I have been President or Co-President or Acting President of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA) for over four years now. No one has offered to take over that leading position, or that of moderator of this neighborhood blog, or that of owner of the neighborhood email discussion group. OHNA elections have been postponed or delayed for months, much to my disliking. Therefore, at the risk of a street beating by old-timers and taunting by college students, I, Scott Burger, hereby renounce all titles other than that of King of Oregon Hill. I declare my intention to rule by fiat as supreme leader of the neighborhood until I decide otherwise.

I recognize the potential concern that this assumption of power will create, and I assure my neighbors that I will continue my benevolent reign, with mind to fairness and order for all. In return, I do demand fealty, obedience, and respect, and, perhaps at some point in the future, tithe and tribute. At this time I am considering the appointments of royal advisors. For now I will hold my court at the same time and place as that of the regular OHNA meetings, 7pm of fourth Tuesdays at the William Byrd Community House.

I already formulated several royal decrees, and those will appear on this website in short order. Until notified otherwise, residents and visitors should still follow and respect the laws of the City of Richmond, Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States of America.

Scott Burger

to commit Virginia Commonwealth University to a more environmental friendly future. As King of Oregon Hill, I demand that you, President Trani of VCU, sign a treaty that addresses global warming, along with other college and university presidents. This will improve the the environment of Oregon Hill and the world. I am trying to look past the fact that you are scheduled to sign this on April Fool’s Day, and will take this seriously.

Peak Oil vs. Global Warming vs. The Long Emergency and about a half dozen other scary phrases…

As the newly declared King, I intend to lead a war on fear itself by crafting a long term policy dedicated to the principle of self-sufficiency. With the price of a gallon of gasoline or a loaf of bread soaring, now is the time for Oregon Hill to start thinking about how to provide its own energy and food. This neighborhood is no stranger to faring for itself. Done properly, this strategy will only strengthen the neighborhood.

And it is important to recognize that this sort of thinking is already prevalent in many existing initiatives. The Grace Arents Community Garden, started by the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association and now administered by Tricycle Gardens, is just one of them. Obviously, even with the addition of outside produce sellers brought in by the Byrd Market, this one community garden will not be able feed all Oregon Hill residents. Community gardens should still be supported and grown, but they will most likely be stripped very quickly if crisis emerges, so private gardens are also necessary. Even if emergencies do not present themselves, residents will benefit from an abundance of fresh, less expensive food and an improved environment resulting from a determined ‘greening’.

Its not just fresh produce. While Fine Foods has a decent selection of beer, candy, and other materials, it is lacking in other categories. The Earthlings Organic Food Coop is a valuable enterprise for the neighborhood, but I am reluctant to count on the monthly truck delivery to meet all packaged food needs. Mama Zu’s, 821 Bakery Cafe, Mojo’s, and a soon-to-be-reopened Hollywood Grill offer options, yet it is clear that the neighborhood could use more. Stockpiling and emergency pantries are a must.

With these factors in mind, I give my second royal edict: GROW MORE FOOD. Start vegetable and victory gardens now. Using square foot gardening and sustainable farming methods, I am confident that my subjects can find many public and private places to fulfill this command. Residents do need to be careful to avoid contaminated soil, and more crabgrass and vermiculture is desired to help de-contaminate. Irrigation from rain barrels and beekeeping are encouraged. At this time, until tribute is demanded, citizens should feel free to sell and trade their crops without royal interference.

Again, this is the first of many coming decrees that will form my overall policy of self-sufficiency.

If anyone hasn’t noticed yet, VCU is moving full steam ahead with the moving of the remaining Oregon Hill stable house from the rear of the former City Auditorium to the 100 block of south Linden Street. It’s quite an involved process that includes the construction of a temporary crushed gravel road to transplant the whole building and set it on its new foundation without any dips in the road surface. Follow this link for several photos I took today. There are lots of other historic and contemporary Oregon Hill photos on my site as well.

In what is surely to bode well for future diplomatic relations with Southside, I attended a party last night off Forest Hill Avenue and was treated to a surprise coronation ceremony that recognized my new found position. It is good to be King.

Yes, it’s another April showers day! And our “Renegade Market” vendors will be selling their goods and wares. We know these showers will soon bring happy produce and May flowers! Tuesday 3:30-7 p.m. We love that you spend your Tuesday afternoons with us.

Come and celebrate our BHM Appalachia Spring Family Festival on Saturday, April 12.
Our new spring festival brings both familiar and unexplored opportunities for family fun in honor of a new season, the Byrd House Market hosts the Appalachian Spring Family Festival, a care-free and inspired day of getting outside to celebrate the creative opportunities blossoming all around. This Saturday, April 12.

