A city at sea Splashing at the pool And bridging the gaps
august-september 2017 • vol. 1, no. 5
2 western branch magazine
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western branch magazine 3
Time and again, the
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18
august
what's inside?
2017
feature
10
The U.S. Navy commissioned its newest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, in July. The Ford was made in the USA — made, in fact, right here in Hampton Roads.
24
Splash time The Marlin Club has surely hosted a few birthday parties in its time, but the swim and tennis club is preparing to mark its own big milestone — its 50th anniversary.
Forgotten graves You’d be surprised where you can find old cemeteries scattered around Western Branch, but the folks at the Norfolk County Historical Society are working to document them all.
Where am I? So you think you know Western Branch? Test your knowledge of its landmarks with this photo quiz. You could win a $25 gift card.
A city at sea Splashing at the pool And bridging the gaps
august-september 2017 • vol. 1, no. 5
R.E. Spears III photo
on the cover
Advertising rates and information available upon request. Subscriptions are $20 annually in-state; $25 annually out-of-state; $30 for international subscriptions. Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439
A view from the Branch Give a student the chance to learn community service.
Public servant He helps make Chesapeake’s bridges safe.
17 32 33
august
2017
EDITORIAL R.E. Spears III Editor Tracy Agnew News Editor Alex Perry Staff Writer news@westernbranchmagazine.com
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Earl Jones Marketing Consultant Nathan Richardson Marketing Consultant Dana Snow Marketing Consultant Kandyce Kirkland Marketing Consultant sales@westernbranchmagazine.com
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editor's note Splashing around with the U.S. Navy Nothing speaks of America’s military power quite like an aircraft carrier. Cast that power as the backdrop for thousands of sailors bringing the ship to life at its commissioning, and the message to the world is clear: America is ready and able to defend itself against any and all foreign threats. That message was both the subtext and the obvious theme during the July commissioning of the U.S. Navy’s newest carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, the first in the new Ford class of carriers and destined to be the mightiest ship on the seas. Cameras in hand, I joined thousands of others — and scores of media representatives — at Norfolk Naval Station to celebrate and document the historic occasion. The ship was built in Newport News, but the hands that did the work belonged to people from all around Hampton Roads, including many right here in Western Branch. During its expected 50-year lifespan, the Ford will surely be home to many Branchers. And, as Virginia is the only place in the United States where carriers are built, there’s a sense of this great vessel being the pride of the commonwealth. Learn more about the Ford and its commissioning starting on Page 18. While the Ford will splash its way through the seven seas, back here in The Branch, kids and adults have been splashing around in the pools at the Marlin Club — located off Dock Landing Road — all summer long. In fact, next year the club will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The Marlin Club’s generations-long history owes much to the many dedicated employees, volunteers and board members who have contributed their time, their hard work and their money to keeping it a vital part of the community’s life. Families that helped start the organization and fund construction of the pool have remained involved, and there’s a real sense of this being a place of treasured memories. Read more about the Marlin Club starting on Page 10. The memories may have faded and the families moved on for those buried in some of Western Branch’s unusual and hidden cemeteries, but one group — the Norfolk County Historical Society — is working to make sure those final resting places are not forgotten. Phyllis Speidell and John H. Sheally II tell the stories of those cemeteries and the historical society’s recent work on their behalf beginning on Page 24. Enjoy the fading days of summer. Splash around a bit at the pool. And thank God for the protection of the U.S. military. God bless, Res Spears, Editor
Western Branch Magazine is published six times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.suffolklivingmag.com • (757) 539-3437
western branch magazine 7
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8 western branch magazine
around the branch
ONGOING
Get your shag on with Boogie on the Bay Shag Club, a Portsmouth-based organization dedicated to promoting and preserving shag dancing and beach music. Weekly dance socials are held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. every Friday night at Big Woody’s Bar & Grill, 4200 Portsmouth Blvd. There is no cover, and
new friends are always welcome. Visit www. boogieonthebay.com or call 967-7740.
