Today is PHW’s 56th birthday! If you are new you may want to check out the history series from our 50th anniversary to see where we started and where we are now.
Tomorrow is MSV Day! Celebrate the opening of the new MSV exhibition Things Come Apart during this special free-admission day. Activities and events are free to all; bring the family for the fun! See the list of activities at the MSV’s website.
The Virginia Regiment and the Sons of the American Revolution will muster at the site of historic Fort Loudoun at 419 N. Loudoun Street on February 17th for the 3rd annual President’s Day Muster. The regiment will march down the walking mall to George Washington’s office and fire 3 volleys in honor of Col. Washington. The event starts at 11:00 am. See the event listing on the Old Town website.
Our friends at the Shenandoah Valley Tapestry project alerted us that the Tapestry will be on display and subject of some presentations in Alexandria at the Woodlawn Estate in March. Woodlawn will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Tuesday, with some events occurring at the Estate beyond those hours and shown on the website www.woodlawnpopeleighey.org.
There will be a presentation on the history and development of the tapestry at 4 p.m. on March 19. On March 21, Woodlawn Estate will host a Stitch-A-Historic House workshop from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Attendees will have an opportunity “take-a-stitch” in a Woodlawn Mansion design. At the end of the month it will be donated to sell in the gift ship. Register for the workshop online here.
The City is proud to announce the Rouss City Hall Reveal event on Wednesday, February 26 from 4-6 pm to celebrate the recent renovation as well as Charles Broadway Rouss Day. There will be guided tours of the historic building, slideshows of the transformation playing on every level, Q&A with the architects Reader & Swartz, and refreshments. February 11 was Charley Rouss’s birthday and we celebrate every year. This year, we’re holding the celebration with some of his decedents at the Reveal event. All are invited! Learn more about the event here.
Winchester once again hit a list of the top ten places to retire in Virginia. In addition to the Apple Blossom Festival, it is important to note the ability of our city to attract visitors and new residents is the blending of our rich history, architecture, friendly residents, and engaging events throughout the year. Much of what is attracting people to Winchester now is based on the longstanding work of PHW and other organizations like us to combine our past with our future in accessible ways. While you enjoy events this weekend and into the spring, remember to thank those who had the foresight fifty years ago to let Winchester evolve while keeping its own character and charm.