DEATH OF A MUSEUM FREAK-Philadelphia, March 27
Zanie
Zanobia, known all over the country as the cannibal fan child, died
this afternoon of cancer of the stomach at the residence of John
Battersby, in Frankford. Zanie, though born in Africa, was a light
mulatto. Her fortune consisted of her fingers, which were about seven
inches long and webbed. From this deformity she got her name of fan
child. When she was only a little child she became a protégé of Hannah
Battersby, who is said to be the biggest professional "fat woman" in
America. Hannah is the wife of John Battersby, who was once a "living
skeleton," but who unaccountably gained flesh and muscle and was ruined
as a "freak," and he is now a wealthy wagon builder. Zanie, who was 19
years old, was at her death the wife of a showman known as "Canada
Jack," a white man. She had been ill at the residence of her friends,
Mr. and Mrs. Battersby, for several months. Her last public appearance
was at Forepaugh's Museum, in this city. (The New York Times, March 28
1885)
3748 Germantown avenue. 3538 North Seventeenth street, Tioga.
undertaker
embalmer
BATTERSBY - At Hampton Roads Aerial Base, Oct. 17, ROBERT S., son of Emma F. and
late William H. Battersby, aged 22. Funeral services, Wed., 2 p. m., mother's
residence, 508 W. Springer st., Germantown. Int. West Laurel Hill Cem.
The complete new funeral parlor and apartments : an
institution of the last rite opened March Fifteenth, Nineteen Hundred
Twenty-Nine : built and equipped to better serve our community and to
meet the ever more exacting demands : William H. Battersby Sons ...
Philadelphia.http://www.worldcat.org/title/complete-new-funeral-parlor-and-apartments-an-institution-of-the-last-rite-opened-march-fifteenth-nineteen-hundred-twenty-nine-built-and-equipped-to-better-serve-our-community-and-to-meet-the-ever-more-exacting-demands-william-h-battersby-sons-philadelphia/oclc/52406343
Alameda Architectural Preservation Society presents
Woody Walk
Gold Coast Glimmers
Sunday, August 24, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Join historian Woody Minor on a tour showcasing the architecture of Alameda’s premier historic neighborhood.
Meet at Franklin Park, Morton Street and San Antonio Avenue, Alameda, CA
Free for AAPS members; $5 for non-members
A
rich repository of houses dating back to the 1870s, the Gold Coast is
Alameda’s most impressive neighborhood—an architectural icon of the era
of commuter trains and ferries. The oak groves along the southern shore
became the setting for dozens, then hundreds, of fine homes and gardens
arrayed along tree-lined streets. This year’s Woody Walk will take in a
century’s worth of styles, from Italianate, Stick, and Queen Anne,
through Colonial Revival and Craftsman, to Spanish, Ranch, and
Modernism.
Built
in 1909-10 for San Francisco food exporter Joseph Durney, the shingled
mansion at 1325 Dayton Avenue displays elegant Arts and Crafts styling
with neo-medieval details. It was the work of Hamilton Murdock, an
Alameda architect who designed over a dozen houses in the Gold
Coast. Photo; Woody Minor.
“Have you any eggs?” said I. “Yes, plenty,” replied she.… “Well,” said
I, “just boil an egg, and let me have it, with a little bread and tea,
and that will save you and I a great deal of trouble.” She seemed quite
embarrassed, and said she never could set down a breakfast
to me like that.… She detained me about half an hour, and at last
placed upon the table a profusion of ham, eggs, fritters, bread, butter
and some excellent tea. (Melish, John, Travels in the United States of America [1811]
ADDRESS:
80 West Bridge Street New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania 18938 (215) 862-2343
Aaron Burr House Bed and Breakfast Lodging is located near the intersection of Chestnut and West Bridge Street.
