EMail: nmhs@newmarkethistoricalsociety.org

MEETING ARCHIVES

Click the topics below to open text description of some of our most recent meetings.

11/16/23 - Lucy Frances Simms presented by Dale MacAllister

11/16/23 - Lucy Frances Simms presented by Dale MacAllister


Dale MacAllister, resident historian of the Harrisonburg Rockingham Historical Society shared information from his research for the book: Lucy Frances Simms; From Slavery to Revered Public Service. She was the most famous African American teacher in the Shenandoah Valley spending almost six decades teaching African American children in Harrisonburg.



09/28/23 - Abel Johnston - Liberty Man presented by Rev. Larry Johnson

09/28/23 - Abel Johnston - Liberty Man presented by Rev. Larry Johnson


Warren County's Retired Rev. Larry Johnson is the Great(x4) Grandson of a Revolutionary War Soldier and family who goes back to the Revolutionary War.
Portraying Abel Johnston, Rev. Johnson presented history about that War in our Shenandoah County when the United States independence was declared in 1776.



07/27/23 - Potluck picnic at Seventh Day Adventist Complex - New Market

07/27/23 - Potluck picnic at Seventh Day Adventist Complex - New Market

The evening started with about 30 attendees enjoying an indoor "potluck" picnic. This was even more enjoyable considering the high 90 degree temperatures outside. After eating, the group received a presentation by Rev,. Buz Menhardt who detailed the history of the school. The Academy was started by the gift of 42+ acres in 1905 from Charles Zirkle to the Virginia Conference of Seventh Day Adventists. He wanted to have a school built for Adventist youth education. Two years later construction began on the school which so far has had approximately 5,500 graduates. The presentation was followed by a tour of some of the buildings.
A very enjoyable, and cool, evening was had by all.



03/23/23 - A History of Shenandoah County Courts presented by Judge Dennis L. Hupp (Ret.)

03/23/23 - A History of Shenandoah County Courts presented by Judge Dennis L. Hupp (Ret.)

Members and guests learned about the Shenandoah County court system and the over 30-year service of Retired Judge, Dennis L Hupp. Judge Hupp began his law practice in the Shenandoah County courts before becoming a judge and will continue to his service through 2024, to complete the four-year term vacated by Judge Thomas Mann, who has been appointed to the Supreme Court of Virginia. The Shenandoah County Courthouse in Woodstock has been in use from the 1790s and has undergone several renovations over the years as shown in the slideshow Judge Hupp used as part of the presentation.

Light refreshments were served after the presentation.



11/17/22 - Tracing your Civil War Ancestors presented by Nicholas Picerno

11/17/22 - Tracing your Civil War Ancestors presented by Nicholas Picerno

Nicholas Picerno, Chairman of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, spoke on tracing Civil War ancestors. He demonstrated the on-line resources available for conducting Civil War genealogies as well as explain how archives and historical societies can assist with ancestor research.
Nick is shown in the photo at left conducted on-line research for some of the 25 attendees. Extremely interesting what information is available out there on the internet if you just know where to look. Nick certainly helped us in this area.

Light refreshments were served after the presentation.



11/18/21 - The Story of John Rodgers Meigs Presented by Jerry Biller

11/18/21 - The Story of John Rodgers Meigs Presented by Jerry Biller

It was our first meeting in the New Market Town Council Chamber since the November 21, 2019 presentation on Civil War Medicine presented by Jake Wynn.
NMHS member Jerry Biller presented the history of John Rodgers Meigs, the son of Brigadier General Montgomery (Monty) C. Meigs who served as Quartermaster General of the U. S. Army during and after the Civil War. On Oct. 3, 1864, Meigs was shot and killed while returning from a surveying assignment with 2 enlisted men as he overtook 3 Confederate cavalrymen on the Swift Run Gap. Believing that Meigs had been murdered by Confederate partisans, Sheridan ordered the town of Dayton burned to the ground.
Light refreshments were served after the presentation.



