Category: Informational Events

Seismic Retrofitting and Historic Buildings

As we were reminded on Tuesday, we can experience earthquakes in our region. Are you thinking now about ways to retrofit your historic building to better withstand future seismic activity? Consider reading Preservation Brief 41: The Seismic Retrofit of Historic Buildings, part of the series of technical briefs produced by the National Park Service to aid in the proper maintenance and rehabilitation of historic structures.

Find more Preservation Briefs online at http://www.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/presbhom.htm.

Old Town Winchester Strolling Bridal Show: June 26

weddingThe shops of Historic Old Town Winchester have so much to offer for your wedding. From the cake, flowers and photography, to the reception and that perfect dress, Old Town Winchester merchants will help make your day special!

The Strolling Bridal Show is from noon-4:00pm, Sunday, June 26th. Visit participating shops–identified by balloons at the storefronts–and you may win great prizes! Start at Formalities (157 N. Loudoun St.) for your sign-up sheet. The Espresso Bar & Cafe (165 N. Loudoun St.) will be open; stop in to take a break. Shenandoah Carriage Company will be providing complimentary carriage rides.

Click here for more information on the event.
Click here for parking and directions.

Sponsored by Old Town Business Owners Association

The Clermont Forum: June 24 and 25

This forum seeks public input on the long-range plans to utilize Clermont Farm in Berryville, Clarke County. This National Register property was bequeathed to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources in 2004. The Clermont Foundation manages the assets, archives, and endowment for Clermont Farm, as well as maintaining the active farming and preserving the buildings. They are currently working on a Historic Structures Report and the Long Range Plan for the Use and Interpretation of Clermont.

This is where your participation is needed. To organize the themes of possible interpretation of Clermont, Professor Warren Hofstra has organized scholars to research and present their findings on seven key historical themes. The presentations and public comments will be used to determine the ultimate use of Clermont. This event is free and open to the public.

1st Session: June 24, 12:45-2:45 at Grace Church Parish Hall
Kym Rice – Clermont and the Potential of Public History
Kenneth E. Koons – Agriculture and Rural Life

2nd Session: June 24, 3:15-5:00 at Parish Hall, followed by a reception
Melvin Patrick Ely – House of Bondage, Springboard into Freedom; Clermont and Clarke County’s Black Community
Karen Hughes White – African American Life at Clermont

3rd Session: June 25, 9:30-11:30, Old Courthouse, followed by lunch at Parish Hall
Deborah A. Lee – Women and Domestic-Professional Life at Clermont
Dennis J. Pogue and Maral S. Kalbian – Architecture and Material Culture at Clermont

4th Session: June 25, 12:30-2:30, Old Courthouse
Peter Wallenstien – Legal History and Life in the Law
Joseph W. A. Whitehorne – Patriots: Clermont Residents’ Military Experiences
Kathleen Kilpatrick – Reflections and Conclusion

For more information and to RSVP for the event, please contact Bob Stieg, CEO, The Clermont Foundation, bstieg@msn.com or 540-837-2790.

GIS Project Showcase

PHW’s intern Ashlee Anderson is one of the students presenting at the Gifted Independent Study Student Project Showcase, May 16, 6:30 PM at Sherando High School.

The event will highlight Miss Anderson’s work at PHW, in which she put together a walking tour of Italianate buildings in Winchester. She will lead the first tour for the public on June 5, following PHW’s Annual Meeting. Look for more information on the walking tour soon!

Click here to read more about the Showcase event.

Rouss Day, May 21

Rouss Day returns on Saturday, May 21, 2011. Join in the celebration of one of Winchester’s most generous benefactors with a day full of activities.

Saturday, May 21st (rain or shine)
11:30am-2:30pm Lunch downtown (on your own)- Ask for restaurants featuring Rouss Day specials.

1:00pm-1:45pm Rouss City Hall, 15 N. Cameron St, 4th floor Exhibit Hall (former City Hall Auditorium), “25th Anniversary of Rouss City Hall Restoration” presentation by Tim Youmans. Brief guided tour of restored portions of Rouss City Hall to follow.

