Diary of Margaret (Peg) Williams 1975-1987
Eight volumes of Margaret Williams' diary were donated to Historic Prince William in Jan. 2018 by David Forbes. Margaret was very detailed and wrote a lot about the weather and her garden. She also wrote about world events and included several newspaper clippings in early volumes of her diary of local events or happenings as well as world events.
Her favorite thing to write about was the weather. During the time period of her dairy there was no public internet, no weather apps, she likely didn't have cable TV or even local TV. Her weather reports came the day before from the local newspaper, The Potomac News and from conversations with neighbors.
Peg was born on Aug. 18, 1916 in Manila, Philippines and died on Sept. 3, 1995. Her parents were Alexander Watson Williams and Florence Hanson Light. The family is buried in the Pohick Church Cemetery in Fairfax County.
This was Peg's house. Today it's where the recently built Taco Bell is. Peg was against change and development and this parcel was the last one in that area to be developed. The Woodbridge Airport is mentioned in her diary several times and Martha and Buddy Lynn lived on the other side of her.
A very special thank you to Dolores Elder with the Occoquan Historical Society who was kind enough to read all of the hand written diaries and type the entries that were related to Prince William County. It was a huge task.
The Diary
April 26, 1975 - April 23, 1978
August 18, Monday, 1975
Today my 59th birthday was a very happy day of wishes from friends and family by card or phone call, completed with cake and ice cream in company with all of Rob's family except Steven who was working till 9:00 p.m.
July 10, Saturday, 1976
Today at 9:00 we buried Jesse Curtis, after some 5 months hard struggle to overcome the dread scourge of melanoma. He so loved the earth and all its denizens, flora, fauna, humans, and the morning was lovely with birdsong, sun and beautiful sky. And the church was absolutely filled with friends of Nellie & Jesse, come to show their love and sorrow.
January 8, Saturday, 1977
Went for a couple hours walk in the woods, Andy's Wrinkles and Sadie's Viva breaking the path. Sometimes the dogs went where I didn't plan to but where there was some vestige of an old road they followed it. Snow was beautiful, quite deep, powdery, caps on all the rocks in the streams, water frozen except where it flowed swiftest over a collection of rocks or came over the force of an obstruction as a small waterfall. Beaver Dam Creek frozen and snowed over=dogs ran all over it but I wouldn't have trusted it to hold me, despite the prolonged cold=current too swift underneath. Dogs made so many tracks no chance to see if deer had been through the woods since the snow. Most chagrined to come upon beginning of construction of Airport Pump Station where the creek (no-name) thru the woods behind my house flows into Beaver Dam Creek, a bulldozer and crane parked there, a long berm of hay bales anchored all along the edge of no-name creek to keep silt from getting into beaver Dam, thence the Occoquan Reservoir. Save for dogs and me no sign of life except a pair of Carolina wrens (I think) exploring an old squirrel or hawk nest in fork of a tree, and busily pulling leaves loose so they fall to ground. Why would they have been interested in that rather large collection of leaves and twigs?
February 21, Monday, 1977, Washington's Birthday
I spent a couple hours in woods this afternoon. Was heartsick to see the heavy machinery moving the earth around and destroying trees, for the west trunk sewer line, and sewer pumping station, along the shore of Beaver Dam Creek. The bank where first arbutus blooms has been leveled and place where pink lady slippers grew now a track for the trucks and other equipment.
Reservoir must be very low as ice over beaver Creek is all sunken away from where the high water was when it first froze, and stumps of trees cleared for the back-up from reservoir are showing above the ice. In a couple places the water is running free, but mostly it is all covered with 2-3 inches of ice. It was strong enough to support the dogs, Wrinkles and Viva, but I didn't try it. Crossed the stream on rocks partly out of the ice. Followed along north shore to a point where I could get a better view of the work with my binoculars. Didn't go far enough to see if the Occoquan itself is still covered with ice. Hadn't been on north side of Beaver Dam in many years as usually the water is too high to cross unless I go way upstream. Saw several massive patches of rhododendron, many beautiful hemlocks and white pines, and very large white oaks. Wonder if that area will also be built up eventually? Someone had cut several pines, notched them and started a log shelter=there was a board floor several inches off the ground, saw heavy plastic which evidently had been used to keep out rain. There were only 3 or 4 logs in height placed so far. Found the old road that ran to Manassas, I was told and followed it to another that turned back to Beaver Dam, coming out where a fairly well used woods track would take me to the houses on other side of airport, but I went on downstream and eventually came to a beaver dam, the face of it lovely with lacy ice. Had seen many beaver-cut trees, some freshly worked on, mostly white oaks, as far downstream as I'd gone to observe the sewer line work. For years I'd seen evidence of beaver cutting but hadn't gone far enough up the rocky stream to find the dam. The only birds I heard were a couple of chickadees. Old roads I used to follow are greatly grown up, especially behind the airport runway I couldn't find a trace of the logging road Buddy had used. Lots of deer track, and trails through the honeysuckle jungle where the old chimney with the heart shaped stone (it was removed several years ago) still stands, but still I had difficulty finding a path to get out once I left the honeysuckle.
July 23, Saturday, 1977
A day in which to be alive, in 80's clear blue, white puffy clouded sky, light breeze at times. From 6:30 to 9:30 in the lovely morning Nellie Curtis and I picked blackberries in the airport field, from dew-wet vines, amid bird song and wild flowers= water hemlock and swamp pink I tentatively identified but didn't seem quite the locale despite dampness in part of area. On face of slope near the extensive draw at bottom of field a new environment seems developing=holes that contain water algae covered mossy little tussocks that grow a tall grass, cat tails establishing themselves. The slope is so heavily covered with grasses, honeysuckle, berry vines, all holding moisture in addition to that in the holes and ruts tho' one would anticipate no moisture could be retained on the slope.
August 10, 1977 (Question of date) Picture from Potomac News, by Kevin Manning, with text below saying "Rockbound; Workers from the Chantilly Construction Co. use a bulldozer to clear rocks from the Occoquan River channel below the reservoir dam. Workers are taking advantage of the low water level to widen the channel, which frequently overflows when water is released, according to project Director James "Buck Tumblin".
August 9, Tuesday, 1977 "The Occoquan Reservoir level dropped a half foot Monday to nearly 13 feet below the top of the Occoquan dam."
August 18, Thursday, 1977
A lovely day for the 61st birthday.
August 20, Saturday, 1977
The past two days have continued the good mild weather, 80 during day, in 60's at night. But very dry, and Occoquan reservoir continues to fall in volume. Rain forecast a couple times in past week didn't come at all, certainly not the heavy thunder showers we could use so well.
August 22, Monday, 1977
Despite several predictions of rain there has been none at all this past week and consequently all plants in bad condition.
August 24, Wednesday, 1977
Forecast: 10% chance of rain. So we had 3 good showers, the last like a cloud burst except not much wind but the roof did leak beside the chimney and onto mantel and splashed on sofa till I could get a rag and pan placed. But very lovely wet and cool tonight under a partly cloudy sky. Blessed rain! Perhaps the flowers will revive and bloom for fall.
August 27, Saturday, 1977
After the rains the growing things look much better.
September 22, Thursday, 1997; Potomac News photograph by Kevin Manning.
"Setting record-low levels each day, the Occoquan Reservoir dropped to 100.4 feet this morning shortly after this picture was taken. The dropping water line is rapidly approaching the second of three intake pipes from which reservoir water is drawn for treatment. The last intake pipe will be exposed when the water drops to approximately 80 feet."
October 22, Saturday,1977 Historic Occoquan went on a lovely all-day tour by bus to museums at Strasburg (in old railroad depot), Mt. Jackson (Tuttle and Spice), and VMI Civil War Cadet battlefield park= 36, aged 7 to 80+ all with picnic lunches for eating all day! Left Occoquan 7:30 a.m. and returned at 8:00 p.m. A beautiful sunny mild day and leaves very colorful except at top of mountain where we crossed Skyline Drive at Panorama the leaves had lost most of their color, but from a distance the slopes looked like a lovely carpet of many muted colors, with splashes of bright red maples, sumac, gum, dogwood. A lovely day, $7.80 round trip bus fare, 25¢ $1 admissions.
November 14, Tuesday, 1977; Potomac News photograph by Kevin Manning.
"Water started flowing over the Occoquan dam early Saturday for the first time since May 9. On October 26 the reservoir reached a record-low level of 94.8 feet and less than 2 billion gallons of water. In contrast, the overflowing condition means the reservoir is at its maximum, 120 feet high and 9.8 billion gallons. At left Fairfax County Water Authority officials discuss the low level Aug. 8. At right Floyd Steele watches water flow over the dam Sunday."
