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| January 1, 2005 at the John A. Wilson Building |
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| AOI Members Rally for Return of Shepherd Statue |
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Press Release
Saturday, January 1, 2005 at Noon
In front of the John A. Wilson (District)Building, 1350 Pa. Ave., NW
Rally & Celebration
The Association of the Oldest Inhabitants of the District of Columbia will gather on the steps of the Wilson
Building to call attention to its continuing efforts to return the statue of Governor Alexander Robey Shepherd to that location.
The city’s oldest civic organization – founded Dec., 7, 1865 – the AOI has been called "...the
District’s living archive." Founded immediately following the Civil War, the organization’s purpose was to "preserve memories and matters of historic interest" and "to work and strive for the
city’s stability, security and advancement" at a time many residents were concerned that the District would lose its
distinctiveness following its rapid expansion after the War.
AOI will revive its tradition of meeting on the first day of the New Year to recount its accomplishments, extol the virtues
of the city and call for the return of the Shepherd statue. Founding member Benjamin Tayloe and later W.W. Corcoran, Zed Blackistone,
Charles Glover, Alexander Shepherd, Theodore Noyes, Christian Heurich and John Clagett Proctor and others gathered on the
first day of the New Year to celebrate the city’s greatness.
Don’t let the organization’s name fool you! The AOI has been an active, long-time supporter of the Historical
Society of Washington through grants and internships, has supported a geriatric studies internship at Georgetown University,
provided grants to authors and researchers promoting the District’s civic leaders and historic personages and, annually,
presents the Dr. Phillip W. Ogilvie award to the highest academic achiever in George Washington University’s Masters
of Tourism Studies program. It is nearly 300 strong with members meeting 8 times a year to hear guest speakers on matters
of historic interest and preservation or to carry on the founders’ tradition of reminiscing.
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| AOI Member Joe Grano presents Mayor Williams with his honorary street sign |
Mayor Anthony A. Williams Avenue?
As part of AOI's program to recognize District Mayor Anthony A. Williams for his contributions to the civic
improvements to the city, member Joe Grano took a lighter approach and presented the mayor with a replica DC street sign reading,
"Mayor Anthony A. Williams, Ave., NW." Grano recounted his feelings of first arriving in the District more than 20-years
ago and being disturbed by the run-down, unsightly conditions of Massachusetts Avenue between Union Station and Mount Vernon
Square. Today, 20-years later Joe 'marvels' at the development, improvements and preservation that has occurred along
that same stretch of avenue.
| DC Councilmember Jim Graham Welcomes AOI Board |
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| Councilmember Graham Displays the 1871 Henry Ulke Portrait of Gov. Shepherd |
AOI Historian Nelson Rimensnyder, Director John Richardson and President Bill Brown met with DC Councilmember Jim Graham
(Ward 1) on March 28th to view Henry Ulke's 1871 portrait of Governor Shepherd which hangs in Graham's office.
The Councilmember would like to have a similar-sized portrait of Mayor Walter Washington commissioned to join with the Shepherd
portrait both to be displayed in the portion of the John A. Wilson (District) Building open to the public.
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