ONGOING
The Old Dominion University Tri-Cities Center, 1070 University Blvd., Portsmouth, has an exhibit of art from local public school students on display. The center is open from
8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except university holidays.
ONGOING
The Dunedin Civic League meets monthly on the first Monday at the Aldersgate campus of New Creation United Methodist Church, 4320 Bruce Road, Chesapeake.
western branch magazine 9 August 15
W. Call 393-5314.
August 15
North Suffolk Library, 2000 Bennetts Creek Park Road, will host an adult coloring club from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Non-alcoholic beverages are provided.
The Mix book group will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 686-2538.
North Suffolk Library, 2000 Bennetts Creek Park Road, will host an English Conversation Group from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Join fellow English language learners for an hour of conversational games and casual chatting with coffee.
August 17
National Checker Day September 23 Celebrate National Checker Day at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Multiple game tables will be available. Call 686-2538.
The Mix book group will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 686-2538.
August 19
A family movie night will be held at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 686-2538.
The Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W., will have a Plant Based Portsmouth Potluck from 1 to 3 p.m. Bring a friend and a vegan dish to share. A recipe or ingredient list is helpful for those following special diets. Anyone interested in a healthier lifestyle is welcome.
Through August 20
Community Church is holding a school supplies drive through Aug. 20. Supplies can be dropped off at its Western Branch campus, 1935 Jolliff Road, during all service times.
August 27
September 5
Suffolk Writes: An Open Writers Group Meet Up, will meet at North Suffolk Library, 2000 Bennetts Creek Park Road, from 6 to 7:45 p.m. Adults 18-plus and all genres are welcomed. Bring a typed page of work for group critiques. The group meets the first Tuesday of each month at this location.
September 5
The Green Pines Garden Club will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 483-4841 for more information.
The Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, Chesapeake, holds “Hot Topics” from 10 a.m. to noon every Wednesday. Come engage in conversation about current events with other interested people.
September 18
North Suffolk Library, 2000 Bennetts Creek Park Road, will host “Philanthropic Fun at the Library for Teens” from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Come enjoy snacks and drinks while helping with great causes.
“Motivate Me,” a group for young people to meet and discuss concerns they face, will be held at 5 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Young people will participate in games and activities to promote healthy interaction among them and their peers. Call 686-2538.
The Adult Coloring Society will meet from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 465-2916 for more information.
ONGOING
September 14
September 12
The Adult Coloring Society will meet from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 465-2916 for more information.
September 12
The Portsmouth Master Gardeners will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St.
September 19
September 19
September 21
“Motivate Me,” a group for young people to meet and discuss concerns they face, will be held at 5 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Young people will participate in games and activities to promote healthy interaction among them and their peers. Call 686-2538.
September 23
Members of Toastmasters clubs in Chesapeake, Portsmouth and Suffolk will come together to host their fall speech contests from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to communication and leadership development.
September 26
The Adult Coloring Society will meet from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 465-2916 for more information.
October 3
The Green Pines Garden Club will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 483-4841 for more information.
October 10
The Adult Coloring Society will meet from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 465-2916 for more information.
October 10
The Portsmouth Master Gardeners will meet from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Churchland branch of Portsmouth Public Library, 4935 High St. W. Call 393-5314.
10 western branch magazine
Splash time at the pool
50 years
Lifeguard Samantha Farpour keeps a careful watch over a group of daycare students and other pool users during a recent bright summer day at the Marlin Club.
western branch magazine 11 Story by Tracy Agnew Photo by R.E. Spears III
The neighborhood pool: For many, the thought of summer days there brings memories that engage all the senses. The smell of chlorine and sunscreen. The sound of children’s shouts and splashing water and a clattering diving board bouncing back after a young teen has performed an artful cannonball. The sight of colorful bathing suits and puffy white clouds building into afternoon thunderstorms that send everyone for cover. The taste of hot soda from a can and salty chips eaten with wet hands. The heat of a white concrete pool deck on bare feet after it has baked all day under the summer sun. Yes, the neighborhood pool is a place where memories are made. But to the folks in Western Branch who are members of the Marlin Club, the neighborhood pool is also a home away from home, a second family, and an investment in the future.
