To All,
I drove down to the Rt4/301 intersections last Saturday. I parked in the
Giant Foods parking lot. dragged out my tripod and 4x5 camera and proceeded
to hike around. After an hour or so I realized I was in the wrong place. I
could not find any signs of civilization. I hiked back toward Maryland i.e.
the Giant and encounter a beer distribution company positioned behind the
Giant. The guys on the loading dock said it was on the other side of the
"pike" just a 1/4 mile south. I ask for clarification as to what is a "pike"
and realized they were describing the small stream that Rt. 301 crosses.
I repacked the camera equipment and headed to the South side of the pike. The
area in front of the grand stands has been leased to a nursery. The owner of
the nursery directed me to a small office under the grandstands. As I
approached the grandstands I noticed the heavy timber construction and what
looked like green shutters hung across the back. At first I thought how odd,
someone must have tacked them up to solve an immediate problem. But I soon
realized that they were an integral part of the grandstands. The stands must
have looked pretty interesting in it's prime. I would guess white cinder
block foundation, heavy timber super structure and green shutters. I knocked
and entered a very small office with one gentleman occupying it. The first
thing I noticed was the smell. It smelled just like the basement of my
grandfather's house near Duck Lake, MI. The severely slopped cinder block
ceiling again reinforced the memories of the cellar under the "old" house on
the lake. The office seemed to be 6' by 5'. I wondered what it was used for
in the 60s. The gentleman had a very heavy accent and before I could explain
much he asked me to leave because he was expecting a call from "New York".
After the call I was invited back into the office. No matter how many times I
explained why I wanted to take a few pictures he was just as adamant in "no
pictures please" and at the same time selling the property to me.
He offered and I accepted an invitation for a tour. We walked through the
grandstand entrance. Standing in the middle of the asphalt of the oval I
could see where the turnoff to the run toward the woods was. I wished I could
park my 56 healey with Brookland windshields on the oval and take a few
pictures. But my honesty in that I was not interested in buying the track may
have precluded any possibility in pictures.
"It would make an excellent driving range (golf)."
"I'm not interested in buying it"
"With a little work the track could be opened again."
"I believe we are standing in a flood plane. I'm not interested.
"you know the soil is very good for farming"
"I would guess that it would be rated an EPA Super dump"
It seems that I've lost my touch with dealing with people. I would guess this
is the result of a career focused on computer hardware/software.
Anyway, the grand stand is still there, although it would certainly be
condemned by the county if they noticed it occupied. The oval asphalt is
still in place but weeds have broken up many parts.
I will mentioned a couple of historical points concerning Upper Marlboro that
I gathered from an undisclosed source;
1. The "Top of the Hill" tavern is still operating I believe it still has a
very rough
reputation.
2. The Marlboro Hotel/entertainment center burned down in the early 70s
3. The liquor store is still operating
4. The Safeway is gone but the two small stores/fronts are still standing in
it's
location.
5. The 6 lane bowling alley still exists.
If you know where the bowling alley is located you really knew your way
around back then.
Jim L.
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