Photos on Friday: Scottish Christmas Walk in Alexandria (2015)

Last weekend was the annual Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend in Old Town Alexandria. It had been about three years since I last attended. It's a great parade! Here are some pics from last Saturday for today's Photos on Friday post.

12 interesting facts about Christ Church, Alexandria, Va.

Christ Church has a long history in Alexandria, Virginia. Dating back to the 18^th century, the church is still very active today with more than 2,200 parishioners. 

Located in the section of Alexandria now referred to as “Old Town”, visitors are welcomed to pray, take a tour or just visit.  I like to stop by Christ Church when I’m in Old Town or visit its gift shop. I thought for today’s post I’d share some interesting facts about Christ Church.

12 interesting facts about Christ Church in Alexandria, Va.

1. Construction of Christ Church began in 1767 and was completed in 1773. The build was started under the direction of John Parsons, but the last year of construction was overseen by John Carlyle, a prominent presence and founder of Alexandria (Carlyle's history and home are very interesting).

2. The church’s bell tower was built in two phases, the addition was added around 1820.

Christ Church's bell tower in 2015

3. A wine-glass pulpit and Palladian chancel windows are still present to this day. The pulpit is a replica. According to Christ Church:

"No record remains of the exact location and design of the earliest pulpit, but the wineglass pulpit, installed during the 1890s restoration, is consistent with the design, location, and liturgical practices of the period when the church was built."

4. There are hand-lettered Tablets located on the altar. These Tablets are in amazing condition as these are the originals and have not been retouched. According to the church's website, they were once white, but have yellowed over time. The Apostle’s Creed, Ten Commandments, Lord’s Prayer and the Golden Rule are written on the Tablets. 

This photo was taken around 2009

5. George Washington was a member of Christ Church. His pew is marked with a plaque. On Apr. 12, 1804 George Washington Parke Custis (Washington's step-grandson and adopted son) presented one of Washington's bibles to Christ Church. 

Note/Update: In October 2017 Christ Church decided to remove the the plaques and markers honoring George Washington and Robert E. Lee from the pews. For more information about the reasoning and their plans for the plaques, see their letter [PDF].

6. The first Sunday School at Christ Church was established in 1818-19 and the first Parish Hall was built in 1822.

7. Robert E. Lee and his family were also parishioners. He was confirmed at Christ Church. 

8. Alexandria residents were buried in the graveyard at Christ Church until local laws changed in 1809. There were two exceptions made. The tombstones seen in modern day are originals, but may not be in the precise original spot. These were moved during the Civil War by Union soldiers and stacked against the Parish House until after the war.

9. The Union Army took charge of Christ Church during the Civil War and was used for services. During those years Christ Church's parishioners had to move to other churches to worship. Little change was made to the Church itself and the church was given back in 1866.

10. It is customary for Presidents of the United States to visit Christ Church at some point during their term (this tradition started sometime in the late 19^th or early 20^th century I seem to remember hearing – I will have to dig deeper or ask about this).

11. Christ Church was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970.

12. Tours of Christ Church are docent-led and the docents provide lots of interesting history.

 

Visitors can come visit daily between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are also welcomed to worship or pray, there are three services on Sunday. Christ Church is located on 118 North Washington St., Alexandria, Va. 22314.

Aug. 20, 2016 update - My original #7 was incorrect as Robert E. Lee and Mary Custis were married at Arlington House not at Christ Church. This is now omitted. A special thanks to Janet for clarifying some details and sharing helpful insight. 

Photos on Friday: US Capitol interior repairs

Today's Photos on Friday takes us inside the U.S. Capitol Building. I'd only been on a tour once before, back in 2012. We went on another one in September 2015 and, while it's clear renovations were going on the outside of the Capitol's dome, I hadn't really given too much thought about the inside. 

[Related post and more photos: Fun facts about the U.S. Capitol ]

These are some photos I'd taken during our Sept. visit.

The inside of the dome looks different with the scaffold, but the other rooms visitors see on the tour were not under any construction during our visit.

