Ghosts in Navy Blue

After some time collecting stories of ghosts and hauntings in Washington, DC, a few themes start to jump out. Abandoned buildings will inevitably become haunted, often to the point where it becomes difficult to ascertain what happed first, the ghost or the owners moving out. For every good, solid, meaty story where the ghost does something tangible, there's at least a dozen "mysterious thumps in the night". Either ghosts were more active in the late 1800's and early 1900's, or newspapers were simply more amenable to reporting them, often as fact.

But I'm starting to notice that the tale of Washington ghosts overlaps quite heavily with the tales of Naval ghosts. It's entirely possible that as a former Naval Officer myself, I simply take not of them disproportionly. I mean, I love a good sea story as much as a good ghost story, so it's entirely possible that combining the two catches my eye.

Even considering this, I was surprised at how many ghosts in DC have a Navy or Marine Corps connection. In fact, we joked while developing the Capitol Hill loop of our tour that the problem was not finding stories, but finding stories where it wasn't a Marine doing the haunting. Which really shouldn't have caught us by surprise. Until relatively recently, the Navy Yard and it's associated Marine Barracks were the largest employers in town and Capitol Hill, especially the portion south of Pennsylvania Ave, was very much a Navy Town.

But even throughout the city, we stumble across ghosts associated with the sea services with astonishing regularity. The much haunted Halcyon House in Georgetown was built by the first Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert. In yesterday's Vampire Story, the Brentwood Mansion was owned by a succession of Naval Officers, presumably when the vampire stalked the grounds. And in 1890, then Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Tracy refused to take head of warnings of a ghost in the house he purchased on Farragut Square not far from the White House. Sadly, the house caught fire and his wife, daughter, and maid were killed in the conflagration, which local lore says liberated the restless ghost.

Being a fan of the limited but fascinating Washington, DC Naval ghost genre, the natural place to search for ghosts is, of course, the Washington Navy Yard in southeast DC. Searchers need not be disappointed, either; it is well haunted. I particularly enjoy the tale of Capt. Thomas Tingey, the first Superintendent of the Navy Yard, who had the distinction of building it twice, the second time being after he ordered it burnt to deny it to the British in 1814. Commodore Tingey remains on watch at the Navy Yard, keeping a eye on things. In addition to his protective spirit assisting at Quarters A, originally his home and now the residence of the Chief of Naval Operations, he has been sighted late at night, inspecting the Yard. He wears the period fore and aft hat, familiar to any fan of pirate movies, and carries a spyglass. His authority is further confirmed by the sword belted to his waist, but somewhat dimmed in that it is belted over his nightshirt.

Fellow fans might enjoy Eric Mills new work, The Spectral Tide: True Ghost Stories of the U.S. Navy, which is an excellent collection of tales, well written and thoroughly researched, two traits often missing in the world of ghost stories. It highlights, among it's many stories, several of the ones listed above, including a great description of the Tracy House fire. I'l leave it to Mr. Mills to tell that one.

Ghosts in Navy Blue

Halloween in DC - for kids

Personally, I see nothing wrong with slapping on a costume and wandering around wherever you're staying in DC, but if the pickings are slim near the local Holiday Inn, I'd recommend bringing the kids to Capitol Hill or Old Town Alexandria. Both are family friendly destinations that have been celebrating Halloween in style for decades now and combine a high density of great, old townhouses with a large number of enthusiastic neighborhood kids.

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Off the Beaten Path Museums: the Navy Museum

So much gets written about the great museums of the Mall, you might think they were the only show in town. Of course the Smithsonian's are unparalleled cultural wonder, unique in scale and accessibility worldwide, but that doesn't mean they're the only show in town. I'm not talking about the National Gallery of Art, so close they're often confused with the Smithsonian. Nor am I talking about the plethora of high quality pay museums that have been popping up like mushrooms after a rain storm the last decade or so. I'm talking about these little, quirky, never heard of museums that would be cultural icon somewhere else but get starved for oxygen in the shadow of the Smithsonian (I like to mix my metaphors, so stuff it).

Therefore, from time to time, I'm going to try to highlight some of these off the beaten path museums. Some are footsteps away from things you paid hundreds of dollars in airline tickets to come visit. Others require more advanced planning to get to. In picking which ones to highlight, I'm asking two questions. Do they provide enough detail that a buff might consider making a special trip here to visit it? And does it provide enough general interest that someone who has never before given a damn about, say, beads, that they will walk out of there with a new found interest?