DESCRIPTION:
Aaron Burr House Bed and Breakfast Lodging room
rates range from $95 to $295 per night, double occupancy. There is a
private pool & tennis club, and health club privileges are also
available for registered guests. This current lovely structure, described as a "Painted Lady", that now
sits on this property, is an 1873, two story home that is currently a
bed and breakfast, since 1990, called Aaron Burr House Bed and Breakfast
Lodging. It is located just steps from central New Hope. It was built
upon the foundation of an older, pre-Revolutionary War era home, that
perhaps was long in the tooth, and needed to be torn down. Or perhaps,
it was destroyed by a fire, and needed to be rebuilt. Aaron Burr House Bed and Breakfast Lodging offers 6 beautifully antique
decored, hand painted and stenciled rooms and a third floor suite, all
with private baths. The feeling throughout is very much Victorian, with
nice touches everywhere the guest looks! Modern amenities, like
internet access, and gracious hospitality make the stay very pleasant
indeed! According to their website, there is a guest pantry - stocked
with teas and coffees, sink, refrigerator, and instant hot water tap.
Guests are welcomed with refreshments and home baked goodies upon
arrival. Guests can enjoy afternoon tea with their Innkeeper as well.
There is also private, off-street parking, a huge plus in a busy place
like New Hope! Physical Features: The first floor has oak throughout, while the second
and third floor, wood-pegged, black walnut is prevalent. Tall, arched
windows in the bedrooms and common areas make the interior bright!
There is a large, screened-in flagstone patio used for a variety of
activities. The second-floor has its own parlor, dining room, and
kitchen. There is a room for meetings of 20 people.
HISTORY:
The curious may ask, "Why is this bed and
breakfast named after Vice President Aaron Burr?" The original
per-Revolutionary War era home that sat on this property was the abode
of some of Vice-President Aaron Burr's dear friends in the town of New
Hope, whom he probably visited. His most famous stay with these friends
happened after Aaron shot and killed his slanderous political foe,
Alexander Hamilton, in a very legal duel, done by the book.
Aaron Burr, throughout his life, was no stranger
to very hard, stressful situations. Aaron started out his life as an
orphan, when his father, Rev. Aaron Burr Sr., and his mother, Esther
Edwards Burr, both died of sickness just a year apart. From 2 years
old, Aaron and his sister Sally, lived with their strict, Puritan Uncle
Timothy and Aunt. Aaron was a precocious, active boy who was quite a
handful. Needless to say, Aaron got plenty of whippings from his
exasperated uncle, who was trying his best to raise this non-compliant
nephew. Aaron ran away several times, but ultimately stayed and endured
his living situation when his Aunt's younger brother, Matthias Ogden,
came to live with them, who was exactly Aaron's age. From an early age,
Aaron learned to focus on the positive, and endure the negative, going
forward in courage and fortitude, staying true to himself.
Probably realizing how smart Aaron was, Uncle
Timothy hired the best tutor he could afford, Tapping Reeve, for both
young Aaron and Matthias. Aaron bloomed in academics. At age 11, Aaron
applied to Princeton, but was turned down because of his age. Not
discouraged, Aaron applied again at age 13, and was accepted as a
sophomore. After graduating at 16, Aaron began studying for the
ministry, as was the family tradition. While he embraced the Calvin
doctrine of Predestination, he couldn't accept some of the legalistic
teachings of Calvinism. Aaron believed that everyone who believed in
Jesus was welcome in heaven. So Aaron quit the ministry and entered law
school, run by his former Tutor, Tapping Reeve, who had married Aaron's
sister Sally by this time.
Another hard adventure of endurance and courage
under stress was Aaron's service in the Revolutionary War. Despite his
family's concerns, Aaron joined the militia, in 1775. In the Battle of
Quebec he distinguished himself, and was promoted to Captain. As he was
gifted in tactical warfare, most willing to courageously with fortitude
implement plans, and could effectively lead and inspire soldiers, he
reached the promotion of Colonel when he was only 21! After enduring
the harsh conditions at Valley Forge, and suffering a heat stroke during
a major battle, his health took a downward turn, and he had to retire.
After recovering, Aaron finished Law School, passed the bar, married
his beloved Theodosia Prevost, a widow of a British Officer, who was
gossiped about by the town tongue waggers that she was a Loyalist.
Aaron moved his law practice to Albany, New York, passing through New
York City, just in time to see the British leave the harbor, all by age
26!
Aaron and Theodosia had a daughter, named
Theodosia, after her mother. Aaron and his wife had a wonderful
marriage for 12 years, despite the fact that Theodosia was an invalid
for the last few years of her life. Aaron and his daughter, Theodosia,
enjoyed a long, close relationship, throughout the ups and downs of
Aaron's life. Aaron believed that girls should also be educated, and
made sure his daughter had a good tutor, etc. He was proud of all her
accomplishments, embraced her marriage to a fine gentleman, and
especially adored his grandson.
Aaron got the nudge to go into politics. Aaron
was elected to the New York State Assembly, and voted against slavery.
He rose in his profession, through sheer ability and knowledge of the
law. He became one of the leaders of the New York bar. Aaron's
brilliance was noticed and rewarded with an appointment by the governor
to be Attorney General.
Alexander Hamilton was no choir boy, and had a
venomous hatred of Aaron Burr, though it wasn't so at the beginning of
their relationship. Hamilton first met Aaron Burr, when Aaron had moved
his very successful law practice to New York. Politically, Barr and
Hamilton were on opposite sides of the political field, but were
friendly adversaries until Aaron Burr ran for the Senate, and defeated
Alexander's uncle. Uh oh! From that moment on, Alexander vowed to
remove Aaron from politics by any means possible, a goal in which he
finally achieved.
Hamilton started by causing trouble in the
Republican Party, by turning Thomas Jefferson against Aaron Burr;
telling half-truths and lies about him, painting Aaron in a bad light.
During the third American Presidential election of 1800, Jefferson and
Burr tied with 73 electoral votes each, and the election was turned over
to the House of Representatives. Hamilton did everything he could to
slander Burr with falsehoods, hiring others to try to dig up dirt on
Aaron, slinging as much mud as he could. He lobbied other members of
Congress with more negative slime. Finally, after thirty-six votes,
Jefferson came in first, becoming President, and Burr was second,
becoming Vice-President. Jefferson ignored Burr throughout his
presidency, and made life unpleasant for him. While a war from both
sides damaged Aaron Burr's reputation considerably from untruths and
innuendos, Aaron reported and performed brilliantly in the Senate, as
overseer of proceedings, and the rest of the Senate really appreciated
his efforts. He focused on his duties as Vice President and endured the
abuse.
During the next presidential election of 1804,
Aaron Burr was ignored by his own party, and wasn't picked to run with
Jefferson. He instead ran for New York governor. Alexander Hamilton
wasn't satisfied yet, and did more mischief to submarine Aaron's bid for
governor. When Aaron was defeated, he realized that his political
career was in the toilet, despite his outstanding performance as a
politician. Aaron did some digging himself, and discovered that it was
Alexander Hamilton behind the lies and untruths that had turned people
against him as a leader, a skill of his that was long recognized
throughout his life so far.
Aaron Burr was not one to run from trouble, and
boldly asked Alexander to retract the lies and untruths, but Alexander
refused. Aaron did what an honorable man would do, from a military
background: He challenged Alexander Hamilton to a duel, which was still
legal. The duel was done legally by the book, and Hamilton was
mortally wounded. After Hamilton died, a huge uproar against Aaron
erupted, and Aaron was charged with murder in both New Jersey and New
York.
So, Aaron temporarily retreated to New Hope, and
stayed with dear friends in their home. He needed the support of
friends who knew him, and needed time to rethink his situation, and
perhaps come up with a plan in what to do next. The outrage against him
from a public that already had a poor view of him, due to the dirty
political slander that was unleashed against him for years, orchestrated
by Hamilton, had tainted any jury he may have had to face.
Though the charges against Aaron Burr were
dropped, the rest of his life wasn't easy. He tried to go back to being
a military leader, and recruited a group together to free Texas and
Mexico from the tyrannical Spain, and set up the Western United States,
an independent country from the eastern states, as he had a poor view of
Jefferson's government. He went to trial to face the treason charge,
spearheaded by Jefferson. Aaron had the "dream team" of lawyers to
defend him, and he was acquitted, but still was disgraced. He left for
Europe, and tried to come home via a French ship in 1811, but was
caught by the British and held, until May of 1812.
