History is a story and a story must have a beginning, but
where? My genealogy research was born of
the Bi Centennial celebration of 1976. It is a story of America as seen through
some of its most notable people. You
will not find these most of these people listed in history books. However, they are no less important. These are the people who make up the whole of
the United States. It is they,
collectively, who are America and they are notable and worthy of
remembrance. Their names may not be known
but their spirit is. I researched the
family back following all the paths.
Here is a remembrance of July4, 1976.
Today is the Fourth of July 1976 – two hundred years since
the Declaration of Independence was signed. Celebrations are planned across the
country, but in Atlanta they will be smaller as the rain is pouring
ceaselessly. Atlanta seems to be the
only rainy place in the country this Independence day. Yesterday the Dunwoody Community parade
passed through the small but growing crossroads north of Atlanta. Most observers and parade participants were
not from either Atlanta or the south.
Most residents of Dunwoody are from other parts of the United States and
particularly from the north. They are
new immigrants to this growing center of business activity. The climate is agreeable and the people still
unspoiled and friendly. It seems
everyone wants to come to Atlanta and Dunwoody is one of Atlanta’s better
neighborhoods.
Today the people of Dunwoody cannot attend a picnic, go to
Lake Lanier or even attend a fireworks display at Stone Mountain. July 4th 1976 is sodden with an
unremitting cold rain. The only
alternative is enjoying the activity of others as seen on the day-long coast to
coast coverage on the three networks. But,
perhaps that is not so bad after all.
How else could one get such a marvelous overview of the whole country’s
activities and taste the entire buffet of activity: from the blood chilling
entrance of the tall ships into New York harbor; the reenactment of the battle
of Gettysburg; to the playing of the 1812 Overture by the Boston Symphony
complete with real cannon and fireworks.
The grand finale was the magnificent firework display at the Statue of
Liberty, the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. It was an exhilarating day and while the rain
restricted our physical movements perhaps it provided us with a bonus bird’s
eye view.
What a country and what a people. How did it come to be? Who are these people? How are we one? In
personal terms, exactly what did independence mean to people two hundred years
ago? Do we still share the same
feelings, hopes and fears as they? Let’s
take a look and as we look keep in mind that two hundred years passes
quickly. Will our descendants two
hundred years hence ask the same questions?
We must be sure to leave something worthy of their backward glance.
We are a family of four living in Dunwoody Georgia. The children are Stephens Blakely Woodrough
age 13 and Page Annette Woodrough age 5 this Bi Centennial year. These future adults are presently blessed
with a relatively stable world and it does not look as though Stephens, Jr.
will face military draft. Page lives in
a time of women’s liberation and will be free to be exactly the person she wishes. Once she finishes her education she will be
free from the prejudices that have restricted women for thousands of
years. The future is full of hope; there
will be problems, but it appears that the country is headed in a forward
direction.
The parents are Margaret Vollmer Woodrough and Stephens
Blakely Woodrough who live at 1823 Trowbridge Drive in a lovely spacious home
full of various projects and interests of the senior Woodroughs. Both Steve and Margot are immensely
interested in life. They are curious,
searching, thinking people and have been active in the community. They were married in the year that John
Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas Texas.
Their early years together were tormented by the escalating Vietnam War. Inflation was rising but in general things
were economically sound and income kept pace with rising costs.
Politically things were worsened by the election of Richard
Nixon as President. Neither Woodrough
voted for him but somehow in spite of the odds a majority of citizens did.
Nixon’s story over the next six years is most important as it tested the
constitution and the resolve of the founding fathers. With Nixon’s resignation and the new
presidency of James Carter there is much hope.
Time will tell.
Steve and Margot Woodrough were married at St. Stephens Martyr
Church in Washington D.C on Pennsylvania Avenue. It is a lovely new church which was recently
built to replace an older outdated structure.
St. Stephens was the parish church for the Kennedys while they were in
the White House. At the time of her marriage
Margaret Vollmer was living at 2411 H Street NW in a little townhouse that was
recently renovated. This area of the city was gentrified and called “Foggy
Bottom”. Previously it housed some of
the worst slums and the city’s gas tanks.
The gas tank land remained vacant for many years and it was on this site
that the infamous “Watergate” apartment and office building building of Nixon’s
Watergate scandal was built. Down the
street was the once infamous (of
Watergate fame) Howard Johnson Hotel where one could go for a drink after work
and a quick pack of cigarettes. A little
further down Virginia Avenue was the Harry T. Thompson Water Sports
Center. It was the perfect summer
meeting spot where one could bicycle up the C and O Canal tow path, or take a
canoe to Theodore Roosevelt Island and marvel at the fact that once Indians
stalked its trails. On summer evenings
there were concerts at the Watergate Concert barge at the foot of the Lincoln
Memorial Bridge. These were the tag ends of a calm peaceful simple time.
Change was coming, but we didn’t know it. In 1963 the “Poor Peoples March” on
Washington launched Martin Luther King into national conscious followed by his
assassination and student protest over the Vietnam War. It was these events that made the
Bi-centennial year appear serene and special.
Had we finally come together?