“It’s a nice little quiet spot here in the woods,” said Ali Dowson, the pool’s general manager. “It’s a good place to hang out and relieve some stress.” The Marlin Club has been around since 1968, the year after a group held a meeting to gather interest. About 125 families — enough to attract banks willing to finance construction — said they would be interested. “This whole idea started out as a concept by the neighbors that lived in the community,” said David Liles, a founding member and former board member. Don Chantry was one of the main ones spurring his neighbors on. “There was not much in Western Branch at the time,” Liles said. “There was nothing else out here to do, particularly in the summer months — certainly no outdoor swimming facilities.” The club started with a pool, a wading pool and a one-story See MARLIN page 13
12 western branch magazine The Marlin Swim Team has proudly represented the swim and tennis club for which it is named for many years. The club also has long been known for its grand celebrations. Generations of family members have enjoyed its benefits during the past 50 years. (Submitted photos)
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western branch magazine 13 MARLIN continued from page 11
bath house. A lean-to to sell drinks and snacks was added, and the bath house later received a second floor, which now includes the manager’s office and an adult lounge. Later, a full concession building with equipment for hot food service was added. The concession building once held dances and holiday parties during the off-season; these days, the wildest it gets in there is when kids take a break from the pool to play foosball. Tennis courts were added in 1976. These days, about 220 families are stockholders, treasurer Robin Elms said. “This is a huge staple here,” she said. The club started a swim team in the 1980s, which still has a huge following and competes locally against rival Churchland and others. Measuring from 3 to 12 feet deep, the pool features one-meter and threemeter springboards and a slide. With a 265,000-gallon capacity, it takes a week to
fill in the spring. There’s also still a wading pool for the little ones. The Marlin Club has now served multiple generations of members, and many of those who grew up coming to the pool, such as Dowson, now work there. She went from a member, to a swim team member, to a doorkeeper, to working the concession stand, to being a lifeguard and swim coach, and to assistant manager and finally manager. She’s soon to depart the position, though, having recently graduated college and on preparing to head for a new job at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. “It’s neat to me that we’re training up kids,” Elms said. Liles called the club “the social hub of Western Branch for kids of all ages.” And it bears out that reputation. “There are so many members that have put pools in their backyard, and they find the kids still want to come up here, because this is where their friends are,” Elms said.
But it’s far more important than just a hangout spot. Liles points out one simple reason why. “Heaven knows how many people’s lives have been saved by teaching kids how to swim,” he said. “You never know when that effort and the benefit of it will show.” Liles said many volunteers through the years have helped keep the club afloat. “There’s a number of people that step up to volunteer time and talent the club doesn’t have to pay for,” he said. “It takes an army of people. You do have to have a passion and a commitment.” Those volunteers include the board of directors, which currently is manned by Elms, Evan Pierce, Ted Miller, Frank “Chip” Beale, Scott Butcher, Cathy Tarr, Debbie Rogers and Jason Hunsberger. Dowson added that the club’s impact on Western Branch can never be fully measured. “It’s an investment in the future,” she said.
Helping Businesses Prosper and Grow Local businesses are what make our community unique and vibrant. For example, TASTE is an independent family-owned specialty food store whose mission is to cultivate community through a taste of the good life. At Farmers Bank, we believe that every business deserves the care and attention of financial experts, dedicated to assisting in their success. It’s what community banking is all about.
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14 western branch magazine
in the news Catherine Grandstaff and Amy Barnhill share a residence through F.A.C.E.S. Community Services, a day support and residential services program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Chesapeake.
Friendly FACES in Western Branch Story and photo by Alex Perry
Catherine Grandstaff and Amy Barnhill are friends and roommates with FACES Community Services, an adult day support and residential services program for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. They first met at the Zuni campus of HumanKind, formerly known as Zuni Presbyterian Homes and Family Services, which housed 38 adults with intellectual disabilities on a rural, 315-acre campus. Medicaid regulation changes led to the facility closing on March 31. Barnhill moved into FACES while Grandstaff ’s family looked for new accommodations, but Grandstaff made it clear that she wanted to follow her friend into the same group home. “I like it here,” Grandstaff said recently. “I like Amy.” Adrianne and Albert Sears, the cofounders of FACES, were at capacity when Catherine’s family made their request. Adrianne Sears said the organization found a new home for the pair while Cath-
erine was approved for a Medicaid waiver. “They needed to be together,” she said. Grandstaff ’s sister, Nancy Barham, said she’s happy with her new accommodations, plus the commute to visit her is much easier. “It’s much easier for us to drive over to Chesapeake Square and get her than having to drive out to Zuni and get her,” Barham said. The Searses opened their services to the community in 2009, starting as a small day support facility that looked after eight to 10 individuals. It has since grown to support more than 60 such individuals. Many of these individuals enjoy day support activities that promote skill building and social interaction. They are taken to malls, they go bowling, and they even enjoyed a Carnival cruise this year. They’re also encouraged to participate in community-service activities, volunteering at food banks and ministries. “It’s very rewarding for them,” Sears said. “It makes them feel needed.”
The organization’s acronym stands for freedom, authority, choice, empowerment and support. The staff is trained not only to take care of these individuals but also to treat them with respect and foster their independence in Western Branch residential homes. “I like to be treated like an adult and respected,” Barnhill said. Barham is happy her sister is being looked after by staff with the qualifications and patience to provide excellent care. “It takes a special patience to work with special-needs people day in and day out,” Barham said. “The patience this staff has in caring for special needs people is amazing.” Both Searses are retired naval officers with a drive for community service that inspired them to provide care for those in need. “We had a passion for serving our country, so it made sense for us after retirement to serve our community,” Sears said. “We wanted to do something that would impact the community.”
western branch magazine 15
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western branch magazine 17
where am i?
I
n each edition the Western Branch Magazine staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Western Branch you really know. We photograph some location in Western Branch that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is. If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@westernbranchmagazine.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Western Branch!
18 western branch magazine
feature story
‘Our enemies will shake with fear’
Story by Tracy Agnew
Photos by R.E. Spears III, Tracy Agnew & Jen Jaqua
Bearing two nuclear reactors, spanning 1,092 feet long and 256 feet wide on the flight deck, displacing more than 100,000 tons of water, speeding at more than 30 knots, carrying more than 75 aircraft and manned by a crew of more than 4,500 men and women, the USS Gerald R. Ford is an engineering marvel. Wrought by the hands of tens of thousands of sailors and civilians who designed and built it and already manned by thousands of sailors, the U.S. Navy’s new $12.9-billion aircraft carrier was commissioned on July 22 in a ceremony just down the road from Western Branch. In fact, many from Western Branch had a hand
in the work that produced the state-of-art vessel at Newport News Shipbuilding. And many from Western Branch are serving aboard her now, or will do so at some point in her anticipated 50-year lifespan. Navy officials said 10,000 people were expected at the commissioning, a tradition-filled event at which the Ford was officially placed into the Navy’s service. And following that ceremony, the Navy wasted little time in taking the ship’s wheel, sending the Ford out just a week later for an early set of trials that saw sailors launch and recover the carrier’s first aircraft and begin to test the ship’s advanced technology. See FORD page 20
The USS Ford, America’s newest aircraft carrier, stretches 1,092 feet from one end of the flight deck to the other. The vessel was filled with guests during its recent commissioning.
western branch magazine 19
The crowd watches on a screen from the pier as President Donald Trump speaks at the commissioning ceremony for USS Gerald R. Ford at Naval Station Norfolk.
