Keep off the Grass

[PieBoy96]

Earliest evidence of cranky landscapers?


District of Columbia. Sergeants of 3d Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, with gun and caisson at Fort Totten. June 1865. LOC #LC-B817-7687

[OldState]

Re: Keep off the Grass

Evidence of the first war against drugs?

[Jimmayo]

Re: Keep off the Grass

I have read that the forts around Washington were sodded to prevent erosion. Or maybe a politician's wife thought that raw dirt looked to dirty.

[ScottCross]

Re: Keep off the Grass

I'm surprised it didn't read "Keep off the Slopes".

[colorsgt26nc]

Re: Keep off the Grass

There they go, messing with our rights!

[Tom Craig]

Re: Keep off the Grass

The sign is a cute reminder of the very important passage in the official regulations requiring that all unauthorized personnel keep off the mowed faces of earthen fortifications. When I first started reading and re-reading the regulations in my younger years I was always puzzled by the degree of importance that was placed on such a rule. Of course now I realize that one of the peacetime military's most dedicated duties is to maintain the property in its care to the nth degree.

Take care,
Tom Craig

[brown]

Re: Keep off the Grass

Nice find. I assume the photographer meant to capture the man and his piece. But he also recorded several layers of history for us.

Did you crop it before posting?

[brown]

Re: Keep off the Grass

Oh yes. The whole image is worth a look, too.

[Kace]

Re: Keep off the Grass

Lindsey:

Could you post the entire image?

Kace

[Matthew Semple]

Re: Keep off the Grass

I have come across several references to "Keep off the Grass" dating back as early as 1803 but this is in fact the earliest image I have seen yet. Thanks Paul for posting!

By the way, those who have asked for the full size image (and have trouble using the LOC documentation that Paul provided) you can find it at:

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/cwp2003000953/PP/resource/cwpb.04138/

[Hank Trent]

Re: Keep off the Grass

The sign is a cute reminder of the very important passage in the official regulations requiring that all unauthorized personnel keep off the mowed faces of earthen fortifications. When I first started reading and re-reading the regulations in my younger years I was always puzzled by the degree of importance that was placed on such a rule. Of course now I realize that one of the peacetime military's most dedicated duties is to maintain the property in its care to the nth degree.

Take care,
Tom Craig

Even beyond the issue of military perfectionism, I'd think that it really would be necessary, with thousands of men milling around. Once they all start walking up and down the slopes, the grass would soon turn to mud, and then erosion would begin, and there go the earthen walls.

Of course, that would just mean more work for the men building the walls back up. Come to think of it, I'm surprised the military didn't encourage them to walk on the grass in peacetime. :)

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[dirtyshirt]

Re: Keep off the Grass

It reminds me of the modern military pony show and clean sweep. Some things never change. There has to be a secret manual for Sergeants Major detailing standards on pulling weeds out of the cracks in street curbs and proper width between lines raked in the dirt. I am crying inside...

[BobbyHughes]

Re: Keep off the Grass

It reminds me of the modern military pony show and clean sweep. Some things never change. There has to be a secret manual for Sergeants Major detailing standards on pulling weeds out of the cracks in street curbs and proper width between lines raked in the dirt. I am crying inside...

Not to mention the exact shade of white to paint the rocks...

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Keep off the Grass

Keeping "Soldiers off the Grass" was a challenging battle in and around Washington DC it seems. I can only imagine Sherman's boys lying about on the nice green grass in the final days of War, just feeling good about going home.

The next day we marched into Washington. It took us three hours and a half to pass a given point. The streets were wide in Washington, so we could march a company in one platoon. Pennsylvania Avenue is one mile long from the Capitol Building to the White House.
The streets were filled from curb to curb with soldiers. They had the grand stand opposite the White House. Many of the regiments had their flags torn, so that you could scarcely tell they had ever been a flag.
We went into camp about one mile outside of Washington. We used to go down to Washington every day to see the sights. I have seen the parks full of Sherman soldiers lying sound asleep in the middle of the day. I thought they were taking their rest, and was glad to see them. There were signs up all over to keep off the grass, for Sherman's army had the freedom of the city. They mustered them out as fast as they could and paid them.I got transportation and a pass to go to my regiment. They thought it would be mustered out in Chicago, where it was mustered in. When I got there I couldn't find the regiment or the mustering out officer; so I had to get transportation again to go back.
Then they gave me sufficient authority to be mustered out if I could only find my regiment. This time I went to Memphis, Tennessee. There I found my regiment had done duty there, and had been mustered out. I then returned to Chicago again and was mustered out, and paid $560 June 20,1865.This ended my war career.

http://books.google.com/books?id=FrcTAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=text

[Shockoe Hill Cats]

Re: Keep off the Grass

Here, is another photograph taken by Alexander Gardner in Richmond, Va. in April 1865 (LC-DIG-cwpb-00391).

It was taken behind the State Capitol Building, facing Capitol Street. The building on the right is the old City Hall. One of my co-workers believes that the sign posted in the tree reads:

"Keep Off Grass/ Do Not Sleep."

At 49MB it is still a little hard to decipher but it looks possible.