ART FOR ALL!
September 3, 2009
Here at the Navy Yard, we strongly believe that art should be a resource available for all to enjoy. With public displays of art, the community as a whole can benefit from the aesthetic improvement and creative stimulation it provides.
With thanks to http://jacksonpollock.org, a tribute site to the curious Jackson Pollock, we can now all try a hand at creating our own masterpiece. Perhaps, through experimentation of color and movement, you will one day be a legend yourself.
So dare to be bold, grab your mouse, and let the paint fly as your creative instincts guide the way
I call it, "Spring Array"
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Navy Yard at Noisette 
What is happening with Quarters A? The home has a most rich history.
Hi Robert,
Quarters A is a beautiful building. Its exact future is not known, but it will be preserved. Ideally it will be used as something in the hospitality industry, such as a Bed-and-Breakfast. Do you have history with the building? If so, we would love to hear. Thanks for sharing!
Hello Ed,
Yes, I do have history with Quarters A. My duties as “ships historian” for the USS Tidewater AD31, along with my connection to the Admiral Jules James family and Palmer Olliff (Mr. Shipyard). The Tidewater, at the time of its construction was the largest ship to be built at the yard and was partially funded by yard workers and Charleston area residents through a special bond drive. The Tidewater was the second to the last ship to be constructed, with the Bryce Canyon AD36 (Tide’s sister ship) to be the last.
Admiral James and his family resided in Quarters A during the beginning of the Tide’s construction. Jules was the shipyard Commandant and also Commandant of the Fifth Naval District at that time. The James family provided me with an enormous amount of archival material from their time there.
Admiral James graduated from VMI and later became Naval Aid to President Wilson, and was personal friends with FDR. He married Eleanor Standish Gamble, niece to Henry Stimson, Secretary of War. The Charleston Yard was a favorite stopping off point for FDR on his travels to Warm Springs, Ga. FDR had WPA funds provided for the rebuilding of the USS Hartford at the Charleston Yard and was instrumental in Jules James appointment to the Fifth Naval District and the Yard. Now FDR had a friend living in Quarters A and made several visits to that home while the James family resided there. Many other notable personalities made visits to Quarters A while the James family resided there.
During my yearly visits to Charleston, Palmer and I would make our way to the yard for “inspection and updates”. I have visited and toured Quarters A many times over the last several years. I even photographed every room and it’s contents while on the phone with Anne James Yellot. Anne was the James’s middle daughter who lived in the house when she was about eight years old. She gave me a room by room tour from her memory. It was her father who had the brick patio installed in front of the house. The year 1943 and a cross are imbedded in the brick. Can you find them? I miss Palmer and my future visits will be empty.
I am not optimistic about the future of Quarters A. It has been neglected to the point that restoring the exterior will cost several hundred thousand dollars. Palmer requested that the windows be covered and the house sealed, but the request fell on deaf ears. It only happened after the house was vandalized and ransacked along with historically valuable items stolen.
No prospective business owner will purchase a facility in that state of disrepair knowing the cost of rehabilitating it and then trying to operate a business that will generate enough revenue to recover the initial costs. A B&B would not generate enough revenue to maintain the house much less repair it. There are a few successful restaurants in older homes such as Quarters A. The problem with using it for a restaurant is its lack of accessibility.
I am convinced that the historical value is not well known, nor has there been any viable effort to promote the home to the surrounding communities. I would suggest getting a television camera crew with a knowledgeable reporter and host to tour the home and begin promoting its existence. There are some other options available also.
Best Regards
Bob Hall