20 western branch magazine FORD continued from page 18
The commissioning ceremony featured not only President Donald Trump but also many other dignitaries, including Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Defense Secretary James Mattis, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, former Vice President Dick Cheney and others. Susan Ford Bales, the ship’s sponsor and daughter of the 38th president, also was in attendance to give the command to man the ship and bring it to life — at which hundreds of sailors in dress whites ran from the pier, up the gangway, through the hangar bay where the ceremony was held, up several ladders and onto the flight deck, where they manned the rails. “This is a source of indescribable pride and humility,” Bales said during the ceremony, quoting her late father’s reaction to learning of the ship’s name. Ford was born July 14, 1913, and was raised in Michigan. He attended the University of Michigan and excelled in athletics. He responded to the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack by enlisting in the Navy and served aboard the USS Monterey in the Pacific Theater, participating in many carrier strikes. Ford later was elected to the House of Representatives and served on the Warren Commission that investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He later was appointed vice president following the resignation of Spiro Agnew and then became president following the resignation of Richard Nixon, making him the only president never to have been elected president or vice president. According to numerous speakers at the commissioning, the new ship embodies the characteristics of the 38th president. “She represents the strength, courage and integrity of the 38th president of the United States,” said Matthew Mulherin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding. “Wherever this vessel cuts through the horizon, our allies will rest easy and our enemies will shake with fear,” Trump said during his remarks. “Our true strength is our people. A ship is only as good as the people that serve on it.” This particular ship, however, is expected to be the strongest and most advanced carrier ever built.
See FORD page 21
Above, Capt. Brent Gaut, executive officer of the USS Ford, surveys the crowd after introducing President Donald Trump at the Ford’s commissioning in July. Below, the carrier’s island rises into the afternoon sky.
western branch magazine 21
Above, sailors stand at parade rest as they await the command to man the rails during the commissioning ceremony for the USS Gerald R. Ford. Below, Quartermaster 1st Class Jose Triana listens to a senior officer give a media briefing on the vessel’s bridge. FORD continued from page 20
Leading the list of improvements on the Ford is a power plant capable of providing three times the power of a Nimitz-class carrier. That increased power allows for all manner of improvements in design and operation. The Ford is expected to be able to power the Navy’s first laser weapons system when they come online soon. Its electromagnetic launch system, enlarged flight deck and advanced aircraft elevators will allow it to cycle airplanes on and off the ship more quickly than ever. Its hull has been strengthened to improve its survivability, and its improved weapons and propulsion systems will make this carrier a more deadly adversary than ever for those who challenge it. Acknowledging the military power projected by this new vessel, Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley took the opportunity presented by July’s commissioning ceremony to channel President Theodore Roosevelt as he made remarks prior to President Trump’s: “Mr. President, one of your predecessors famously said, ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick.’ We offer you, sir, a big stick.”
22 western branch magazine
western branch magazine 23
Sailors, current and former government officials and thousands of civilians were on hand for the commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk.
24 western branch magazine
Forgotten graves, remembered Story by Phyllis Speidell Photos by John H. Sheally II
Just off Portsmouth Boulevard, tucked next to the parking lot of a strip mall, the Lassiter family rests in peace — or as much peace as their busy location allows. The Lassiters — James (March 3, 1831 – Aug. 28, 1905) and Harriett (April 23, 1838 – Dec. 18, 1888) — were farmers in what was Norfolk County and is now Western Branch. It’s a safe guess that when the Lassiters, along with at least three of their children, were buried there, no one imagined the family plot would one day be within throwing distance of an egg roll from a Chinese restaurant. Their well-tended graves, complete with a marker noting James’ service in F Company, 3rd Virginia Infantry Regiment during the Civil War, help tell the story of Western Branch. Three local volunteers, Camilla Wise, John York and Helen Rogers, seek out similar gravesites to record the tombstone inscriptions and discover more about the interred and their lives in Western Branch. Their efforts are part of a project by the Norfolk County Historical Society to update a book, “Tombstone A gravestone from the early 20th century marks a burial plot in the Sawyer family cemetery at Drum Point. Officials with the Norfolk County Historical Society are trying to locate all of the little cemeteries scattered around the Western Branch area.
