Six Degrees of Separation from George Washington!?

If you talk to someone long enough you are bound to stumble upon a connection using the famous standard "Kevin Bacon Six Degrees of Separation." Three circumstances stand out for me and a fourth has emerged. One of my high school classmates has a friend who is friends with the daughter of the senator who lives down the street from us; a past colleague of mine at the Library of Congress who is from China has a mother in law who was best friends with the Chinese President's sister; someone who works at the Library is a friend of a family member (our niece's husband's uncle) from Iran by way of California. Now we have a connection to George Washington by way of a piece of property that sits along a river in Virginia. It is said that the land belonged to someone at the time of the revolutionary war. Because of the tactical position of the land and river, George Washington insisted that a dam be built at this place. So the owner, who wanted to join the militia, was given dispensation by George Washington to create a dam, rather than fight in, the conflict. So, we know the new owners of the property, they bought it from the current owner of the surrounding property, who are related to the family that dates back to the 1700's, who knew George Washington. It is all documented in the archives and there is a storied history of the area. We are hoping to finally see this place soon. Apparently it is a great place to fish, relax, boat, hike, or camp - nothing we care to do, but definitely appreciate what we will see. It will certainly be worth the visit. Maybe we will come across some George Washington foot steps. 

TURN's Major Hewlett and Major Andre Remind Me of Masterpiece

I was going to major in history in college, but changed my mind when I thought it might be tough to find a job with a major like that. So I went in to nursing, to the astonishment of my parents and a surprise to myself. Somehow it all worked out - and I did get a job. Since that time, I have remained connected to all things history, primarily the Civil War time period. Living in Washington DC also influences any sense of history because we are surrounded by it on Capitol Hill. Recently I was intrigued by the AMC series TURN. My husband didn't really get into it so much, but I stuck with it and was glad after we saw this last season. I really liked two characters in the show because of the roles, but more because of the acting. We spend a lot of time watching everything Masterpiece, and Poldark would come close to TURN time wise, and of course Downton Abbey was a whole other story. And who would miss Jane Austen mini series? Anyway! My point is Major Hewlett and Major Andre reminded me of the typically fine acting from most Masterpiece shows. They just seemed to outshine all the American character counterparts. Maybe it was the uniforms, or the outcomes of their stories that were most memorable. But they certainly left an impression on me and probably a lot of other people who watched it. My husband actually was compelled to watch the last couple shows simply because they were so good. There is something about England, the British, and British actors, or Americans who play British roles. I like to think of myself as an historian at heart, but I think it was the personal history that was so touching. (Photos are from ten AMC TURN Website)