The women who lived with the CIA
March 8, 2018 9:44 PM Subscribe
Margaret Scattergood and Florence Thorne were living in Langley, Virginia when the CIA moved in. The women reached an agreement with the federal government, wherein they sold their house to the Agency to be part of its compound, but could live in it for the rest of their lives. However, Margaret was a Quaker and "considered the organization’s mission to be in violation of her pacifist beliefs. She used her trust fund to financially contribute to antiwar causes. She lobbied Congress to cut the US Intelligence and military budgets. In the 1980s Margaret opened her home to Sandinistas from Nicaragua, while CIA supported the opposition.... More than once, Sandinistas arrived at the CIA’s main entrance in search of the Calvert Estate."
Further reading: Margaret Scattergood's obituary in Friends Journal, which takes a rather dimmer view of how the arrangement between Scattergood, Thorne, and the CIA came to be.
Further reading: Margaret Scattergood's obituary in Friends Journal, which takes a rather dimmer view of how the arrangement between Scattergood, Thorne, and the CIA came to be.
What a great story. I love that they were two feisty rabble rousers from the labour movement.
the house’s outstanding design, workmanship, and materials made it eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Its most noteworthy historic value, however, were the occupants of the house; two women significant in the history of the US Labor Movement and the history of Fairfax County.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:36 PM on March 8, 2018 [5 favorites]
the house’s outstanding design, workmanship, and materials made it eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Its most noteworthy historic value, however, were the occupants of the house; two women significant in the history of the US Labor Movement and the history of Fairfax County.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:36 PM on March 8, 2018 [5 favorites]
...the attic, once used for play, now houses a collection of museum artifacts for the intellectually curious.
I haven't been to Langley since before 9/11, and it was hard to get in then. I presume harder now.
Who gets to visit? I guess mostly staff.
posted by MtDewd at 5:22 AM on March 9, 2018
I haven't been to Langley since before 9/11, and it was hard to get in then. I presume harder now.
Who gets to visit? I guess mostly staff.
posted by MtDewd at 5:22 AM on March 9, 2018
> ...a rather dimmer view of how the arrangement between Scattergood, Thorne, and the CIA came to be.
Given the choice was this or losing the house to Eminent Domain and a cash payout, I’d say she managed to not only win by her principles but also do so at the expense of the military-industrial complex, which now maintains on its grounds a living memorial to its opposition.
posted by ardgedee at 7:12 AM on March 9, 2018 [16 favorites]
Given the choice was this or losing the house to Eminent Domain and a cash payout, I’d say she managed to not only win by her principles but also do so at the expense of the military-industrial complex, which now maintains on its grounds a living memorial to its opposition.
posted by ardgedee at 7:12 AM on March 9, 2018 [16 favorites]
The two women struck up a friendship that lasted a lifetime.
Did they, now.
posted by rmd1023 at 11:03 AM on March 9, 2018 [10 favorites]
Did they, now.
posted by rmd1023 at 11:03 AM on March 9, 2018 [10 favorites]
These women bought a house together and lived there as "friends" for 50 years? It's ironic that the CIA added closets when they renovated.
posted by Megafly at 2:37 PM on March 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Megafly at 2:37 PM on March 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
This is a friend of mine's aunt, and she has been posting pictures from her childhood on her facebook since the CIA wrote about this. It's been super cool to see.
posted by bibliogrrl at 8:37 PM on March 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by bibliogrrl at 8:37 PM on March 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
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