Chick Hall's Surf Club: Bladensburg - 1955 to 2007 (College Park, Grasonville: houses, school)

[StuartSlate]

Perhaps no one but me cares, but in case any former locals with an interest missed this news…

An era has ended in Bladensburg. The last of the old Roadhouses and Honky Tonks that once lined Bladensburg Road from Peace Cross to the D.C. line – and at one time home to as many as nine separate entertainment and dining establishments - including Berk Motley’s Sirloin Room (formerly Rusty Cabins), The Dixie Pig, Angelo’s, The Wheel and Basin Street, (not to mention Jimmy’s Place – itself once known as the biggest underground gambling ‘carpet joint’ and ‘lounge’ found anywhere between New York and Miami, located just across the District line in Maryland at Bladensburg Road and Eastern Avenue, and owned by the locally notorious James A. LaFontaine) – that had once dominated that part of the now new “Port Towns’ and was then a wide-open, loud, raucous, decadent ‘strip’ of venues featuring live American music – has sadly and permanently extinguished its lights and closed its doors (as of October 13, 2007) after over 50 years of operation by the same family.

‘Chick Hall’s Surf Club’, located at 4711 Kenilworth Avenue, Bladensburg – just around the corner and down the road from the Crossroads Night Club (Kenilworth Avenue being the Surf Club’s ‘new ‘ location – with the club having moved from its original Bladensburg Road location from the old ‘strip’ in 1975 during a previous era of redevelopment for Cottage City and Colmar Manor, has very sadly ended an era of unique, original, live Country, Rockabilly, Blues, R&B, Jazz and Rock and Roll music - played with heart and soul by live people employing actual musical instruments (Rather than machines).

Yes folks, crummy old Bladensburg was once THE hot spot for live entertainment in eastern D.C. and the Maryland suburbs, lasting from World War II into the area’s slow, but steady decline, until eventually, culminating in this final, local, death knell of an art form that centered around live, smokin’, rockin’ musical entertainment the likes of which are unlikely to be seen again in Bladensburg.

Chick Hall Sr., an outstanding guitarist himself, also played with many of the day’s greats who, in turn, performed as well at his club (including Patsy Cline and Roy Buchanan). Search for Patsy and/or Roy Buchanan on You Tube for further clarification and auditory illumination if desired.

By the way, some say that Chick’s son, Chick Jr. (formerly part of the Surf Club’s house band along with brother Chris) is as great a working musician ‘roots’ guitarist as can be seen and heard anywhere in this day and age. And now Chick’s own stage - the last, live, local, ‘authentic’ venue has closed.

So, the old timers still living above it all up on Decatur Heights and Rogers Heights are fresh out of places to gather in comfortable, familiar surroundings. Heineke’s, formerly at Dumm’s Corner, parties on no more. George’s Tavern is not now what it once was. Even shabby old Mike’s Iron Castle Inn had become a Korean karaoke bar last I was there.

While change is constant, I still can hardly believe that the Surf Club is now also gone.

So, for me, other than to visit my family, there is much less reason now to return home. Can’t imagine where I’ll ever find anybody I know now.

Well, I guess I can still get a beer at the 3-Brothers’ and sit and listen to the rhythmic cling-clang of sports cleats amongst the crowds that gather there should all else fail. That is, if the place is still there and, if the crowd is still the same as I remember

[MikeK]

I used to frequent some of those places. If you're nostalgic for DC area blues try the show here at 8:00 PM eatern on Thursday nights:

SuperTraxx Radio

R.I.P.

[Grasonville]

Originally Posted by StuartSlate

Well, I guess I can still get a beer at the 3-Brothers’ and sit and listen to the rhythmic cling-clang of sports cleats amongst the crowds that gather there should all else fail. That is, if the place is still there and, if the crowd is still the same as I remember

Not sure if the crowd is the same (as a matter of fact I doubt it)

THREE BROTHERS Pizza - Restaurant Locations

[Moth]

Wow, DC born and bred and I never heard about these joints. Sounds like my kind of places. Bummer...

But Bladensburg Road has been no-go for some time now.

[StuartSlate]

Originally Posted by MikeK

I used to frequent some of those places. If you're nostalgic for DC area blues try the show here at 8:00 PM eatern on Thursday nights:

SuperTraxx Radio

R.I.P.

Thanks for the tip. I will be sure to check it out. I was late seeing the link Thursday, 11-01.

[StuartSlate]

Originally Posted by Grasonville

Not sure if the crowd is the same (as a matter of fact I doubt it)

THREE BROTHERS Pizza - Restaurant Locations

Last time I was home – May ’03 ‘down the hill’ had changed a lot. The users of nearby Fletcher’s Field were nearly all Hispanic and playing the heck out of some soccer. But then when I sold Mom and Dad’s house on the 5500 Block of Decatur Street in November 1997, it was to a Hispanic family.

Indeed, by this period, Middle class/working class blacks that had themselves first moved east/north of RT. 50 (not an absolute divider by any means, but roughly) only by 1976 were themselves leaving the Heights while a greater influx of Hispanic folk moved into our places.

I stopped in Three Brothers last visit and still saw a crowd that included at least some fat, old softball players – more like my type Grasonville. I’d hate to think even that is lost too.

[StuartSlate]

Originally Posted by Moth

Wow, DC born and bred and I never heard about these joints. Sounds like my kind of places. Bummer...

But Bladensburg Road has been no-go for some time now.

Moth, Much of this was gone or slowing by the time I was a kid. (James A. LaFontaine had died in 1949). The fire Department from Cottage City burned down Jimmy's Place in 1955. A boy is told of such places and about such times from the older generations.

But, for more than a year and a half my brother and I took the DC Transit bus from the corner of Chesapeake Street and Edmonston Road over to St. James Catholic School beginning in 1967- after we had moved from Queenstown- Mt. Ranier (the church from where the Priests of the so-called-true-story Exorcism of a Mt. Rainer boy in the 1930's had been utilized. But, that's a whole other story) and passed through the ‘strip’ before the 1970’s character changing ‘revitalization’ that took out whole blocks) every school day. (Ernie’s Crab House carryout is still on the old strip I am sure, but it is now across the street and down Bladensburg Road from where it stood in the 70’s.

However, I wasn’t old enough to get into any of the joints until 1977, and by the time I was old enough to legally enter, the ‘strip’ was down to Berk Motley’s, The Crossroads and Chick Halls’ Surf Club (of the old style live performance as you dine or guzzle places – that is). Berk, BTW, was a horn player who was famous for playing two clarinets at the same time or something.

But for me, The Crossroads (which began dying down by the early 90’s as a an ‘authentic’ venue IMO) was THE place along with the Surf Club. May they all be remembered.

Oh, Btw Moth, I understand that October 13th was the last big ‘blow out’, but that the Surf Club will still remain open a few more weeks (if you’d really like to experience it before it ends). They have a web site up and running still, but their email was closed. Here’s the phone number if you’d like to inquire, 301-927-6310 (if it works)

Official Homepage of Chick Hall's Surf Club - Bladensburg MD

[Moth]

Thanks very much for the history. Hope to hear more in the future.

[kjg1963]

"They have a web site up and running still, but their email was closed."

Too funny, I was looking at the pictures on the Web site and saw many familiar faces. A couple of pictures are of people I've known for years that I bowled with at College Park lanes and once in a while hung out with. I didn't go to the Surf Club a lot, but when I did I always had fun.

[MikeK]

Stuart - in case none of your family sent you this:

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