Beginnings

September 5, 2002 12:00 am

OurAMERICA | Westmoreland

Our America is a land of spirit and resolve. In the week leading up to the anniversary of 9/11, Free Lance–Star photographers are spending a day in each community capturing the faces and places that are the essence of a nation.
Tomorrow:
Stafford
AMERICA’S ROOTS run deep in Westmoreland County’s soil. George Washington was born there, as was James Monroe.

The first president’s birthplace is a point of pride in this Northern Neck county—as is the home of the Lee family—which includes the only two brothers to sign the Declaration of Independence and Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

The Potomac River, the Colonial equivalent of Interstate 95, was the thoroughfare that made Westmoreland an 18th-century political power. Its waters and the fertile fields stretching from its shore westward to the Rappahannock River provided a living for the fathers of our Founding Fathers.

They still do for many farmers and fishermen there. In Westmoreland, the same toil that helped build a nation continues today.

Steve Reynolds of Dahlgren looks out from the pier at Colonial Beach after casting his line into the darkness over the Potomac river. Reynolds who works at the Fool Lion in Dahlgren remembers hearing of the attacks of September 11 while doing his job of loss prevention at Kmart last year.
Joe Collins, a Korean War veteran and member of the Colonial Beach American Legion Post 148, doesn't really get a reaction as he shows his belly to the room during a small celebration for his daughter Holly's 35th birthday. Joe served in the Navy for 8 years from 1948 to 1956. ' I'm glad to be an american, I'm glad to be in the United States' says Joe.

James 'Wally' Musselman, morning bar keep at the Colonial Beach VFW Post 10574, served in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1946 during WWII. " You have to pay respect to the commander and chief" he said while talking to other members yesterday morning. "If these people had done something to em I could see but, these people hadn't done a damn thing" he replied while talking of the attacks on September 11.
Duke Wilkins of Maple Grove takes a break in the heat of yesterday afternoon while hoeing the squash he planted 3 weeks ago in his garden. The plants just came up after the rain last week, "A good fall and no early frost and we should be all right" he said. Duke was born in Maple Grove and after 27 years in the Army he returned here in 1978 with his wife of 50 some years Millie.

4 p.m., Cole's Point, Westmoreland County: Things are changing in Cole's Point. Sewage lines have come, bringing development in the form of dozens of townhomes that will be built around Branson Cove Marina. In the 1950's, hundreds of oystermen would unload their catches in Branson Cove. Now, few are still in business. Mike Bigelow, owner of the marina, is selling the business he has owned for 23 years, and the new owners are planning to remodel and modernize. Bigelow's mother in law, Anne Znack, sleeps in the back of the restaurant. Znack needs supervision in her day-to-day life, and often stays at the marina so Bigelow can keep an eye on her.
8:45 a.m., Washington District Elementary School, Oak Grove, Westmoreland County: On the second day of class at Washington District Elementary School in Oak Grove, pre-kindergarten student Jacob Quirk wipes away tears. For the first week, teachers meet their pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students out front because they don't know where their classrooms are. In the second week, they wean them to the lobby. Each teacher had a character development sign on the first day, with words such as "fairness" and "trustworthiness". After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, one of the first things the young students do is eat breakfast in the school cafeteria. Fifty percent of the students in the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes receive free or subsidized meals.

En route to the sheep pasture at George Washington's Birthplace National Monument, often referred to locally as 'The Birthplace of Freedom', Fred Bright a volunteer at the park carries a bucket of feed through a row of cedars and oaks leading to the monument in the background. Bright, who says the time helping on the farms is nothing like work to him, has been volunteering with his wife Pat at the park since last February.
At the George Washington National Park in Westmoreland County, Park Ranger Krista O'Grady raises the flag at 9am signaling the beggining to another day at what many folks refer to as 'The Birthplace of Freedom."

While waiting for a ride to work Wednesday morning along State Route 3 in the heart of historic Montross, Richard Carey, left, yawns while talking to 76-year-old Harry Coleman, right. Carey uses the spot during the morning as a point to catch his second ride from Colonial Beach to Warsaw, while Coleman stops to wave to passers by after riding his bike a few miles each morning into town.
At daybreak on Wednesday morning reeds and wild grasses stand out against the pastel sky as the sun rises over the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Westmoreland County. The refuge provides a natural habitat for many of the wading birds, rails and shorebirds found on the Rappahannock River while serving as a breeding and wintering habitat for over thirty species of migratory nongame birds.

Seventy eight year old Dorothy Ball, of Tappahannock, clasps her hands in prayer yesterday, after an afternoon lesson teaching fasting and praying at Zion Baptist Church in Tucker Hill- a part of Westmoreland County. Pastor of the church, Donn Hall, proclaimed to the congregation that the September 11th attacks,"...turned a nation to God, turned them to a higher power."
Three year old Jayden Acree, of Tappahannock, prays during a noon service at Zion Baptist Church in Tucker Hill. Pastor of the church, Donn Hall, proclaimed to the congregation that the September 11th attacks,"...turned a notion to God, turned them to a higher power."

