Nixon Leaves the White House. What's the Bowie Connection?

August 9, 1974 (40 years ago today): Facing the possibility of impeachment, President Richard Nixon resigned in the wake of the Watergate scandal.  So what's the Bowie connection?

During the Watergate burglaries in 1972, two phones were bugged in the Democratic National Committee (DNC) offices.  Only one of those listening devices worked.  That bug was in the phone of R. Spencer Oliver.  At that time, Oliver lived in a Cape on Felter Lane in Bowie with his wife and family.

After the bugs were discovered, Oliver was investigated by the FBI.  The FBI hadn't found the bugs in a previous sweep of the office, so there was some suspicion that someone in the DNC had planted the bugs themselves.  In an interview given by journalist Robert Parry years later, Oliver said, "they tried to tie me to radical groups and asked questions of my neighbors and my friends about whether I had ever done anything wrong, whether I drank too much, whether I was an alcoholic, whether I had a broken marriage, whether I had had any affairs.  It was a very intrusive and obnoxious assault on my private life."

Oliver also faced scrutiny from some of his colleagues who didn't feel that he was important enough to have his phone bugged.  There was jealousy.  "Everybody wanted to be the celebrity victim," Oliver told Parry.

After a civil lawsuit was filed, lawyers for the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP) deposed Oliver.  In an effort to discredit Oliver, they asked him if he was a member of the Communist Party or the Weather Underground.  They asked him if he had ever been arrested.

Oliver soon found himself at odds with DNC leadership.  The DNC wanted to put the Watergate break-in behind them, and they wanted to settle the civil suit.  Oliver felt it was important to continue the lawsuit because the related depositions provided the only opportunity to force the Republicans to answer questions about Watergate.  This was before the Senate Watergate Committee was formed.

Read more about R. Spencer Oliver's role in Watergate in the "Enduring Secrets of Watergate" special report by Robert Parry.

Gallant Fox wins the Triple Crown

June 7, 1930 (84 years ago today):  Gallant Fox from the Belair Stud Farm won the Triple Crown.  The Fox of Belair, as he was known, later fathered Omaha, the second horse from Belair to win the Triple Crown.  To this date, Gallant Fox and Omaha represent the only father/son pair Triple Crown winners.  Both horses were a product of the team of William Woodward, Belair Stud's owner, and trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons.

Grand Opening Ceremony Held at Bowie's Market Place

April 6, 1983 (31 years ago today): A Grand Opening ceremony was held at the Market Place, a redesigned Bowie shopping destination that was formerly known as the Belair Shopping Center.  The Market Place was anchored by a new and modern Safeway grocery store.  The store was equipped with price scanners, and it was the third largest Safeway on the East Coast at the time.

Click here to see a set of newspaper advertisements that appeared in the Bowie Blade-News prior to the Grand Opening.  Special thanks to Megan Reilly who shared the advertisements with Bowie Living after discovering them in her shed when she moved into her Bowie home.

Tree Planted at Bowie City Hall to Honor Dr. King

April 4, 1977 (37 years ago today):  A tree was planted at Bowie City Hall in honor and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the ninth anniversary of his death.  Dr. King was killed in Memphis forty-six years ago today.

In 1977, Bowie City Hall was located in the Belair Mansion.  The King tree is located on the west side of the property - near the right corner of the mansion when facing the building from the driveway.

Dedication Ceremony for Five Bowie Schools

Dedication ceremony at Belair Junior High School

March 30, 1965, (49 years ago today): A dedication ceremony was held for five schools in the gymnasium of Belair Junior High School.  This picture appeared in "A Century of Public Education in Prince George's County, " a book published by the Prince George's County Board of Education.  The book contains the following description of the event.

"A joint program dedicating five new schools was held on Tuesday evening, March 30, 1965, at Belair Junior High School. Arrangements for this program were coordinated by the principals of five schools for the dedication of Belair Junior High School, Buckingham Elementary School, Kenilworth Elementary School, Meadow Brook Elementary School, and Tulip Grove Elementary School.  The dedication address was given by Superintendent of Schools William S. Schmidt, with W. Carroll Beatty, president of the Board of Education, making the presentation of the keys to the buildings.  Accepting the keys to the schools were Dale B. Woodburn, principal of Belair; Mrs. Maxine Cunningham, principal of Buckingham; E. Wendell Hosley, principal of Kenilworth; George L. Pasquella, principal of Meadow Brook; and Miss Hannah E. Long, principal of Tulip Grove."

Camel, Buffalo, Zebu and Llama Race in Bowie

Walk a Mile

February 25, 1972 (42 years ago today): The Noah's Ark Animal Race was held at the Bowie Race Track, featuring a camel, buffalo, llama and a zebu (a single-humped cow from Asia).

