ORAL HISTORY
‘To Think Daddy Sold the House for $20,000!’
“One of the prettiest houses in town”: Randolph Avenue home was built c.1945 and purchased by the Wendell family c.1958 for $20,000. The home remains in the family today. (Wave photo)
September 2, 2014
Cape Charles Historical Society has for more than a decade been recording oral histories of the area’s earlier days. A grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities enabled 15 interviews to be transcribed, and the Historical Society has made this one available for readers of the Wave.
1990 Interview of Virginia Fitzhugh conducted by Virginia Savage
PART SIX
VIRGINIA SAVAGE: There’s a house [southwest corner of Randolph and Peach] owned by Ham Hamilton. He was married to a Whitehead [from Townsend — two doors east of Miss Iva].
VIRGINIA FITZHUGH: They’re related in some way. You know you can’t talk about anyone around here, Virginia, because everyone is kin!
You know, I found that early! When I came to the Eastern Shore I found out in a hurry you don’t talk about anybody because everybody was kin!
That’s where Carrie King lived for years [before she built her house]. Yeah, she lived there for years and years, Carrie King. Now who built it, I don’t know.
Now which house is that?
Where Ham Hamilton lived on that corner.
Tazewell and Peach. Then Carrie built the house up Randolph Ave that the Wendells now live in. And I think she must have built that about 1945. You know, in about 1958 we bought what was the Dr. Lynch house, the Dr. Moore house before that, we didn’t pay but $7,500 for that house. And the Wendells bought Aunt Carrie’s house not long after that and I don’t think they paid but $20,000 for that and that was one of the prettiest houses in town.
Dr. Lewis Belote, the dentist, only paid $20,000 for the Moore house. [Jack Moore house on Bay Avenue.] And that came right from Elizabeth. Because you know when Joan wanted to sell it, she wanted $100,000 and Elizabeth had a fit. She said, “My Lord, my Daddy sold that to Lewis Belote for $20,000 and I think left the piano in there.” [Bobby Rittenhouse has it.]
And that was thirty years ago, because I think Wade was about two years old when they moved into that house, because I kept him during that period of time. He and Jake were buddies. So that was about thirty years ago, they paid $20,000 for that house. Isn’t that amazing!
Elizabeth said she just couldn’t get over it. To think Daddy sold it for $20,000. [Read more…]
SATURDAY 8/30: Yard Sale at 517 Randolph Avenue
YARD SALE – Saturday, August 30, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 517 Randolph Avenue, Cape Charles. Tools, household items, and much more.
SATURDAY 8/30: Ice Bucket Challenge on Mason Avenue
Shore Living Properties Challenges All Cape Charles Businesses and Cape Charles Residents to the Community Ice Bucket Challenge 4 p.m. Saturday, August 30. Bring ice buckets or cooler ready, sit or stand, and line the sidewalk of Mason Avenue to benefit ALS. [Read more…]
WEDNESDAY 9/10: Hoop Houses and High Tunnels for Gardeners
The Eastern Shore Resource Conservation and Development Council will present a free workshop on Hoop Houses and High Tunnels 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, September 10, at Quail Cove Farms in Machipongo. Both commercial and home gardeners are welcome and can learn how hoop houses can extend the growing season.
Shorekeeper Jay Ford Joins Climate Change Commission
Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper Executive Director Jay Ford is joining the Governor’s Climate Change and Resiliency Commission. The bipartisan Commission includes local elected officials, members of the General Assembly, business leaders, environmental advocates, faith leaders, and industry representatives. [Read more…]
ESCC Selected for ‘Achieving the Dream’
“Achieving the Dream” has selected Eastern Shore Community College and 15 other community colleges in four states to implement a strategy to help low-income individuals and families achieve financial stability by promoting postsecondary completion for students whose economic challenges can thwart their academic and career goals. [Read more…]
WEDNESDAY 9/10: Awana Registration at Cheriton Baptist
Cheriton Baptist Church Awana will register on September 10 at 5:45. Parents and children/youth need to be present to register and go over guidelines and schedule. [Read more…]
Town Again Postpones Decision on County Sewage Rate
Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek has yet to convince Town Council to subsidize out-of-town sewage collection. (Wave photo)
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
August 25, 2014
Despite Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek’s best efforts, Cape Charles Town Council once again has sidestepped any decision on how much to charge to accept sewage from out-of-town commercial properties on and near Route 13. Panek recommended providing the county with “updated cost estimates” to process sewage, but Town Council balked at their August 21 meeting, voting instead to hold a work session to further consider the matter.
The “update” would be to an earlier cost estimate that Panek provided the County Public Service Authority without authorization from Town Council. That was when Panek was also chairman of the PSA, a position he lost following complaints of conflict of interest. But he remains the town’s representative to the PSA.
Almost a year has passed since Town Council last wrestled with the question of how much to charge for sewage coming from the highway. Since then, one strong opponent of subsidizing out-of-town businesses – Mike Sullivan — has left the council. That leaves Frank Wendell as adamantly opposed, with Joan Natali and Chris Bannon on Panek’s side. Mayor George Proto and Councilman Steve Bennett also expressed reservations at last Thursday’s meeting, which prevented Panek from getting his wish.
Newly elected Councilman Sambo Brown said he believed the county simply wanted to know whether the town was willing to accept sewage, to which Panek responded “That’s right.” Panek did not explain to the new councilman that Town Council had already twice indicated a willingness to accept county sewage, first informally at a June 24, 2010, work session, and later, at Panek’s insistence, on August 9, 2012, with a formal motion. All council members approved that motion with the exception of Wendell. [Read more…]