Without further ado, let's chat about one of my favorite museums in DC, the Navy Museum. My half dozen or so devout fans no doubt remember I have a little Naval experience under my belt, so I certainly fall into the first of my two categories. I first came across the Museum in my college days when I wrote my thesis about the Navy in Vietnam and wandered over from the nearby Navy History and Heritage Command's archives to check out the Swift boat on display. Yes, the very same for those of you with fond (or not so fond) memories of the 2004 Presidential Campaign.

So clearly the Museum is a hit for people who tend to bore their spouses with arcane trivia about the conversion from sail to steam and the relevance of Mahan in today's world. But what about the rest of us, er uhm, I mean, you?

All I can say is that the Museum has quite a bit to offer non-Navy folks as well. The history of the Navy in many ways shadows the growth of the United States and its emergence on the world scene. As the Navy was a principal agent for America to represent itself overseas, much of the exhibits detail this early international role. It's an interesting perspective to take a look at. Naturally, the Navy's role in our wars is documented as well. In particular, take a look at the Civil War section. They have a chunk of the USS Kearsarge's stern post there, with an unexploded shell from the CSS Alabama still in it. An important lesson in keeping our powder dry for all of us.

I strongly recommend spending some time exploring the park and grounds outside, especially for kids. When I give a tour to middle schoolers and they've maxed out their "well behaved" time in DC, I try to schedule a swing by the Navy Yard and give them an hour or so to detox from all these old people (including myself) yelling at them and telling them not to talk. It's a lovely park along the Anacostia river, with the ex-USS Barry open for visits. For being littered with artifacts of death and destruction it's a surprisingly calming place.

The Navy Museum is located in the Washington Navy Yard, and active military installation. Please make sure you bring government issued ID cards if you are over 16, and be prepared to have large bags and parcels checked. The Museum is open from 9-5 on weekdays, and 10-5 on weekends and holidays.

To get there take the Green Line to Navy Yard and walk several blocks up M Street to the 6th ST Entrance, where the guard will give you directions. Alternatively, if you're already on the Orange/Blue line, I'd get off at Eastern Market and walk south on 8th Street about a half a mile. The Circulator picks up right at the Metro stop if you'd prefer not to walk and lets off at the 6th St Entrance (M-F). For more details about security, directions, or, God forbid, parking, visit here.

Run for it!

When last we left them, our fearless American's were scampering down the Bladensburg Pike (now US 1) as fast as their little feet could take them. Naturally, upon their arrival in DC, those few residents who hadn't succumbed to full fledged panic felt this was a good moment to begin to do so.

But before we delve deeper into that panic, let's take a minute to discuss why our British friends decided to drop in for tea. Traditionally, in so far as the subject was even taught in school, we learn that the British were admonishing a brash young Republic, letting us know that we'll impress your seaman when and where we see fit and stir up Indians so your bold frontiersmen will live in fear. While not untrue, the full story, is, as is almost always the case, both more complex and more interesting.

It's not my intent to rehash the entire war here, but for a fascinating look at the origins of the war from the other side, take a look here. Specifically, two years into the poorly named War of 1812, the invasion of the mid-Atlantic region had several goals in mind, from diverting the Americans while operations were conducted in the north to attacking targets of opportunity. But in no small way, it was in direct retaliation for our burning of York (now Toronto), the capital of Upper Canada (now Ontario). And this is what I find interesting. As much as our history pits the United States as the underdog against the world-bestriding British Empire, the Canadians view it as standing up to the mighty Americans threating them from the south, perhaps even making them pronounce the letter O.

Anyway, back to Washington, DC. Having initially dismissed an attack on Washington as unlikely, President Madison and several members of the Cabinet were in the unfortunate position of getting personally refuted by Admiral Cockburn and the British. Having poorly prepared to defend the Capital, certainly the Americans were not ready to evacuate it in an orderly fashion.

The most famous tale of the retreat has infused itself so deeply into American History that even school groups that look at me blankly when I mention the War of 1812, respond immediately and enthusiastically when I mention this story. It is, of course, the story of Dolley Madison and the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington. You know the one on the one dollar bill? Anyway, I don't need to recount to the whole story to you (pdf), but suffice it to say, thanks to Dolley, who almost alone seemed immune to the prevailing panic, the original White House Gilbert Stuart hangs in the East Room, not that you will be allowed to see it while you're here. However, if you do want to see a Stuart painting of Washington, just stroll down F St.

So where did Dolley go? Like many residents, she initially fled to Georgetown. Then a separate town within the District of Columbia, Georgetown was on the high ground across Rock Creek to the West. Easily defensible, it was where Gen. Winder was attempting to rally his militia, with all the leadership and command presence he had displayed at Bladensburg. Dolley initially stopped at Dumbarton Oaks, the residence of Declaration signer Charles Carroll. Dumbarton still stands and is well worth the visit in your time here in Washington. In fact, if you're here this weekend, they're hosting Dolley herself to help commemorate the War of 1812.