2:00pm-3:00pm Charley Rouss Fire Company, 3 S. Braddock St, Open House, including viewing of ‘Old Jake’ weathervane. (Includes Rededication & Fire Hall Band Music, light refreshments)

3:30pm-4:15pm Rouss Family Mausoleum open for viewing, Mt Hebron Cemetery, 305 E. Boscawen St- Mayor Minor and reps from Mt Hebron, Rouss Fire Company, WMC, and WFCHS invited for Wreath Laying

Also consider…
10am-5pm The Handley Library, 100 W. Piccadilly St- View Rouss items on display in Handley Archives show case (Exhibit runs during normal business hours).

9am-5pm Rouss Spring behind the Winchester-Frederick County Visitor Center at 1400 S. Pleasant Valley Rd. (Visitor Center is open 9am-5pm)

Read about Charles Broadway Rouss and his contributions to Winchester at the Winchester City website.

See images of the Old Jake Replica being installed at The Winchester Star.

Preservation Virginia Informational Meeting

Preservation Virginia will hold its annual meeting in Winchester September 25-27, 2011. With that in mind, an informative meeting will be held on May 10, 4 PM in the conference room at the Bowman Building of Shenandoah University, 20 S. Cameron St. The meeting will take place with Louis Malon, director of preservation services for Preservation Virginia, to go over what Preservation Virginia is all about and what this convention can mean to our community.

This meeting is open to the public. Anyone with an interest in preservation and the conference is welcome to attend.

For more information, contact Sandy Snyder at 540-535-3543 or ssnyder@su.edu.

Simple Gifts Dinner

Preservation of Historic Winchester is proud to sponsor the Simple Gifts Dinner, to be held March 26 at 7 PM in the Hopewell Meeting House, Clearbrook, Virginia. The meeting house, built in 1759, has been in continuous use since its construction. After 250 years of service, the interior plaster is in need of a complete restoration. The dinner is part of the fundraising efforts for the Hopewell Meeting House plaster project.

The event will include an informational presentation by PHW Board Member David Logan of Vintage, Inc.  Mr. Logan will explain the magnitude of the project, which is beyond that of a normal patch and repair. The dinner will be a traditional colonial affair by candlelight, accompanied by fiddle tunes and Shape-Note music of the Valley.  The dinner and presentation is $75 per person. All the proceeds from the event will go toward the interior restoration project, scheduled to begin in the spring of 2011.

To attend the Simple Gifts Dinner,  please include your name, address, telephone number, number of guests, and a check payable to Hopewell-Centre Society of Friends. RSVP by March 14 to the Hopewell-Centre Society of Friends:

Hopewell-Centre Society of Friends
Carol F. Melby, Clerk
3240 Cedar Creek Grade
Winchester, VA 22602

If you cannot attend the dinner but wish to contribute, donations may also be made to the above location. Help the Hopewell-Centre Meeting Society of Friends reach their fundraising goal of $100,000 to restore the oldest place of worship in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Thank you for your support!

American Freedom, 1865-1965: A History

Join Dr. Warren Hofstra for a free lecture on February 16. Is a single, finite definition of freedom the immutable bedrock principle of the American republic? Or is freedom an idea with a history that has changed in meaning with time and varied political circumstances? This talk explores how Americans have understood freedom in the critical century following the Civil War.

The lecture will be held on February 16, 7:30-9 PM at Shenandoah University’s Halpin-Harrison Hall, Stimpson Auditorium.  For more information, call (540) 665-5442 or e-mail jmille3@su.edu.

This event is sponsored by The Center for Lifelong Learning.

The Shenandoah Valley Book Festival

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester

If you love books and are interested in Civil War history, you will not want to miss the Shenandoah Valley Book Festival! In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, this year’s event at the MSV will focus on the Civil War in print

What:       Shenandoah Valley Book Festival

When:      Saturday, January 22

Where:    Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, 901 Amherst St., Winchester

Cost:          $8, $6 for senior/youth (includes gallery admission).  Free to MSV members.

More Information:  Available here or by calling 540-662-1473, ext. 235.

Website:  www.ShenandoahMuseum.org

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