Moving On...Changing My Focus

It was on July 18, 2010, 15 years ago today, that I first posted something on my blog site.  I have regularly published posts regarding historical, food, family, travel and restaurant experiences for most of the past many years.  At one point I was posting to the site 3 times every week.   Most recently, it's been twice a week.

I've decided to cease any regular publications/posts to the site.  Not gone...still will publish something from time to time as the spirit moves me, but my focus is moving elsewhere.  I want to spend more time researching our family histories and I've gotten much more involved with a local Knoxville collector's club.  I do enjoy the time spent in that endeavor...even with the work involved. 

What follows are a scattering of the many photos dating as far back as last October...a sampling of those taken near the conclusion of our long road trip through parts of Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia.  I'd never completed the Virginia portion of the trip...

This is the entrance to the Reeves Museum of Ceramics at Washington and Lee University in Lexington Virginia.  The Reeves collection showcases one of America's best collections of Chinese export porcelain as well as European and American ceramics made between 1500 and 1900.

FYI, Washington and Lee University is the 9th oldest college in the USA.  Originally known as Liberty Hall Academy, it was renamed Washington Academy in 1796 and Washington College in 1813.  A gift of stocks from George Washington had saved the school from financial ruin.  Robert E. Lee, who had led Confederate forces throughout the Civil War, had previously been the Superintendent of the West Point Military Academy.  A few months after the war, he became President of Washington College and he helped build the university for the future.

In today's highly charged political atmosphere, Lee's name being attached to this University has been controversial.  For the university's outlook on this subject, go to https://www.wlu.edu/about-w-l/university-history/university-namesakes.

During our visit, there was a exhibition of ceramics adjacent to artwork with blank spaces in the paintings that are related to the ceramics.  I still don't get it...but both Laurie and I do love ceramics and this plate was a stunner!

I just had to include this 'fowl' piece of porcelain in my post.  Love the brilliant colors involved!  

Then there was this gorgeous brown and yellow teapot with raised decorations.  This teapot from the Yixing Dynasty teapot dates somewhere between 1725 - 1775.

This stunning hard paste porcelain 'tea pot' from China didn't start its life as a tea pot, but rather as a wine pot.  The English later repurposed it as a teapot.  Note the 'bamboo bundle' shape that was created by a master ceramics maker sometime between 1700 and 1720.

Moving on down the road, it was time to find a place for dinner.  Research had revealed the possibility of a fine German dinner near Staunton Virginia.  The Edelweiss Restaurant is a log structure in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The family that built it came from Karlsruhe Germany.  The menu is loaded with German specialties, something one doesn't see very often.

While Edelweiss is well rated on the Internet, Laurie and I weren't feeling it... The food was decent but not great and the service was rushed.  This restaurant is popular with long waits for customers so maybe our lack of enthusiasm isn't typical.  Check it out and give Edelweiss a try.  Let us know what you think... Website: https://edelweissvirginia.com/.

I love taking photos like this and imagining what might have been... Located at the eastern foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains on US Hwy. 60 in Amherst County Virginia, Forks of Buffalo refers to the place where the North and South Forks of the Buffalo River come together.

Since I like researching places, I came across this photo from the Forks of the Buffalo area, showing the Myers' Cash Store, United States Post Office and Esso Gas Station.  Perhaps the early to mid-1960s, the store opened in 1937.  Unfortunately, I also came across another photo from December of 2024, only 2 months after I took that first photo, now showing that the front of the old building had fallen down... Timing is everything.

This well preserved and restored railway depot is located at Amherst Virginia.  Amherst was founded in 1807 and it is the county seat for the county of the same name.  The town's population has never been much higher than its current level of about 2,200 residents.

Amherst was first known as Dearborn and the first depot here was completed in the late 1800s for the Orange and Alexandria Railroad.  It was replaced in the late fall of 1913 by the Southern Railway.  As was typical, the ticket booth extended outward from the center facing the tracks, with waiting rooms on each side...one for black folks and the other for white folks.  Three passenger trains stopped at the depot every day until the mid-1940s.  Passenger service was completely discontinued during the 1960s and finally freight service ceased in the mid-1970s.

