Chinatown Friendship Archway

There is so much about the history of Washington DC China Town, there is one in almost every metropolitan city in the United States. This is the story of a symbol of a city that is a city in a America city that is a national respected buy the ugly step child. But there is always the joy of life in this historical city. But what is not mentioned in the history of this area is the beginning of it's return to a popular city center that bring people from every walk of life together.

 The "Friendship Archway" is much more about the friendship of one country to a community. But it is about the revitalization of a community. During the 

Georgetown Pike

Georgetown Pike know as Virginia State Rout 193, It runs from from West to East from Rout 7 Leesburg Pike in Dranesville, Va. to  Rout 123 Dolley Madison Boulevard in Langley, Va. crossing over I-495 Capital Beltway. Driving speeds is 20 to 35 miles per hours but on an average people are know to drive at high-way speeds witch makes it dangerous. It is a no passing road but if you are a safe drivers that feel they have the right to drive any way they want. 

Keep in mind the road crosses deer run some times there will be a deer or two some times try to cross so it is good to stick to the speed limit. But that is only half of what you should be cautioned about there are other drivers who will tale-gate if they feel your not going fast enough. Some of these people will pass even though the road is no passing zone and is very dangerous with the many hills and turns.      


It is a nice drive during the summer month with access to three hiking parks Scotts Runs, Great Falls Park, and River View Park, with views of the Potomac and Great Falls. You can find many horse stables and farms along the way.


 With the economic crises you will see many For Sale signs and the minim that thees properties will go for is  nothing less than a 1.2 million. Many of the wealthy elate of Washington DC live in the area.     


  

Mayor of Silver Spring

Just across the over the border of North East Washington DC there is Silver Spring Maryland. There is a street named for a local bum. Here is the story about that bum.

This info was found at Metroblogs;   

The “Mayor of Silver Spring” was our official town drunk. Although he was born into a prominent DC family, Norman got off to a rough start. His mother had TB and the stress of bringing him to term took her life and left little Norman
with life-long problems. He ran away from a school for retarded children when he was six. He grew up as an outcast, drifting around the country doing odd jobs, farm work and washing dishes. He was an odd shaped piece that never quite fit into society’s jigsaw puzzle.

Norman’s was the picture of misery. Often wearing his shoes on the wrong feet, his rumpled clothes hung off his 90 pound frame like a scarecrow. He looked like a gargoyle peering out from under a hard hat. After returning to the DC area, he spent the winter of 1966 in Glenmont, sleeping in the fire department coal bin. That spring he wandered down Georgia Avenue.

In Silver Spring he found a home. The Phillips family set up a cot for him in the back of their autobody shop. For 25 years Norman lived in that back alley garage, which was directly behind this statue. It was the only real home he ever knew. After his death, Norman’s alley, “Mayor Lane” was named for him. Silver Spring’s business community, the shoppers, the police, and fire departments were his family. They accepted his drinking, his course manners and came to love his quirky, Tom Sawyer sense of humor.

“Don’t worry ’bout it” was Norman’s answer to everything. As our “Mayor” made his rounds, he generously shared a bit of his permanent vacation with us work-a-day shut-ins. He owned nothing. He shambled through the streets, happily living out our worse fears for us. After seeing Norman, we really didn’t worry about it quite so much. Fridays were his big day. He retrieved armloads of flowers from the flower shop’s trash and passed out bouquets to the ladies (Norman loved the ladies). His weathered, toothless face looked like a rusty ax stuck in midst of those brightly-colored flowers.

One day he put out his last cigarette in his last beer and just like that, he quit. But the truth is he wasn’t much different sober. Silver Spring’s loving care allowed Norman to live out his life on his own terms. Silver Spring’s
finest hour lasted 25 years.

Norman passed away in 1987.

The monument was sculpted and donated by Fred Folsom in 1991.

John Paul Jones

Just outside the WW II memorial in Washington DC as you head towards the tidal basin the street forks at that fork there is the John Paul Jones Memorial . It seem this memorial as it sit in a high traffic of autos and pedestrian, there isn't mobs of people clambering to see it. A historical part of the foundation of our nation help lead the way and to inspire national navel deffence.

John Paul Jones (July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to this day.      

Barack Obama

 On a walk up Georgia Ave. in Washington DC Just down from Howard University is a empty lot and on the wall there is this poster of President Obama. This Obama “VOTE” print by Shepard Fairey. This print has sold out, but there are still other Obama artist works available for purchase at BarackObama.com.

For me to see some one like Barack Obama to become the president of the United States open so many door for so many people. This is more than just racial and culturel it is proof that any one has the potenchel to do what ever they can. It also make the presidentcy more real and when you hear a child say “I am going to be president one day” that is possible.

President Obama brought a fresh feeling of inspiration to the nation this poster is proof of that. On the week of the inaguration there where so many people who started small beuisness selling merebelia of this historical moment in time.
This can be found at the empty lot at 3205 Georgia Ave NW Washington DC. If it is still there..


Poster Location

Samuel Hahnemann

Samuel Hahnemann grew up in the mid 1700's work as a painter and designer of porcelain with his family in the European town of Meissen. As a young man he stepped out to make a life of his own. He became a translator of English, French, Italian, Greek and Latin. Than to become a teacher of these languages also learned and gaining further proficiency in Arabic,Syriac, Chaldaic and Hebrew.
With in our educational system in America why isn't there that same kind of passion of in leaning another language. With in the growth of immigration in America (legal and illegal) we are forced to learn another language and I think that is why there are not more people trying on their own.

Samuel latter went on to study medicine and from research shows that his educational carrier was shorter than today’s student studying to be a MD. What was it about the education in those and what is it about today has changed? One thing that I can say the changed is the attitude of the student. They don't choose their education path not out of passion but from monetary gain. This might be the reflection of the American health system today. What would Hahnemann think of the health system today?

The life size bronze sculpture and accompanying mosaic were created by Charles Henry Niehaus (1855–1935), an Ohio native of German parentage and graduate of the Royal Academy in Munich. The memorial was dedicated on June 21, 1900. It was re-dedicated on June 21, 2000 by the American Institute of Homeopathy. It can found east of  Scott Circle in Washington DC at the corner of 1500 Road Island Ave. and Massachusetts Ave.