February 8 & 9, Wednesday and Thursday, 1978
A foot of ice on Chesapeake Bay hampering boat traffic, so Coast Guard Cutter called into operation. Occoquan River frozen from behind Lynn's store all way out to Potomac River; earlier in week there was skating behind the dike, but probably not really safe with movement of tide, water coming out onto ice, and the bright sun of a couple days past. Still a pan of water on porch freezes rather quickly.
February 24, Friday, 1978; Potomac News, UPI photograph taken near Dumfries, Virginia." A cold day on a cold river. The Mohican, a U.S. Coast Guard vessel, clears a southbound shipping channel on the ice-covered Potomac River off Mount Vernon recently. Weather reports indicate the cold weather will continue for a while longer, and boats and ships along the Potomac are urged to use caution."
March 11, Saturday, 1978
About 1:00 6 ladies in 4 cars from Historic Occoquan, including Martha, came to set up the quilt the members have made of squares portraying various buildings in Occoquan. It's taken about 2 ½ years to get to this stage, but not now it's ready for the final quilting. They stayed till about 3:30. Matt (and Danny) on a stool attentively watching beside his grandmother, Danny mostly playing in living room as the quilting not very interesting for him.
About 4:30 Nellie Curtis stopped by to see the quilt, we'd thought it was to be left at my house but was taken back to Millie Lehto's shop so people could work off and on during week.
Sept. 3, 1979 - Sept. 28, 1982
Sunday, Sept. 3, 1979: First day of autumn, appropriate to begin new journal. After rain since Thursday night (having a postponement of the Pohick Church Fair yesterday) the sun came out about 11a.m. today, which is about this the time Fall arrived. It's been beautiful the rest of the day, a light breeze to push away the few high clouds. So I went for a walk in the woods for 3 hours, 2:00-5:00, with Benn's dog Viva.
Started through blackberry field, along drainage pond, down the stream toward pump station, climbing hill to explore a great cleared area and saw a few new houses being built. En route to the cleared area surprised two does. They stood and looked at me, the larger one pawing ground a couple times; when Viva moved they flashed the white tail and departed; in the same area a few minutes later I saw the smaller one again. Where trees have been removed and earth bulldozed the workers planted grass so there's a lot of park like places, ideal for deer, with water near. I'd seen several tracks made since last night's rain probably from the two I saw.
Followed the sewer line road around Beaver Dam Creek. The road branches in several places but kept to the main one, along bank which would make a lovely waterside drive if they finish working back there. The road followed along the Occoquan, around bays made by many streams flowing into the river, but I turned up the old road from the point where Beaver Dam joins Occoquan and at top of hill found the old mills burying ground. I'd not seen in several years; easily identified by the deep bed of myrtle which is fast covering the simple pieces of rock forming head and foot stones; a few have initials and dates scratched on them but difficult to read in the shade there. The one tombstone with formal engraving of name and date (weather worn so I couldn't read it) had been removed from its base and left at head of old grave, but whatever remains were there have been removed and only a deep hole remains. At one other stone there was only a hole. Has family removed bodies to another place, or have ghouls dug them up?
Continued on up that wood to top of ridge, turned left and followed road that would have taken me down to river again but went through woods, downhill to another large feeder stream where much work has been done to carry the sewer line on trestle over the stream. A large culvert has been placed to carry the stream under a man-made embankment on to the river, but everywhere in the woods where earth has been disturbed there is tremendous erosion and siltation, clay and sand bars in streambeds and in woods where streams have overflowed. They've been sowing grass and there are good stands where former work has been completed, but the heavy rains of this week's end have played havoc with the loose earth, and the lovely woods. It is good to see streamlets still undisturbed, water falling over mossy roots and rocks, ferns and wildflowers along the banks, but how much longer will they escape the bulldozer, or being covered with silt from work upstream?
Followed the sewer line toward Bridge Road until came on another mammoth clearing, earth banked higher, which led me to a road that came out on Mohican Road at Promontory subdivision. Then followed unpaved very muddy, in one place under deep water, Cotton Mill Drive to Hedges Run Drive, thence out to Old Bridge and home.
The undisturbed woods are such a contrast to the destruction worked on other sections of the forest, leaving new earth to erode and carry sand and clay into the reservoir, how come the Water Authority or State Water Control Board don't make them stop? Glad I don't drink water from the reservoir!
In an open space bac kin woods nearer river a hawk was soaring, so beautiful against the blue sky his wings wide spread, soaring and gliding with scarcely any flapping. Heard a pileated woodpecker, and titmice and chickadees. Saw one lady slipper plant along the way. Many kinds of goldenrod still blooming in open areas= found a "blue stem goldenrod", purple headed sneezeweed, green headed coneflower (the leaf isn't exactly as depicted in Field Guide) and, I believe, a rattlesnake-root, specifically "white lettuce.'
