by Peggy Robin
Happy Anniversary to the Cleveland Park Listserv!
It was 25 years ago today that Bill Adler and I set up the Cleveland Park Listserv. Correction: Bill set it up, and then casually mentioned to me that he'd made me co-owner and moderator. "What's a Listserv?" I asked innocently. Then Bill spent the next ten minutes explaining to me what a Listserv is, and what fun he thought we'd have with it as a little hobby on the side.
Later that day, he walked down the street to the Cleveland Park Club, where he put up a flyer telling people about this new neighborhood chat space, giving them information on how to join. That's how it all began.
You can read the first posted message here: https://groups.io/g/clevelandpark/message/2 (It's actually the second message, as the first post had a typo and Bill deleted it.)
The first substantive post (meaning one that sparked a discussion) was the one below, from Jeff Itell (who no longer lives in the neighborhood -- or indeed, in the US), asking about the name change from "The Park 'n' Shop" to "Sam's Park 'n' Shop." He also mentions the closing of the Kohr's frozen custard shop in one of the storefronts & makes a nice play on words about it. Here's the whole message:
Who is Sam?
I may be the last person in Cleveland Park to notice, but when did the Jemal Park 'N Shop become Sam's? Is Sam Friedman* back in town?
I'm aware that Doug Jemal sold the "Wait, Park, and Shop" to Federated years ago. But I missed the sign switch. Is there a Sam behind the Sam? Or is it a fictitious, cheap way for the new owners to change the name.
(If Kohr's had lasted, I would have preferred the name, "Custard's Last Stand.")
Jeffrey Itell
Pretty good beginning, yes?
In the first full month, December 1999, we had 20 messages, and by the end of the third month there were 228 -- and quite a few helpful, informative ones, including: good recommendations for home repair and other services, notices of neighborhood events and activities, and giveaways and good stuff for sale.
Word of mouth led to fast growth and our learning curve in moderating led to better spam-blocking, prevention of shilling, and enforcement of rules against the kind of name calling and shade-throwing that was already giving many other forms of social media a bad name..
By 2002 the Listserv had grown to over 900 members, and I was asked to write about it in a "local voices" column that ran in the Washington Post ,back in its heyday under the Grahams, who truly cared aboutthis city and what its residents think, do, and need..
Moderators Are Masters of Their Domain on Local E-Mail List
Author: Robin, Peggy
Date: Nov 14, 2002
Section: WEEKLY - DISTRICT Start Page: T.04o
Moderators Are Masters of Their Domain on Local E-Mail List
Full article is here: https://alllifeislocal.blogspot.com/2019/10/still-life-with-robin-those-old.html
I'm sure I could fill a 600-page book with the history and trivia of the CP Listserv, but it's the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and so I think I'll quit now and not take up any more of your time.
Oh, but one more thing: What makes this Listserv a thing of beauty is the 12,373 members who read, post, sponsor messages, and spread the word about this online community publication -- qho have been doing so for 25 years! So happy anniversary to YOU!!
Most sincerely,
Peggy
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Peggy Robin & Bill Adler
Owners & Founders
The Cleveland Park Listserv
Home Page: https://groups.io/g/clevelandpark
CP Info Pages: www.cleveland-park.com
Sponsorship FAQ: http://www.cleveland-park.com/advertising-faq.html
Moderator email :clevelandpark+owner@groups.io
Post a messages: clevelandpark@groups.io
* [Editor's hIstorical note: Sam Friedman had been an ANC Commissioner for Woodley Park, but he left DC around the time the Listserv got started.]
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Still Life with Robin is published on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays