PHW – Page 42 – Preservation of Historic Winchester

Friday Roundup: Events, Ads, and Links

Happy Friday! We are entering the home stretch for Holiday House Tour preparation. Stay tuned for details on that event – we’ll start our coverage of Holiday House Tour next week. In the meantime, we have some reminders of important dates coming up:

Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church 150th Anniversary Black Tie Gala is October 28, 5 PM at the Shenandoah Valley Golf Club, 134 Golf Club Circle, Front Royal, VA 22630. Tickets are available for $50; contact Cynthia Banks at 540-539-8262 for ticket information. The following day, October 29th, the 150th Anniversary Worship Service Celebrations will be held at 10:30 AM and 3 PM at Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 428 North Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA.

Holiday House Tour advertising sponsor slots for 2017 are due no later than 5 PM on Halloween, Oct. 31. We have room for up to two pages of interior advertising as of Friday morning. Click here for the call for advertisers post with more information. You can contact PHW at phwinc.org@gmail.com or 540-667-3577.

The Bell House Walk and Learn event is set for Thursday, November 2, noon-1 PM at the Bell House, 106 N. Cameron St., Winchester. Depending on the attendance, tours may be split into smaller groups, so the start time will likely be rolling. On-street parking is limited and most nearby spaces are metered; we suggest using the George Washington Autopark at 131 N. Kent St. There is an entrance to the autopark from N. Cameron St.

If all those activities aren’t quite enough, we have some other interesting links for your reading pleasure this weekend:

The preservation of the plantation Menokin in Warsaw, VA is a case study of what to do with an important historic site that has suffered major losses. While many would have looked at the ruins as a lost cause, the plan to preserve the building is to rebuild the missing elements, but in glass. This approach will retain the historic massing but not to obscure the structure of the building which has been exposed. Thanks to Atlas Obscura for bringing the Menokin website (full of all kinds of documentary photos and research) to our attention.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation posted a summary of the findings from the Annual Report on the Economic Impact of the Historic Tax Credit. Last year was a record breaker, surpassing the 1986 record for the largest year-over-year increase (unadjusted for inflation) for completed projects. While it’s on the number heavy side, it is useful information to have when talking about historic tax credits and their impact not just on saving old buildings, but creating jobs, too.

Last, just for fun is Every Apple You Eat Took Years and Years to Make by Sarah Laskow on Atlas Obscura. The story is a peek into the work happening in an experimental apple orchard to find the elusive perfect apple – hardy, tasty, and beautiful. While not preservation-related per se, apples are an important piece of Winchester’s cultural heritage, going back to Winchester’s own research laboratory.

Saint Paul AME Church 150th Anniversary Black Tie Gala

From our friends at Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church on North Loudoun Street comes an invitation to their two capstone events to celebrate their founding 150 years ago.

On October 28th is the Anniversary Black Tie Gala. Mr. Rodney “Johnson” Ruffin, Vice-President of Business Development of Thompson Hospitalities will be Master of Ceremonies; Mr. Kelly Wright, Fox News Anchor will be the keynote speaker; and Mr. Jarohn Grandstaff, saxophonist, will be the musician. The event will be held at 5 PM at the Shenandoah Valley Golf Club, 134 Golf Club Circle, Front Royal, VA 22630. Tickets are available for $50; contact Cynthia Banks at 540-539-8262 for ticket information.

The following day, October 29th, the 150th Anniversary Worship Service Celebrations will be held at 10:30 AM and 3 PM at Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 428 North Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA. The services will be held in the same building which was erected in 1878 and majorly renovated in 2005.

Walk and Learn Tour at the Bell House, Nov. 2

You are invited to join us at the Bell House at 106 North Cameron Street for a PHW “Walk and Learn” tour. This free event will help introduce you to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation and their future plans and efforts to preserve one of Winchester’s best Federal-style homes with a long and storied past. Be sure to dress for the weather and wear flat, comfortable walking shoes.

On-street parking is limited and most nearby spaces are metered; we suggest using the George Washington Autopark at 131 N. Kent St. There is an entrance to the autopark from N. Cameron St.

Date: Thursday, November 2, 2017
Time: Noon-1 PM
Location: The Bell House, 106 N. Cameron St., Winchester
Cost: Free!

NPS Historic Preservation Training Center and Shop Tour

As many of you know, we have had representatives from the Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) in Frederick, MD to Winchester for Lunch and Learn programs in the past. You can return that favor and tour their facilities on Sunday, October 22, 2017 at the Gambrill House, 4801A Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD.

The tour is presented by Tom Vitanza, organized by AIA|DC Public Architects Committee, and sponsored by the National Park Service. Participants will visit three locations:

Stop One: Enjoy a guided tour of the ca. 1872 Gambrill House. This high-tech Second Empire style mansion is noted for the advanced and sustainable technology it employed to provide a comfortable lifestyle to its occupants. It retains many of its original character-defining features.

Stop Two: Monocacy National Battlefield – Best Farm: A quick detour to the late 18th century Best Farm will provide examples of various NPS stabilization / preservation projects on the significant historic resources.

Stop Three: Travel to historic downtown Frederick for a visit to the HPTC wood crafting and carpentry shop where the actual restoration work is performed. Historic windows under repair will be on view for your inspection.

Date: Sunday, October 22 2017

Time: 1:00pm-4:00pm

Starting location: Gambrill House, 4801A Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD 21704

Cost: $10 for students & Assoc. AIA members
$15 for AIA & DAC members
$35 for non-members

Website for registration and more information: AIA|DC

Credits: 3.0 HSW|LUs

Friday Round Up: Clowser House, Guideline Updates, and More

Happy Friday! It’s been a busy week at PHW, so here’s what we’ve been up to:

We have added five images from the Walk and Learn tour we hosted in conjunction with the Clowser Foundation at the Clowser House last Saturday to our Flickr account. Thank you to everyone who came out and saw the house and heard about the efforts so far to save it. The Clowser Foundation needs your support – they are still fundraising for their efforts to repair the back wall before June 2018. You can learn more about their organization at their website and Facebook page.