Was very tired but glad I kept following around the next bend or up next hill. Want to go back and finish the route along the river, I suppose to Hooes Run. It was lovely in some of the grass covered glens and no doubt they intend to heal all the raw places, but such devastation is a painful sight to see.
Tuesday, June 30, 1981
From high of 89°, humidity 43%, late afternoon cool breeze dropped us to 78°, ideal for annual meeting of Historic Occoquan, a picnic in Occoquan's Mamie Davis Park, at which I agreed to serve as Director if not president or secretary!
First day in Pohick Church office, 9-12, filling in for Pat Greene, on vacation month of July. Bank and grocery store en-route home.
Friday September 25…Typed newsletter for Historic Occoquan, had copies made and took to post office for Sophie to mail..
Sunday, September 27, 1981
Another lovely day, after church helped Historic Occoquan Sno Cone sales during Occoquan Craft Show.
Thursday, October 1, 1981
3:45 to 5:00 spent took a long walk, down Hedges Run and left on Mt. Burnside way to see all the huge houses built on bank above the pump station=except for that I'd not have known where I was, no time to continue down Hedges Run to see other new buildings. But went to park clearing and down hill to find the rock pile where anemones grow still there. Tho much fouled by sand and woody trash washed down hillside. The big rock I call "olemac" still undisturbed, as is west side of airport creek, all clearing and building concentrated on east bank=could see from this site the big houses above the pump station=but there are markers on some trees, perhaps to indicate limit of clearings? The old poplar with burned out center, the split rocks were hepaticas grow, the marshy area of skunk cabbage, the old spring at base of grandfather white oak, a mammoth white pine on hillside surrounded by fallen smaller pines and many good sized beeches=all still intact, but I want to take pictures before they're destroyed; the little creek is no longer clear and banked with mosses and ferns, due to sand washed down by earlier grading, tho' in a season much of the woods heals itself. A road opened several years ago along creek toward airport filtration pond is pretty well grown up but followed it and up bank around pond, crossing marshy area that is being filled by alders=learned that what looks like it will be dry but grassy if there's an adler sprouting my feet will get wet from seepage runs out of the slope below airport runway. Plenty of deer tracks. On slope below runway evidence of a large hole dug and filled in=did someone bury remains of illegal deer? Hear running dogs back there quite often.
Saturday, June 12, 1982
First of Occoquan Days, many crafts people displaying their wares, including Will Lynn and John Daniels with forge making iron items. 9 at Museum for bake sale and sno-cones but sales everywhere slow, cloudy and cool. Rain began about 3:00 or so most closed up at 4 rather than 6:00.
Sunday, June 13 1982
3 inches of rain yesterday and today causing much flooding in low areas, high streams everywhere. Of course no festival in Occoquan.
Tuesday, June 22, 1982
Home by 5:10, thence to Historic Occoquan annual dinner meeting at Ebenezer Church, Occoquan 6-7pm
Monday, August 2, 1982
Arrived home about 1:30 to find trees being trimmed or cut down for power line didn't finish so probably back tomorrow, Asplundh. VEPCO offloaded new poles, one in my yard, others to be erected on airport property. Tree-cutters warned if I want the wood better move it fast for it visible from road people will come right on my property and take it.
Tuesday, August 3, 1982
Home about 12:30, men still trimming trees. A couple men stopped to ask for wood but I explained I needed it. As I was washing supper dishes heard logs being loaded into a truck backed into woods from airport lot; told men it was my property, my wood and I needed it. They said several times one of the men setting the new electric poles said they could have, we're not trying to steal it lady". To which I kept replying it was my land, my wood. They asked if they could keep what they'd already loaded, it's mine, well rather than unload we can take it to your place, again, "wait until I catch the man who said we could have it" Grumbling, one of the three commented "she's not doing us a favor but that doesn't mean we can't do her one." A few more assurances it was my property, Highway, VEPCO, and Asplundh all know it is, and wood is mine. I went toward house, planning to let them have some of what was on the truck= but of course they drove on away toward dale City! Gullible me, I took them at their word, did not get license number. I called Jim Sullivan (Capt. Police) for advice, and he had officers McHale come by for a report, said if I heard anything in night to call, as I was sure the men would come for rest of the wood but I heard nothing. I felt silly to be worried about firewood when so much else the police have to contend with! Before supper Andy had looked at wood and said he'd be here in morning to move it but I thought later there'd be more.
