PHW’s 48th Annual Holiday House Tour Will Feature Five Historic Homes

PHW welcomes you to join our signature fundraising event and beloved holiday tradition! Five historic Winchester homes — all decked out for the holidays — will be open for tour on Sunday, December 8, from noon to 4.

This year we’ll be hosting the “Bough & Dough Shop” stocked with sweets and fresh greenery at Winchester’s Winter Village at the open-air market in Old Town Winchester.

Tour tickets will be available beginning Nov. 22 at Kimberly’s and the Winchester-Frederick County Visitors Center. Tickets can also be purchased at PHW’s Bough & Dough Shop booth during Winchester’s Winter Village weekend. Advance tickets cost $25. Tickets purchased at tour sites will be $30.

Bough & Dough Shop hours are Friday, Dec. 6 from 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A Winchester historic landmark is saved — again

A circa 1790 house has a new lease on life thanks to The Adams Companies.

Preservation of Historic Winchester (PHW) has presented the Winchester-based business with the Katherine G. Rockwood Revolving Fund Award for outstanding renovation work done at 311 S. Loudoun St., also known as the Simon Lauck House.

Richard Bell and Sarah Adams Bell of The Adams Companies recently held an open house celebrating the property and the firefighters who were instrumental in saving it from total devastation.

Three and a half years ago in the middle of the night, a catastrophe was averted thanks to serendipity. Most of the city was peacefully sleeping, but Winchester firefighters Allen Ballenger and Trent Phillips were on duty. As they approached the house, they saw smoke.

“When we noticed the fire, we were actually going to another call,” recalled Ballenger, as he stood inside the freshly renovated property during the open house. “We turned down Loudoun Street and we noticed smoke. As we were rolling past the house we saw flames underneath the door.”

They called for extra help and began the preparations for putting out the fire that was quickly burning the interior of the log structure. The damage was substantial but primarily contained to the interior of the home.

The cause of the fire was determined to be a burning cigarette discarded in the mulch outside the front door.

The Adams Companies hired Vintage Restoration to meticulously repair and resurrect the building. Richard Bell says the building will be available in the near future for professional office space.

This wasn’t the first time the building was saved from destruction.

Sarah Adams Bell listened to Ballenger’s memory of that night in 2021, and responded that the firefighters’ drive-by at just that time was “providential.”

“What I love about hearing this story — right here and right now in this house — is that 50 years ago PHW, from the Jennings Revolving Fund, purchased this house to save it so it wouldn’t be demolished,” she said. “It’s important for the community to all understand the value of working together for the best of Winchester.”
PHW’s first house purchase

In 1974, the Salvation Army purchased a duplex at 309-311 S. Loudoun St. with plans to demolish the building to expand operations of its then-headquarters at 303 S. Loudoun St. PHW was interested in preserving the building because hidden inside the three-story, white-sided duplex was the 18th-century, two-story log cabin of a renowned early owner, Simon Lauck.

Simon Lauck, whose brother Peter Lauck built the circa 1783 Red Lion tavern at 204 S. Loudoun St.,) set up a gunsmithy on this property. Signed Simon Lauck rifles are highly collectible.

When PHW approached the Salvation Army to purchase the Simon Lauck house, they were offered the logs that would be left over after the house would be razed. After much back-and-forth negotiation with regional Salvation Army leaders, PHW was able to purchase the intact building. The 1976 restoration involved removing the siding, the third story and the addition, bringing the building back to its 1796 form.

Richard Bell said The Adams Companies purchased the property in December 2010 after its previous occupant, Northern Virginia Travel, closed down their business.

“We owned the adjacent properties and also had the parking lot and other infrastructure in the rear to support the use. And it was just a cool building and we wanted to make sure it was cared for properly.”

PHW’s 2024 Annual Meeting Honors Top Preservation Projects

PHW celebrated the best in recent local historic preservation projects at its 60th annual meeting on Sunday, June 30, 2024.

Newly-elected board president Ben Ford honored several people and properties at the gathering held at Winchester Brew Works.

“We want to show our appreciation for those who are working hard to improve the historic charm of Winchester and Frederick County,” said Ford, who is a Frederick County native and Winchester resident. “PHW’s mission is to encourage the people of Winchester to maintain and improve the historic architecture of our community through a program of education and support.”

Kyle Hopkins, owner of Four Square Architects, was honored with two awards. Hopkins received the Lucille Lozier Award for the renovation work done on his firm’s office building at 39 E. Piccadilly St. Hopkins also received an award of merit for his firm’s adaptive renovation of the new Paladin Restaurant building at 31 E. Piccadilly St.

The Katherine G. Rockwood Revolving Fund Award for outstanding renovation of a Jennings Revolving Fund Property was awarded to The Adams Companies for its work on 311 S. Loudoun St. which had sustained damage due to a fire. Richard Bell accepted the award on behalf of the company.

Jennings Revolving Fund properties include dozens of historic buildings that PHW has purchased and resold with added protective covenants throughout the years. Built in 1790 by renowned gunsmith Simon Lauck, 311 S. Loudoun St. is the first property that was purchased by PHW.

Tim Youmans was honored with the Carroll H. Henkle Award for outstanding leadership in the field of preservation. Youmans is author of “Streets and Alleys of Winchester, Virginia” and is retiring as the planning director for the City of Winchester.

Steve Resan, a local interpreter who is known for his first-person portrayal of Col. James Wood, founder of Winchester, was honored with the Ben Belchic Award for significant contribution to understanding Winchester’s history.

Bruce and Donna Downing were honored with the Elsie M. Rosenberger Award for volunteers who selflessly contribute to the activities of the PHW. Ford thanked the couple on behalf of PHW, saying, “Their contributions to our organization over the years have been continuous and outstanding. Bruce has been a former president of the organization and Donna’s continued contributions have been among the best the organization has known.”

PHW’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Mary Scully Riley.

Board secretary Anne Scully made the presentation, announcing that this particular award has been renamed “The Mary Scully Riley Lifetime Achievement Award.”

“PHW has been through a lot in the last several years,” said Anne Scully. “Keeping things going through the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of the Bosley scholarship, the implementation of the micro grant program, a new executive director, and board members coming and going. During this time and for many years before it, there has been one constant at PHW. That constant is Mary Scully Riley. Mary has quietly given her time and considerable effort not just to keep PHW going, but to make it better. Her dedication is second to none, and that’s why we feel so strongly about honoring her work.”

Awards of Merit for houses or buildings whose renovations contribute to improving the character of their neighborhoods and maintaining the overall historic fabric of the city went to several people.

Albert Andersen, owner of Greenway Welding and Fabrication, was honored for his meticulous restoration work on the entryway and lighting at 445 Fairmont Ave..

Other awards of merit included Nerangis Properties, honored for the recent renovation of 439 S. Braddock St., and The Pifer Companies, honored for its renovation and reuse of the Gaunt Drug Store building at 1 W. Gerrard St..

PHW also held elections for board members. In addition to Ford being elected president for 2024, Anne Walker Schroth is vice president, Anne Scully is secretary, Mary Scully Riley is treasurer and Ted Kalbach is assistant treasurer. Board members include Vivi Meder, Bobby Light, Keven Walker and Tim Youmans.

PHW’s recently-hired executive director, Wendy Kedzierski, invites others who are dedicated to preserving the history and architecture of Winchester to become members of the organization.

“Winchester is a treasure trove of historic architecture reminding us that we are the oldest city in the Commonwealth west of the Blue Ridge Mountains,” says Kedzierski. “But we’ve also lost some amazing landmarks. PHW was formed in 1964 to preserve and protect what remains of the rich historic fabric of our region.”

Nominate a noteworthy preservation project or leader!

Help us recognize preservation projects and leaders in Winchester and Frederick County! Nominations should encompass work completed or expected to be completed within the past calendar year (ending in May 2024). You may nominate more than one project and you may nominate your own projects! Please submit nominations by June 1, 2024 for consideration for an award.

Nominations can be mailed to PHW, 530 Amherst St., Winchester, VA 22601 or emailed to phwinc.org@gmail.com.

Please include your name and contact information as well as the nominee’s name and contact information, and a brief description of the project/activity of the individual or organization that is being nominated, including before and after pictures if available.

Nominations may be submitted for the following categories:

Lucille Lozier Award: For the renovation of a significant structure retaining 75% of the historic architectural fabric.
Katherine G. Rockwood Revolving Fund Award: For outstanding renovation of a Jennings Revolving Fund property.
Elsie M. Rosenberger Award: For the unsung volunteer or volunteers who selflessly contributed to the activities of PHW.
Ben Belchic Award: For significant contribution to understanding Winchester’s history.
Carroll H. Henkel Award: For outstanding leadership for historic preservation in the Winchester-Frederick County area.
Patron’s Award: For that person or business who has been an outstanding supporter of the goals and programs of PHW.
Lifetime Achievement: For a person who has worked for the goals and programs of PHW over many years.
Award of Merit: Houses or buildings whose renovation contribute to improving the character of their neighborhoods and maintaining the overall historic fabric of the city.

Last Call! Grant Applications Due Wednesday

The deadline for the first round of PHW Micro Grants is coming up next Wednesday, January 31! If you’ve been procrastinating, this is your last weekend to get your application together for the first round. Remember to include supporting documents, like drawings, material specifications, estimates from contractors, and images of current conditions, just like you would for an application to the Board of Architectural Review.

If you are not quite ready yet to apply, keep an eye out for the second round, which will be set for May 31, 2024.

History Events This Weekend!

Get ready for an exploration of Winchester’s streets and alleys on Saturday, January 20! Tim Youmans, planning director for the City of Winchester, will discuss the years of research he conducted discerning the origin of the streets and alleys that are currently within the corporate limits of the City of Winchester in his recently published book. The event will take place 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM at the Handley Regional Library Robinson Auditorium, 100 W. Piccadilly St.

Learn more at Handley Regional Library or visitwinchesterva.com!

Looking for something to do on Sunday, January 21? The Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society will be hosting an open house at 415 N. Braddock St. in honor of the 200th anniversary of Stonewall Jackson’s birth. The event will feature free admission for tours of the house museum between noon – 4:00 PM.

Learn more on Facebook or visitwinchesterva.com!

Friday Roundup: Potential Text Amendments to Article 14

At the Planning Commission on January 16, a motion to initiate text amendments to Article 14, which governs the Historic District and Board of Architectural Review have been proposed. You may wish to check out the proposed amendments online. While this is not a public meeting, you may still wish to offer your thoughts on the text amendments to the Planning Commission.

PHW is generally in favor of attempting to procure alternate members for the Board of Architectural Review. Some of the other minor text adjustments are not concerning. We are, however, concerned that the proposal currently for 14-10-.3 has struck the need for City Council and BAR members to consult prior to an appeal.

The reasoning for the removal of this sentence was stated that during the last several appeals, the consultation has been different each time. PHW would urge that instead of removing this consultation process, a procedure can be codified to make the process consistent. Matters that come before the BAR are often specialized knowledge, so we feel it is helpful to have this process in place so City Council members can understand how decisions were reached from the BAR side. There is certainly other language that could be nitpicked, but this was of immediate concern.

If you have comments on this amendment, you may share them with the Planning Department ahead of the meeting on Tuesday, or keep an eye out for future developments.

Friday Roundup: Preservation News Bites

Unfortunately 2024 started off with bad news for preservationists. The house at 411 S. Loudoun St. that was part of the blight proceedings was demolished on January 2. We extend our thanks to members Linda Ross and Lynn Brenneman who kept us informed of the proceeding on Tuesday afternoon. We extend our condolences to the Collins family at the loss of their family home.

After demolition at 411 S. Loudoun. Photo provided by Lynn Brenneman.

If your building is starting to fall into disrepair in the Historic District, PHW may be able to help before it gets to this point. Check out our grant page and see if you and your building qualifies! Our first deadline for submission is approaching on January 31.

You may also want to check the National Trust for preservation grant opportunities. They are currently accepting applications for the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund’s National Grant Program. These grants are designed to support capital projects, organizational capacity building, project planning, and programming and interpretation activities at historic sites of African American history across the country. Applications are due February 1.

You may also want to register for a free webinar Previewing the 2024 General Assembly Session from Preservation Virginia for Monday, January 8, 10 AM. Join Preservation Virginia’s public policy team for a preview of the legislative and budget items we anticipate in this year’s General Assembly session. Julie Langan, Director of the Department of Historic Resources, will also share the latest about the updated economic impact study on the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program. This program is free but registration is required – register here.

Merry Christmas from PHW

Many thanks to Bob Snyder for sending his yearly holiday postcard to PHW. This year, the artwork by Rick Geary features Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters. The building, located at 415 North Braddock St. in Winchester, is the best example of residential Gothic Revival-style architecture in the Historic District. Built in 1854 by William McPherson Fuller and sold in 1856 to Lewis T. Moore, the house was originally known as Alta Vista. Its use as Jackson’s military headquarters in the winter of 1861-1862 has forever linked the property with the story of the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley. The property was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1967. Today, the building is operated as a museum by the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society, open daily April 1 – October 31.