So...just where is this old structure located?  Our next significant stop was at the Appomattox Courthouse National Historic Park at the village of Appomattox Courthouse...redundant I know.  This is not the original Appomattox Courthouse, but rather a reconstruction.

In the 1800s the original courthouse gave its name to the village around it.  As many of us know, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army here in 1865.  I always thought that Lee had surrendered to Grant at the courthouse but the courthouse was closed that day so the surrender took place in a nearby home.  In any case the village was already in a state of decline in the 1850s.  The original courthouse burned down in 1892 and the county seat was relocated.  This structure was rebuilt in 1964 and it now serves at the Visitor's Center for the more than 1,700 acre Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park.

So this is the house...or an almost exact replica of the house...where Lee surrendered to Grant, virtually bringing America's long and painful Civil War to an end.  This is the McLean House at the Appomattox Courthouse National Historic Park and it was chosen for the surrender as it was the most substantial home or building in the Village.

The McLean House was originally built by Charles Raine in 1848.  It had served as a tavern/inn and it was sold to Wilmer McLean in 1863.  In an interesting historical quirk of fate, the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) took place on McLean's farm.  Seeking to avoid the war, and too old to serve in the Confederate Army, McLean moved here to 'avoid the war'.

This is a recreation of the setting where Lee formally surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant.  The original furniture is in the possession of the Smithsonian and the Chicago History Museum.

The terms of surrender were: "The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands,"... neither "side arms of the officers nor their private horses or baggage" to be surrendered; and, as many privates in the Confederate Army owned horses and mules, all horses and mules claimed by men in the Confederate Army to be left in their possession.

As for the McLean house, Wilmer McLean was broke as all his money was in Confederate dollars, which he'd accumulated by running sugar through the Union blockade during the war.  Ownership passed from one person to one scheme or another.  At one point it was disassembled and labeled for possible reconstruction as an attraction in Washington D.C.  That project never got off the ground and much of what was left of the house was pilfered over the years.  The re-built house was opened to the public on April 9, 1949.  Over 5,000 of the home's original bricks were used in the construction.

To learn more about the Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park and to plan a visit, go to https://www.nps.gov/apco/index.htm. 

This is the Booker T. Washington National Monument near Hardy Virginia.  Booker T. Washington was born a slave on the 207-acre farm of James Burroughs in April of 1856.  Following the Civil War, he became the first principal of  the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School.  Later, as an advisor and confidant of President Theodore Roosevelt, an author and orator, he became the most influential African American of his era.

Booker T. Washington (1856 - 1919)

To learn more about Booker T. Washington, you can go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_T._Washington.

This National Monument preserves portions of the tobacco farm where Booker T. Washington was born and where he lived for the first 9 years of his life.  The facility also provides interpretation of Washington's life and achievements as well as an interpretation of slavery and farming in the 1850s through the use of buildings, gardens, crafts and animals.

You can learn more about The Booker T. Washington National Monument at https://www.nps.gov/bowa/index.htm.  

The last stop on our long but interesting and relaxing road trip was of course, dinner on the last night of the trip.  We were tired and looking forward to getting home.  The decision was made that we should go casual for our final meal on the road so we picked JJ's Restaurant and Sports Bar in Abingdon Virginia from my list of dining options.  Laurie stuck to soup and cornbread and I went for fried catfish, beans, coleslaw and cornbread.  The food wasn't gourmet but it was tasty, reasonably priced and satisfying.

JJ's Restaurant and Sports Bar is located at 115 Charwood Drive in Abingdon Virginia.  Open daily for lunch and dinner.  Phone: 276-525-4999.  Website: https://www.eatatjjs.com/.

As I mentioned at the start of this post, I'll be back from time to time and I'll also check in on those who I've been following...

