DC Days: Prison View Estates

I have a habit of telling visitors to the museum where I'm a volunteer that the building has had "a lot of lives." Originally built as a Masonic Temple in 1908, the building would eventually be home to movie theatres (both legit and blue), offices, and eventually the only museum in the world dedicated to championing the works of women artists. Depending on the visitor, I might also share some of the history of the building that currently houses our museum shop, but it has to be the right visitor. Some people don't like to talk about sex shops. I usually end the discussion with some comments about the importance of place an the role we play in both preserving and continuing history. This is the kind of conversation that makes me an excellent docent.

I was thinking about this when I visiting the Workhouse Arts Center for a beer festival over the weekend. I've never been to the Workhouse Arts Center before. Until 2001, it was, in fact a prison. Construction began on the Lorton Reformatory (also called the Lorton Correctional Complex and the Occoquan Workhouse) the same year my museum started its life as a Masonic Temple in 1908. The first prisoners would arrive in 1910 and would be responsible for building much of the prison complex over the years. The Workhouse has a random history, originally opened as part of an experiment in open air prisons. The idea was to see if that prison set up would be better for rehabilitating less violent offenders like vagrants, drunks, and "family abusers." The original prison didn't have the brick buildings, but tents and open fields. Female prisoners were sent to the prison starting in 1912, mostly serving sentences for prostitution or disorderly conduct.

In 1917, the prison would become the center of the suffragist movement when many of the "Silent Sentinels" were arrested and held at the Workhouse. These were women like Lucy Burns and Alice Paul, arrested for their silent protests outside of the White House. On the night of November 14, 1917 the women were tortured and beaten in a night known as "the Night of Terror." The women would eventually be released and many sentences would be vacated. President Wilson changed his mind about suffrage not long after these events, moving the passage of the 19th Amendment forward (this is a very simplified version of what happened, but you get the point).

When my family first moved to the area in 1992, I remember driving past Lorton Prison and the neighborhood next door. There was a house on the corner that boasted the following sign:

I thought it was funny and weird in the best way possible. I remember wanting to visit, but not in a "I should get a prison pen pal" sort of way. It was always more like, "one day this probably won't be an active prison and I should come take a tour when they make into a museum" kind of way.

Lorton was decommissioned as a prison in 2001. The property was sold to Fairfax County the next year and is part of the D.C Workhouse (another name) and Reformatory Historic District. When it was decommissioned part of the law stated that the space had to be used for recreation or parkland. The Lorton Arts Foundation sought to use the land and facilities for an arts complex. In 2004, this was finally approved and the Workhouse Arts Center was open in 2008. The complex includes studio and gallery space for artists, open land for festivals and sporting events, and specials events. It's like the larger, weirder sibling to the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria. The Lucy Burns Museum is also underway, telling the story of 91 years of prison history.

I've been curious to see what Lorton is like now that it's an arts center. Does it still feel like a prison? Is it weird to have a studio in a space that was probably a cell at one point? Is the kiln the same kiln used to fire the original bricks prisoners used to build the prison? I can't say that I answered any of these questions during my first visit. I attended the 3rd Annual Workhouse Arts Center Brewfest. Drinking beer and spirits from Virginia (and a few neighboring states) breweries and distilleries at a decommissioned prison/arts center seemed like a good way to spend a Saturday. It was a beautiful (hot) day. The festival was fun, the beer was delicious, and I got to taste a whiskey made from George Washington's original recipe.

The buildings have been restored and reconfigured enough in the buildings we visited that they don't look like a prison per se. There's definitely an industrial vibe and the ceilings are low, but it doesn't scream "Cell Block A" or anything. The gallery was well lit and the artist I talked to really liked working in the space and being able to show his work. I wandered into an exhibition about the suffragists and ended up buying a t-shirt from a very kind docent who seemed impressed that I owned a "Jailed for Freedom" pin from the Alice Paul Institute. She and i discussed the Lucy Burns Museum; she encouraged me to come back and see the current exhibition when it was less exciting outside (her words not mine).

There are definitely parts of the grounds that have remained untouched since 2001 (or at least aren't as heavily used). Those areas, which you can see from the parking lot, remind me of driving past Lorton when it was an active prison. They look sad and institutional. I'd like to go back and visit the museum and spend more time in the gallery spaces. Maybe take a class sometime. Like my museum, the next life of the Workhouse seems to be one where history, art, and community meet. I like this new life for the Workhouse. It gives me hope.

