Rosemont in the 1970s

  • The February 4, 1970 edition of the Star reported that William J. Sloane had been promoted to branch manager of Alexandria National Bank’s Rosemont branch.
  • The April 23, 1970 edition of the Post reported that fifteen Alexandria housewives celebrated Earth Day by holding a picnic on the polluted shores of the Potomac; the event was organized by Ellen Pickering of 123 West Maple Street and most of the other attendees were from Rosemont, including Mrs. Paul Murphy of 200 West Glendale Avenue.
  • The May 12, 1970 edition of the Star reported that the candidates for mayor debated at the Maury School in Rosemont.
  • The June 2, 1970 edition of the Post reported that a nighttime fire bomb caused extensive damage to the Rosemont Park Market at 2 East Walnut Street; the owner, Seymour Fromm and his wife and daughter escaped without injury. A similar report appeared in the June 2, 1970 editions of the Star and the Gazette.
  • The July 28, 1970 edition of the Star reported that many residents had objected to the City’s new trash collection system, which required the use of plastic bags; Rosemont residents Mrs. Charles L. Butterfield of 411 West Masonic View Drive, Marlene Sykes of 409 Rucker Place, and Mrs. Samuel Childress of 306 Summers Drive were among those interviewed.
  • The August 12, 1970 edition of the Star reported that the City council had approved the construction of a new Route 1 bridge over Potomac Yard at Monroe Avenue, noting that the existing bridge was deteriorating and closed to trucks, which had required them to be rerouted through Rosemont and Del Ray.
  • The September 9, 1970 edition of the Post reported that the City Council had appointed a seven-member industrial authority empowered to acquire land for new industry; one of the appointees was Joseph M. Guiffre, a businessman backed by the Rosemont Citizens Association.
  • The February 10, 1971 edition of the Star reported that Mrs. Wilson M. Morgan of 36 East Linden Street was the first African-American appointed to the Alexandria Planning Commission.
  • The March 9, 1971 edition of the Post reported that the parents of a member of the U.S. Air Force who kid been kidnapped in Turkey – Mr. and Mrs. Milton Gholson, of 14 East Oak Street – had expressed relief at his release.
  • The March 31, 1971 edition of the Post reported that the Rosemont Citizens Association held a meeting concerning recent tensions at George Washington High School, at which residents called for a crackdown on disruptive behavior but emphasized their commitment to desegregated education. A similar report appeared in the March 31, 1971 edition of the Star.
  • The April 23, 1971 edition of the Star reported that the planned Braddock Road Metro station – then referred to as the Madison Street station – was not planned by Metro to have direct pedestrian access to the west, over City objections.
  • The May 6, 1971 edition of the Post reported that Michael Mulroney, speaking for the Rosemont Citizens Association, supported a proposal to establish a single high school for the City, which was intended to achieve compliance with federal desegregation requirements.
  • The June 30, 1971 edition of the Post reported that, in connection with planned King Street Metro station on the edge of Rosemont, the City “would like to protect” the neighborhood “from high-rise apartment and office development that is expected to take place around transit stations.”
  • The October 18, 1971 edition of the Star in its consumer column responded to a complaint about poor mail delivery service on West Cedar Street, with the finding that it was part of an auxiliary route due to manpower shortages; the October 20, 1971 edition of the Star further reported that it and another auxiliary route would be combined into a new regular route to resolve the problem.
  • The December 28, 1971 edition of the Star reported that the City had closed Walnut Street to traffic at King Street, based on neighborhood complaints that it was being used as a commuter shortcut, including from Victor Hernandes, President of the Rosemont Citizens Association.
  • The April 16, 1972 edition of the Post reported that the Council was discussing plans to replace the deteriorating Monroe Avenue bridge on Route 1. The article noted that since 1970, trucks weighing more than 15 tons had been banned from the span and sent over a bypass through Rosemont and Del Ray. The November 21, 1972 edition of the Post reported that Rosemont and Del Ray residents continued to urge speedy construction of a new bridge.
  • The May 13, 1972 edition of the Star that the Rosemont Festival of Arts and Crafts would be held at the Maury School.
  • The June 14, 1972 edition of the Star reported that the city had decided to make the closure of Walnut Street at King Street permanent.
  • The October 11, 1972 edition of the Post reported that Metro after further study had confirmed its plans to build a station at Braddock Road, instead of at Monroe Avenue.
  • The January 6, 1973 edition of the Post reported that one of the candidates for City Council, Donald C. Casey, was President of the Rosemont Citizens Association, “one of the most influential citizens groups in Alexandria.”
  • The February 15, 1973 edition of the Post reported that at a meeting over proposals to further desegregate the City’s elementary schools, “mid-city” PTAs generally endorsed further desegregation, include Michael Mulroney, President of the Maury Elementary School PTA.
  • The March 4, 1973 edition of the Star reported that Virginia was considering changes to its restrictions on what products could be sold on Sundays. Opponents argued that competition would force stores to open on Sundays. Frances Fromm, owner and manager of the Rosemont Park Market, said that “[t]he day I have to open on Sunday is the day I quit.”
  • The March 5, 1973 edition of the Star reported that one of the candidates for City Council was Donald C. Casey, President of the Rosemont Citizens Association.
  • The May 10, 1973 edition of the Star reported that the Alexandria School Board had delayed consideration of a desegregation plan, which among other proposals would “pair” Maury in Rosemont with Lyles-Crouch in Old Town.
  • The May 26, 1973 edition of the Post included a column which speculated that the School Board had “paired” Maury in Rosemont with Lyles-Crouch in Old Town in order to satisfy the desire of parents for a neighborhood school while at the same time achieving the goals of desegregation.
