Author Archives: Dablad1
Grand Canyon Metz Car
In 1914 Mr. L. Wing and a friend took their 22 horsepower Metz car to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, having first departed Los Angeles and crossing deserts south of Death Valley. They had few roads to follow, no GPS or cell phones, and still had to cross three mountain ranges as well. After … Continue reading
Grand Canyon Mules
Long ago the mules in Grand Canyon did more than just ferry tourists down to the Colorado River and back. This 1922 picture shows them at Plateau Point meeting the only plane ever to land in the Park. Sometimes they competed with the Kolb Brothers by taking pictures of each other as seen in these … Continue reading
Grand Canyon and the Kolb Brothers
In 1906 Teddy Roosevelt gave initial protection to the Grand Canyon when it was designated a National Monument. In 1919 it bcaame a National Park due in no small part to photographers Emery and Elsworth Kolb. They scoured the back country looking for the perfect photos to entice people to come and visit. Here are … Continue reading
Kolb Studio
The Kolb brothers built their studio in 1904 and operated it at the head of Bright Angel Trail for 75 years. Everyday they would take tourist photos, run down 5 miles to Indian Gardens where there was water for developing, then run back up in time to meet the customers at the end of the … Continue reading
Rosewell
Rosewell is our third and final Virginia plantation. Located across the York River from Williamsburg, Rosewell was built from 1726 through 1737 by the Page family, who held on to it for more than 100 years. Thomas Jefferson wrote a rough draft of the Declaration of Independence there. Yet perhaps no other plantation has had … Continue reading
Rosewell Today
Compare the ghostly photo dated 1935 with the current one showing it’s use for various social occasions.
Westover
Also located near Williamsburg, Westover, like Carter’s Grove , is considered to be one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the country. However, their two histories cound not have been more different. Westover has enjoyed a stable and continuous ownership with few structural changes. It was originally thought to have been built in … Continue reading
Carter’s Grove
Located on the James River a few miles southeast of Williamsburg, Carter’s Grove sits on 476 acres. Construction of the 18,700 square foot home started in 1738 and took fifteen years to complete.It was built by Carter Burwell, who died one year after moving in, a foreshadowing of what was to be a tumultuous history.Major … Continue reading
Carter’s Grove–More Changes
In 1976 evidence of a small settlement wiped out in the 1622 Massacre was discovered on the front lawn near the river. This settlement conflicted with Colonial Williamsburg’s emphasis on the 18th century, but they tried to accomodate with a partial reconstruction of the settlement’s fort (see first picture below). At the same time they … Continue reading
Carter’s Grove–The Future
In 2007 Carter’s Grove was sold, but the buyer defaulted and the home again suffered from neglect. Major repairs were done in 2014, and the property sold later that year to promising new owners.