See GRAVES page 25
western branch magazine 25
Above, a Confederate soldier is buried in a small cemetery tucked between Portsmouth Boulevard and a strip mall west of I-664. Below, a newspaper clipping reveals the mystery of Capt. John Lanier, who was re-buried right outside what are now the offices of Hinton Hurff Sr., president of Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Suffolk. GRAVES continued from page 24
Inscriptions of Norfolk County, Virginia,� published by the society in 1979. Even at 200 pages, that book, originally researched with the help of the Great Bridge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, failed to list any African-American graves or many of the family farmyard gravesites in Western Branch. Robert B. Hitchings, the historical society’s current president, wants to correct that omission. The Norfolk County Historical Society retains the name under which it chartered in 1963, although in that same year part of Norfolk County merged with the city of South Norfolk to create the city of Chesapeake. Five years later, when Portsmouth annexed a remaining part of Norfolk See GRAVES page 26
26 western branch magazine GRAVES continued from page 25
County now known as Churchland, the Western Branch section of that area went to Chesapeake. While its name might be confusing, the society devotes itself to preserving the history of Chesapeake and surrounding areas. Hitchings also serves as the archivist and historian for the Wallace Memorial Room, the library of the Norfolk County Historical Society, housed in the Chesapeake library on Cedar Road. A Norfolk native, he was, for many years, the archivist and historian for the Sargeant Memorial History Room in Norfolk’s Kirn Library. “To add a library to a house is to give that house a soul,” Hitchings said. “But to give a history room to a locality is to give that locality a soul.” The soul and character of Western Branch are what he wants to add to the story of Chesapeake. The gravestone project is part of that effort.
Helen Rogers, Camilla Wise and John York, volunteers with the Norfolk County Historical Society, help document the Sawyer family cemetery.
See GRAVES page 27
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western branch magazine 27 GRAVES continued from page 26
Grover Watts shows Norfolk County Historical Society volunteers Helen Rogers and John York around the Watts family cemetery near Western Branch Park.
Recently Hitchings met with Hinton Hurff Sr., president of Greenlawn Memorial Gardens and Mausoleum on Airline Boulevard, to learn more about the grave of Capt. John Lanier, who died in 1846. Lanier was originally buried on a farm near Greenlawn. Sometime between 1952 and 1982, when the farmer sold his land for home sites, Lanier was reinterred at Greenlawn. He rests, amid unanswered questions, only a few steps from Hurff ’s office. What happened to the unmarked grave of the female who was buried next to him on the farm? Was she one of his two wives? Or another relative? What was his connection to the land where he was originally buried? The stories of the people buried in the Watts family cemetery are better known. The shaded graveyard sits behind the ball fields at Western Branch Park, just a long, high fly from See GRAVES page 28
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GRAVES continued from page 27
Above, Norfolk County Historical Society secretary Jean Spencer and president Robert Hitchings are working with others to update the book “Tombstone Inscriptions of Norfolk County, Virginia.” Below, the New Hope Baptist Church cemetery is still in use, even though the church it once surrounded burned in 1960.
