During the mid-1950s developer and builder Sam Eig built the 300-acre Washingtonian Center in, what was then, an isolated outpost along interstate 270. A few years later Eig built the 18-hole Washingtonian Country Club and the 26-story Washingtonian Towers Apartments, the nation's first luxury apartment building to be constructed at the center of a golf course. The surrounding area remained largely rural well into the 1980s.
| Name | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Frank Emerson | 9/17/09 | I recall sneaking on to the Washingtonian Golf Course. I would just walk onto the first tee and go. Once an old gentlemen saw me and ask "Excuse me son, but I don't think you checked in the clubhouse before you started", acting like I owned the place I told this old fella, " Well I play here all the time and don't think Sam Eig would like the way your talking to me". He then replied "Well son I'm Sam Eig, and it doesn't bother me one bit". I quickly gathered my clubs and left. |
| Bob Shreffler | 5/19/10 | We all, in that era, knew the Eigs....I used to use Buddy Eigs snow mobile to cruise the golf course in winter. Buddy and I had a $500 bet on a 50 yard 'dash'. I barely beat Buddy and declined to take the money!! I flew many 'pivots' around the Tower in my Tri-pacer. One of my real estate agents lived at the Tower and Buddy gave me a tour of the building while under construction. I used the motel to house people that I was custom-building homes for at the time. |
| Valerie Shotzberger | 9/6/10 | I have heard a few people say that the Washingtonian Towers is haunted. I've always wondered if this is true. Your site is great; thanks for the trip down memory lane! |
| Laura Farkas Miller | 9/25/10 | My family and I often ate Sunday Brunch at the Washingtonian. They had the biggest selections of desserts I have ever seen. It was wonderful as a child. |
| Danny Brodt | 10/8/11 | I worked at the Motel for Mr. Eig as a bellhop during the summers in the early 60's and Don Hershey and I were caddies at the golf course anytime. |
| Richard Crystal | 10/13/11 | My cousin (the future) Mayor Katz learned how to drive around the then-newly constructed Washingtonain Towers! |
| Richard Frazier | 12/18/12 | I worked at the country club. Mr Eig would give us free passes to the shows at the Shady Grove Music Fair with the revolving stage. I saw a lot of excellent performances there. The country club had one of the best buffets. After work we used drive to golf carts all over the grounds. Good ole days!!! |
| John Quinter | 10/15/13 | My aunt and uncle moved into the Washingtonian Towers when it was first built. I remember driving out there from Bethesda as a teenager and thinking, what the heck is this place doing out here in the middle of nowhere. |
| Becky Word Lau | 9/30/15 | My dad, uncles, grandfather and great uncles used to play at Washingtonian Golf course all the time. Played in many of the Pro/Am tournaments they held there. I also remembered the Shady Grove Music Fair. It was a great site with some great performances. It was sad when they closed it. |
| Kenny Anderson | 10/2/15 | I worked at the Golf Course for Sam Eig and Jack and Jerry Doser from '78-'84. Lived in the apartments by the Rio in '05, about the 7th hole or 8th tee, as I recall. Richard Frazier, did you and I go to Washington Grove Elementary School together from '60-'66? |
| Robert Birdsall | 8/1/16 | I work there in the kitchen I was the salad chef always remember they have very good food very good spare ribs always enjoyed working what the people in the kitchen but also looking for one of the waitress her first name is Maureen if anybody knows give her my email |
| Danny Brodt | 7/11/17 | I worked at the Washingtonian Motel as a bellhop for Mr. Eig. Mr Eig and his wife lived in a very small apt above the motels front office. $.75 and hr plus tips...Greg Hand and myself spent many summers as bellhops there. |