Burgundy Farm

My preschooler loves our jaunts in the Baby jogger, so he didn't balk when I suggested we take a trip around the neighborhood this past weekend. Burgundy Farm Country Day School (just off Telegraph, at the end of Burgundy Road) can be a fun place to visit on a sunny afternoon when school isn't in session. The sheep & goats seemed pleased to have unexpected company, and my 3-year-old (prospective student?) had a blast careening around one of the many play areas on a weathered trike. He liked the sandbox too.

The telegraph patent

As telegraphy took hold in America in the mid 1800's, competing enterprises stretched telegraph wire and poles across the landscape. One such company -- the Washington and New Orleans Telegraph Company -- decided to extend a wire all the way from Washington to New Orleans, and remnants of that history still resonate throughout South Alexandria in the form of "telegraph road" signs. Interestingly... the new U.S. Trade and Patent Office (USPTO) is located at the South end of Telegraph Road! There's a little patent museum there that's worth a visit, and there are new eateries around that area too. I run here (by way of Eisenhower Ave.) on occasion, but it's also metro accessible (From the King St. stop, walk through the Duke Street tunnel & you're there (street parking is hard to find).

Developed by U.S. Inventor Samuel F. B. Morse in the 1830's, the telegraph was described (in patent #1647) as an "improvement in the mode of communicating information by signals by the application of electro-magnetism." Apparently, Morse's assistant, Alfred Vail, helped to develop the Morse Code signaling alphabet that gave value to the device, although Vail seems not to have received much credit (nor income) from his efforts. America's first telegram was sent by Morse on January 6, 1838, across just two miles of wire near Morristown, New Jersey. The message read "A patient waiter is no loser." (I'll have to remember that phrase the next time I'm stuck in traffic.)

Crossing the Road

It isn't easy crossing Telegraph road, except maybe on a Sunday morning. More often than not, one needs to look both ways and then sprint, even at pedestrian crossings flashing "walk." For example, where Burgundy Road meets Telegraph and North Kings Highway, pedestrians need to say a prayer and hope they don't have a head-on car/human encounter. This is especially unfortunate since the Huntington Metro Station is just a couple of blocks from this spot. I'd take the Metro more often (and I'm sure others would too) if it were easier to access from the west side of Telegraph.

Fortunately, walkers, runners, and bikers have advocated for improvements, and the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project plans include a pedestrian/bikeway that will cross over the beltway from Telegraph to Eisenhower. If you look at the illustration (provided by the Woodrow Wilson Bridge project at http://www.wilsonbridge.com/nn-telegraphRd-cu.htm
), you'll notice a pedestrian path on the north-bound side of Telegraph (the Huntington Metro side) that will turn into a beltway crossover (if all goes according to plan). You'll also see an improved crosswalk for those attempting to cross Telegraph on foot or just two wheels. You'll need patience though, since the project won't be completed for a couple of years.

In the meantime, we'll just have to make do with what we've got.

Scheduled pedestrian improvements include:

• A pedestrian walkway from the north side of East Drive, across Telegraph Road, to the north side of Lenore Lane.
• A sidewalk from the north side of Lenore Lane to North Kings Highway, leading to a multi-use pedestrian trail on the east side of Telegraph Road from North Kings Highway to Huntington Avenue and across to Eisenhower Avenue.

Origins of an ancient trail

If you drive south on Telegraph Road from Alexandria, you'll come across several intersecting streets marked "Old Telegraph Road." It is likely that these roads traverse the original trail used to lay telegraph wire from Washington to New Orleans in 1847 (I've been doing a little research). During the Civil War, this telegraph line was apparently used by Confederate forces supporting their blockade of the Potomac River, and then, later, by Union occupational troops. The telegraph wires allowed swift communication between allies, but could also be easily severed by enemy forces.

Today, Telegraph Road bears a heavy burden of commuters who live outside the beltway but whose work requires that they head north (towards Washington, D.C.). "The Great Divide" is what I once heard a South Alexandria resident call the beltway. From the intersection of Franconia Road & Telegraph, the Masonic Temple is clearly visible and appears to be only about a mile away. And yet, it can easily take 20 minutes to get there by car on a rainy Monday morning.

Some of the challenges I've created for myself in my mostly-suburban neighborhood (just off Telegraph Road, roughly at the Franconia intersection) are to find new and innovative ways to traverse the Great Divide, make peace with the communicators, enjoy the outdoors, and explore this little parcel of the planet. I've already stumbled upon some jewels (some of them probably best kept as secrets, since I don't like noise in my 9/11 garden sanctuary (unless it's coming from birds), nor do I want my short-cut home from work clogged up with too many cars. It turns out there's a horse farm in my backyard; a Fairfax County trail ripe with raspberries in early summer (I often spot deer there when I'm out running); and a hidden playground for my 3-year-old. Too bad there's not a coffee shop and an independent book store on the corner. :)

Anyway... I plan to share my continued discoveries with my fellow travelers"Telegraphers"), whether you live in my immediate neighborhood, up the Foot Path a bit, or out in the larger community. Any uncovered secrets you may have -- whether places to visit just off of Telegraph road (or a main street in your own community), historical tidbits, or personal experiences getting around your own equadrant on foot or bike -- are encouraged. Please feel free to comment and post freely.

Over the wire,
Beth