Winter Fun in Bowie, December, 1973

These pictures were most likely taken in and near the Rockledge section of Bowie in December, 1973.




Click on one of the pictures to view a zoomed-in slide show.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
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Starliners record show at WETA-TV Studios - 1973/74

The Bowie High School Starliners recorded a 30 minute program called "Jazz?" on WETA-TV during the 1973/74 school year. The pictures below were taken by Arnie Miles during that recording session.

The Starliners was an extracurricular jazz band sponsored by Bowie High School from 1967 through 1977. Five year Starliners member Bob O'Hara describes the band on his Web site as follows:

From 1967 through 1977, Bowie (Md.) Senior High School sponsored an extracurricular jazz band called The Starliners. The Starliners was a relatively standard big band, with 5 reeds, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, piano, bass, guitar, and drums. Often the band was augmented with additional percussion, vibes, French horns, and vocalists. At times, there were as many as 23 of us on stage. The band leader during its entire existence was Lt. Col. Joseph G. Carley (USAF, retired). He was paid a salary of $1 per year by the county Board of Education.

During its life, The Starliners produced four albums, Space Chasin’, In Stereo, 12 by 3, and Bowie Straight Ahead. Sales of these albums, along with gigs 3-4 times per month, paid for the purchase of new charts, as well as for travel to jazz festivals and competitions.

A more complete set of photos from this recording session can be found on a Bowie Living Facebook photo album.



Click on one of the pictures to view a zoomed-in slide show.

Band leader Lt. Col. Joseph G. Carley

Bowie Mayor Jim Conway and Band leader Lt. Col. Joseph G. Carley

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

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Citrus Sale in Bowie, 1973 or 1974

These are pictures from a citrus sale in Bowie, Maryland in late 1973 or early 1974. I assume that the boys in the pictures are members of the Boy Scouts.

Two boys try their sales pitch in the what looks like a Levitt colonial.

Two boys pose with a case of oranges.

Citrus Sale

Citrus Sale, Direct from Florida

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

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House Explosion in Pointer Ridge, January, 1974

A house at 902 Placid Court in Bowie's Pointer Ridge section exploded around noon on Sunday, January 20, 1974. The house was destroyed, but all eight occupants miraculously survived. According to the Washington Post, three nearby homes suffered serious damage, and nearly 30 homes suffered some damage. According to the Baltimore Sun, the blast was heard twelve miles away.

The cause of the blast was traced to a leaking propane tank. A resident in the home was running an auto body shop from the house's garage. According to the Baltimore Sun, the garage contained propane tanks, acetylene gas, gasoline and welding equipment.

The home was being rented at the time of the explosion.

Police recovered what they believed to be drugs from the scene, including 15 pounds of marijuana, hashish, LSD and amphetamines.

Click on one of the pictures to view a zoomed-in slide show.

The rubble left after the house at 902 Placid Court in Bowie's Pointer Ridge section exploded.

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court. Note the helicopter in the background. Some victims from the explosion were airlifted to local hospitals.

902 Placid Court

According to the Washington Post, three other houses were seriously damaged from the blast, and about 30 houses suffered some damage. No one was home at this colonial next door to the explosion.

904 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

902 Placid Court

Officials check for natural gas leaks before cause of the blast was determined.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

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Snowstorm in Bowie, January or February, 1974

Hear are pictures in the aftermath of a small snowstorm in Bowie in January or February, 1974. Click each picture to see a larger image.

About 7 1/2 inches of snow.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

• Previous: Belair National Bank at Bowie Plaza, Fall, 1973
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Belair National Bank at Bowie Plaza, Fall, 1973

Belair National Bank at Bowie Plaza in the fall of 1973.

Click each picture to see a larger image.

Belair National Bank occupied a spot in a building at the end of the Bowie Plaza parking lot near the present day post office.








This picture looks like it was taken by accident. In the background are Route 197, Brady's Citgo and some of the houses on Whiston Court.

Here is a more recent picture of the former Belair National Bank location. The neighborhood bank is now a check cashing business, and Bowie Plaza suffers from a high vacancy rate. Two years ago this building was fully occupied with a Starbucks and a Jackson-Hewitt office.

These pictures were posted as part of the Bowie Blade Pic Project, I've been posting pictures taken by Arnie Miles for the Bowie Blade between 1973 and 1975.

Photos of Bowie Maryland 1973 through 1975 by Arnie Miles is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States
License

Other Bowie Blade Pic Project Posts

• Next: Snowstorm in Bowie, January or February, 1974
• Previous: Samuel Ogle Junior High Concert Band, Fall, 1973
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