09/23/21 - Annual Potluck picnic at the Ros and Joanne Poplar Home

09/23/21 - Annual Potluck picnic at the Ros and Joanne Poplar Home

The rain finally quiit, a Fall coolness filled the air and 18 NMHS members and guests accepted the kind invitation from Ros and Joanne Polar to picnic on their lawn. This was the first NMHS event since our January Dinner Meeting on January 23, 2020 due to recommended COVID protocols. After a potluck picnic dinner the visitors were treated to a tour iof the Poplar's late 1700's home on the original Jacob Holeman 1749 land grant.
We thank the Polar's for their hospitality and hope this meeting is a sign that NMHS events have returned.



01/23/20 -"Soundtrack to the Settling of America" presented by the Frontier Culture Museum

01/23/20 -"Soundtrack to the Settling of America" presented by the Frontier Culture Museum

After enjoying a delicious buffet catered by the Southern Kitchen, the 62 guests moved the short distance from Farrow Hall to the sanctuary where they were thoroughly entertained by Davis Tierney and Zac Bell of the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton. Davis and Zac presented through lecture and live performances the cultural influences from the early valley immigrants that blended together to form the music we hear today.

A very informative and enlightening evening.



11/21/19 - Civil War Medicine - presented by Jake Wynn, National Museum of Civil War Medicine

09/26/19 -Civil War Medicine - presented by Jake Wynn, National Museum of Civil War Medicine

Pictured left is Jake Wynn, Director of Interpretation for the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick Maryland, addressing the attendees at our November 21 meeting.
Jake presented a thoroughly informative presentation with numerous surprise tidbits of information beyond what was expected. Medicine at the time of the Civil War was not prepared for demands thrust upon it by the war. Jake stated that it is estimated that 90% of the surgeons had never seen a gunshot wound but yet 94% of the injuries incurred by the soldiers were gunshot wounds. Also, modern day triage techniques are based on the evolution of those procedures developed by the ambulance corps during the civil war.
Another interesting evening.



09/26/19 -Burning of the Valley presented by Terry Heder, SVBF

09/26/19 -Burning of the Valley presented by Terry Heder, SVBF

Pictured at left is Terry Heder, Director of Interpretation, Education and History for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation at our September 26 meeting.
The topic, "The Burning of the Shenandoah Valley", refers to the military action that General Philip Sheridan launched, a 12-day period when Union forces brought war to the residents of the valley. Mills, barns, homes, crops, supplies and anything considered a possible aid to the Confederate effort was systematically torched by Union cavalry. During his presentation, Terry described a number of the activities in the surrounding area during this extremely destructive war tactic.

A Union soldier wrote in his diary, "The whole country around is wrapped in flames, the heavens are aglow with the light thereof."
This was an extremely informative program.



07/25/19 - Annual Picnic - Luray Valley Museum

07/25/19 - Annual Picnic - Luray Valley Museum

Following a "potluck" picnic in the outdoor seating area of the Heartpine Cafe the NMHS group spread out to visit the various buildings featured in the Luray Valley Museum. We started in the Stonyman building which houses historic items from pre-contact native peoples to life in the bustling 1920s. We then moved on to the 7 acre recreation of a small 19th century farming community including the Hamburg Regular School, the Elk Run Dunkard Church, and much more. We thank Rod Graves for his kind invitation to visit this unique museum and each vowed to return on their own to continue exploring this extremely interesting collection.



05/24/19 - Genealogy: It's not your grandmother's hobby anymore!

05/24/19 - Genealogy: It's not your grandmother's hobby anymore!

This program was scheduled to be presented on May 24 but due to an unfortunate family emergency Shannon was unable to attend. She did prepare a video so that the presentation could proceed but technical difficulties resulted in a less than satisfactory showing. So, with Shannon's permission, we are offering the video presentation, the Powerpoint slideshow and the handout for you to view online.

click here for Video presentation
click here for Powerpoint slides
click here for the handout

We thank Shannon and wish her well with her family situation.