  [To see photos without the scaffold, I have an earlier post that shows photos taken in 2012]

There are many beautiful historical paintings located in the Capitol's dome

The dome's ceiling was covered and visitors could only get a glimpse of it

This photo was taken earlier in 2015. This year a lot of unrelated construction on the National Mall was begun.

Family fun for the holidays: ICE! 2015 at the National Harbor

Photo credit: dbking on Flickr taken in 2010

In mid-November, the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center kicked off its annual ice extravanga at the Marriot hotel at the National Harbor. 

Every year the center has its ice show with a new theme.  This year's theme is "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" to coincide with the 45th anniversary of the classic TV special of the same name.

There will be seven rooms depicting the story of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" along with five ice slides and a live carving zone where visitors can see the artisans at work in the "Frostbite Factory".  According to the official website this year's hand-carved sculptures, like 2014, is made up of more than two million pounds of ice.

This is a pretty popular event and one I've always wanted to go to. A couple of years ago a few of my family members took a trip down to the National Harbor, but we couldn't make it. They came back saying how beautiful it was and how they enjoyed their visit.  

It really sounds spectacular. It is looking doubtful, but if I do get down there, I'll be sure and post a review, along with some pics.

This year's prices vary depending on the day of your visit (peak vs. non-peak). Check the official website for more information. There are also some discounts available if you qualify.

The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center is located at 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, Md. Just a hop, skip and a jump from downtown.

Photo credit: dbking on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/4253873188/sizes/z/in/photostream/ taken in 2010

Winter holiday fun in Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia

The Christmas and holiday season in Old Town Alexandria is very festive. There are lots of holiday events and fun for all ages. I'm a bit late to the party in finishing this post this year to share November events, but I did want to share some of the events going on. 

[ Note: This post was originally written for a specific date/weekend in 2015 but has been updated to reflect annual traditions in Alexandria ]

Campagna Center's Annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade and Weekend

The parade honors Alexandria's Scottish heritage and features over 100 Scottish clans dressed in traditional garb playing Scottish music as they march through Old Town. This perennial event takes place the first weekend in December with the parade starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday. This parade features over 100 marching units and typically draws a big crowd. 2015 marked the parade’s 45^th year.  

The Campagna Center is located at 418 S. Washington Street, and you can learn more about the other festivities surrounding this event on the official website. 

Torpedo Art Factory's Holiday Open House 

Each December the Torpedo Art Factory Center features a holiday event. Visitors are invited to the studios, which stay open late, to do some holiday shopping to find those unique gifts. Every year a new theme to the event is named. Past activities have included a children's scavenger hunt, raffles, giveaways, live music, snacks, and a special visit from Santa.

If you are shopping for the art aficionado in your life, this may be a great place to get your shopping done. The Torpedo Art Factory Center is located at 105 Union St., in Old Town right on the waterfront. 

Carlyle House's Annual Soldier's Christmas Open House

Alexandria is tightly entwined with Colonial America and its rich history is still very present today due to the wonderful preservation that goes on in Old Town. One of the reminders of early American history is Carlyle House. 

Every year, coinciding with the Scottish Walk parade day, Carlyle House holds its own event to re-enact how soldiers lived and celebrated Christmas during Revolutionary times. 

Visitors can see military drills, music and other festivities in full living history. Visitors can expect to see military drills, music, and other festivities with costumed living history members portraying 18th-century soldiers from the First Virginia Regiment. In the past, food and beverages were also shared. Learn about Army medicine during this era. Also, there will be Colonial games for the kids.

Carlyle House is located at 121 N. Fairfax St., Alexandria, Va. 22314. In addition to regular tours, many special events are held throughout the year.

Alexandria Archaeology Museum's Ornament Decorating Workshop

Every year during the holiday season, the museum hosts a free event where visitors can decorate and take home dough ornaments. These ornaments are designed to replicate the museum's own pottery collection; a great hands-on event for the kids! The Alexandria Archaeology Museum is located at the Torpedo Factory Art Center (3rd floor) at 105 N. Union Street. For more details on this event and others, you can visit their website (scroll down to see this event).  

