My Dad was Allen Ginder. Stumbled over this website while searching for info on my Grandfather. My Dad was the mayor of Fort Washington in the early 50's. It was a super place to grow up mostly for my 2 older brothers and my sister, Judith Shedd. One brother is still alive the other and my sister passed away in the past couple of years. My sister's daughter and my niece is a lawyer with FEMA and still lives in the area (Fort Washington Proper). Her name is Kristin Shedd.

At one time, before Fort Washington was taken over by the Park Service, it housed civil servants working in DC. Huge homes, on the Potomac, rent free, with wrap around porches - a lot like the big ones at Fort Myer. Pretty neat. A very tight knit community having nothing to do with the State of Maryland. The kids especially liked having the run of the Fort during the summer.

Most of the men were WWII vets like my Dad and didn't get too excited about much since they had recently seen a lot of destruction. In my Dad's case, he grew up without a Father in Leighton PA. His Dad and my Grandfather was Killed in Action during WWI which led my Dad to West Point, the 101st, and ultimately D-Day. He ran for Mayor of Fort Washington at the urgings of my two older brothers and sister so we could get the key to the community pool. Not real political. Absolutely no collusion about anything but having fun!

The wives were very active taking trips throughout the region and just having fun. This group of adults had all been through a lot during WWII and knew how to have a good time i.e. party and what a great place to do it. Most have since passed away.

Wish I had seen this website before because one of my older brothers who passed away in 2017 was the unofficial historian of Fort Washington during our time there. He told me many exaggerated stories (mostly about him) of the kids playing during Summer nights in the Fort and having it at their complete disposal. They knew it much better than the Park Service when they took it over - I believe around 1954/55. Naturally they tore down the beautiful homes on the Fort.

Not much more to report. My oldest brother is still alive and grew up there. I was born in 1952 down the road at Bolling AFB and we moved out around 1955 to a house we bought in Chevy Chase. My Dad had convinced whoever controlled the Fort (probably the Park Service or the Interior Department - don't know who) to let those living there stay on for a while to save for buying a house in Washington. Some things in DC never change - expensive homes and heavy traffic.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year.

Take care,

Larry Ginder

--Previous Message--
: I am trying to find as much information as
: possible on Allen Ginder who ran for Mayor
: of Fort Washington Maryland. It was around
: 1945.
: Any help you can provide would be great.
: