Photos Are First for The 150th Celebration

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The banners and signs are noticeably furled around the City and even though Rockville won’t officially be 150 years old until March 10th, the celebration began yesterday with the opening of a photo exhibit at the Glenview Mansion featuring 43 photos submitted by residents along with a Then and Now photo retrospective.

You might think we are looking back to celebrate our sesquicentennial but the exhibit is an energetic new eye on Rockville which leaves you squinting for more. Dena Balistock’s Window on Town Center ($600) takes an unique shot through the window of the delivery bike often parked outside Taste of Saigon. Evan DeFoe’s Jefferson Plaza ($85) turns my favorite building into an artwork on the edge. Sally Guardia’s Fireworks Over New Mark Lake (NFS) combines a fountain and firework moment I’ve never experienced. Allen Melser’s Flow of Geese ($150) captures a smirk as the flock waddles through Federal Plaza. The exhibit will freshen your outlook on the familiar.

I love seeing how places used to look and as I wandered through the second floor gallery listening to people surmise and remember, I realized I’m not alone. Seeing the Wire Hardware building through time, a steam engine instead of metro train, the Congressional Airport instead of today’s mall, and the old main street instead of our Town Center, turned into a real treat. Oh yes, wasn’t Rockville coolest during the 70’s with that new mall and those funky cars?

A board detailing the history of the Civic Center Park and one room filled with gowns worn by Irene Smith Lyon from 1917 to 1953 add a sense of place to our shining centerpiece of civic participation. If you don’t know who she is then you really must head over to Glenview Mansion.

As you can see, the house was packed for the concert by the U.S. Navy Band Chamber Players who played different instrumental combinations including guitar and sax for Body and Soul by Johnny Green and the full brass treatment for a Suite from the Soldier’s Tale by Igor Stravinsky.

Unfortunately I was at my son’s Musical Theater Center performance of the Pajama Game and could not make the opening festivities. (Let me interject that MTC did an amazing job with these talented middle school students in the production, really first rate.) Max van Balgooy attended the opening ceremony and you can read Max for Rockville and see his photos to get the scoop on who attended at the beginning of the event.

The photo exhibit and retrospective will be open to the public daily through February 2, 2010 and it’s free. Glenview Mansion is open 9 AM to 4 PM Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9 AM to 9 PM Tuesday and Thursday.

Get Involved for our 150th:

• Plan your own commemorative event.
• Visit a restaurant for a specially-designated meal or drink.
• Plan official 150th anniversary flowers in your garden.
• Design and paint a fire hydrant in Town Center.
• Register for the Memorial Day Parade.
• Attend an event like the photo opening!

The details will all be posted at www.rockvillemd.gov/events/150

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