Parade of Lights Holiday Boat Parade

This annual parade takes place down on the waterfront in Old Town Alexandria. Boat owners decorate their vessels and compete for prizes. Visitors can come down to the riverfront and see the boats cruise along the Potomac River. The fun typically starts at 5:30 p.m.
  
Early December is usually a busy time in Old Town!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday weekend. Thank you for stopping by and checking out my posts.

Today's post features a photo of a turkey pardoned by President Obama in 2013. Photo taken at Mount Vernon.

10 fun facts about the Old Post Office Tower Building (Washington D.C.)

The Old Post Office building, part of the Federal Triangle in Washington D.C., is one of my favorite structures in Washington. It used to house some eateries and souvenir shops, along with the elevator up to the bell tower, which is run by the National Park Service (NPS).

Today, that's all changed.

The Trump Organization has been steadily renovating the historic building after it was granted a long-term lease in 2013. If you’ve been downtown over the past few years, you’d have seen the construction barriers up. 

For today’s post, I thought it would be fun to look at some facts about this historic structure. What its future holds now will likely be very different from its past.

10 fun facts about the Old Post Office Tower Building

1. Construction of the Old Post Office took several years. The build began in 1892 and was completed in 1899. It was designed by Willoughby J. Edbrooke, who co-designed the Georgia State Capitol and many other notable buildings found in the United States.

2. The building was intended to be a post office and served in this capacity until the early 1930s when the agency relocated. 

3. The Old Post Office stands at 315 feet (nine stories) and its tower makes the building the third tallest in Washington D.C. (Not quite as tall as the Washington Monument, but still great views from the top!)

View of the Old Post Office. The building is much larger than this photo makes it appear since I couldn't get the shot in its entirety.

4. The structure is made of granite and set upon iron and steel; it is the first steel-framed structure to be built in Washington.

5. The Bells of Congress are housed in the building’s tower, in total, there are 10 bells. They were a Bicentennial gift from the Ditchley Foundation (located in Great Britain) and are replicas of the ones found at London’s Westminster Abbey. They were not installed in the tower until 1983.

6. This massive building was slated to be demolished just a few decades after it was built. The first consideration to raze it was back in 1934, but it was too expensive to do during the Great Depression. It was later slated to be demolished again, this time in 1970. Congress had even approved the measure. 

Another view of the Old Post Office Tower Building, which better illustrates how large this building really is.

7. The official name of this building was renamed to be the Nancy Hanks Center. Nancy Hanks, Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, was the woman who spearheaded a campaign to fight for the Old Post Office’s survival. She succeeded. In 1973, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and got a renovation. The name of the building was changed in 1983.

8. The Old Post Office Tower Building was used for multiple purposes over the years. After The Trump Organization leased it, a number of small eateries (think “mall”) and souvenir shops in what was known as the Old Post Office Pavilion were closed in 2014. There was also a small stage in the food court where live entertainment took place. The other space inside the building had also been used for federal offices and as storage. (I remember riding the elevator up the bell tower and seeing all the boxes lined against some of the walls in various rooms.)

I was standing in the tower looking down when I took this photo. You can see parts of the former Pavilion shops and eateries.

9. Come 2016, this iconic building will become a luxury hotel run by The Trump Organization. The company has signed a 60-year lease. According to a March 2016 announcement, the hotel anticipates a fall opening. (Edit: The Trump hotel had a "soft" opening in September 2016. The tower also had a "soft" re-opening in early spring 2017).

10. Visitors are still able to take the NPS-run tour and ride the elevator and, in this respect, history can be actively shared. NPS will still run the clock tower itself (my understanding is the elevator/tower is not part of the Trump lease). Although the future of the bells being rung is still unknown.
 

Old Post Office elevator

The Old Post Office Tower Building is located at 12th Street and Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. 

Thanks for reading! For more history about this historic building, I invite you to my earlier post that has more detail and photos.

Update May 2019: Last month I had the chance to take the elevator trip again and took some pics of the former pavilion. 

Looking down on the former pavilion area which now appears to have been transformed into a restaurant and other spaces.

Years ago you could see former offices (and boxes in storage). Today, these spaces are hotel rooms - this is the "hallway" that overlooks the main floor