Nearly two dozen vendors, farmers, artists, food vendors and craftsmen will showcase the best of Virginia’s bounty and celebrate the return of long days and sunny skies. An event for the young and old alike, the festival has something for everyone to enjoy. Shop for fresh produce, explore local traditions, or bring an instrument and join the live music. You can even decorate a bird house to take home.

Highlighting the state’s diverse cultural history, the Center for African American Genealogical Research will provide opportunities to trace your family heritage, and folk artist Anndrena Belcher will share traditional Appalachian storytelling, music, art and dance.

“Anndrena is one of our secret national treasures. More than ever is her gift as a storyteller needed today. We may have lost our tribal memory, at least for the moment. It is an artist like Anndrena Belcher who can help us recapture it.”
~ Studs Terkel

The Appalachian Spring Family Festival is Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the Byrd House Market, located directly behind the William Byrd Community House, at 224 South Cherry Street in Oregon Hill. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 804-643-2717, visit http://byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com or email byrdhousemarket@gmail.com.

–
Patty Parks
224 S. Cherry Street
Richmond, Virginia 23220
804-643-2717
laptoplibrarian@gmail.com
BHM Farmers Market Librarian

Oregon Hill mourns the passing of two of its older residents this past month. Frances Rebecca Goswick and Rosalind French are both remembered fondly.

Hi everyone-
On MOnday APRIL 21ST will be another community dinner @6pm. They
are now every 3rd Monday of the month. A lot of people didn’t get our
newsletter, don’t know what SynerGeo is, or aren’t on this group so
they don’t know about it. So we want your help to spread the word.
Please tell any O.Hill residents about it and remind them to join
us!!!
If anyone is new to the group or knowing about SynerGeo, I’ll do
a quick recap. We are a small non-profit at the corner of S. Laurel
and Albemarle street(we’re located at 349 S. Laurel) that runs after
school art programs for K-5th graders and we recently started a teen
center on Wednesday nights from 5:30-7:30pm and run multiple other
outreach programs.

So please join us on Monday April 21st for our dinner @6pm. Bring a
dish, dessert or side dish if you can and we look forward to having
you.

*******Also just to throw this out there, we still have spaces
available for our SUMMER ART CAMP!! It is July 28-Aug 1 and Aug 4-8th
each day from 9am til noon. It’s free and kids can come for one week
or both.*****

Have a wonderful day!
Katie Cowles

www.synergeo.org

Over the years, Oregon Hill’s boundaries have clearly changed. In fact, some wags say that the actual Oregon Hill neighborhood, as first established, existed mostly further east of it’s current location. Whole streets of row houses (and Pratt’s Castle in Gamble’s Hill) made way for institutional development, like the Virginia War Memorial and Virginia Housing Development Authority. Of course, the neighborhood has been steadily forced to give ground to the expansionist plans of Virginia Commonwealth University. Oregon Hill used to be on Main Street.

As King I declare Oregon Hill’s current boundaries as the following: to the east, Belvidere Street, to the west, Hollywood Cemetery and S. Harrison Street, to the north, W. Cary Street, to the south, the north bank of the Kanawha Canal.

This is necessary for three reasons. One is that VCU, the City, and other entities keep trying to play games with the official borders and that is unacceptable. Secondly, in addition to defining the current area, with this royal declaration, I am unilaterally acting to name Oregon Hill one of the City of Richmond’s Old and Historic Districts.

Some explanation may be in order: Oregon Hill already has Federal and State recognition as a historical district. “Oregon Hill is one of the best examples of an intact working-class Victorian (1837-1901) neighborhood in the United States.” It has many historic structures- from Grace Arents‘ legacy- the William Byrd Community House (the first free library in Richmond), the Arents School (Open High), St. Andrew’s Church, to earlier Quaker and free black buildings- the Jacob House, the John Miller House, and the Parsons House, to name a few. There is no doubt that it is worthy of being included as a City Old and Historical District.

For years, many preservationists have lamented that Oregon Hill had not received this status. If it was just a matter of getting a vote from the neighborhood association, it would have been done years ago. Unfortunately, it had required a petition drive that many absentee landlords and speculators would not want to take part in. With this decree, I bypass the bureaucracy.

While State and Federal status offers some protections, City designation offers more. In the past there has been concern from residents and property owners that going with the designation would surrender too much control to the Commission of Architectural Review (CAR), but since I am King and all final decisions come to my absolute authority anyway, there is now less concern with CAR’s power. I will hear neighbor appeals and rule accordingly.

Which bring me to the third reason for declaring the boundaries. As King, I reserve my right to expand them in the future. Since the City no longer annexes surrounding areas, I might as well annex on behalf of the neighborhood. To be announced…

As King, I hereby recognize tomorrow as National Hanging Out Day and ask all Oregon Hill residents to participate.