Two camels were scheduled to race, but one of the camels died at the race track after traveling to Bowie from Missouri.

Walk A Mile, Llama Fleece and One Large Hump

The second camel had to be muzzled for the race after it injured a track worker earlier in the week.  The camel became aggressive in the starting gate during a practice run.  It bit the arm of Michael Pearson, an "exercise boy" at the track, and then shook Pearson's arm violently.  Pearson suffered a broken arm, and he required surgery for his injuries.

One Large Hump (the zebu) won the race, followed by Llama Fleece (the llama), and Walk A Mile (the camel) came in third.  Home on the Range (the buffalo) "wallowed in the mud," according to The Baltimore Sun, and it didn't finish the race.

Walk A Mile (the camel) was favored to win after easily winning two heats earlier in the week.  Walk A Mile, however, was forced to wear a muzzle during the last race after breaking Pearson's arm, and jockey Charley Cooke speculated that the muzzle caused the loss.

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Bowie Race Track Ravaged by Blizzard and Fire

January 31, 1966 (48 years ago today): An early morning fire at the Bowie Race Track destroyed five barns and resulted in the deaths of more than 40 horses.

The track had been closed as the region took shelter from an intense storm that would later be known as the Blizzard of '66.  Wind gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour fanned the flames, and caused the fire to spread quickly.

Firefighters took more than 30 minutes to navigate the snow covered roads along the way to the track.  According to Robert Nelson of the Bowie Volunteer Fire Department, crews from the station had to push a stranded car from the roadway and shovel their way through three separate snow drifts in order to get their apparatus to the track.

Arriving personnel found a chaotic scene.  Flames were shooting high into the air, and panicked horses and ice made for a hazardous situation.

Approximately 100 horses were let loose in an effort to save as many lives as possible.  Some horses were later found roaming at the Belair Shopping Center and Glenn Dale Hospital.

Seventeen-Year-Old Donna Dustin Murdered

Memorial plaque in Bowie's Acorn Hill Park

November 17, 1973 (40 years ago today):  A seventeen-year-old Bowie girl was murdered.  Donna Dustin's body was discovered by a hunter that morning in Anne Arundel County not far from the Bowie Race Track.  Dustin's murder remains unsolved.

Pictured here is a memorial plaque that can be found in Bowie's Acorn Hill Park.

Much has been written about the Donna Dustin murder case.  This January, 2000, Washington Post article provides a fairly complete summary:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/2000-01/16/076r-011600-idx.html

Although no one has been charged in Donna Dustin's murder, an attempt was made to link the Dustin murder to the 1987 murder of Jacqueline Roberson in Bowie.  Richard McLeod was convicted of the Roberson murder, but in an appeal, McLeod argued that someone else likely committed the Roberson murder.  He named several people that he suspected were involved.  One of the men that McLeod implicated, was, according to the motion filed by McLeod, likely present during the Dustin murder.  No one knows the whereabouts of the man that McLeod identified.  http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca4/07-6551/076551.u-2011-03-15.html

Jeff Krulik created this video in remembrance of the 40th anniversary of Donna Dustin's death.

"Greaser Gang" Attacks Seven Youths at Bowie High

Bowie High School, 1973 (photo by Arnie Miles)

October 25, 1968 (45 years ago today):  Seven Bowie teenagers were beaten by a Lanham/Seabrook area "Greaser" gang while waiting for rides outside Bowie High School following Teen Club.  According to the Bowie Blade, two car loads of youths arrived at the school looking for "Big John," the supposed head of the Bowie Greasers.  After failing to find Big John, the out-of-town boys attacked the Bowie teens with bats, fists and tire chains.  Two of the local youths were rendered unconscious by the attack.

The Bowie Blade reported that "Greaser" gangs existed in many of the area towns, including Belair, and a "considerable rivalry" existed between the various Greaser factions at the time.  The term "Greaser" is derived from the slick, greasy hair style that was popular among the gang members.  According to one source interviewed by the Blade, Greaser gangs were "composed of high school drop-outs and other toughs."

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

The First Edition of the Bowie Blade is Published

October 19, 1967 (46 years ago today):  The first edition of the Bowie Blade was published.  The headline near the top of page one was, "Belair's NEWS Newspaper Begins Publication," and Editor Bob Reid declared the paper to be the "first area paper to offer total news coverage."

In his introduction to the newspaper, Reid said, "we are calling The Bowie Blade the 'pajama newspaper.' We desire it to be so well delivered that residents can bring it in without getting out of their pajamas. It should be right at the front door, and if it isn't, we wish you would let us know. It shouldn't happen twice!"