home plate. Grover Watts, a retired Churchland Middle School teacher and Vietnam veteran, visits the cemetery often, enjoying the stories that come to mind as he walks among the graves. “My grandfather had eight brothers and six sisters — a huge family. The Watts family home was in Portsmouth on the corner of North and Dinwiddie Streets, but they had a farm on what is now Western Branch Park. Back in the 1850s and 1860s, half of the Watts — freed and slaves — were transported to Louisiana as slaves.” Watts points out the grave of Vertley V. Watts (April 5, 1866 – Feb. 23, 1950), his great-grandmother and the matriarch of his side of the family. Her husband, Augustus Watts (1855 – 1925), was driving his horse and buggy to the farm from downtown Portsmouth when a car crashed into the buggy, killing him. Augustus’s brother, Alexander, realizing that Augustus was overdue, went looking for him and found his body on the road. Today they all rest in the Watts family cemetery. Not too far away, on Pughsville Road within See GRAVES page 29
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GRAVES continued from page 28
sight of I-664, the departed members of New Hope Baptist Church rest in a cemetery that once surrounded the church. The brick-covered baptismal pool is the only remaining fragment of the structure. Mary Anderson, whose great-great-grandmother named the church New Hope, has several relatives buried there, including her husband, Lee Anderson. She remembers driving him back to his Army base after leave in 1960 and seeing an unfamiliar car parked behind the church with several strangers milling about. Sensing trouble, they returned to Pughsville to find help. When they drove back, the church was already engulfed in flames and burning to the ground. The congregation rallied and built a new church in Pughsville two years later. Church members still use the cemetery, however. Hitchings hears the stories, and they reaffirm his concern to know where graves are located before continuing development erases part of local history. He is gratified to have volunteers like Wise, York, Rogers and historical society secretary Jean Spencer seeking out and documenting gravesites in backyards and wooded areas. “You do it because you are driven to do it, because you want to know who those people were,” Spencer said. Have information on a family gravesite? Call the Norfolk County Historical Society at 410-7152.
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western branch magazine 31
through the lens: Sarah Murphy
Sarah Murphy was born and raised in Baltimore. She has lived in Driver for the past nine years with her husband and three very active boys. When she isn’t at one of her own boys’ sports events or practices, she’s shooting other sports teams and leagues (with some family and portrait sessions in between). She still tries to find time to enjoy the local scenery and wildlife, though. “There is no shortage of beauty to be found around this area — from the greenery and water to the wildlife to the urban areas,” she says. Email Sarah at sarah@beansproutphotography.com. If you or someone you know would like to have your Western Branch photos featured on this page, send an email to news@westernbranchmagazine.com. We’re always looking for fresh eyes.
32 western branch magazine
a view from the branch Putting the ‘service’ in community By Kathy Reagan Young
There are always loads of articles — and sales — around the back-to-school time of year. They describe how parents and children can both prepare, and they list the supplies students will need. But how can a community prepare to send its brain trust back to school each fall? Are there things each of us — regardless of whether we have children or not — can do to help elevate our community’s education and thus elevate our community? Of course, there are. There are the obvious things we can do: paying attention to school buses and stopping when they stop; driving slowly in school zones; exercising patience during frenzied back-to-school sales. But as a community, we also can offer opportunities for our school-aged children (elementary through college) to learn valuable lessons through community involvement and volunteerism. More and more colleges are looking for community involvement from their applicants. Getting involved early and often not only helps to build a resume, both for educational pursuits and for getting employment beyond school, but it makes a huge difference in personal growth. Think about it: The skills one can learn volunteering translate beautifully into a very useful skillset that includes time
management, leadership, work ethic and experience. Right from the start, children can learn what an impact each person can make. Whether they help at church, help their teachers after school, help on the clean up committee at the school, plant flowers to help beautify their community, help their parents deliver food to the elderly, go with their parents as they patronize a local businesses or simply visit a neighbor who needs some cheering up, they’re making a difference, and they’ll feel a justifiable pride in themselves. Also, many people will benefit from their time, and that helps impart yet another important lesson. As children grow older, actually volunteering with any of the very worthy causes to be found at www.volunteerhr.org can instill not only pride in oneself, but dedication and commitment to goals. In middle school and high school, when their school schedules and homework become more demanding, fitting volunteer work into those schedules can help teach time management skills they’ll definitely need in college and beyond. Community involvement teaches empathy, work ethic, networking skills and dedication, all hallmark traits of leadership. Colleges look very favorably on students who have chosen to give their talents, time
and energy for the benefit of their community, without expecting anything in return. Giving students an opportunity to discover their strengths and passions and allowing them to find new interests will also help them as they plan for college and beyond. Experience is definitely the best teacher for a lot of these skills. Colleges are definitely rewarding students who show that they are well-rounded, community-minded and passionate about helping others. So, how do we, as a community, help them to achieve this? We can offer volunteer opportunities at our schools, churches, neighborhood civic leagues and businesses. Make sure it’s an even-valued exchange, each gaining from the other’s involvement. And then watch the community improve and the kid’s strengths expand. Let’s make a commitment as a community to help educate our kids by providing volunteer opportunities to help them grow while improving our community. We can all benefit in this back-to-school season. Kathy Reagan Young has lived in Western Branch for 17 years. She owns PR Plus, a marketing company specializing in writing services and Facebook page and ad management for small businesses. Email her at prplusllc@gmail.com.