“Every year, on April 19th, Project Laundry List joins together with hundreds of organizations from around the country to educate communities about energy consumption. National Hanging Out Day was created to demonstrate how it is possible to save money and energy by using a clothesline.”

I also plan to attend tomorrow’s Richmond Earth Day celebration in Manchester as part of my diplomatic outreach.

Curiously enough, the Virginia Anarchist Federation’s Spring Conference will be held tomorrow at the Willam Byrd Community House. More info on the VAF here.

It seems to have snuck up on others as well.

As King, I announce the extension of Oregon Hill’s border southward to include Belle Island and its smaller islands.

There was time not so long ago when it looked as if the neighborhood would be cut off from the James River, despite its historic and natural connections to it. Ethyl Corporation had bought much of the land south of Holly Street and demolished the historical houses there. Dominion Power had bought James River Paper company and was annexing much of Tredegar Street.

Fortunately citizen ‘guerrilla engineer’ volunteers took it upon themselves to quietly build the wooden railroad tie steps from Overlook area down underneath the entrance ramp for the Lee Bridge to the old canal bed. Dominion Power volunteers then built the utility pole bridge across the canal to enable easier access to the river bank. The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association won two significant grants to help fund the greenway connection. These funds will be used soon to replace the current bridge with a more permanent one. It is clear that Oregon Hill will not give up its connection to the James River.

With so many residents enjoying Hollywood Rapids and other river amenities, it makes sense to go ahead and secure our own official claim on the island territories in the river. This annexation will guarantee access and as well as bestow more responsibility upon Oregon Hill residents for protecting said resources.

However, because James River Park Manager Ralph White and other City employees and volunteers have worked so hard to improve the environmental and recreational features of the river, I have decided to allow my fellow Aries, ‘Saint Ralph’ White, to continue to administer Oregon Hill’s newest territory on behalf of the City and all of its citizens. This arrangement will remain in effect unless there is a failure to protect the Park in the future.

I strongly encourage all my subjects to do their part for the James River .

Tuesday is the last “Renegade Market” at WBCH/BHM: next week is the grand opening of the 2008 market season! You’ll find some great plants to jump start your garden from Bill Heath, Perenial Pleasures Pharm has had her beautiful and wonderfully aromatic lilacs and peonies, and this week welcome Amy’s Organic Garden and Victory Farms back to the market. 3:30-7PM rain or shine.

The final Master plan (66MB PFD) for the renovation of Monroe Park is now on the
park website.

Hunter Purdie grew up in Oregon Hill. The following General Assembly resolution will honor this fine man.
—————————————————————-

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 602
Offered March 3, 2008
Celebrating the life of Hunter Coleman Purdie, Jr.
———-
Patron– O’Bannon
———-
WHEREAS, Hunter Coleman Purdie, Jr., of Richmond, age 86, a respected citizen and an outstanding educator and former band director at Douglas S. Freeman High School in Henrico County for 29 years, died on February 25, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Hunter Purdie served his country in the United States Air Force during World War II, and after the war, he earned an undergraduate degree from what is now Virginia Commonwealth University and received a master’s degree from the University of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, as a young accomplished musician, Hunter Purdie played professionally with local dance bands and was one of the original members of The Continentals; he also performed with the Tony Pastor Band, featuring popular singer Rosemary Clooney; and

WHEREAS, Hunter Purdie was a teacher at Varina High School before joining Douglas S. Freeman High School as its first band director when the school opened its doors to students in 1954; and

WHEREAS, a versatile teacher, Hunter Purdie taught choral classes and music in addition to his duties as band director; and

WHEREAS, possessing many musical talents, Hunter Purdie played with the Richmond Symphony, arranged the Douglas S. Freeman Alma Mater and published several of his own musical arrangements, and he was still active and playing bass guitar when he performed at the school’s 2007 class reunion; and

WHEREAS, Hunter Purdie retired from his distinguished career in education at Douglas S. Freeman High School in the early 1980s, but he remained devoted to the school and its students; and

WHEREAS, Hunter Purdie will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 58 years, Carolyn Upshaw Purdie, his many relatives and friends, and the students and faculty of Douglas S. Freeman High School; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of a fine educator and outstanding Virginian, Hunter Coleman Purdie, Jr.; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Hunter Coleman Purdie, Jr., as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.

108 S. Belvidere was demolished today by its current owner, developer Ved Jain. Many Oregon Hill residents are dreading his plans for “Cary Street Apts. Phase II” (Phase I is at the corner of Belvidere and Cary Streets).

Blog post on 611 W. Main St. has very cool old photos and music video.