Just click on any of the photos you'd like to enlarge.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care...and, as the saying from the 50's (the era of 45 rpm records), "I'll see you on the flip side".

Big Daddy Dave

On The Road Toward Galveston

Back in March of this year, Laurie and I had decided to take a road trip, with Galveston Texas and Natchitoches Louisiana as our primary destinations.  Galveston because of its history and the HGTV show, "Restoring Galveston" and Natchitoches because of its history and the varied attractions in the area near the city.  So off we went!

When it was time for lunch, Laurie pulled up the nearby dining possibilities on her phone...and we stopped at Sadie's Diner in Vance Alabama.  Vance has a population of a bit over 2,000 residents but it is best known for the only Mercedes Benz plant/assembly line in North America.  It should be no surprise that Sadie's Diner is located at 10565 Daimler Benz Boulevard in Vance adjacent to the big Mercedes facility... 

FYI, the plant itself is located on 1,000 acres of land that was donated by the state of Alabama.  The land was part of the deal that helped win the contract with Mercedes.  The property features multiple test tracks...both road and off-road options.  The Mercedes-Benz Visitor Center includes a free museum that features cars produced throughout the company's history.  Plant tours are also available for a modest fee.

Based purely on it's size, Sadie's is not a true diner.  Expansive would be the best description of its interior dining areas.  The counter itself is basically a huge "S" with squared corners and my best guess is that it would seat about 40 customers at one time.  Tables...they have tables!  The second photo shows only about 60% of the tables at Sadie's.   Not unexpectedly, the walls were decorated with Mercedes-Benz signs, photos and even hubcaps.   

We don't eat breakfast before leaving on a road trip.  We take coffee and we hit the road.  breakfast on days.  Fortunately for us, Sadie's serves breakfast all day!  Since it is our favorite meal, our decision making was easy.  We both ordered "Trim 1", 2 eggs over medium, hash brown potatoes, a biscuit and meat... Laurie went for the bacon and I chose sausage. ($10.99 each) Our meals were OK, not famous but decent.  The problem was the service... We got very little attention from our waitress, coffee must have been in short supply, and the kitchen either decided to go on break or the waitress forgot to turn in our order.  It took 'forever' for us to get our food.  As you might have noticed from the photos of the dining areas, it isn't like the restaurant was overwhelmed with customers!  

Sadie's Diner is apparently owned and operated by Sprint Mart, a service station, convenience store corporation that features fresh food for traveling clientele.  This was the line waiting in the store segment next to Sadie's, waiting to pick up to go items.  To learn more about Sprint Mart and Sadie's Diner, you can go to https://www.sprintmart.com/sadies-diner/.

Once we passed Tuscaloosa Alabama on I-59/I-20, we were tired of driving on the 'super slab', (aka 'expressway', 'freeway' or Interstate highway), so we jumped off and followed part of US 11 south and west toward Mississippi.  It runs parallel to the Interstate.  Along the way, we came to the town of Eutaw Alabama.  Eutaw is the county seat for Greene County Alabama.  The county was named after Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene of Rhode Island.  The town was named for the Battle of Eutaw Springs, the last engagement of the American Revolutionary War in the Carolinas.  Greene County's population as of the 2020 census recorded 7,730 residents, and it has the lowest population of any county in Alabama.  In 2023, the population was estimated at 7,341, a 5% decline in only 3 years. 

There are 3 buildings on the courthouse side of Courthouse Square, not including the courthouse itself.  Unfortunately, the first photo above is of the newest building located next to the courthouse.  Built in 1931, this was the County Library and it was replaced with a new facility in the 1990s.  Other buildings literally in the square are the Grand Jury Building (1842) and the Probate Office (1856 with a second story added in 1938)

The second photo above is the actual Old Greene County Courthouse.  This two-story Greek Revival style building was the county's seat of government from 1869 until 1993.  The prior courthouse was burned to the ground in 1868.  Most historians feel that it was a deliberate act of arson by the KKK.  The fire destroyed paperwork pertaining to about 1,800 suits by freedmen against the planters and the fire took place just prior to the suits being acted on.

