A Letter from Joppa / October 2009
“Isn’t it a shame that Haussner’s is closed? They made the best breaded veal cutlet I ever had . . .” – Margaret “Peggy” Harvey
Peggy Harvey is the kind of woman who, late in life, was holding a small bag of money while staring down a hard decision: fix the driveway or go to Paris. She went to Paris.
It is the same approach to life that took the 82-year-old Joppa resident to Haussner’s as often as possible – “so much art, I never knew where to look . . .” – and, in the bohemian ‘50s and psychedelic ‘60s, down the alleyways of Baltimore even when no one would go with her.
“Old bookstores, old cemeteries, to go up into [19th century] Davidge Hall and find a mummified cadaver under a sheet!” said Harvey, who has 500 pages of memoir to her credit, much of it about her Depression childhood in Grafton, West Virginia.
“I love to admire the decay of old architecture on unused buildings that were still beautiful,” she said.
“Some people thought I was crazy but it’s the ordinary people who are fascinating. When I was little I’d go out on the front porch swing and just sit there to see who would pass by.”
Observed something from your front step lately? Someone interesting stroll by either waving hello or muttering obscenities to themselves? Send it along to Rafael Alvarez via crabtown@alvarezfiction.com.
Peggy rocks. That mummified cadaver, Hermie, is still on display at Davidge Hall:
http://welcometobaltimorehon.com/three-creepy-places#hermie
Peggy Does Rock!! I too miss Hausners–we had many a family celebration there. I too miss streetcars, Hechts, Hutzlers, Hochilds, Stewarts. Why couldnt we keep downtown shopping like N.Y. city? Even though I dont live nearby I still love to visit charm city & her neighborhoods.
let’s buy haussner’s / turn it into a sanctuary for visionary art / sell nothing but italian sausage and kielbasa with sauerkraut & call the place “USED TO BE HAUSSNER’S”
How about the Strawberry Pie? Can’t find another like it. Good food,bakers, good friends . Lived in Highlandtown for 60 years. Moved to Harford Co. Made new friends and still remember where I came from. Keep up the good work RA
Peggy is a truly amazing and interesting person. She makes friends and lights up the room whereever she goes. I, too, miss the department stores, Haussner’s and the Baltimore of old, but things change and life goes on.
Very true! Makes a change to see somoeen spell it out like that.
I waitressed at Haussner’s, putting myself though “the Institute”(now MICA) and Towson U., from ’73 until ’77. Mrs. Frances Haussner was an impressive woman. Forthright, honest, and hardworking. I’ll never forget the time a guest sent back the fish twice. Miss Frances returned with the recently returned fish; all regal six feet of her and said, in her Austrian accent, “There is nothing wrong with this fish. You will eat this fish.” And he did,without complaint.