He finally left for New York, and his daughter,
Theodosia went by boat to meet him there, but perished at sea, which
broke his heart. He restarted his law practice, and still made a good
living, though he never re-entered public life. He did get some
satisfaction to hear of the Texas revolution against Spain, knowing he
was on the right track, but just years ahead in his thinking. Perhaps
trying to find another love, he foolishly married the narcissist widow
of Stephen Jumel, Madam Eliza Jumel, three years before he died. She
didn't kill Aaron like she did her first husband, but simply divorced
him, because she thought he was investing too much of her money in land
deals. Aaron died on the day the divorce was final, and hopefully was
reunited with his beloved first wife and daughter.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS:
People who enjoyed being in a structure, feeling
safe and protected, a respite from the hardships of this world, will
continue to visit after they pass into the spirit world, even if the
original structure was renovated, or torn down, and a new structure was
built on the same foundation, or even just on the same land. Some
entities are not able to let go of the negative consequences that befell
them, still looking for peace in places that comforted them while
alive.
Aaron Burr sought refuge with
some close friends, receive some emotional support, and felt safe; able
to recollect his thoughts in the home that once stood on this
foundation. He must be tickled pink to have this fine bed and breakfast,
named after himself!! Aaron's apparition has also been seen at Jumel Mansion,
a place he must have loved living at, with his second wife, Eliza,
before he found out what kind of person she was in reality. Aaron must
have felt safe here as well.
Aaron Burr isn't remembered today for any of his
achievements on the battle field, his very successful career as a
lawyer or his victories and accomplishments in politics. He suffered
years of attacks on his character, the victim of vicious political mud.
He is most remembered for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel. His
plan to liberate Texas and Mexico, and establish a western version of
the United States was stymied by a General who he thought was an Allie,
and Aaron found himself in legal trouble, charged with a serious crime,
and went on trial. His daughter died before he did, and is second
marriage ended in divorce. His law practice did keep him going though.
MANIFESTATIONS:
Entity of Aaron Burr - at Aaron Burr Bed and Breakfast Lodging.
Loves the second floor staircase and the second
floor, and likes to visit this structure. He must be pleased that the
building was named after him.
His presence has been strongly felt. People can
feel the sensation of an unseen entity staring hard at them. Perhaps
Aaron Burr feels protective of the establishment and is studying
possible trouble makers!
His apparition has been seen walking up the staircase, and perusing the second floor.
Sometimes Aaron Burr will tug on clothes to try
to prevent guests from leaving, if he likes them. Guests are advised to
say gently, according to Dan Asfar, author of Ghost Stories of
Pennsylvania, "Mr. Burr, please let me leave."
PARANORMAL FINDINGS:
Guests, owners, staff and probably repairmen
have had many personal experiences with this entity who visits
regularly, as he approves of the current bed and breakfast in the new
and much improved structure. I can't find any paranormal investigations that were shared publicly online.
STILL HAUNTED?
Probably so!! The entity of Aaron Burr has made
his presence known through physical contact, appearing visibly in front
of the living, clearly enough to be recognized, and has made himself
apparent to the living's senses. He is a spirit, and comes and goes as he pleases, visiting probably all
of his favorite spots in this world, remembering all the good he
experienced there, trying to overcome the restlessness that continues to
pull him into this world as he works to let go completely of his
frustration gotten from his not-so-positive experiences.
As the days of suburban sprawl give way
to those of urban density in U.S. metros--"smart growth," most call
it--providing sufficient housing remains a challenge. Decades of
planning regulations and highway patterns support single-family homes
built far outside a city center. Even in areas where big residential
towers make sense, developing them takes a long time and costs a lot of
money. Manhattan wasn't built in a day.
