history’s stories
Fredericksburg Lamp
610 Lewis Street
By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks
Ironic as life can be on December 25, 2019 as many of us were celebrating Christmas in our home some of which had candles burning in our cherished Fredericksburg Lamps, Allen Green III passed away. Having been friends with the both Allen and his father for many years, I know they would have been happy knowing as their lives ended that their legacy continues. I remember almost 40 years ago when I along with another Councilmember Gordon Shelton stopped by the Copper Shop for a visit, Allen’s father was working away on a copper Whale weathervane and remarked that maybe in a century, he would be famous for his lamps. We all smiled and complimented him on what he was doing as a new business venture in the city. He said he had just had a patent approved for the Fredericksburg Lamp. After his father’s death, Allen continued the business producing the lamps that almost all of the older homes and many newer ones have in the area. The lamps Anne and I have four of the lamps that we display in our home. Allen told me that he knew that individuals from every state had purchased the lamps and that they had shipped them to over 60 countries. All have a date, an inscription and of course AHG initials. Georgia Strentz a long time Front Porch writer did a story on Allen and his wife Pat in the May 2018 edition. Pat a former teacher has contributed many hours working on boards and commissions in the City of Fredericksburg, I had the privilege of working with her as a member of City Council in the 1980’s and 90’s. The Green family have deep roots in the area especially in Stafford County. Allen III was a talented artist which he was able to use in creating the many items that he made in the Copper Shop. Whenever you stopped in it was like a step back in time as the craftsmanship was much like the seventeen hundreds, and there was always a friendly greeting that made it a special place, especially if you were a visitor touring Fredericksburg. I was asked just a few days ago, “where can we find one of those Fredericksburg Lamps”? My answer was, I do not know since they are so desirable and now a collector’s item more than ever. Allen, you did not have to wait a hundred years to be famous. You and your father will be remembered not only for the Fredericksburg Lamp, but the two gentlemen you were and how you represented your community, family and friends. Fredericksburg is what it is today because of people like Allen Green III. Dedicated to:: Donna Caple, Sylvester Silver, Russell Howard, Harrison Simpson Tuffy is the Front Porch resident FXBG historian
18
What’s in a Basement?
February 2020
Front porch fredericksburg
By jon gerlach Built in 1928 by E.G. Heflin, this 2 ½ story brick Colonial Revival house is a downtown architectural jewel that has deep connections to the people and places of Fredericksburg. John W. Masters, a lumber merchant, and City councilman for 18 years, was the fist owner; his heirs lived there until 1959. In 1960 the house was purchased by Josiah P. Rowe, III and his wife, Anne W. Rowe, who enjoyed 53 years of marriage there. Josiah was the owner and Star publisher of the Free Lance-S Newspaper, a two-term mayor of Fredericksburg, School Board member, and a humble but effective philanthropist. Among his many accomplishments, he helped champion the City’s acquisition of rights to 4,800 acres of land in the upper Rappahannock River basin that we rely on today for clean drinking water and unspoiled river recreation. One of Josiah’s four children, Jeanette Cadwallender, recently gave me a tour of the magnificent house, and shared her memories of growing up there. She remembers how happy her father was to live so near to his work: first, the Star Building on William Street that housed the newspaper, and later, the new building at 616 Amelia Street. It was also close to the grocery store, perfect for sending one of the children to fetch an ingredient or two for cooking. As a man of eminent practicality, he even had a dedicated business telephone line installed in the house so he could be reached at any hour for newspaper business without tying up the family phone. 610 Lewis Street was a true family home: the family sat down to dinner each night and talked about issues of the day. It was also a gathering place for many other people including neighbors, educators, and foreign exchange students. “This was the house with all the people”, says Jeanette. The house was a gathering place for neighborhood kids too. Lifelong friendships were born and nurtured here. In the spacious basement, classmates met to create decorations for school dances and trappings for the homecoming parade floats. Paint cans of all colors were opened and freely employed. You can still see the results today, festooned on the basement walls. I hesitate to call it “graffiti” because it’s more like an endless guest book. The walls carry whispers of childhood crushes and alliances: such as “Richard + Diana”, “Donna + Kenny”, “Gary – Linda”, and “Pam Friend”, among hundreds of others. It’s wonderful that, in later years, this wall
art was preserved as part of the home’s legacy rather than painted over. It is a memorial and testament to youthful dreams … and boundless exuberance. Jeanette fondly remembers, as a teenager, moving into her new bedroom in the attic, furnished with yellow shag carpet, orange wicker furniture and a green bedspread with daisies. But as we all know, “to everything there is a season” and time marches on. Today this magnificent house is listed for sale contact Suzie Stone for details or Google MLS VAFB115550. So … what’s in a basement? Here, an impromptu “living diary” of a great family saved for posterity in a historic Fredericksburg house. An attorney and retired archaeologist, Jon Gerlach serves on the Architectural Review Board in Fredericksburg Photos by Jon Gerlach
Supporting Historic Preservation Since 1997