Reid went on to say, "The Bowie Blade will bring to local residents all the news, total and complete. We hope to not overlook anything that can conceivably be of interest to Bowie residents, and in addition, we intend to pack the paper with interesting features, lively photographs, a sprightly woman's page, and a complete sports section covering the local sports picture."

The newspapers staff worked out of offices above J-Mart in 1967.

Here is a sample of some of the headlines from the first edition:

"Wilson, Conroy Clash Over 197"; "Bowie Senior High Enrollment Hits 1,410: Shifting 9th Grad to Junior High Eases Load (Bowie High will double in size with the new edition currently under construction in the read of the existing school.)";  "Students Driving To Bowie Classes Curtailed"; "DuVal Tigers Stun Bowie High With 26-0 Victory: Favored Bulldogs Hurt by Fumbles"; "Mobile Library Use Proves Bowie Readers are Voracious"; "New Home Site for Knights of Columbus"

Here is a sample of some of the advertisers from the first edition:

Mister Chicken, Bowie Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, The Bowie Inn, Rip's Restaurant and Motel, Belair Theater, Belair Maintenance Company, Dwyer Maintenance Company, Tidewater Belair Realty, Hi-Gear Discount Auto Center, Belair National Bank, Bob's Barber Shop, Levitt and Sons, Keystone Footwear, T&T Liquors, V.M. Razanno, W.F. Mann Realty

Protesters Arrested at Levitt & Sons Model Homes

The Levitt Manor House on Sussex Lane

September 14, 1963 (50 years ago today):  Eight people were arrested inside the the Levitt & Sons sales office on Sussex Lane after participating in a sit-in to protest Levitt's policy of refusing to sell houses to blacks.  Most demonstrators remained outside while six entered the Levitt office.  The Prince George's County Police arrived, arrested the six protesters, and the police were forced to carry some of the protesters to an awaiting patrol wagon.  After the police left, two more protesters entered the sales office, and they were subsequently arrested.

All eight people arrested were charged with trespassing, and they spent the night in an Upper Marlboro jail after refusing bond. The arrested protesters later claimed that they were held in the "drunk tank" without access to bedding.  Jail officials claimed that the protesters were causing a disturbance in the jail by yelling and singing loudly, and they were put in the "tank" to restore order to the jail.  Officials also claimed that the protesters refused an offer for bedding.

The incident occurred during months of protests organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and other organizations.  Multiple sit-ins took place, including one that turned into a "sleep-in" as three protesters spent a quiet night in the sales office with a guard from Levitt & Sons.  Episcopalian Reverand Reinhart Gutmann, a Belair at Bowie homeowner, organized a protest that included eighteen Episcopalian clergymen carrying signs and singing religious songs.  Although most protesters were opposed to Levitt's discriminatory policies, three men from the Fighting American Nationalists organization carried a sign during one protest that said "Integration Stinks."

Two Bowie Boys Dribble into Record Books

David Price and Richard Pranschke

August 9, 1974 (39 years ago today):  Two Bowie teens broke a world record after dribbling a basketball for nearly four full days.  According to the Bowie Blade, Richard Pranschke and David Price alternated one hour shifts until they completed 92 consecutive hours of dribbling.  Their effort began at 8am on Monday, August 5th, and the dribbling stopped at 4am, Friday, August 9th.  The record was set in Pranschke's garage at 13435 Yorktown Drive.  The boys were inspired after reading that two Springfield, Virginia youths dribbled for a record 60 hours and 45 minutes just one week earlier.

Five people acted as judges including Mark and Tom Price (brothers of David Price), Edwin and Evlyn Hunnicutt, (parents of Richard Pranschke) and neighbor John Jones.

According to the Washington Post, the dribbling record had been broken two times that summer before the marathon session by Price and Pranschke.  Two North Carolina boys dribbled for 50 hours and 24 minutes that July, and Jimmy Harper and Johnny Herrity broke that record a week later in Springfield.

The Bowie Blade article implied that a Guiness Record had been broken.  It's assumed that Price and Pranschke submitted their record to the publication, although Bowie Living was unable to locate any Guiness Record involving two people alternating dribbling responsibilities.

Bank of Bowie Opens

The J. Guy Bell House in Old Bowie, former home to the Bank of Bowie

July 28, 1920 (93 years ago today):  The Bank of Bowie opened in the two front rooms of a home at the corner of Chestnut Avenue and 11th Street (next to the present day Old Bowie Town Grille).  The home was built four years earlier by J. Guy Bell and his wife Ann Augusta Bell.  The first president of the bank was Nelson R. Ryon, and the first cashier was William Luers.  The Bank of Bowie moved into a newly constructed concrete building a few years later.  Through mergers and acquisitions, the bank transitioned multiple times.  At one point it was known as the Bank of Maryland, it was later called the Suburban Trust Company, and it eventually became part of the Bank of America.