This historic plantation house is located at Mesopotamia Street and Kirkwood Drive in Eutaw.  Named "Kirkwood" or the Foster Mark Kirksey House, construction on this Greek Revival style home with Italianate influences, began in 1858.  The original owner/builder was Foster M. Kirksey, a planter, elected official, an agent for the Confederate government, a cotton factor and a commission merchant. (1817 - 1906) Construction was halted by the start of the American Civil War...leaving several features of the house incomplete.  Kirksey, who served as Sheriff from 1845 - 1848, was a significant part of Greene County history for more than 50 years.  As for the house itself, the balcony railings, cupola, and a few other minor features were completed by a couple in the 1970s who wanted to restore the home.

That's all for now... Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Almost Gone! A Local Landmark...Hall's TN Hwy 322

Our entire neighborhood and, for that matter our entire quasi-retirement community, has changed dramatically in the almost 16 years since we moved to East Tennessee from Mt. Prospect Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.  I say quasi-retirement because although most residents are either retired or are still working but nearing retirement, there are a growing number of family's that have taken advantage of our open (no gate or age limit) community as it has expanded.  

In any case my point is that change is inevitable.  We can either roll with the changes or we can give ourselves ulcers fretting over what used to be... This is a post about what is close to becoming a special place 'that used to be'.

The building is fairly non-descript.  The sign reading "Hall's" is actually written in cursive, something that is now longer included in curriculum of many schools. (Our youngest grandson uses an app to translate the notes we send him in cursive) Yep, those are gas pumps and we know folks who won't eat at any place that pumps gas....and Hall's does serve food.  In this case the pumps are no longer functional.

Thanks to "The Connection", our village newspaper, I have this photo of the Hall family.  From the left we have Will and Kari Hall Phillips, Erin Hall, Kelly Hall, Helen Hall, Charlie Hall, Chris Hall, Jennifer Hall, Ryan Hall and CJ Hall.

Charlie and his bride, Helen, bought this building back in the mid-1960s and in 1965, it first opened as a local grocery.  Hence it's alternative local name, "Charlie Hall's Grocery and Restaurant".  

Customers order at the counter and when your food is ready, the friendly staff or family member brings it to you.

There is a lot of seating at Hall's.  The restaurant is a landmark, a meeting place, a family place for the community.  It's frequented by truck drivers, construction workers, farmers, and retirees from nearby retirement communities.

When larger grocery stores opened in the area, Charlie decided to focus on the restaurant business...a smart decision that allowed he and Helen to raise their family and put two sons through college.

Laurie and I stopped by for a late breakfast, falling directly between the early morning breakfast crowd and the lunch rush.  Note some of the grocery style racks along the walls and at the back left of the last photo above.

Hall's isn't open on Sundays or holidays.  But every Sunday and holiday, the Hall clan traditionally gathers here for a family dinner. 

When's the last time you saw a sign like the one shown above?  A breakfast platter for $5.49!  

We skipped the breakfast platter special, going our own way instead.  Laurie ordered the biscuit and sausage gravy with bacon and an over medium egg.  That gravy had a little bit of a bite to it and, as per Laurie, the bacon was perfect.  

I ordered 2 slices of toast with 2 over medium eggs, a large sausage patty and hash browns.  It was all good... Want to guess how much our breakfasts cost?  With tax but before our tip, the ticket came to $14.00.

We do love the old time ambiance and more importantly, the feeling of family and community at Hall's.  Charlie is 82 or 83 now and he's lost his fight with the Tennessee Department of Transportation.  It was strike and deal with TDOT or have the right of eminent domain used to take the property.  Charlie has sold the property and the end of a community landmark and anchor is near.

As with most government projects, this highway 'improvement' project has taken a long time to come to fruition.  First funded in 2014, it's been in the works for about 11 years now.  For videos about Hall's Restaurant and it's approaching demise, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr4tQJDNtp8, and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPJ1YlWY0Mw.  You'll meet Charlie, Helen and a number of loyal customers.