Planning scholar Jake Wegmann,
who's in the process of moving from Berkeley to the University of Texas
at Austin, believes there's another way: backyard cottages. Hear him
out. Individual micro-units on single-family properties don't require
much time or money to build. They don't need much space to sit on.
They're affordable almost by definition and are well-suited to the
modern family--from the recent college grad living at home to the grandparent who wants to age in place.
In other words, backyard cottages may not scream Manhattanization or
even necessarily smart growth, but implemented over a wide swatch of a
metro area they might achieve a similar end. Their potential seems even
greater in places trying to reduce their reliance on cars and promote
access to shops by walking or public transit. At the very least, Wegmann
believes, cottages should be part of the broader conversation about the
changing shape of American cities.
"The premise that single-family house neighborhoods are, or should
be, frozen in amber is increasingly being questioned," he tells
Co.Design.
One place ripe for such development in Wegmman's mind is the East
Bay, an area just across the water from San Francisco that includes
parts of Berkeley, Oakland, and El Cerrito. Housing demand is enormous
in the Bay Area, but the city itself has become largely unaffordable.
Still, the East Bay has strong transit access and clear walkable
districts and enough density--at 11,700 people per square mile--to
facilitate a more urbanized growth pattern.
Recently, Wegmann and Berkeley colleague Karen Chapple evaluated what
life in the East Bay might look like in two different growth scenarios.
The first, based on a conventional infill strategy of buildings with
five or more units located around transit hubs, had the potential to add
roughly 7,900 housing units to the area. They estimate that, given the
recent pace of area development, building that much housing would take
anywhere from 18 to 43 years.
Next they looked at backyard cottages. Assuming a slight relaxation
of zoning regulations from the present--a shift in keeping with
California's broader sustainability goals--the East Bay could
accommodate nearly 8,700 cottages, Wegmann and Chapple report in the Journal of Urbanism. That's not only more than the conventional infill estimate but roughly 60% of the area's total housing goal by 2040.
The concept goes well beyond the theoretical realm of academia. East Bay-based New Avenue
specializes in helping single-family homeowners develop backyard
cottages or "accessory dwellings." (The company--billing itself as Uber
for contractors--connects clients with architects and developers in an
online forum while vetting project costs and timelines.) Founder Kevin
Casey says zoning laws that once prevented this type of development are
quickly changing to encourage it.
"Anywhere there's a growing economy and expensive housing, it makes
sense," Casey tells Co.Design. "The Bay Area is the most expensive real
estate in the market, so it's by default the most logical place to do
this." (Wegmann and Casey knew one another at Berkeley and remain
acquainted, but Wegmann claims no financial interest in the company.)
Casey says a backyard cottage takes about six months to build after
permitting (which can take anywhere from no time to a year). The costs
vary but generally fall within a range of $80,000 to $250,000. Casey
estimates that 82% of his clients have family members in mind for the
dwelling; some see the cottages as a good starter home for when their
children move back to the area, or a good retirement home for themselves
down the line, or maybe both.
The view of backyard cottages as a family safety net raises the
question of whether they'll truly inspire homeowners to drop the
isolated mindset that challenges urban density in the first place.
Zoning and local politics might prove bigger hurdles. Smart growth has vehement opponents,
and NIMBYs who see cottages as a threat to single-family neighborhoods
might do their best to block new regulations, too. Financing problems
also linger, especially since cottages don't receive mortgage advantages given to income-based developments.
Wegmann remains hopeful that backyard cottages can at least augment,
though certainly not replace, the conventional infill strategy of big
apartment buildings.
"My prediction is that we will continue to have structures that we
today call 'single-family houses' for centuries to come, but that
increasing numbers of them won't be occupied by single families, and
eventually the law will evolve to reflect changing attitudes," he says.
"Some of them will sprout cottages in their backyards. Of course, these
changes won't happen overnight."