The addition on the left side of the house was constructed to house a beer parlor after the Prohibition Act was repealed, and the space was later occupied by a doctor's office.  The home was also used as an antique store at one point.

Man Drowns on the Belair Estate

Foxhill Lake, 1974 (photo by Arnie Miles)

July 26, 1912 (101 years ago today):  Twenty-one-year-old Charles Gentile drowned in the pond that is now known as Foxhill Lake. According to "Belair from the Beginning" by Shirley V. Baltz, Gentile was visiting William Baldwin, son of the manager of the Belair estate, when Gentile, Baldwin and Baldwin's sister ended up in the water after their boat overturned.  By the time William Baldwin rescued his sister, Gentile had disappeared under the water.

The pond was not called Foxhill Lake until after the property was purchased by Levitt.

Charles Gentile Obituary from the Baltimore Sun

Renowned Thoroughbred Horse Trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons Born

Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons (left) and William Woodward, Sr

July 23, 1874 (139 years ago today):  Renowned thoroughbred horse trainer James Edward Fitzsimmons (Sunny Jim) was born in Brooklyn, New York.  He started his career in horse racing as a stable boy, worked his way up to being a jockey, and then he became one of the greatest thoroughbred trainers of all time as the head trainer for Belair Stud.  Fitzsimmons was the training genius behind Triple Crown winners Gallant Fox and Omaha, as well as the 1955 Horse of the Year, Nashua.

Belair Stud horses were typically foaled at the Claiborne Farm in Kentucky.  After the horses were weaned, they were sent to Belair.   Each spring, Belair Stud owner William Woodward. Sr. and Sunny Jim would inspect all the yearlings at Belair, and they decided which horses would be sold and which horses would be trained.  Many of the selected thoroughbreds were sent to Aqueduct for training - Fitzsimmons' home track.  This was the process followed for Gallant Fox, Omaha and Nashua.

Piranha Caught at Foxhill Lake

July 5, 1974 (39 years ago today):  Norman Albertson caught a Piranha while fishing in Foxhill Lake.  Blaine Griffith, a conservation specialist with the Mount Calvert Regional Park, identified the fish as a Dusky Piranha - a type of Piranha sometimes purchased at area pet stores.  Ed Lehan, owner of Hilltop Aquarium, told the Bowie Blade that a pet owner probably released the fish in Foxhill Lake after growing "tired of it."

According to on-line aquarium fish profiles, the Dusky Pirnaha originated from the Amazon region, and it has an aggressive temperament.  These fish are best kept in groups without other species present, and they should be fed live food.

This photo is an edited version of a picture taken by Arnie Miles in 1974 for the Bowie Blade.

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

Ground Breaking for the Bowie Race Track

June 24, 1914 (99 years ago today):  The Southern Maryland Agricultural Association broke ground on Prince George's Park - the horse racing venue that would eventually be known as the Bowie Race Track. According to the Baltimore Sun, the land used by the course was previously part of a tobacco farm.

This photograph was taken for the Baltimore Sun on October 6, 1914 during the track's first week in operation.  It can be purchased on-line at http://www.tribunephotos.com.

Grand Stand at Bowie, October 6, 1914

Bowie Baysox Play their First Game at Prince George's Stadium

June 16, 1994 (19 years ago today):  The Bowie Baysox played their first game at Prince George's Stadium.  Memorial Stadium in Baltimore was the home field for the Baysox during their 1993 inaugural season.  Due to construction delays at Prince George's Stadium in 1994, the Baysox played early season home games in Frederick, College Park and other locations.

Automated Telephone Exchange Goes Live in Bowie

May 26, 1938 (75 years ago today):  The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company activated Bowie's first telephone dial system.  The switching equipment was housed in this building at 13108 11th Street in Old Bowie - the current home of the Bowie Lions.  For the first time in Bowie, a telephone call could be made without the assistance of an operator.

Levitt Transfers Title to Belair Bath & Tennis

May 23, 1963 (50 years ago today): The title to a seven-acre property near the Belair Mansion was transferred from Levitt & Sons to the Belair Bath & Tennis Club.  Property transferred included a brick club house, a Z-shaped swimming pool, a kiddy pool, six tennis courts, a tennis house and a recreational building (the green house).  The estimated value at the time of transfer was $250,000.  The club was built by Levitt & Sons, and it opened a year earlier under the management of Levitt with the promise that title would be transferred to the club once membership reached the capacity of 750 families. The title was transferred to club president Douglas C. Hansen.  Annual family memberships at the time were $42.

Earlier that same month, Levitt gifted nearly 50 acres of land to the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission for a park that would eventually come to be known as Foxhill Park.