Tea Room Postcard #7 - Log House Tea Room (Washington's Birthplace, Virginia)

On Monday we observe Presidents' Day, which was originally established in honor of the birthday of our nation's first president, George Washington. His actual birthday is February 22, a date I always find easy to remember because it's my Daddy's birthday too! (And his middle name is George; I like to think my grandparents were trying to make it easy on those of us who needed help remembering birthdays.) So in honor of President George Washington, I thought I'd share this postcard of the Log House Tea Room at Washington's Birthplace in Virginia.

Now this card was mailed in December of 1940, and I believe it says, "Mrs. Borrows, I'm leaving for N.Y. thursday and will want my dresses wed eve. Hope this is all O.K. I did find the seam binding after much looking. Thanks, Mertie Newsom." The card was mailed to Mrs. W.F. Borrows of Essex Junction, Vermont. Why all the talk about dresses and seam binding? Why didn't Mertie tell us what she ate at the tea room? Now I wasn't surprised to hear the tea room is operating there no more, but I did find a November 2012 press release from the National Park Service which said, “After a 60 year absence, we are starting to replace the bridge from the Memorial Area to the former tea room that we now call the Log House.” I'm glad to hear the tea room is still remembered today! (Also, are you as surprised as I was to find the place where this structure is located is actually called "Washington's Birthplace, Virginia"? If you'd like further explanation, go here and here, history buffs!)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM A READER!

Hi Angela,

As an amateur genealogist, cannot resist the challenge of trying to fill in some of the blanks left by brief postcard messages!

I believe the senders name is Mertie Munson not Newsom (years of practice deciphering records with difficult handwriting). In the 1940 census a Mertie Munson was a widow living on a farm in Colchester, VT with her son and daughter in law. She was working at a "tourist camp". No occupation is listed for 1920 and 1930 but in 1910, with husband and 4 children, her occupation is listed as "dressmaking" at home. Her husband was a farmer. Colchester is not far from Essex Junction. You can even find a picture of Mertie on the "Find A Grave" website. (Did I mention I'm a teeny bit research-obsessive?)

Although the recipient's name does look like Borrows, in all records she appears as Barrows. She was Mary Barrows, the widow of Willard F., living with 2 sons and her occupation in 1940 was dressmaker.

The postmark is from Winooski, VT so who knows when (or even if) Mertie went to the Log House Tea Room! The date sent looks like Dec 17, which was a Tuesday in 1940. Hope the seam binding wasn't for those dresses as it is kind last minute if she wants them by Wednesday!

Probably more than you want to know about Mertie and Mary....

Enjoy your blog, especially the vintage cards,

Toni