Halls is slated to close on July 24 of this year.  Laurie and I plan to enjoy a couple of Hall's famous burgers before then.  Hall's is located at 4500 Sweetwater Vonore Road near Madisonville Tennessee.  They are open from 5 AM until 3 PM Monday through Friday and from 6 AM until 3 PM on Saturday.  Phone: 423-442-3083.

I thought that I'd end this posting with a silly photo of a silly dog who desperately wants a belly rub from Laurie!  Fiona lives next door to us with her buddy Shrek.  The only thing that Fiona likes better than a belly rub is a treat...

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Memorial Day - 2025

 In Memoriam

Ronald Allen Myers

Born on April 2, 1911

Killed in Action on May 6, 1945, 80 years ago this month.

World War II in Europe officially ended on May 8th, 1945. 

Staff Sergeant Ronald Myers in a column crossing Germany just a little over 3 weeks before he was KIA in what was then Czechoslovakia.

This local memorial for my Dad is located in the Pilsen area of what is now the Czech Republic, near the town of Tesov, where he was killed.

Ronald Allen Myers' final resting place is in the Lorraine American Military Cemetery near Saint-Avold France. (Rest in Peace Dad)

God Bless America and as well the millions of men and women who have fought and died for our freedom!

This flag was used on D-Day at Utah Beach as American forces fought their way ashore.  It is part of the Smithsonian collection.  It stands as a testament to the lives that have been sacrificed for our freedom...

The Woodrow Wilson Library - Staunton Virginia

...continuing with our October 2024 road trip, we had spent the night in Staunton Virginia.  I had previously researched possible attractions and places of interest with the Woodrow Wilson Library and Museum in Staunton popping out as a promising destination.    

This is a view of the Woodrow Wilson Museum and Library complex.  It consists of 3 adjoining structures. 

This is the entrance to the Visitor's Center (and shop) for the Presidential Library and Museum.

The actual Woodrow Wilson Museum has it's own entrance.  Note the big doors and big windows at the right of the photo.

For those who aren't familiar with Woodrow Wilson, he was a politician and academic who served as the 28th President of the United States from 1913 until 1921.  A Democrat, Wilson had served as the President of Princeton University and as the Governor of New Jersey prior to winning the Presidential election in 1912.  He was President during World War I, aka "The War to End All Wars".

After the war when Wilson returned from France after negotiating the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, this then brand new Pierce-Arrow limousine was waiting for him at the dock in New York City to take him back to Washington.  He liked this auto so much that when he left office, his friends purchased it for him to use.  This was the Buffalo New York based Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company's Series 51 Model.

This automobile was distinguished by 2 special emblems.  The Presidential Seal was displayed on each of its arched rear passenger doors.  On the front of the radiator panel was the AAA (American Automobile Club) symbol.  Wilson was the first President to join that association.  This auto was donated to the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation by his widow, Edith Bolling Galt Wilson.

We did like this striking American Flag-Wilson display setting off a number of personal artifacts.  Of note is the woman featured in the photo as the right of the display.   She is Ellen Bolling Galt Wilson, Woodrow Wilson's second wife.

Unlike more recent Presidential libraries and museums, the collections here at Wilson's birthplace are not as extensive one might expect.  The complex includes the President's birthplace, (aka the Manse), a museum that basically covers the President's life and times, a research library and a gift shop as well as several other buildings that aren't open to the public.  

Note: All United States Presidential Libraries for administrations prior to that of Herbert Hoover, including Wilson's, are not part of the Federal National Archives' Presidential Library System.

                            

While attending graduate school at Johns Hopkins University in 1883, Wilson met and fell in love with Ellen Louise Axson.  Like Wilson, she was from the southern United States.  She had graduated from the Art Students League of New York and worked in portraiture...but she sacrificed her artistic pursuits in order to marry Wilson in 1885.  

