Annapolis and Politics

There’s an elephant in the room. Or maybe it’s a donkey. This is not supposed to be a political blog but politics have been weighing heavily on my mind. One thing I’ve been noticing is that due to the intense feelings surrounding the Presidential race, (pollsters tell us that in this election Americans feel very strongly about their preferred candidate), no one is talking directly about whom they are voting for and why, unless they are feel certain like-minded people surround them.
So a Barrack Obama for President headquarters opened up on West Street across from Park Place and a week or so later I noticed very large McCain Palin signs posted on the fence next door to the Democratic headquarters. A few days later a number of those signs were torn down. In another part of the neighborhood near the water where an Obama sign is posted on a fence, at the neighboring home next door a large hand made sign says “Republican Ducks Feed Here.” The lines are clearly drawn. Who is the victor remains to be seen, but whatever your views, I urge you to seriously study all the issues and on election day, vote. To provide a little assistance, What’s Up Annapolis and What’s Up? Eastern Shore will be providing a voter guide for the upcoming local election in our November issue. Visit www. WhatsUpMag.com to find out more about what’s going on in this week in the Chesapeake Bay region.

Murray Hill Picnic a Fall Tradition

The Murray Hill Picnic is an annual event.

The table was laden with platters of fried chicken, homemade macaroni and cheese, shrimp cocktail, chinese noodle salad, ceasar salad, meatballs, stir fried vegetables, chicken, and rice, and lasagna. Depending on which moment in time you visited the table the selection kept changing. There were spare ribs on the table for a while. Then there was poached salmon, cole slaw, fresh tomatoes, and in the kitchen on another table sat brownies, pies, and cookies.
That’s the fun of a big potluck, the opportunity to taste lots of different things and the annual Murray Hill Picnic, hosted at the home of Brad and Lynn Davidson is really a very big potluck. When my children were younger, I used to bring a blanket. Now I sit on the steps of the lovely early 20th century home that the Davidsons generously open to the community each fall.
Here’s a little background history on the popular Annapolis neighborhood , encompassing almost 100 acres, subdivided in 1891.
The name Murray Hill is derived from James D. Murray who inherited Acton Place, a large Georgian estate built in the mid 18th century, from his father, also named James Murray. The Acton Place homestead and surrounding farmlands were originally surveyed by Richard Acton in 1656. He was granted one of the earliest land patents on the peninsula.
In an effort to raise money and clear family debts, James D. Murray contracted with an attorney named George Melvin to subdivide and develop 95.5 acres on behalf of himself and several relatives. Sales of the lots began on September 30, 1891. Initially many of the lots were offered for between $200 and $400. Comparable lots located in the downtown area were selling for between $1,000 and $1,500.
One of the first houses built was at 21 Southgate Avenue for the Reverend William Scott, Rector at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church. Scott bought several lots in the spring of 1892 and termed the Queen Anne style home he built a “cottage”. Located up on the top of a gently sloping hill, it was described by George Melvin as commanding “a magnificent stretch of water scenery”. At 30 Southgate Avenue, a relative of the Murray family built a beautiful Queen Anne home with an expansive front veranda in 1892. It is now known locally as the “Wisteria House”, to describe the draping lavender Wisteria which frames its front in the spring.
But to the disappointment of both Murray and Melvin, sales of the lots were slow. Potential buyers considered the neighborhood’s location too far away from the hustle and bustle of the downtown docks and marketplace. In the fall of 1892, the majority of lots were sold at public auction. According to advertisements, lots could be purchased by installment for as little as five to ten dollars a month. Gradually houses were built, a few at a time. To learn more about the Murray Hill Resident’s Association and upcoming activities and meeting go to:
http://murrayhill.annapolis.com
To learn about What’s Up in Annapolis go to: www.WhatsUpMag.com

Back to School Night in Annapolis

It’s the start of the school year and that means if you have a child in school, you’ll have the opportunity to meet all their teachers at a Back to School Night. Even if your children don’t personally tell you, check out the school calendar. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get a sense of what your child goes through each and every day, well not every day, but five days a week.
My daughter is a student at Annapolis High School and it was quite a challenge just navigating the halls, finding the classrooms within the maze of twists and turns. Luckily there were plenty of student volunteers on hand, ready to help out with directions. Most of those volunteers were members of the NJROTC which stands for Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps.
This year Annapolis High Schools’s NJROTC has been named the number one program in the country. That’s right, number one.They earned top marks for student performance in programs that include the color guard ceremony, community service, and citizenship. The Annapolis High School program is so popular that students from other high schools are making the commute to AHS to attend the class that provides a multitude of learning opportunities plus the possibility of being nominated for the U.S. Naval Academy, West Point, or the Air Force Academy. To read about more unique Anne Arundel County educational programs go to www.whatsupmag.com/jan08/specialprograms.shtml
At the end of the evening, I was fully aware of all the work my daughter will need to accomplish this year as well as appreciative of the planning that goes into the work day for each and every teacher.