Friday, September 24
Spent baking for Church fair and Historic Occoquan bake sales tomorrow…
Saturday, September 25, 1982
A glorious day for our fair, craft show in Occoquan.
Sunday, September 26, 1982
Cool, cloudy, drizzly by 9:30 a.m., later heavy rain continuing into the night=didn't have sno-cone sales; some people went to Occoquan around noon..
Tuesday, September 28, 1982
Historic Occoquan meeting tonight.
Oct. 2, 1982 - June 20, 1987
October 2, Saturday, 1982
A gorgeous Saturday. Took the boys to watch hay baling by Lynn crew. Martha on tractor pulling rake to turn alfalfa (Buddy cut Tuesday 28) for last drying before Carl picked it up with baler he pulled with another tractor. Tabb drove pick-up truck pulling flat trailer on which Pat and several boys from point loaded 150 bales for Buddy and took to his barn. Other bales picked up in field by several buyers with pick-up trucks. Buddy supervised the whole operation. Boys rode on trailer or in back of truck. A neighbor girl on a horse gave Matt a ride behind her all around the edge of 12 acre field. We were there about 2 hours. Will & Celia arrived home about 5:15 so I came on home.
November 23, Tuesday, 1982
At Historic Occoquan meeting Andy (Lynn?) spoke on Virginia Wildlife in area, dwelling at length on owls, specifically the barred owl which Nellie presented for display in the museum. Killed by roadside and prepared by taxidermist after Historic Occoquan secured a permit from Federal Government to prepare such birds, many of which Nellie has in her freezer.
June 5, Sunday, 1983
Matt & I arrived at Museum about 1:00 for afternoon's activities. Sno-cone and cookie sales. Again, roaming around craft show.
October 9, Sunday, 1983
In afternoon we took almost 2-hour walk to see houses going up across road in Mr. Stoneturner's former pig farm; then along bulldozed road to Beaver Dam Creek where park is being built; a large gravel area (I assume a parking lot), several picnic pavilions in patches of wood on rough paths, concession building (to be completed) on point overlooking creek; nearly a large play area where boys tried out all the equipment. Amazing what's been done to the ups and downs, huge underlying boulders, and many trees, and attempts to control erosion of earth dug up and piled elsewhere!
March 6, Tuesday, 1984
Across the road new mountains being created by earthmoving machines. And several new houses in various stages of construction, one immediately across from me has not had any work done for a couple weeks, at least. Only insulating sheets on outside, some doors missing, roof on, no chimney built. And deep pools of water all around.
June 1, Friday, 1984-Baked cupcakes and bread for Historic Occoquan bake sale tomorrow.
June 2, Saturday, 1984- Took boys to Occoquan 11-4:30. Historic Occoquan Bake Sale & Sno-cones. Poor sales in both departments as out of stream of traffic tho many crossed on footbridge and passed Museum. Quite cool in the morning, but warmed up in full sun of late afternoon. Boys spent time along river bank catching minnows by hand and finding treasures=a piece of pottery, and a gear shaft from mill machinery, which they gave to Museum. We walked to high dam, water so beautiful coming over dams, lacy veils that fell down on the ones proceeding, to a rolling pool at bottom. The lake between dams very lovely, rocks sticking out here and there, mallards sunning on some rocks, or swimming in seemingly calm water tho a current very evident when breaking around obstructions; a blue heron fishing along edge, an eagle flying.
June 3, Sunday, 1984- Historic Occoquan booth sales. Bought fishing line, hooks, sinkers and bobbers and boys spent afternoon fishing from rocks under footbridge=didn't catch anything.
June16, Saturday, 1984- Kept museum 10-4; quite a few interesting visitors came in out of the rain. Set petunias in flower barrel.
September 29, Saturday, 1984- Cloudy and chilly all day. Historic Occoquan didn't try sno-cones as there'd be no sale for anything but hot coffee.
November 10, Saturday, 1984- Some men in late afternoon busy gathering wood from airport corner of my lot and pine logs in ditch or along edge, told him it was my property=he said he didn't think I wanted it! Asked him not to take any more and I don't believe he did, but who knows? Had a young red haired boy with him. (Peg noted this as stealing wood in the margins)
Book 6: November 11, 1984-June 20, 1987
June 1, Saturday, 1985: Gone by 8:30 to Occoquan to help with bake and sno-cone sales at museum all this bright, strong-breezy day that several times defied ones efforts to put up the tarpaulin to shield ice machine from hot sun=but finally success. Heavy crowd in town for Occoquan Days, to see/buy wares of some 265+ exhibitors and food and drink stands.
