Try on the shoes of a tradesman in the pre-prohibition days of the eighteenth and nineteenth century on one of the oldest streets in Federal Hill. You open the door, the sound of chitter chatter and the clanging of roping tools emanate the air surrounding you. You work for Navy ships in the Baltimore Harbor, building what will be the most powerful vessels in the world. Fast-forward to the same place, present time to the Ropewalk Tavern. Sounds of laughter and talking, along with the scratching of dinnerware replace the noises that once inhabited. To your left you see men in their 20's playing pool and to the right ladies smiling with margaritas. All of this stimulation replacing where men once worked making ropes through the heat of the summer and frost of winter some 200 years ago.
As you glance around you notice that the history of this place is very much alive, reading above the bar, "DON'T TREAD ON ME". "Excuse me," a voice says behind you, "only one today?" She escorts you to a table with tall chairs and while climbing up you see an old pulley through a hole in the ceiling. The menu has a page with the history, now you start to understand what these walls have seen. It's just a Tuesday and yet this place doesn't have a seat to be found. You realize that this is not only a bar and restaurant, but a place where young adults gather to socialize and mingle.
Word Count: 250
I'm going to start off by saying I love the way you phrased this sentence: "...now you start to understand what these walls have seen." My only suggestion would be to come up with a clear and obvious sentence (thesis) in your first paragraph of why this place should be reserved. I love how you focused on the history aspect of it though!
ReplyDeleteYour use of descriptors bring me into the tavern. You created a very good visual description of current and past building operations. You infer why this place should be saved, but don't actually state it. I don't know if you need to, but it may be a part of the assignment.
ReplyDeleteThis really is a place that needs to be preserved it has a feeling that people want to come back to. Its a place that gathers a worthy amount of followers or "regulars" the im pact of not preserving a place like this would be just as heartbreaking to the owners as the customers.
ReplyDeleteI think this is great however it may be TOO creative for Dr.King. I get your point and I love the imagery however she may not find it very "argumentative."
ReplyDeleteI really like the description included in your essay. Unfortunately, I have to agree with the previous posts. I think that you hint at why this place needs to be preserved, but I think that you need state it clearly. I know this could mess up your word count, but I think she wants your thesis statement to be more obvious in the first paragraph.
ReplyDeleteEvery nice, the description adds so much, I liked this. The only thing I could say to add was more into why the place matters.
ReplyDelete