03/28/19 - Mosby and Special Operations Forces presented by Eric Buckland

03/28/19 - Mosby and Special Operations Forces presented by Eric Buckland

Eric Buckland seen pictured above addressing the NMHS March program audience. Eric has written several books on some of the men who rode with the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry - better known as "Mosby's Rangers". This presentation focused on the many similarities that existed between the tactics, techniques and procedures used by the famed Rangers during the Civil War and today's United States Special Operations Forces, especially the Army's Special Forces ("Green Berets"). After a 22-year career, Eric retired as a Lieutenant Colonel with a majority of his military career spent in Special Forces.

Another enjoyable evening at a NMHS event.



01/24/19 - Dinner and a Movie - SHENANDOAH

01/24/19 - Dinner and a Movie - SHENANDOAH

A good crowd braved the dropping temperatures to begin the evening with a delicious buffer prepared and presented by Rutz's BBQ and Catering. The New Market Community Center's Gym was divided into a "cafe" on the right and a "movie theater" on the left.
After a brief business meeting the group moved fom their dinner seats to their movie seats to watch the 1965 Civil War era movie SHENANDOAH starring James Stewart.
Pictured above shows the group finding their "movie" seats in the theater side of the gym.

Another enjoyable evening at a NMHS event.



11/15/18 - Program was cancelled due to inclement weather

11/15/18 - Program was cancelled due to inclement weather

09/27/18 - Petroglyphs in Virginia presented by Jack Hranicky

09/27/18 - Petroglyphs in Virginia presented by Jack Hranicky

About 30 people braved the constant rain to attend the September NMHS meeting to hear about Virginia Rockart sites from Virginia's rockart expert Jack Hranisky. Jack spent most of the evening discussing local rockart sites Paintlick Mountain in Tazewell County, Spout Run in Clarke County, and Short Mountain located near Mt. Jackson. The Short Mountain site is estimated to date around 1400AD. Jack also passed around a rock tool estimated to be about 20,000 years old.
Jack's informative and entertaining presentation was thoroughly enjoyed by his audience.



07/26/18 - Annual Picnic Meeting - Clinedinst/Crim House, New Market

07/26/18 - Annual Picnic Meeting - Clinedinst/Crim House

The picture at left shows some of the group attending our annual picnic - waiting for the dinner bell. This year's event was held at the Crim/Clinedist home in New Market which is owned by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation(SVBF). Its CEO, Keven Walker, hosted the event and presented talks about the history of the home, then led a tour of several of the rooms featuring the authentic period furnishings. The current and future plans of SVBF for the home and the New Market area were also presented.
The large 50+ group enjoyed a great meal and informative entertaining talks and tour.



05/24/18 - Virginia Iron presented by Rod Graves

05/24/18 - Virginia Iron presented by Rod Graves

Rod Graves, curator of the Luray Museum, talks about the importance and workings of forges and furnaces in the early settling of the Page and Shenandoah Valleys. His extensive knowledge of iron making was demonstrated by a slideshow and examples of iron works from both valleys which he brought from the Museum for our program.



03/22/18 -the New Market Spitzer Long Rifle presented by John Adamson

03/22/18 -the New Market Spitzer Long Rifle presented by John Adamson

On Thursday evening, March 22, a little bit of history was made at our March meeting when 49 attendees viewed probably the largest collection of Spitzer long rifles ever assembled at one time. Through the efforts of John Adamson, Joe Minnick, Bert Sours, and Sam Koontz 14 rifles were on display.
After a brief introduction to the rifle making history of the Henry Spitzer family by John Adamson, the group was invited to view this exhibit of 200 year-old long rifles made right here in New Market and to ask questions of these 4 generous men who graciously shared their collection and time with us.
This was an extremely informative evening.