September 28, Saturday, 1985- A gloriously bright moderate day for craft show in Occoquan. Historic Occoquan's bake sale, coffee and sno-cones.
September 30, Monday, 1985- Opened museum for a Cub Scout group. 2:45-3:30.
October 19, Saturday, 1985- A good day for Historic Occoquan's yard and bake sale in the park in Occoquan, 10 to 3; made a total of $136 and could have done better; some baked goods as well as "cast-aways" left, too warm for hot coffee, evidently. But all is welcome for our last fund-raiser of the year.
January 28, Tuesday, 1986-Historic Occoquan potluck supper at Town Hall was a great success, 39 in attendance.
February 13, Thursday, 1986-Historic Occoquan Board meeting at Jessie Payne's, 7:30-9; several absent due to illness etc.
April 29, Tuesday, 1986-Historic Occoquan meeting-Janney family talking of early Occoquan (40 people in Town Hall!)
May 13, Tuesday, 1986- By museum to see progress on steps FC WA (Fairfax County Water) building behind for access to river shore.
September 27-28, Saturday & Sunday, 1986-A wild day in the booth selling soft drinks=finally ran out of gas to activate the canisters at 3, closed down till after show over at 6. Sunday cooler, cloudy all day, more coffee sales. Had coffee and donuts or Danish pastries for crafters. They didn't buy much so we had to peddle on street, at $1 per dozen 37 dozen donuts (out of 50) Saturday to crafters as we were closing and dispose of some 9 cases of Danish at 24 per case, $10 each. Had steady sales of soft drinks Sunday till we closed at 5:00.
October 29, Wednesday, 1986- Met Nellie at museum to mark her items to be moved, then met with LaVerne Carson, checked town shed to store Historic Occoquan basement items while scout prepares our theater.
December 3, Wednesday, 1986-Went to open museum for merchants to put in some poinsettias; I placed some greens around, to supplement huge wreath on gate outside, smaller ones on two front windows, also cleaned out spiders and other debris, and cleaned glass expanses, in preparation for house tour, including museum, December 7, 11-5.
February 25, Wednesday, 1987-Across airfield a huge crane in housing area looks like a long-necked prehistoric monster dipping down and up for a load to be moved.
May 27, Wednesday, 1987-Counted 33 planes still here, Charlie says more in hangars, and all must be gone by Sunday. 7 left today.
May 28, Thursday, 1987- By 7:30 was on my way to dig up rose in airfield, put in bucket to plant at Martha's.
May 30, Saturday, 1987-15 planes still on the field this morning, 13 still at dark.
May 31, Sunday, 1987- 13 planes left this morning, 3 at 5:30 when I left for the hospital. All gone, gates to the parking lot open, on return at 9:15.
Monday June 1, 1987- First day in over 30 years of no airport=strangely empty and silent there.
June 7, Saturday, 1986- To Occoquan by 8:30 to help Betty Jo set up for sno-cones and bake sales. Then so hot all day 90+ until we closed at 5.
June 8 Sunday, 1986- Parked at Betty's house and walked to museum to begin day's activities by 10:30. No bake sale=too hot for sweets. Sno-cone sales rather brisk. But overall the crowd small and not spending.
June 6, Saturday, 1987- A wonderful day for craft show in Occoquan. I got to museum about 8:30 but Betty Jo had already been there with 12 blocks of ice she put in coolers in cellar, came back and we set up tables and machine. Others came for various shifts. Sold out baked goods before 3, $143.30. Quit sno-cones at 5 to move things inside museum for overnight.
June 7, Saturday, 1987- in Occoquan, parked at Miss Mamie Davis' at suggestion of Madeline Bell by 9, then to open museum and helps set up for sno-cones. Did well, closed at 5.
June 19, Friday- 1987-Martha and Buddy planning to get in 250 bales of oat and alfalfa hay they made yesterday. Hoped to find some help, wish I could do something. Workers at airport with rig, looks like well driller, maybe a soil tester. Near old office/hangar. Light at Hedges Run Rd activated at noon, not when I passed at 11 but on at 1.
June 20, Saturday, 1987- Equipment at big hangar. Windows boarded up.
Images and Newspaper Clippings that were in the Diary
