The X-Files in Glover Park

Have you experienced unexplained phenomena in Glover Park? Do you find yourself saying, “The truth is out there,” or, “I want to believe”? Are you troubled by strange noises in the night? Do you experience feelings of dread in your basement or attic? Below are eight potentially paranormal, extraterrestrial, or government X-file experiences in Glover Park finally explained. If you’ve been in the neighborhood a long time, you probably are aware already, but if you are new, you might have had some questions…

Loud booms on Tuesday Morning

You might have fretted that the shelling off the Atlantic coast had begun, or that maybe a downtown protest was being quelled with flashbangs, or that KISS was having their farewell concert too early, but no, this one is easily explained. These are the sounds of the Presidential Salute Battery Platoon practicing or conducting their cannon fire (blanks) for military funerals as well as presidential and foreign dignitary ceremonies. The PSBP, part of the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Regiment, which uses M5 anti-tank cannons to fire 75mm shells filled with gunpowder. The highest honor is the 21-gun salute, though there are lesser honors commemorated with 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19-gun salutes as well.

Airliners Violating DC Airspace

You’ve probably noticed, especially if you live along the western edge of Glover Park near Glover Archbold Park, that at times the commercial planes seem to fly almost directly overhead causing quite a disruption. Isn’t this highly restricted airspace near the Vice President’s house? Aren’t they supposed to snake down the Potomac River when landing at Reagan National from the North? This approach is knows at the “river visual approach to runway 19.” You might notice that the planes are almost over your head when the weather is overcast or mostly cloudy. The clouds prevent the visual approach, so the planes fly an instrument approach – a beeline towards runway 19 (with a final hard right) which takes them over Wesley Heights and Palisades and western Georgetown. Why? Big, tall buildings in Rosslyn right along the river. Snaking down the river on a cloudy day increases the risk of hitting one of those skyscrapers in Virginia - and DC has no skyscrapers. This landing pattern, though, has been controversial for many years with residents underneath it and it still can be unsettling even 25 years after 9/11.

The Soviet Spy House

Yes, the FBI did maintain a spy house in Glover Park at 2619 Wisconsin Avenue across from the Russian Embassy. The X-files have been opened (well still assumed) on this one. This house was built in 1935 and seemingly had been in the same extended family for 90 years until it was sold in 2024 to a developer. Rumor has it the FBI began leasing the house in the 1970’s and set up surveillance equipment to spy on the embassy across the street. The house has three unusual skylights cut into the slate roof, and the skylights give a line of sight to the embassy from up high. In addition, the FBI began a long process of building a tunnel beneath the embassy for surveillance. The location of the tunnel – on the house side or the opposite side of the embassy – is still publicly uncertain. The project might have ended in failure with no intel gained, as double-agent Robert Hanssen supposedly alerted the Soviets to the project. Joseph M. Yaffe, a lawyer by trade, purchased the house in 2024, renovated and put it on the market for $4.5 million that year. The house still is available, now for $3.5 million.

Phantom Bugle Sounds

Do you wonder why racehorses are being called to the post at seven in the morning? Is there a gambling addict in the neighborhood who can’t stop listening to the races on their loudspeakers? No, while the ethereal tune sounds like the Call to Post, it is actually First Call, at Fort Myer military base just across the river in Arlington VA. When the air pressure, wind and traffic din are just right, you too can be woken up by First Call in Glover Park. Quickly make your bed, get your uniform on and stand at attention – Reveille is imminent.

Black Cameras on Utility Poles

The clusters of black cameras about 15 feet up on poles began to proliferate starting with the immediate area around the Russian Embassy in 2016. They now appear up to a half mile away from the embassy. Couldn’t possibly be because the governments wants to spy on its citizens – that never happens. These were installed at the direction of the U.S. State Department in response to concerns from the Russian Embassy staff about security. The U.S. has an obligation to address such foreign concerns under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. One could assume the State Department controls the data feeds and recording, though it has always been unclear if the Russians have direct access. One could also assume that DC MPD either has direct access or can request footage for investigations. MPD maintains 520 other CCTV cameras monitoring public places in DC, which you can track here. Also, if you registered for a free home surveillance camera, MPD in theory could subpoena your camera footage for a crime investigation.

Disturbing W Street Cult House

Since this story evolved over decades, there is a good chance a substantial part of it is myth rather than fact. The apartment building at 3920 W Street was rumored to be a residence of a cult-like pseudo-religious group known as The Finders. The suspicions began back in the 1960’s with the leader, Marion David Pettie and came to a head in the late 1980’s with accusations of child abuse. Members of The Finders had a farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but also used this W Street apartment building, where neighbors once claimed 40 people were living. The building, and other locations, were raided by authorities in the late 1980’s and charges were brought, but later dropped for lack of evidence. Years ago, the FBI did release to the public a large pile of documents on The Finders and the investigations. In 1987 authorities investigated an ornate tombstone surrounded by stones behind the building, which some neighbors described as part of a satanic ritual of The Finders. This rumor was dispelled later when someone revealed it was a part of garden laid out many years earlier. 3920 W Street has changed ownership multiple times since then and is currently for sale for $1,650,000. This video on The Finders likely has a lot of misinformation intended to get clicks so take it with a grain of salt.

Wooded Trails Blocked by MPD

Periodically, in winter you might notice MPD cruisers blocking entrances to the wooded trails of Glover Archbold Park and other offshoots of Rock Creek Park with yellow tape strung up across the trail. This has nothing to do with the government securing the site of an impending alien landing (as far as you know). This is to keep humans safe from the “Deer Management Plan”, which has nothing to do with sending deer to business school, but to shoot them with high-powered, short-ranged, infrared rifles. The program is necessary to keep the deer population in check, otherwise they would destroy the habitats and put pedestrians, bikers and drivers at risk.

Helicopter Activity

Finally, most of us know about the Vice President’s house and the regular VH-3D Sea King helicopter shuttle with the call-sign of Marine Two. It’s kind of fun to tell your relatives in other parts of the country that the VP is hovering over your head. My chopper is parked in the giant parking lot at 4000 Tunlaw Road. I take it when I’m late for work and traffic is bad too, though I do need to rent six spaces. The sound you hear, though, is not always the VP. MPD has an Air Support Unit with a hot new Airbus H-125 known in the MPD as Falcon-1. In 2023 the ASU responded to 1,517 calls for support. Medstar Georgetown has access to EC-135 helicopters for medevac purposes and has a helipad on the roof of the Verstantig Pavillion. Last summer, Georgetown University Medical Center completed a massive HVAC installation using helicopters which hovered all day, making it seem like the VP was very, very busy that day, when he was probably just home watching CNN.

Chris Jones