To view a slideshow displaying larger pictures click HERE.



01/25/18 - Old Time String Band Americana performed by Kevin Smith & Arden Clark

01/25/18 - Old Time String Band Americana performed by Kevin Smith & Arden Clark

About 75 people attended our annual dinner meeting at the New Market Community Center on January 25, 2018. After a delicious buffet served by Rutz's BBQ and Catering we were treated to an excellent program by musicians Arden Clark and Kevin Smith. Concentrating on the music of Stephen Foster, Daniel Emmett, A.P. Carter and even Johnny Horton just to name a few, the songs were introduced by sharing a story or anecdote prior to its performance. Many songs were presented as a singalong with the audience joining in.
This was an extremely enjoyable evening.



11/16/17 - In This Land: The Lyndhurst Saga a film presented by Greg Owen

11/16/17 - In This Land: The Lyndhurst Saga a film presented by Greg Owen

Camp Sherando Lake was occupied during the depression by the Civilian Conservations Corps who helped build the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway. Abandoned in 1942 with the call-up of men for the armed services, the camp was reopened in August 1944 as Camp Lyndhurst and became a compound for the prisoners of war.
This documentary was introduced by Greg Owen with a questions and answers session after viewing the film.
An extremely informative and enjoyable evening was had by all.



09/28/17 - Native Peoples of the early contact period in the Valley presented by Dr. Carole Nash

09/28/17 - Native Peoples of the early contact period in the Valley presented by Dr. Carole Nash

Pictured left is Dr. Carole Nash addressing the 40+ guests attending our September 28 meeting. Dr. Nash thoroughly entertained the group with a presentation detailing the Indian presence in the Shenandoah Valley into the 18th century. She also spent time describing the local Quicksburg Archaeological site and the characteristics of the "Indian Mounds" unique to the Valley.

An extremely informative and enjoyable evening was had by all.



07/27/17 - Annual Picnic at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War

07/27/17 - Annual Picnic at the Virginia Museum of the Civil War

Lt. Col. Troy Marshall (center in front of mural) is seen addressing the NMHS members at our annual picnic meeting. Held indoors this year because of questionable weather, Troy entertained the group with as much informaion as they could hold relative to the Battle of New Market and its place in the New Market community. After a "potluck" picnic dinner the guests were free to roam the museum. An extremely informative, enjoyable (and dry) evening was had by all.

Click HERE to see a related story about NMHS President Danny Rice meeting an ancestors artificial limb



05/25/17 - Genetic Genealogy: What Can DNA Testing Tell Me About My Ancestry?

05/25/17 - Genetic Genealogy: What Can DNA Testing Tell Me About My Ancestry?

Pictured left is Dr. John Butler, a leading expert on forensic DNA profiling, helping the 40+ attendees to understand the question - What Can DNA Testing Tell Me About My Ancestry?
After a brief introduction to the science of DNA and DNA testing, Dr. Butler explained the different tests available by genealogy services companies.
The most important point learned was to detertmine the question you want answered first, then find the DNA test that will assist in answering that question.

We certainly appreciate Dr. Butler visiting us from his home in Gaithersburg, Maryland.



03/23/17 - Blue Ridge Heritage Project

03/23/17 - Blue Ridge Heritage Project

The Blue Ridge Heritage Project is a grassroots effort to create monuments and related displays that will tell the story of the people of the Blue Ridge Mountains and to honor the sacrifices they made so that the Shenandoah National Park could be established. Project founder Bill Henry, pictured left addressing the NMHS audience, described how his experiences in the park led to the discovery of its relatively unknown remarkable history.

Visit the Blue Ridge Heritage Project's web site at

BlueRidgeHeritageProject.com.



01/26/17 - the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Era Dancers with music by the Mutton Busters

01/26/17 - the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Era Dancers with music by the Mutton Busters

Great food, great music, great dancing, great friendship, a overall great night. With food by Rutz's BBQ & Catering, music by the Mutton Busters, dancing led by the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Era Dancers and the friendship of our members and guests the night could not have been a more enjoyable event. Tom Mack with the help of his wife Lesley began with a history or 1800's dancing. He explained the dance steps used in a specific dance then invited the attendees to join in - and that they did. The dance floor was kept full the whole evening.

I repeat - what a great event!



11/17/16 - The Great Cattle Drives of the Wild West (Virginia)

11/17/16
The Great Cattle Drives of the Wild West (Virginia)

Nancy Sorrells, pictured above, was the presenter at our November 17 meeting. The evening started with a brief business meeting conducted by President Dean Clatterbuck, featuring the election of officers for 2017. Program Director Jim Douglas then introduced Nancy who co-authored a book entitled Virginia's Cattle Story: The First Four Centuries. Nancy began with the arrival of cattle from the British Isles landing in Jamestown in 1620, the cows then adapting to feeding off of the grasses available in Virginia, and ending with their current day source of dairy and meat products. Nancy knowledge and enthusiasm made for a very interesting evening.



09/21/16 - New Market Remembers: growing up in the sixties

09/21/16
New Market Remembers: growing up in the sixties

President Dean Clatterbuck welcomes the audience of about 50 people who attended our annual "New Market Remembers" meeting. This year's topic, "growing up in the sixties", was presented via a slide show showing the town of New Market as it existed in the 60's featuring the hangouts and haunts of the teenagers of that time. Danny Rice led the panel of Lynda Estep and Jeryl Sellers who acted as the tour guides through the slideshow with frequent help from audience members.
I am sure all who attended had a very enjoyable reminiscent evening.



07/28/16 - Annual Picnic at the White House Farm Foundation, Page County

07/28/16 - Annual Picnic at the White House Farm Foundation, Page County

Chris Anderson, Director of the White House Farm Fundation, addresses a group of NMHS members and guests at the NMHS 2016 picnic meeting. The group, braving extremely threatening skies, is pictured behind the White House, built as a residence & Mennonite meeting house in 1760 by Martin Kauffman II.

After an extremely informative presentation on the history of the White House and a brief tour of the lower floor of the house the group moved to the barn where they enjoyed a "potluck picnic".



05/26/16 - Shenandoah Valley Minstrels

05/26/16 - Shenandoah Valley Minstrels

Well, you picked the wrong night to miss a NMHS meeting. The Shenandoah Valley Minstrels put on quite a show. The 7 member group, formed in 2009, entertained our 35 guests with songs from the civil war/Victorian era. Each song, introduced by a different group member, provided details as to the author, popularity, and any background information as to its purpose or influence. The hour and a half show was extremely well received and I guarantee that we will ask the Shenandoah Valley Minstrels for a return visit.



03/31/16 - From the Rhine to the Shenandoah

03/31/16 - From the Rhine to the Shenandoah

In the Shenandoah Valley, many settlers in the 18th and early 19th centuries were German-speaking immigrants from various political entities of the Rhineland, especially Alsace, the Palatinate, and several Swiss cantons. They brought with them a unique culture that left a permanent imprint on the Shenandoah and made major contributions to the development of a new "American" culture. Dr. Daniel Bly helped us explore several basic questions about these people: who were they, and why did they leave their European homelands? Why did they choose to settle in the Shenandoah Valley? What is the legacy of these early German pioneers?

It was an extremely interesting and enjoyable evening.



01/28/16 - An Evening with John Rose

01/28/16 - An Evening with John Rose

On Thursday evening, January 28, after a delicious buffet dinner, 75 guests were treated to a look at the world of cartooning by John Rose, pictured above describing the work behind one of his editorial cartoons. During his presentation he walked the group through the Clinton, Bush and Obama years by displaying editorial cartoons published during their administration and the thoughts behind the creation of each one. He also shared some cartoons on current presidential candidates. John is also the artist behind the Snuffy Smith/Barney Google cartoons and shared some of those character drawings with details behind the work involved in drawing a newspaper comic strip.