Shifting Sands ~ Pauletta Chanco Art Show July 19- Aug 21, 2014 The reception will be on Saturday, July 19 from 3-5 pm
http://www.sfmoma.org/visit/artists_gallery SFMOMA Artists' Gallery in Fort Mason Fort Mason Center 2 Marina Boulevard, Building A San Francisco, CA 94123 Hours:Tuesday - Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed Sunday - Monday and the following days: Fourth of July, Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas week, and New Year's Day. Artists Gallery Contact: 415.441.4777 artistsgallery@sfmoma.org
Shifting Sands
Living with a terminal diagnosis has taught me that I can never make plans with any certitude. Chemo treatments interrupt and interfere with life and when these stop, death will come, seeking me out with his firm agenda in hand.
All I can do is live in the moment, appreciating each one as it arises. I choose to spend moments creating beauty and breathing life into what was never there before. The poignancy of these creative moments is the most amazing gift of all. http://www.paulettachanco.com/
Nobody in the Bay Area who cares about architecture needs to be convinced of Julia Morgan's
lasting worth. Her early 20th century buildings - public and private,
large and small - enrich the texture of communities across the region.
But
when it came time to make the case that a self-sufficient woman who
died in 1957 deserved the most prestigious award in American
architecture, her boosters left nothing to chance - which is why
Morgan's grandniece on Saturday will receive the annual Gold Medal
presented by the American Institute of Architects.
"They turned in the most complete and scholarly and persuasive nomination package I've ever seen," said Robert Ivy, the AIA's executive director. "Her lifetime's impact on the profession of architecture has been huge."
Morgan is only the eighth posthumous recipient of the Gold Medal, a distinction that puts her in the company of Thomas Jefferson. More startling, she is the first female architect selected for an honor first awarded in 1907.
Those
elements combined to focus attention on the award when it was announced
in December. Not all of the attention was favorable; skeptics raised
the specter of tokenism, a way to break the males-only barrier with a
woman whose best-known building, Hearst Castle, began construction
in 1919.
Morgan's supporters from the start of their campaign saw
something else - a uniquely well-rounded architect with a degree in
engineering who designed more than 700 buildings, 21 of which are either
National Historic Landmarks or are on the National Register of Historic Places.
The catalyst was Julia Donoho, an architect and attorney who is a regional director of the institute's California Council. She's also on the AIA board,
and had been searching for the right woman to nominate for the Gold
Medal since the boys' club nature of the award was the subject of a talk
she attended several years ago.
Ideal candidate
In
early 2013, she found the ideal candidate: Morgan, trained at UC
Berkeley as an engineer before becoming the first woman to graduate from
Paris' famed L'Ecole de Beaux Arts in 1901. Three years later she was
the first woman to receive a California architectural license.
What counts 110 years later, Donoho said this week, is the quality of the work.
"Julia
did so much of value, in so many different areas," Donoho said,
referring to neighborhood churches and women's social buildings as well
as private homes of lavish scale. "She has a compelling story."
The first meeting was held in March 2013 in the Berkeley office of Sandhya Sood,
an architect who has studied Morgan as a pioneer of sustainable design
and presented a paper on the topic at a 2012 statewide festival
celebrating the architect. Different scholars volunteered to write about
different aspects of Morgan's work, while Donoho and the other two
regional directors of the AIA state council concentrated on lining up
letters of support that might help sway the national board.
One of the five letters allowed came from Sen. Dianne Feinstein - who proclaimed Morgan to be "a true California gem" - and another came from Maria Shriver. The others were from an illustrious and deliberately varied trio of architects.
Revere history, new era
Michael
Graves, who brought classically infused postmodernism to mainstream
America in the 1980s, extolled Morgan for "showing us how to revere
history and design for a new era." Frank Gehry,
whose swirling titanium Guggenheim Bilbao in 1997 made postmodernism
seem quaint, described Morgan as "expressing structure in new ways."
Both are Gold Medal winners.
The fifth letter came from Denise Scott Brown,
a hero to activists who feel that women haven't gotten a fair shake
from the profession. She's the longtime professional partner of Robert
Venturi, her husband, but when Venturi received the coveted Pritzker
Architecture Prize in 1991, it went to him and him alone. Last year,
19,000 people signed a petition to extend the honor to Scott Brown
as well.
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