We had some good questions on the historic farming uses at the Clowser House. As we learned on Saturday, the Clowser family ran a mixed farm with wheat, corn, cattle, pigs, and other crops and livestock. Although not specific to the Clowser family, you can learn more about agriculture in the Shenandoah Valley before and during the Civil War at Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

In Winchester news, we know many people have been awaiting word on the overhaul of the Board of Architectural Review Guidelines. The revised document, which has been in the works for about a year and a half, was presented at the September 26 City Council work session. It appears very likely the new guidelines, which allow for some additional flexibility with non-traditional materials, will be adopted on Tuesday, October 10. You may review the agenda and packet through the city’s website.

In Holiday House Tour news, we still have spaces available for interior full page, half page, and business card ads. You can learn more on the sizes and benefits of the ads here. If you are interested in reserving a spot, please let us know at phwinc.org@gmail.com or by calling 540-667-3577 before October 31.

We also took a few moments this week to update our GuideStar profile and reach their Silver rating. This has also opened up a new donation option for us on the GuideStar webpage. You may use the donation link under our logo as an alternate way to make online donations to PHW. Thank you in advance!

Clowser House Walk and Learn Tour This Saturday!

Please join us tomorrow, Saturday, September 30 at the Clowser House, 152 Tomahawk Trail in Shawneeland at 1 PM. This free event will help introduce you to the Clowser Foundation and their efforts to save the ancestral home of one of Winchester’s pioneer families. Be sure to dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. We expect the event will last about an hour.

Directions to the Clowser House from Winchester: Head west on Rt. 50 (Northwestern Turnpike) and turn left onto Back Mountain Road (State Route 614). Proceed until you see Tom’s Market on your right. Turn right at Tom’s Market onto Rosenberger Lane (State Route 753). Take a left at the intersection entering Shawneeland onto Tomahawk Trail. The Clowser House is the brick house on the right side of the road. There is a small gravel parking lot for visitors. We hope to see you there!

Friday Photos: 3047 Windsor Lane

This Friday we step back to the 1991 Holiday House Tour to visit a home designed and built by the Moldens in 1988. The home has a Florida influence and an open floor plan which allows for panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Round Hill, and Signal Knob. Keep a sharp eye out in the decorations for family antique pieces as well as various animal themes. View all sixteen images at the top of the Flickr photostream, or at the end of the 1991 Holiday House Tour album. Happy viewing!

Friday Photos: Newtown Tavern

Happy Friday! Before we get to the images, mark your calendars for a PHW Walk and Learn tour. The event will be held at the Clowser House, 152 Tomahawk Trail in Shawneeland on Saturday, September 30 at 1 PM. This free event will help introduce you to the Clowser Foundation and their efforts to save the ancestral home of one of Winchester’s pioneer families. Be sure to dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes.

This week, we have 20 new images of the Newtown Tavern in Stephens City when it was open for the 1988 Holiday House Tour. The tavern was built in 1819 and remained in use until 1906, when it was converted to a residence. At the time of the Holiday House Tour, the Newtown Tavern was operating as a bed and breakfast. See the images at the top of the Flickr photostream.

Friday Photos: Indian Spring

This week, we added 23 images to our Flickr account of a building known as Indian Spring from the 1988 Holiday House Tour. The site has roots back to the very earliest settlers who came with Yost Hite to the area in 1732, Jacob and Magdalena Chrisman. Much like the story of Abram’s Delight in Winchester, the original, likely log home was replaced in the 1750s by a more substantial limestone structure. The oldest part of the stone house built by Jacob Chrisman dates to 1751, as recorded in the gable. Two log buildings were also extant on the property and noted in the 1988 brochure; one of those may be Chrisman’s original dwelling.

In addition to hosting some of the oldest remaining structures in Frederick County, the original 750 acre tract was also notable for the large spring, which was first called Indian Spring, and later Chrisman’s and Stickley’s Spring as the ownership of the property changed hands. In addition to being an important landmark for the area, the spring was also a hub for early religious gatherings. Bishop Francis Asbury, a famous traveling Methodist minister, was reportedly the first to use the spring for a camp meeting. T.K. Cartmell writes in his Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants (p. 204):

“There was an ideal place [for a primitive Methodist Camp Meeting] near the centre of the Upper Circuit . . . . The place . . . was Chrisman’s Spring . . . . The famous spring and adjacent forests were freely offered by this generous family. The oldest inhabitant to day has no recollection of the first Camp Meeting with the old tent wagons on the ground and roughly improvised annexes to offer shelter to the families who had come well provided with food. The scanty sleeping accommodations were sufficient to induce the Campers to remain on the Grounds for about ten days . . . . Kercheval says, ‘The first Camp Meeting held in the Valley in my memory was at Chrisman’s Spring . . . probably in the month of August 1806.'”

If you are interested in learning more about this important site, more details may be found in Some Old Homes in Frederick County, Virginia by Garland Quarles, p. 67-69. Other images of Indian Spring and the log building thought to be Chrisman’s original home may be found on pages 6 and 7 of Frederick County, Virginia: History Through Architecture by Maral Kalbian. Further historical and genealogical references to Jacob and Magdalena Chrisman may be found at chrisman.org and Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants. Christian History issue 114 is dedicated to Francis Asbury and the history of camp meetings.