It was an extremely interesting and enjoyable evening.

11/19/15 - What Makes a Virginia Quilt?

11/19/15 - What Makes a Virginia Quilt?

Our November meeting featured Neva Hart, a retired quilt appraiser who spends her time researching Virginia's Quilt History.

Through the use of slides, Neva showed how different regions of the state of Virginia have developed different motifs. She explained how to identify Virginia quilts and quilts made in our own Shenandoah Valley. She also detailed how local history can be uncovered by examining the contents and style of each quilt. Those attending will benefit from her experience and should be able to identify a locally made quilt.

The evening ended with refreshments and much conversation among the 25 attendees.

09/24/15 - New Market Remembers - Our Churches

09/24/15 - New Market Remembers - Our Churches

Our September meeting featured presentations detailing the history of two of our local churches.

The Rev. Brent Hockema, pictured on the left above, has been the pastor at Smith Creek Regular Baptist Church since June 1, 2008. Brent shared the history of the church since its beginning in 1756.

Richard Harkness, member of Manor Memorial United Methodist Church, pictured on the right, explained the growth of the New Market Methodist Episcopal Church founded about 1832 to the present day "United" Methodist Church.

The evening concluded with refreshments and much conversation among the 35 attendees.

07/23/15 - Annual Picnic at Endless Caverns

07/23/15 - Annual Picnic at Endless Caverns



Paul Murphy shown explaining the relationships between the Colonel Brown family, prior longtime owners of Endless Caverns, and the Woodrow Wilson family to the 34 picnic attendees at Endless Caverns. Paul is researching the Wilson/Brown history for an upcoming book.
Paul is the owner of the Rosedale Inn near Endless caverns.

05/28/15 - Shenandoah Valley Apples

05/28/15 - Shenandoah Valley Apples



Scott Jost, associate professor of art at Bridgewater College, answers a question during the Q & A session after his presentation on Thursday evening, May 28. Scott read from the oral histories of apple growers who live and work in the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge regions of Virginia. His presentation also included color photographs of the apple growers' orchards and workplaces. Scott also placed Virginia's apple industry in historical context and shared stories about the process of collecting oral histories and making photographs for his book Shenandoah Valley Apples.

03/26/15 - The Good Old Days: They Were Terrible!

03/26/15 - The Good Old Days: They Were Terrible!



On Thursday evening, March 26, Harrisonburg author Greg Owen extended the theme examined by Otto Bettman in his classic 1974 book "The Good Old Days - They Were Terrible". Greg guided about 40 guests through 55 slides depicting life in the Shenandoah Valley during the post civil war era, 1865-1900. He explained why the "good old days" were only good for a privileged few and unrelentingly hard for most valley residents.

It was an enlightening evening with a good time had by all.

01/22/15 - Dinner and a Movie

01/22/15 - Dinner and a Movie




The scene to the left from "Field of Lost Shoes" depicts the VMI cadets marching to battle in New Market. On Thursday evening, January 22, 94 guests attended the NMHS "Dinner and A Movie" event at the Quality Inn in New Market. After a delicious buffet and short business meeting the guests viewed the 2014 film "Field of Lost Shoes". The film follows 7 VMI cadets on their journey to the Battle of New Market and their actions on the actual field of lost shoes.

It was an enjoyable evening and a good time was had by all.

11/20/14 - "What's a woman doing here?"

11/20/14 - "What's a woman doing here?"

On Thursday evening, November 20, about 50 attendees listened to Donna Neary's presentation entitled "What's a woman doing here?".
Donna, a historical artist, NMHS Charter Member, and retired Lt. Colonel, detailed her distinguished career as a combat and field artist for the United States Marine Corps.
Donna displayed numerous examples of her commercial and historical artwork from children's books and many national magazines.
She also displayed artwork from her visit to South Korea, north of the Arctic Circle and Somalia.