But by far the most visible sign of the retreating Americans was the burning of the Washington Navy Yard. Desperate not to let the supplies stored there fall into the hands of the British, English-born Commodore Thomas Tingey waited until word came of the American defeat at Bladensburg came, and ordered the Yard burned. Over half a million dollars of buildings, supplies, and ships caught fire, most notably the 32 gun frigate Columbia, due to be launched in ten days. No doubt due to the large amounts of pitch and tar laden supplies, the glow of the fire that night was reported to be seen as far east at the British warships on the Patuxant River and as far west as Leesburg, Virginia. As destructive as it was, some buildings survived, most notably the Latrobe Gate, shown above. The Navy Yard, or at the very least the Navy Museum, is near the top of my list of under appreciated sites in Washington, DC.

Coming tomorrow, the British!

A Day in DC: Capitol Hill

My conversations with new clients often fall into the same rut:

"What do you want to do in your time in DC?"

"I don't know, the Air and Space Museum, the Capitol, lunch with the Obama's, the rest of the Smithsonian, and then something to fill in the rest of the day".

It's my fault, because it's a dumb question (of course there are dumb questions, don't be silly). If you knew what you wanted to do in DC, you wouldn't be hiring a guide now, would you? So, what I'm going to do to help you in your vacation planning, and, more importantly, to help me with new clients, is to propose some sample itineraries for everyone to use as a tool to build a good, solid day in DC.

I'll roll these out over the next several weeks. My intent is to have each day to be a logical whole, with a pace that takes things in but doesn't overwhelm you, and allows plenty of flexibility to substitute items of more interest to you.

For starters, let's kick off with a day on Capitol Hill, the neighborhood I know best. This itinerary will combine a good mix of grand National sites and more relateable local color. Of course, this would be a full day of touring, so feel free to pick and choose what parts appeal to you.

View A Day in DC: Capitol Hill in a larger map

8:00 AM: Take the Blue/Orange Line to Capitol South. As you exit the Metro, take a right and head down C ST SE one block and turn left on 2nd. You have a couple of excellent options for breakfast here. I'd recommend Pete's Diner for a good solid breakfast or Le Bon Cafe next door for a French cafe type of experience.

8:30 AM: Don't rush, but if you're done we should at least walk by the Capitol Building. Now that we're properly fortified, and perhaps more importantly, caffeinated, let's head up Pennsylvania Ave to the main attraction. I've discussed before the ins and outs of visiting the Capitol, so I would certainly read that post if you are interested in getting in. Let's say you are. Head in, and get your tickets. For our purposes let's assume you've received 9:20 tickets. You can kill a little time by checking out the excellent museum in the Visitor Center. If the time is significantly later, take the tunnel over to the Library of Congress and come back at the appointed time. Astute readers of this blog know that "on time" varies subtly from place to place.

10:20 AM: Wowed by your trip to the Seat of Democracy, we have time for one more thing before lunch. I'd say you want to head through the ready made tunnel to the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. While you're free to wander the building on your own (and you should), if you make it in time for the 10:30 tour, don't miss it. No kidding, I'd rather skip the Capitol tour and make this one. If you have teenagers with you, you can always bribe them with "this is where National Treasure II was filmed". The exhibit halls on the second floor are top notch as well.

If you've skipped the tour of the Capitol, or just have more time you might want to swing by the Supreme Court, assuming, of course, it's a weekday. There's a small exhibit space downstairs and they do a nice little presentation every hour on the half hour (assuming they're not in session). I wouldn't make a special trip for it, but if you happen to be there, you might want to sit in.

12:30 PM: Ok, you've been good. No whining, you've seen you're share of cultural sights, but it's lunch time. Pete's is a distant memory, and you're threatening a sit down strike if you don't get fed. If it's dire, and I wouldn't blame you if it is, there's many a good option in the immediate vicinity. But if you can hold out fifteen minutes, let's take a walk down East Capitol Street. One of the main avenues radiating away from the Capitol, you'll get a sense of what DC was like in the 1900s. Many of the original houses still exist and this is a gateway into the heart of the Capitol Hill neighborhood. For now, we're leaving what you think of as Capitol Hill, the locus of Federal decision making and the seat of our government, and entering what I think of as the Hill, the neighborhood where I live, raise my kids, and generally enjoy life. While interconnected, they are very separate realities, and I hope you'll come away with the sense that Washington, DC is not just filled with faceless bureaucrats and greedy Congressmen, but also includes real people living life with much the same concerns and joys that you do. Often, people fall into both categories.