western branch magazine 33
public servant
Keeping the bridges up Story and photo by Alex Perry
The bridges of Hampton Roads ensure that the rivers that separate Western Branch from the rest of Hampton Roads never become un-crossable barriers. People like Mike Boron make sure those bridges are safe. Boron has been a civil engineer with Chesapeake Public Works for more than 14 years. He moved to the city with his wife, Laura, a master’s degree in civil engineering from Old Dominion University and years of construction experience in the U.S. Navy. He is Engineer Three in the Bridges and Structures Division and is responsible for leading operations and maintenance for the Gilmerton, Centerville Turnpike and Great Bridge drawbridges, along with more than 90 other bridges and culverts in Chesapeake. He said the challenges of his position change daily. “It’s never the same,” he said. “You start out the day, and then all of a sudden something is wrong with one of the moveable bridges, and traffic stops moving. We have to go out there and figure out the problem.” “The idea is to get traffic moving as safely and as quickly as you can,” he explained. He oversees a team of more than 30 electricians, mechanics and other personnel at their field office in Chesapeake. Crane trucks, snow plows and bucket trucks that can lift someone 31 feet in the air are parked at the field office for their regular maintenance work and emergencies. Boron said crews have recently finished maintenance on the Hodges Ferry Bridge, which has seen more traffic with the
Civil engineer Mike Boron poses for a picture with welder Bryan Patterson, with Patterson sitting in one of the crew trucks parked at the Chesapeake Department of Public Works field office on South Military Highway.
continued development along Portsmouth Boulevard. “There’s definitely been an increase in the volume of traffic, and that Portsmouth corridor has definitely grown,” he said. “They built it with the forethought of increasing traffic. It’s just a matter of maintaining those structures.” He said crews use about 1,000 pounds of concrete each month to keep bridges in safe condition, along with 800 feet of guardrail. Boron can often be found on site, personally inspecting the work to make sure it’s done properly. “It’s easier to get it right the first time than have to come back and redo it,” he said. “You’ve got look at everything, so you’re all over it. If it’s muddy, you’re in the mud.” A big snowfall, he said, can mean 12-
hour shifts over several days devoted to keeping the streets manageable and travelers safe. One of his more memorable challenges was when the Great Bridge Bridge was struck by lightning. Computer systems were fried, and six crew members operated the bridge lift for vessels that were bottled up and waiting to pass through. “In 14 years, I never seen a lightning hit a bridge,” he said. Boron considers himself a problem solver and enjoys the challenges of his job. He encourages members of his crew to take a similar perspective in the midst of crises. “Every time is a learning experience,” he said. “You want them to understand what’s going on and let it be a good learning experience. It makes it a lot easier so the next time it happens, they know what to do.”
34 western branch magazine
Last Edition’s Where Am I? We were surprised to have so many correct where am i? guesses for the Where Am I challenge in the June/July edition of Western Branch Magazine. The water tower, of course, is easy to find, but it takes some dedicated searching to find the I New Hope Baptist Church cemetery and its brick-covered baptismal. You can read more about the cemetery starting on page 21, but Nathan Jones and a few others knew right where it was. Jones’ name was randomly drawn from the correct guesses, and he wins a $25 gift card for his trouble. You can find our latest challenge on page 17. 16 western branch magazine
n each edition the Western Branch Magazine staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Western Branch you really know. We photograph some location in Western Branch that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is. If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@westernbranchmagazine.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Western Branch!
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