  • The June 6, 1973 edition of the Star reported that fifth-graders from the Maury School had been bused to the Lyles-Crouch School for an orientation session in advance of the busing plan being implemented in the fall.
  • The November 1, 1973 edition of the Star reported that the School Board had decided to stagger the opening and closing times of the Maury School and the Lyles-Crouch School so the same buses could be used for each school.
  • The November 28, 1973 edition of the Post reported that Donald C. Casey, President of the Rosemont Citizens Association, criticized the City for responding to a $114,000 deficit in the fire protection budget by reducing the staffing of Fire Engine Co. Number One in Old Town.
  • The February 21, 1974 edition of the Star profiled the Rosemont neighborhood as a “genteel oasis” and interviewed Michael and Ellen Mulroney, parents of the 10-year old and not-yet-famous Dermot Mulroney. Ellen Mulroney commented: “I don’t sense a feeling of inevitability about Rosemont being overwhelmed by development. But part of the reason is that we have an active citizens’ association and it’s been effective.” The article noted that Michael Mulroney was a past president of the association.
  • The March 29, 1974 edition of the Star reported that about 600 houses in Rosemont were blacked out for about 30 minutes after an underground cable failed.
  • The June 3, 1974 edition of the Star reported that Maury Park would be renamed Beach Park in honor of Lillian E. Beach, who was retiring after having served as the principal of the Maury School for 22 years.
  • The June 10, 1974 edition of the Star reported that students at the Maury School were writing and illustrating their own books, as part of the Language Experience Approach to encourage reading.
  • The June 16, 1974 edition of the Star reported that one of the candidates for School Board was Sabra Avery, a resident of Rosemont.
  • The October 7, 1974 edition of the Post reported that one of the sites proposed by the City for the relocation of public housing due to be demolished for Metro construction was the northwest corner Braddock Road and Mount Vernon Avenue, “where a burned out fast food restaurant and an abandoned gas station now stand.” The article added that initial citizen reaction was that the public housing units “would be an improvement over the current dilapidated state of the proposed site,” as well the support of neighbor A.J. Pettit of 709 Ramsey Street.
  • The January 4, 1975 edition of the Post reported that four armed men robbed the Alexandria National Bank’s Rosemont branch, and in the course of their escape temporarily kidnapped a receptionist from the bank and a motorist from the intersection of Mount Vernon Avenue and Braddock Road; one of the robbers, Willie C. Webster, eventually was captured after an exchange of gunfire at the intersection of 17th Street, N.W. and Constitution Avenue, N.W. in Washington. A similar report appeared in the January 4, 1975 edition of the Star.
  • The October 5, 1975 edition of the Star reported that the Rosemont Citizens Association would be sponsoring a forum for state senate and assembly candidates.
  • The November 6, 1975 edition of the Star reported that Donald C. Casey, President of the Rosemont Citizens Association, was considering a run for City Council.
  • The March 23, 1976 edition of the Star reported that B. Douglas Harman, the recently appointed city manager for Alexandria, had purchased a house in Rosemont.
  • The April 20, 1976 edition of the Star reported that a forum for mayoral candidates had been held at the Maury School.
  • The December 23, 1976 edition of the Post reported that Alexandria City Manager Douglas Harman had received as a gag gift from City employees a demolished and worthless Cadillac, which was towed to his driveway on North View Terrace from a local junkyard.
  • The July 1, 1976 edition of the Post reported that Donald C. Casey, now a member of the City Council, continued to have concerns about the impacts of the planned Braddock Road Metro station. The article noted that in addition to Casey, two other members of the Council – Nora Lamborne and Ellen Pickering – as well as City Manager Douglas Harman and City Attorney Cyril Calley lived in Rosemont.
  • The September 24, 1978 edition of the Post reported that Chestery P. Avery of 16 East Linden Street had filed a civil rights complaint challenging his exclusion from jury duty on the grounds that he was blind.
  • The March 29, 1979 edition of the Post reported that computers had been made available for student use at the second annual science fair at the Maury School, on loan from Honeywell and Radio Shack. Activities included math and bowling games, as well as blackjack.
  • The March 30, 1979 edition of the Star reported that Rosemont residents were among those who had expressed concern about the realignment of Metro bus routes.
  • The May 13, 1979 edition of the Star profiled Artifacts, an architectural antiques store located at 706 Mount Vernon Avenue, along with its owner, Elsa Rosenthal.
  • The June 1, 1979 edition of the Star reported that the Baseldon Corporation had paid $308,000 for the 48,000 square foot parcel at 702 Mount Vernon Avenue.
  • The June 6, 1979 edition of the Post reported that that Police Officer John T. Avery had given up keeping chickens in the yard of his Rosemont home after neighbors complained and a city inspector informed him that in Alexandria it was a violation to keep chickens within 200 feet of another’s property.
  • The September 5, 1979 edition of the Star reported that Alexandria residents, including Peter Shank of Rosemont, had argued at a planning commission meeting for restrictions on the height of construction near the future King Street Metro station.
  • The October 4, 1979 edition of the Post reported that residents of Rosemont had requested a 66-foot limit on construction near the King Street Metro; the City Council imposed a 77-foot limit, considerably less than the 150-foot limit that developers had sought. Similar reports appeared in the September 16, 1979 and October 15, 1979 editions of the Star; the former reported that Robert Hayden, President of the Rosemont Citizens Association, had gathered 672 signature in support of a 77-foot limit.

 

Christine Cuspard in her classroom at the Maury School, 1979.

Christine Cuspard in her classroom at the Maury School, 1979

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