12:45: Ok, enough of that, I promised you lunch if you behaved, and you have, mostly (I'll ignore the grumbles under your breath). Take a right on Seventh St and you will see Eastern Market in all its glory. We can explore the Market later, for now, let's get some food. If you feel like sitting down, Tunnicliff's Tavern across Seventh from the Market is my go to place. Good food, and a staff that is perpetually helpful, make this a great place to hang out for a bit. And if you wish to linger for a few minutes over a beer or two, well it's vacation and you've earned it. I also mix it up with Prego, an Italian deli and sandwich shop (try the nr 4 on a hard roll), and Tortilla Cafe, a Salvadorean and Mexican place with excellent fish tacos and a weird cole slaw thingy that I don't like but wake up in the middle of the night craving. And, of course, for a authentic Eastern Market experience, try out Market Lunch, inside the Market itself. Known for their crab cakes and blueberry pancakes, the Market Lunch often has a line, but it moves quickly. I'd recommend knowing what you want before you hit the cash register and if you want to linger over your food, take it outside.

2:00 PM: Now that's we've had some lunch, and I hope you've taken a few minutes to relax, let's take some time to explore the Market. If it's a weekend, you might wish to plan an hour or two to explore the Flea Market, set up in the school parking lot down Seventh. A variety of crafts, artists, antiques, and others less definable sell their wares Saturday and Sunday at the Market. Of course, you'll want to duck into the Market proper to take in the sights and smells, and perhaps to grab a snack for later. There are also several good traditional bricks and mortar stores in the area. It is not impossible to spend an hour in Capitol Hill Books, to the point where your wife wonders if you've run off with someone else (which would probably be cheaper in the long run). I also recommend Hill's Kitchen, a new cooking store on the Hill. Even if you have everything a home chef could possibly want, stop by to get a cookie cutter of DC, and you're home state (unless you're from Hawaii).

3:00 PM: If you done shopping and exploring, and don't feel you have to be, perhaps a self-guided walking tour of the area is in order. Tour of Duty: Barracks Row, one of Cultural Tourism DC's many well laid out, clearly marked walking tours, starts off on the Eastern Market Metro plaza (up Seventh and across Pennsylvania). Look for the large sign near the Metro escalator. This 90 minute walking tour takes you down Barracks Row (8th St) by the Marine Barracks and Navy Yard, by John Phillip Sousa's home, and through the neighborhood before finishing back at Eastern Market.

4:30 PM: I imagine we're done now, and you need a break. This is one of the most dangerous times in tourdom. You might feel like you can still push through, don't want to miss a thing, and want to make your time in DC count. This is a mistake. Take an hour or so and rest. If you're staying nearby, go back, take you shoes off, and freshen up before dinner. If not, swing by the Sweet Shop in Eastern Market, where you can buy cookies by the 1/4 pound, and head to Lincoln Park for a break (take a right on North Carolina and walk four blocks). Take a minute to see the statues of Lincoln and Mary McCloud Bethune, but mostly just stop walking. This is where that visit to the book store comes into play.

6:00 PM: Dinner time: Many great options exist along Barracks Row. I tend to visit Matchbox, a great pizza place; Belga Cafe, Belgian, yes Belgian food; Trattoria Alberto, a quiet and intimate Italian place; and Banana Cafe, for Cuban food. Many other good options exist, and this list is not comprehensive. On Friday and Saturday nights, waits can be long at some places (i.e Matchbox) but feel free to just head down the street for a shorter line.

Evening: If you've still got energy, and if you do I'm clearly not doing my job, you might find a few options on the Hill. Generally, the Hill is not known as a wild night spot, but if you want to grab a drink you can find several decent bars along Barracks Row or Pennsylvania Avenue towards the Capitol. H Street is a nice walk/short bus/quick cab ride away. Or there are a few evening attractions:

Marine Barracks Evening Parade: We're almost done with this year's, but during the summer months, the Marine Barracks at 8th and I conducts a concert followed by a display of their silent drill platoon on Friday nights. It really is an impressive showing and if your schedule fits, you will be rewarded. I would recommend attempting to get reservations early in the year.

Folger Shakespeare Library: A great way to spend the evening on the Hill. Check their website for showings, but their next run is Taming of the Shrew October 21-November 29.

I hope you enjoyed our little jaunt. Now, before we go, a little discussion of when to do this. The Capitol and Library of Congress are closed Sundays, and Eastern Market is closed Mondays. The Flea Market at the EM only runs on the weekends. So if you want to see everything above, I'd recommend Saturday, but obviously your schedule will have to remain flexible. Any day of the week is fine, just make sure you do your research as to what is open then.