Breach of trust - Alexandria Times

22 | January 12, 2012 ALEXANDRIA TIMESPatrice V. CulliganPublisherpculligan@alextimes.comDavid SachsEditor-in-Chiefdsachs@alextimes.comEDITORIALDerrick PerkinsReporter &Photographerdperkins@alextimes.comDenise DunbarEditorial Page Editorddunbar@alextimes.comSteven G. ArtleyEditorial CartoonistADVERTISINGMarty DeVinemmmdevine@aol.comMargaret Stevensmstevens@alextimes.comKaren Niedzielskikniedzielski@alextimes.comAlan Baldwinabaldwin@alextimes.comPat BoothOffice/Classified Managerpbooth@alextimes.comGraphic DesignCat VanVlietArt Directorcvanvliet@alextimes.comALEXTIMES LLCDenise DunbarManaging PartnerThe Ariail familyWilliam DunbarHOW TO REACH US110 S. Pitt St.Alexandria, VA 22314703-739-0001 (main)703-739-0120 (fax)www.alextimes.comLETTERS TO THE EDITORSend your comments to:letters@alextimes.comLetters must be signed by thewriter. Include address andphone for verification (not forpublication). Letters are subjectto editing for clarity andlength. Personal attacks willnot be published.OUT OF THE ATTICStale beer: Alexandria’s sudsy historyBefore Port City Brewing,Alexandria was home to severalbreweries, including Shuter’sHill Brewery. It was establishedin the mid-19th centuryin what was then known as theWest End.In 1858, AlexanderStrausz andJohn Klein leased abuilding, obscuredby trees in thisCivil War-era image,on the southside of Duke Streetand built their lagerbeer brewerythere. By year’send, they advertisedtheir product was “fullyequal to that made in Philadelphia”and were “preparedto furnish in kegs or barrelsthat popular and wholesomeWeekly PollThis Week’s PollLast Week’s Poll:beverage in such quantities asmay be desired.”In 1860 Strausz sold hisinterest in the business toKlein, who continued to operatethe Shuter’s Hill BreweryPhoto/National Archives & Records Administrationduring the Civil War. Near theend of the war, Klein advertisedhe had “by considerableexpense enlarged his old establishment,”but he died inShould the Alexandria City Councilapprove the waterfront plan at itsJanuary 21 meeting (see story, page 5)?A. Yes.B. No.How did your neighbors vote?Visit www.alextimes.com to vote and view the results.How often did you go to Old Town Theater?157 Votesthe summer of 1865.Francis Denmead acquiredthe property and employedHenry Englehardt as brewmaster.In 1868, Englehardtoperated a biergarten on KingStreet at the foot ofShuter’s Hill whichdid not last, andby 1870, Engelhardthad openeda saloon on DukeStreet likely in ornear the brewerybuilding.In 1872 Denmeadconveyed thebrewery to Engelhardt,who experiencedfinancial difficultiesand failed to pay Denmeadbut continued operating hissaloon and brewery for manyyears.Quick TakesThumbs UP to three morenew businessesin Old Town: LuluSage, Urban Anglerand The PhysicalTherapy Zone. Every time Ihear about a new businessopening, it gives me hope foreconomic growth in 2012.Best of luck to these newneighbors.— Patrice CulliganThumbs UP to Charles BarrettElementarySchool for winningan excellencein performanceaward, the only ofits kind won by an Alexandriaschool this year. The VirginiaIndex of Performance awardwas given to 447 schoolsacross the Commonwealth.Kudos to Principal Seth Kennardfor changes he has madeat Barrett since taking over in2009, including expanding theschool’s tutoring program andadding after-school homeworkclubs.— Denise DunbarIn 1893, a year after thebusiness was sold, a fire destroyedthe brewery. Its exactlocation remained unknownuntil a shaft to the cellar wasdiscovered in 1979 during aconstruction project. Archaeologistsexcavated the siteand recovered thousands ofartifacts before the vault underthe southwest corner ofDuke and Dulany streets wasfilled and covered.To learn more about historicbrewing and beer, visitwww.alexandriaarchaeology.orgor attend the HistoricBeer Dinner at Gadsby’s TavernMuseum on January 20.Out of the Attic isprovided by the Office ofHistoric Alexandria.Thumbs Up to Gov. Bob Mc-Donnell (R) for endorsinga move toallow local schooljurisdictions todecide their startdates. While I personally thinkschool should start after LaborDay, I also believe such decisionsshould be the purview oflocal governments, not stateor federal ones. Alexandria’sschool officials and statedelegation should be pleased,since this is a move they’velong advocated.— Denise DunbarThumbs Up to the AlexandriaConventionand VisitorsAssociation fororganizing thesemiannual RestaurantWeek. From January13-22, 60 restaurants willfeature special pricing onprix-fixe three-course dinnersfor two. Enjoy!— Patrice Culligan