Further information about Donna including a portfolio of her work can be viewed at her website at donnaneary.com.

09/25/14 - New Market Refections

09/25/14 - New Market Reflections

On Thursday evening, September 25, NMHS held their 2nd annual New Market Reflections meeting at the New Market Community Center (the old New Market School). Pictured is NMHS Program Director Jim Douglas, acting as panel moderator, addressing the audience of 75+ NMHS members and visitors.
The panel members, left to right, are Janet Dellinger, Blair Dellinger, Allen Johnson, and Henry Buhl, a last minute substitute for Pat Brumback who was unable to attend.

It is easy to say that a good time was had by all.

Click HERE to play an audio recording of that event.

07/24/14 - Annual Picnic - Shenandoah Caverns

07/24/14 - Annual Picnic - Shenandoah Caverns

On Thursday evening, July 24, NMHS held their annual picnic meeting at Shenandoah Caverns. After a tour of the American Celebration on Parade float museum, and a historical overview of Shenandoah Caverns by Joe Proctor, the group of approximately 30 sat down to enjoy a delicious pot-luck picnic.

05/22/14 - "The French and lndian War in Shenandoah County: Life on the lnner Frontier, 1752-1766"

05/22/14 - "The French and lndian War in Shenandoah County: Life on the lnner Frontier, 1752-1766"

Patrick Murphy addresses the attendees at our May 22 meeting providing details from his book “The French and lndian War in Shenandoah County: Life on the lnner Frontier, 1752-1766”. There were in the Valley no pitched battles, no classic sieges of fortified places, no lines of men opposing one another. The victims of the conflict were not soldiers, but old men, farmers, pregnant women, and children. Indian raids into the County were frequent and often horrendous. This reminded readers of this earlier and important period in Shenandoah County.

03/27/14 - a visit to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation at the Lee-Jackson Building (Hotel)

03/27/14 - a visit to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation at the Lee-Jackson Building (Hotel)

Terry Heder, Director of Interpretation and Communications for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation(SVBF), addresses the attendees at our March 27 meeting at the Lee-Jackson Building (Hotel), the SVBF headquarters. Terry and Janice Hannah, Donor Relations Manager, shared their knowledge of the history of the Lee-Jackson Building then detailed the SVBF's current programs, future programs, and future plans for the Lee-Jackson.

01/30/14 - Annual Dinner Meeting -"Come in and have a seat and some pie: A Survey of Seats and Safes of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia"

01/30/14 - Annual Dinner Meeting -"Come in and have a seat and some pie: A Survey of Seats and Safes of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia"

Jeffrey Evans has been professionally auctioneering since he was 12 years old. Over the years he has developed a business auctioning and appraising many fine arts developed here in the Shenandoah Valley. He has a special interest and expertise in chairs made in the Shenandoah Valley in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. He has also developed a special knowledge of pie/food safes designed and built in the Shenandoah Valley. Jeffrey will share photos as well as stories about chairs and pie/food safes.

11/21/13 - Railroads in the Shenandoah Valley presented by Bob Cohen

11/21/13 - Railroads in the Shenandoah Valley presented by Bob Cohen

Bob Cohen is in the middle of his presentation to 77 attendees on the history of the railroads that ran and run through the Shenandoah Valley.

09/24/13 - Gettysburg National Military Park Bus Trip

09/24/13 - Gettysburg National Military Park Bus Trip

About 25 history buffs boarded a bus and left New Market about 7 o'clock for the Gettsyburg National Military Park. NMHS Board Director Greg Bair shared his knowledge of the Battle of Gettsyburg and the civil war in general and led us on a day long tour of the park. It was quite an experience hearing about the numerous battles and skirmishes from a veteran of many Gettysburg reenactments. After dinner at General Pickett's Buffet we headed back to New Market arriving about 9 o'clock ending a great bus trip.