Now that we know where most of our boxes are after our recent move, I decided to open a box of photographs and post about a random photo. My selection wasn’t entirely random. Summer is drawing to an end, and I told myself I would use the first snapshot I found of summer.
What surfaced first was a group of pictures of a summer trip my family took to visit my husband’s sister and her family when they lived in Alexandria, Virginia. This vacation occurred after my daughter’s first “grown-up” trip to St. Louis, but not long after. I’m guessing it was in August 1989, but it could have been 1990.
Fort Washington
My husband loves military installations, and, of course, the East Coast is full of old battlements. These pictures were taken on a day trip to Fort Washington, which was one of the forts that guarded the entrance to the Potomac and defended Washington, D.C. Fort Washington dates back to 1808, and it was later supplemented with Fort Hunt across the Potomac in the 1880s. These forts are now historic sites operated by the National Park Service, with picnic areas and great views of the Potomac.
View of the Potomac from Fort Washington
Four cousins
My kids and their two cousins enjoyed each other’s company all through their growing years. As I recall, we made this trip because my husband had business in D.C. I took vacation days, and on one weekday, I had all four children to myself, while my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband all worked. We had a rental car, and I bravely declared I would take the kids to the National Zoo.
I had lived in D.C. one term during college, and I knew my way around the tourist attractions. But I had never driven in the city before. Nevertheless, I set out from Alexandria, found my way across a bridge into D.C., and ended up on the Rock Creek Parkway headed toward the Zoo. Mind you, this was all before smartphones and Google Maps. I had a paper map, but with no competent navigator in the car, I had to memorize the basics before we left my sister-in-law’s house.
We encountered a driver going the wrong way on the Rock Creek Parkway. I questioned my own driving ability for a moment, but quickly realized I was in the right and the other guy was the idiot. No harm done, and we arrived at the zoo safely.
The five of us had a wonderful day, except for when my daughter dropped her ice cream cone. But somehow, even that avoided disaster.
The day trip to Fort Washington took place a day or two later on the weekend when the other adults could join us. It was not as memorable as the trip to the zoo.
Four cousins, with my husband in the background
What summer vacation memories come to mind for you?
Cute kids!
Yes, they were cute. And still are.
Here is my husband’s clarification to my post. I told you he loved military installations. Theresa
“Fort Washington is a fair way up the Potomac and relatively close to D.C. as structures along the river go. Hence, it did not really guard the mouth of the river, but it was a defensive work that had to be passed if an attacker was going to use the river to attack Alexandria and the District. When the British sought to do that during the War of 1812, the fort’s commander abandoned the position with his small garrison and, much to the surprise of the British, blew the place up!”