The Vanderbilts. The Rockefellers. The Carnegies. The Pinchots?  In America's Gilded Age, successful families forged self-made and powerful aristocracies, but history slighted a wealthy, influential family dynasty: the Pinchots. Outstandingly different from these and other business titans, this family is long overdue for recognition. The Pinchot family members propounded a set of values in serving the public good that went beyond economic success, and they championed many political and social reforms. Derived from his recent book, The Pinchots: A Family Saga, David will talk about three generations of this extraordinary family. Gifford Pinchot, America’s first professionally trained forester and a founder of the nation’s environmental movement, is the star, but his parents James and Mary, his brother Amos, a gifted writer and peace activist, and their sister Nettie, a humanitarian, and the tragedies of Amos’s three beautiful daughters, Rosamond, Mary (JFK's favorite lover), and Tony, also receive attention.

It is well-known that Adolf Hitler disliked modern art, which he decried in his inauguration of the House of German Art in 1937 as "these smearings of canvas . . . really the outcome of an impudent and unashamed arrogance." In this talk, we will take up one case, the famous “smearer” Max Beckmann, who sought refuge in Holland, where he continued to paint in defiance of Nazi warnings even after the Germans occupied the country in 1940.

Drawing from his book "Dinner With the President," Alex Prud'homme will discuss American and presidential history as seen through a gastronomic lens. He'll start with an Introduction (how he became interested in the food of politics and the politics of food), then discuss three presidential meals and why they were important, and conclude with an audience Q+A.

This is a work of non-fiction with fictional elements. In the mood to immerse yourself in Savannah, Georgia, circa the 1980s?  This book, a New York Times best-seller for 216 weeks, will take you there.  It recounts the events surrounding and following the death of an antiques shop employee with far less savory side hustles at the hand of his employer, the shop owner.  The photograph of the cemetery statue on the cover became such a popular tourist stop the statue had to be moved to a local museum.  Please read the book so you can participate in our structured, facilitated, Zoom discussion.  (Note: Please join the meeting at 3 pm if you would like some assistance using the features of Zoom.  Otherwise, join us at 3:15 pm for the start of our discussion.) Author: John Berendt, 1994 (For other book discussions, see #514, 563, 597)

This richly-illustrated presentation - a virtual tour of still-standing mansions in the Dupont Circle area built by an eclectic mix of business moguls, politicians, newspaper publishers, and others of means - will look at the varied architecture and recall the lives—and foibles—of the residents.

Frederick Law Olmsted, renowned for his designs with Calvert Vaux for Central Park and Prospect Park in New York, envisioned landscape as an art, a science, and a social ideal. In designing the U.S. Capitol grounds, he met a new challenge to create a landscape that was both part of the Capitol but also subsidiary to it. His son Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., as a member of the 1901-2 McMillan Commission that updated the plan for Washington, designed the formal landscape of the National Mall as well as a city-wide park system. What was the Olmsted landscape ideal and how did the father and son create unique landscape designs for their designs for the capital?

Level of Difficulty: 2/5 The Locust Grove Nature Center is at the top of a large parking lot shared with the Pauline Betz Addie Indoor Tennis Center. The trails are somewhat uneven so wear sturdy shoes and bring a hiking pole if you like. There are few hills as we will be walking along Cabin John Creek most of the time. We’ll be looking for fall blooming plants, ripening berries and nuts, migrating monarch butterflies, and signs of wildlife along the way. Bring a snack and a water bottle, and binoculars if you have them. Restrooms are available, as well as a water fountain to refill water bottles.  (See additional walks:  #528 and 558)