of building lots planned for streets that do not exist today. At least two hotels were built. Unfortunately for Claremont, the rail line was narrow-gauge, which was discontinued in favor of standard-gauge. The A&D Railway elected to connect its lines to Portsmouth in the Tidewater region. Claremont's hopes of becoming a commercial center were dashed.

Claremont Public Library

Coming Soon!
This building was once the survey office, and faces a small traffic circle, not that there's much traffic to control these days. The hopeful Coming Soon! sign has been on this charming structure for at least two years. I hope something comes there soon. It's hard to visit Claremont without seeing its potential as a viable riverfront resort community. Just down from the bluffs, along the banks of the James, there is a string of nice, modern cottages and a boat landing. Perhaps one day Claremont's potential will be realized.

Another defunct commercial building, with a fenced junkyard in the back
If you go to Claremont, you'll see that some homes are occupied. Many, however, are not. We counted at least five old houses in a row that were abandoned & overgrown on our way into town. Today, Claremont sleeps, but I hope it still dreams.

A granite marker in the little circle in downtown Claremont