Prison View Estate photo
Other photos by me

Gibbs probably doesn't feed birds

The blue jay circled above the house. He could see the bird feeders in the backyard and a few birds fluttering around. He was unsure if this space was safe or if he should move along on down the line. Then he spotted it - the symbol that let him know that all was safe and good. He landed on the edge of deck and then made his way to the food. It was a good place and he knew he would return.

There are three things you should know about my dad:

1. He likes to watch NCIS reruns on USA (even if he has seen the episode multiple times)
2. He maintains three bird feeders in his backyard, including one for hummingbirds
3. He has a high tolerance for the ridiculous and the silly which serves him well in our family

My parents really enjoy the birds that seem to flock to their backyard. It's probably the one thing that they truly like about their house and where they live. The bird feeders are on the back deck and you can watch the birds from the kitchen table. I imagine it's a nice way to start your day - a little coffee or tea, some cereal, and the baby woodpecker and it's mama. Nature - that's what they get for living out in "the country." My mother likes spring best (I think) since all the baby birds are around and it's fun to watch them figure out how to fly. My father seems to enjoy identifying the birds and even has a bird book (although I don't know that he uses it all that often).

Here's the thing - I think that my parents, particularly my father, are helping to create an entire generation of lazy birds. What happens when my parents move? Will instinct take back over and the birds will remember how to forage and find food on their own? Will the squirrels remember how to store food for the winter? What will happen? My dad usually laughs at this, ignores my comments, and moves onto another conversation. He knows that they're birds and they'll figure it out. No need to worry. Cue "The Circle of Life."

Hobo symbols

It's a common conversation I have with my dad whenever I visit. One day, a few years ago, I was watching a re-run of Criminal Minds and the episode's plot had to do with a killer that was murdering people along a train line. Dr. Reid (it may not have been him but I think he's adorable so I'm going to pretend that it's him) discovered some marks along the tracks. He tells whichever other agent is with him about how hobos used to use symbols to communicate with other hobos about the area. They might share if there was a kindhearted woman (with a cat of course) or if the police were a problem. Anyway, the killer was doing something similar along the train line and killing people. I may be off on the plot but the second Dr. Reid started talking about the hobo trail and the symbols, I figured out what was going on at my parents' house.

Their house is a stop on the hobo bird trail.

I'm convinced that the birds have figured out some version of the hobo symbols and fly around the country making the marks on houses and other buildings or whatever to let other birds know what's up. Other birds flock to the house and enjoy the food and then they leave a mark for birds that come after them. I'm not entirely sure what the symbols look like but I'm convinced that my parents' house has every single one of the positive symbols that are available. Squirrels apparently know about it too; there's one there now and he's enormous. If the hawk is still around, it will get him at some point because he won't be able to run away.

So I told my dad that I thought his house was a stop on the hobo bird trail. Because my father is used to the ridiculous things that I say and think up, he didn't really react at first. He thought about it for a few minutes and then asked me a bunch of questions about how I had come to this conclusion. I told him about the Criminal Minds episode and he said, "I watch NCIS." I love that my father completely ignored the ridiculousness of what I was saying and focused instead on my choice of television show. He seemed okay with the idea that he was a stop on the hobo bird trail AND that a hobo bird trail even exists. In fact, I think he was sort of proud of the idea that he's helping the birds.

Some takeaways from this experience:

1. I haven't watched Criminal Minds since this conversation. Now I watch reruns of NCIS but only reruns on USA. I don't keep up with the current season.
2. For all you dads or soon to be dads out there: develop the ability to accept the weirdness of your children. I appreciate that my dad doesn't judge any of the weird things my brother and I have come up with over the years and on occasion, he joins in.
3. There is a hobo bird trail. If you want to be a stop on it, make sure to always stock the bird feeder and be kind to the squirrels that figure out the game. 
4. Learn something new everyday even if it comes from an unusual source. I wouldn't know about hobo symbols without Criminal Minds. I also cannot leave the shower curtain closed when I leave the house because I'm concerned that Tim Curry's serial killer character will be waiting there when I come home. Thanks Criminal Minds.

Happy Father's Day Dad! Enjoy the birds and continue to cement your place as a prime stop on the hobo bird trail. Maybe you should add a bird bath. I'm sure they'd enjoy the new amenity.

Coming soon to the Island: More summer themed Lazy Movie Weekends (including one on my favorite John Waters movies), Pickles the cat will get into more trouble in an adventure about the end of the world, and I'll visit an amusement park for the first time in 10 years.

 Hobo symbols