After 31 years of marriage Bob Bowling kisses his wife, Jeuleene good-bye on his way to work. For over 35 years, Bowling has served the state of Maryland as both a teacher and a principal. Now, at 71, he works at George Washington's National Birthplace as a house gentleman in Colonial attire. Having worked at both Stratford Hall (the home of Robert E. Lee) and George Washington's Birthplace, he claims..."there's a little something special about George."Of his job now..."I can't complain."
Nick Pavlik, left, and Kevin Newman, right, hold onto Smiley Martin and Amber Crutchfield during Coast Guard training with Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla 3-10 from Calleo (background) offshore from Coles Point in Westmoreland County. This Coast Guard boat from St. Inigoes, Md. was the first response to the Pentagon during the September 11 attacks last year. They patrol and train on the Potomac daily.

Steve Reynolds of Dahlgren looks out from the pier at Colonial Beach after casting his line into the darkness over the Potomac river. Reynolds who works at the Fool Lion in Dahlgren remembers hearing of the attacks of September 11 while doing his job of loss prevention at Kmart last year.	Joe Collins, a Korean War veteran and member of the Colonial Beach American Legion Post 148, doesn't really get a reaction as he shows his belly to the room during a small celebration for his daughter Holly's 35th birthday. Joe served in the Navy for 8 years from 1948 to 1956. ' I'm glad to be an american, I'm glad to be in the United States' says Joe.
James 'Wally' Musselman, morning bar keep at the Colonial Beach VFW Post 10574, served in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1946 during WWII. " You have to pay respect to the commander and chief" he said while talking to other members yesterday morning. "If these people had done something to em I could see but, these people hadn't done a damn thing" he replied while talking of the attacks on September 11.	Duke Wilkins of Maple Grove takes a break in the heat of yesterday afternoon while hoeing the squash he planted 3 weeks ago in his garden. The plants just came up after the rain last week, "A good fall and no early frost and we should be all right" he said. Duke was born in Maple Grove and after 27 years in the Army he returned here in 1978 with his wife of 50 some years Millie.
4 p.m., Cole's Point, Westmoreland County: Things are changing in Cole's Point. Sewage lines have come, bringing development in the form of dozens of townhomes that will be built around Branson Cove Marina. In the 1950's, hundreds of oystermen would unload their catches in Branson Cove. Now, few are still in business. Mike Bigelow, owner of the marina, is selling the business he has owned for 23 years, and the new owners are planning to remodel and modernize. Bigelow's mother in law, Anne Znack, sleeps in the back of the restaurant. Znack needs supervision in her day-to-day life, and often stays at the marina so Bigelow can keep an eye on her.	8:45 a.m., Washington District Elementary School, Oak Grove, Westmoreland County: On the second day of class at Washington District Elementary School in Oak Grove, pre-kindergarten student Jacob Quirk wipes away tears. For the first week, teachers meet their pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students out front because they don't know where their classrooms are. In the second week, they wean them to the lobby. Each teacher had a character development sign on the first day, with words such as "fairness" and "trustworthiness". After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, one of the first things the young students do is eat breakfast in the school cafeteria. Fifty percent of the students in the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes receive free or subsidized meals.
En route to the sheep pasture at George Washington's Birthplace National Monument, often referred to locally as 'The Birthplace of Freedom', Fred Bright a volunteer at the park carries a bucket of feed through a row of cedars and oaks leading to the monument in the background. Bright, who says the time helping on the farms is nothing like work to him, has been volunteering with his wife Pat at the park since last February.	At the George Washington National Park in Westmoreland County, Park Ranger Krista O'Grady raises the flag at 9am signaling the beggining to another day at what many folks refer to as 'The Birthplace of Freedom."
While waiting for a ride to work Wednesday morning along State Route 3 in the heart of historic Montross, Richard Carey, left, yawns while talking to 76-year-old Harry Coleman, right. Carey uses the spot during the morning as a point to catch his second ride from Colonial Beach to Warsaw, while Coleman stops to wave to passers by after riding his bike a few miles each morning into town.	At daybreak on Wednesday morning reeds and wild grasses stand out against the pastel sky as the sun rises over the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Westmoreland County. The refuge provides a natural habitat for many of the wading birds, rails and shorebirds found on the Rappahannock River while serving as a breeding and wintering habitat for over thirty species of migratory nongame birds.
Seventy eight year old Dorothy Ball, of Tappahannock, clasps her hands in prayer yesterday, after an afternoon lesson teaching fasting and praying at Zion Baptist Church in Tucker Hill- a part of Westmoreland County. Pastor of the church, Donn Hall, proclaimed to the congregation that the September 11th attacks,"...turned a nation to God, turned them to a higher power."	Three year old Jayden Acree, of Tappahannock, prays during a noon service at Zion Baptist Church in Tucker Hill. Pastor of the church, Donn Hall, proclaimed to the congregation that the September 11th attacks,"...turned a notion to God, turned them to a higher power."
After 31 years of marriage Bob Bowling kisses his wife, Jeuleene good-bye on his way to work. For over 35 years, Bowling has served the state of Maryland as both a teacher and a principal. Now, at 71, he works at George Washington's National Birthplace as a house gentleman in Colonial attire. Having worked at both Stratford Hall (the home of Robert E. Lee) and George Washington's Birthplace, he claims..."there's a little something special about George."Of his job now..."I can't complain."	Nick Pavlik, left, and Kevin Newman, right, hold onto Smiley Martin and Amber Crutchfield during Coast Guard training with Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla 3-10 from Calleo (background) offshore from Coles Point in Westmoreland County. This Coast Guard boat from St. Inigoes, Md. was the first response to the Pentagon during the September 11 attacks last year. They patrol and train on the Potomac daily.