A stone wall from decades past has come back to life at the Bolling Club. And it couldn't have come at a better time, either.
The club is currently undergoing a series of upgrades that are expected to enhance the Bolling Club's overall appeal for years to come. This includes new carpeting, doors, cabinets, and revamped server areas. The club will also be adding a brand new refrigeration system in the very near future.
Helping with a lot of the interior work are team members from Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling's Public Works Department. They began renovation work inside the club about a month ago. A group of five airmen took on the challenge of patching holes and reconfiguring new door frames to overseeing a complete makeover of a service area behind the club's Fireside Lounge.
Unknown to them, or anyone at the club for that matter, was that hidden behind a few layers of deteriorated sheetrock and drywall stood a piece of history - the original stone wall from the original Bolling Club built back in 1934.
"We gutted out the entire bar and removed sheetrock, lights, ceiling tile and wall tile. During our demolition is when we discovered the stone wall," said Staff Sgt. Adolfo Rojas, craft leader for the group. "It was a pleasant surprise and quite a find. We sure weren't expecting it."
Brooke Dowling, the club's general manager, was particularly amazed at the discovery - especially after learning the stone wall was the only thing to survive a major fire at the club in June 1985.
"The club was completely destroyed and rebuilt over the next two years. It was rededicated and reopened in 1987," Dowling said. "The stone wall is the only piece that remained from the fire. It definitely has some history to it. The idea of it still being here after that is really incredible."
Staff Sgt. Eric Owens, project manager for JBAB's PWD, said his group's goal now is to repaint the stone wall so it matches in color to new stone veneer siding that's also going up in that area of the club. He expects the total renovation project to be complete by the middle of May without any interruption to any of the club's upcoming events.
"Before all this, the wall was buried where no one could see it. Now, it's going to be in plain sight looking better than ever," Owens said. "It definitely has some history and will only add to the atmosphere of the club. It's a great addition."