The photo above shows Ellen and Woodrow with their daughters in 1912.  From the left...Margaret, Ellen, Eleanor, Jessie and Woodrow.  Sadly, in August of 1914 Ellen died from Bright's Disease" a kidney disorder.

President Wilson reportedly fell into depression following Ellen's passing.  However, in March of 1915, he met Edith Bolling Galt at a White House tea.  She was also from the south and she was a widow, her husband having been a wealthy jeweler in Washington D.C.  After several meetings, Wilson proposed to Edith in May of 1915.  He was initially rebuffed but she warmed to the relationship and they were married in December of 1915.  Wilson is one of the three Presidents that got married while in office, the other two being John Tyler and Grover Cleveland.

These photos show part of a re-creation of the study that was in the house that he and Ellen had built at Princeton in 1895.  His focus was on his career and politics.  The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library houses materials from during and immediately after his lifetime, memoirs of those who worked with him and governmental volumes concerning World War I.  Other larger collections of Wilson's official papers and documents are maintained at The Library of Congress and Princeton University.

This display is related to Woodrow Wilson's family after they'd settled in Staunton Virginia.  Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born in Staunton in December 1856.  His parents were Scotch-Irish and Scottish.  Woodrow's father Joseph met Jesse, his mother, in Ohio.  Soon after the couple married, Joseph was ordained as a Presbyterian pastor and he was assigned to serve in Staunton.  When Woodrow was quite young, the family moved to another parish in Augusta Georgia.

Woodrow Wilson's earliest memory was when he was in the family's front yard in Augusta.  He recalled a passerby announcing in disgust that Abraham Lincoln had been elected and that a war was coming.  Woodrow's father identified with the Southern USA and he was a staunch supporter of the Confederacy during the Civil War.  Joseph Wilson owned slaves himself...

The items displayed above are related to President Woodrow Wilson and actions surrounding World War I.  From 1914 until early 1917, Wilson's primary foreign policy objectives were to keep the US out of the war in Europe.  Ideally, he wanted to broker a peace agreement.  He insisted that all American government actions must be neutral so as to avoid the perception that the USA had a preference of one side of the conflict over the other.  The sinking of the Lusitania and similar actions by Germany finally forced American involvement.

This is our tour group at the entrance to Woodrow Wilson's birthplace.  It is called the Manse, which is the name of a Presbyterian minister's home.  This home was built in 1846 by the Staunton First Presbyterian Church.  The home has 12 rooms with 12 fireplaces and it originally cost about $4,000 to build.  At that point the Wilson family consisted of Joseph, his wife Jessie and their 2 daughters.  Another son, Joseph Jr. as well as Woodrow, were born in this home.

In general, this Wilson home in Staunton was much like any other middle to upper middle class home of its time...comfortable but not overly plush.  The sitting room above proves the point.

This is one of the family bedrooms.  Our photos from inside the home were cluttered with the tour group so they weren't much use for this posting.  Note the chamber pot under the bed.  It was use that or run outside to the outhouse in bad weather!

Perhaps because it was the home for Presbyterian ministers, the home is quite plain with minimal decor.  Practical and simple are words that come to mind.  

As previously mentioned, Woodrow Wilson became the President of Princeton University.  In that role he strove to raise admission and educational  standards...taking the school from a nice place for upper middle class men to attend to a place that actually promoted and required serious study.  He aggravated and lost some support from alumni but with the help and donations of such wealthy supporters as Mose Taylor Pyne (Cuban investments, sugar and railroads) and Andrew Carnegie, Woodrow did make meaningful changes.  He also promoted the first Jew and the first Catholic to the faculty.  He managed to loosen the conservative control of the conservative Presbyterians on the board.  However, at the same time he worked to keep African-Americans from attending Princeton...this while other Ivy League schools were beginning to do so.

We've seen a lot of toys in old homes and museums over the years but this was the first horse-tricycle we'd ever seen.  Note that it is operated by moving the handles back and forth.  It was located in the 'birthing room' of the home.  

Woodrow Wilson made a lot of progress improving Princeton but eventually he'd made so many 'enemies' that he grew tired of the constant roadblocks to progress and he found a way out.  He attracted the attention of the Democratic Party in New Jersey as they desperately sought a viable candidate for Governor of that state.  He became Governor in 1910 and his clashes with state party bosses enhanced his reputation with the rising Progressive movement.  

In addition to the progressives, Wilson enjoyed the support of key Princeton alumni such as Cyrus McCormick and a number of Southerners who believed that Wilson's status as a transplanted Southerner gave him broad appeal.  Consequently, Wilson became a key contender for the Democratic Presidential ticket as the election year of 1912 approached.  Wilson faced two major opponents in the election.  They were one-term Republican President William Howard Taft and former Republican President Theodore Roosevelt, the latter running as a third party candidate for the "Bull Moose" Party.  The split in the Republican party between Taft and Roosevelt led to Woodrow Wilson's victory and his first term as President in 1913.

Remember...the Manse was built in 1846 and its been refurbished to fit the period.  The kitchen is pretty basic as is the rest of the home.  Note the sand box that the stove is sitting on.

Wilson was a 'progressive', a term that is liberally used in today's politics.  He introduced a comprehensive program of domestic legislation at the beginning of his administration.  No other President had ever done such a thing before.  His 4 major priorities were: conservation of natural resources; banking reform, tariff reduction, and; better access to raw materials via the breaking up of Western Mining Trusts.  This agenda was introduced to a joint session of Congress, making Wilson the first President since John Adams to address Congress in person.  

The Revenue Act of 1913 reduced tariffs, replacing the lost revenue with a Federal Income Tax of 1% on those with incomes of more than $3,000.  That impacted the richest 3% of the population.  Wilson also was instrumental in the creation of the Federal Reserve System...making the banking system 'public not private' and he helped create the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate antitrust violations...

I'm ending this post with another highly decorative stove...this one which would have provided heat to one room in the Wilson family home in Staunton.  Whether it was original or not is not the point as far as I'm concerned.  I just love the design...it is so ornate!

So, once in office what else did Woodrow Wilson accomplish?  He pushed for legislation providing for an 8 hour work day and a six day work week, various health and safety measures, the prohibition of child labor and a number of safeguards for female workers.  He also favored a minimum wage for all work performed by or for the Federal government.  Many credit or blame Wilson for the creation of the welfare state as we know it today. 

Wilson was narrowly re-elected in 1916 and while he did all he could to keep America out of the War in Europe, he did begin building up our ability to fight if it became necessary.  The Democratic Party had campaigned on the slogan "He Kept Us Out of War".  Unfortunately, our late entry into the war in 1917 was not without enormous problems in staffing, training and equipment.  President Wilson is considered by many to have been a segregationist or racist.  He escalated the discriminatory hiring practices and segregation of government offices that had begun under Theodore Roosevelt and continued under Taft.  Under his Administration, many departments were segregated and some adopted whites only employment policies.  Many black office holders were simply fired.

Following the Allied victory in late 1918, President Wilson attended the Paris Peace Conference.  He successfully pushed for the establishment of a multinational organization, the League of Nations, which was incorporated into the Treaty of Versailles, which Wilson signed.  However, when he returned home, the Senate wouldn't approve the treaty unless they were given the power to declare war...taking that ability away from the President or any treaty agreement.  The Treaty was never signed and America never joined the League of Nations.  Wilson suffered a stroke in late 1919 that left him incapacitated.  Some historians debate the impact, but his second wife Edith and his physician controlled Wilson and despite pressure for the Vice President to take over the reins, it never happened.  Allegedly no important decisions were made on the President's 'behalf' for the remainder of his second term.

All in all, our visit to the Woodrow Wilson Library and Museum was very interesting and we both learned a lot.  To learn more about this Presidential attraction located in Staunton Virginia, go to https://www.woodrowwilson.org/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave