Sleep on the Mason-Dixon Line
As the name implies, the motel is just north and east of the Mason-Dixon Line.
The Mason-Dixon Line marker along the power line cut behind the Dixie Motel is one of the markers placed in 1902 by Hodgkins' re-survey of the line. (Mason and Dixon didn't place any stone markers west of Sidling Hill. They placed wooden posts in stone cairns.) The mound of stones was hidden under the snow when I dropped by. The 1902 stones were marked with an M on the south side, a P on the north side, 1902 on the west side and 1767 (the date of the Mason-Dixon Survey) on the east side.
This stone marks mile 209; Hodgkins described it this way:
This photo by Todd Babcock of the Mason-Dixon Line Preservation Partnership shows the mound of rocks surrounding the stone.209. Stone monument placed at the center of large mound of earth and stones on the summit of Winding Ridge and a short distance south of the National Road.
An image of the stone appears in the foggy window of the gas station.
John Reichenbecher was sweeping snow when I drove up on a cold December day in 2009.
Inside the Dixie Snack Shop and Motel office, Mr. Reichenbecher made me a weak cup of coffee from a sort of coffee tea-bag.
The coffee was at least hot on that freezing day on Winding Ridge.
If you want to step back in time, when life was simple and you want to relive the vestiges of the 60's and 70's, if not before, this is the place to be!!! I remembered the bread bin of my childhood, the glass cabinets used to store food and snacks, even the prices (only) of items are from a decade ago!! These chaps are great if you get them to open up - you can get a lot of history about the area from them. Explore your world!!!
ReplyDeleteI was robbed at the hotel. A guest (relative of the hotel owner) took bags containing a number of personal items from my car. After complaining and calling the police, the owner of the hotel managed to bring back my items. Be very careful!!!!!!!
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