Silverspringism

This email was on my neighborhood's List Serve, I am personally for it, How about you?. . . . . . . . .  .  . . . . 

This was on Silver Spring Moms - I thought I'd pass it onto others: Though I'm not usually one for big chains, given the loss of Storehouse and IA ETC, this might be a good addition to our neighborhood- and help anchor even more stores. If you're so inclined.........
Posted by: "http://us.f382.mail.yahoo.com/ym/compose?to=" loganneighbors Fri Apr 6, 2007 7:08 am (PST) Once again, I need your help. I'm trying to help with an e-mail campaign to bring Crate & Barrel to Silver Spring. Rumor has it they they are considering it. We've managed to find the e-mail address for the real estate consultant they are using, and we're asking that you 1) send some version of the message below to him and 2) that you circulate this or some other message that you write to your friends, neighbors, listservs, colleagues to get them to write as well.You may recall that we had at least some impact on bringing DSW here - so let's try again. Thanks for your support. The e-mail address is: http://us.f382.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=jjosephs%40mmrs.com
 
Dear Mr. Josephs: I understand that you are one of the real estate consultants for Crate & Barrel.  I've heard that Crate &Barrel has contemplated opening a store in downtown Silver Spring. I'm writing because I believe that Crate & Barrel would make a great addition to our downtown and - more importantly from your point of view - that the store would make a killing here. I will shop there regularly and so will my friends, family and neighbors.

By the way, I heard that our local Whole Foods is the highest grossing Whole Foods on the East Coast. You might want to check out the veracity of that since it might give you some perspective on how well Crate & Barrel would do here. If there is something more I can do to impress upon you how ready for a Crate & Barrel Silver Spring is, please let me know. I'm really looking forward to spending lots of time and money in the new Crate & Barrel in Downtown Silver Spring.

The 1970's and 80's Tennis Star Harold Solomon grew up in this big custom-built split level home in the Springbrook Estates Subdivision of Silver Spring.  The house was built in 1958 and has 7 Bedrooms and 4 Full Baths, an inground swimming pool and (of course) a Tennis Court. The house is located within one block of the former home of Lefty Driesell.  Harold Solomon graduated from Springbrook High School in 1970 and became known with fellow tennis star Eddie Dibbs as one of the "BAGEL TWINS".  Solomon's parents sold the home in 1977 and moved to Florida. Harold Solomon runs the Harold Solomon Institue of Tennis and is featured in the book "Great Jews in Sports"

Built in 1968, this big contemporary split level was the private home of Charles "Lefty" Driesell until it was sold by him in 1988.  This unique custom built home is on a short, no-thru street in the subdivision known as Valleybrook. The home is set on a densely wooded 1/2 acre within walking distance to Springbrook High School.
The bright main level of the house has vaulted ceilings and extra windows everywhere. The home has 4 bedrooms and 2 full baths on the upper level; plus an extra bedroom and full bathroom in the lower level.  The backyard is level and private, it has (of course) a half court basketball court with lighting! and steps to a path that leads all the way to Wheaton Regional Park.
  More on highlights of Lefty's career and my favorite all time quote from him . . . "The Harder you work, the Luckier you get" . . . Lefty Driesell

This old farmhouse sits at the highest point on a hill overlooking Colesville Road from the top of Greyrock Road and Harvey Roads in The Woodside Park Neighborhood of Silver Spring.  Built in 1833, it is by far the oldest house I have ever encountered in Silver Spring.
 

Surrounded now by homes built in the 1940's on Harvey Road and Greyrock Road, it looks to me like before  these homes were built around it, it must have looked out on Colesville Road and down at Mrs K'sTollhouse with lots of acreage around and probably had a Colesville Road address. The address now is 9315 Greyrock Road, Silver Spring, Md 20910, the street address is at the back of the 3/4 acre property.  The front of the property (front of the house with the porch) is at the end of Harvey Road. 

I was surprised to find out that this was the home of David and Elizabeth Scull.  They purchased it from the Watson family in 1949 and Elizabeth Scull lived in the house until her death in 1981. Elisabeth L. Scull was a descendant of the Blair and Lee Families of Silver Spring and had a tremendous career on the Montgomery County Council.  I found it cool that she was a Champion of Affordable Housing and Housing for the poor in Montgomery County. 

Goldie Hawn the famous actress and comedian grew up in this quaint and charming circa 1927 Brick Duplex in Takoma Park, Md 20912.  The Hawn Family lived in the Left Side of this duplex.  Goldie's small wedding to John Hudson was in the backyard of this home.  Goldies father Edward Hawn, a musician, died in 1982 and Goldie's mother Laura lived in this home up until 1984, when she sold the house and moved to California, where she died in 1994.  Goldie graduated from the old Blair High School in Silver Spring, Md in 1963 and attended American University in Washington DC. Although she grew up in Takoma Park, her "stomping ground" was Downtown Silver Spring in it's heyday.  She speaks of her fond memories in the Documentary Film "Silver Spring, Story of an American Suburb"