A Celebration of the Needle Arts Show - May 30th

Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, May 19, 2010

For the last several years, the Giles County Historical Society and Giles Arts Council have been collaborating on a series of Needle Arts Classes. The classes have helped us learn of the many talented artists in the area who create beautiful works with the simplest of implements: a needle and thread. Are you one of those talented artists or do you have a collection of vintage needle arts such as appliqué, counted cross stitch, crewel embroidery, crochet, dressmaking, drawn work, embroidery, hand smocking, handmade dolls, huck weaving, knitting, lace making, needlepoint, plastic canvas, samplers, or tatting?

We are in search of exhibitors for A Celebration of the Needle Arts Show on May 30th from 1pm to 5pm in the Andrew Johnston House with a “sneak peek” on May 29th from 12pm to 5pm during Living History Day. Sorry, no quilts for this show. Registration forms are available on our website: www.gilescountyhistorical.org or at the Historical Society and are due May 21st.

A Celebration of the Needle Arts Show will feature the works of Betty Bales, a local needle artist who enjoys learning new skills and honing old ones. Betty is a self-taught artist who has been sewing since grade school. When she sees a technique she is unfamiliar with, she teaches herself. Her works show the breadth of her enjoyment of all things needle arts.

On Sunday, May 30th, the show will feature a presentation by Missy Barnhart on “Decluttering Your Fiber Arts Life” at 1:30pm and 3:30pm. Needle arts demonstrators will be located throughout the house showing bobbin lacing, embroidery, knitting, and crochet. The show’s youngest needle arts demonstrator is Casey Wilburn who will be working on her third Angel embroidery block. She makes these blocks as gifts for important people in her life. Like many 10-year-olds, Casey enjoys many sports, likes school, and is a straight A student.

If you don’t do needle arts yourself or haven’t in a while, plan to come to A Celebration of the Needle Arts Show and get inspired!

Have Tea With Us at the Palisades Restaurant on May 16th at 3pm

Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, May 5, 2010

The Giles County Historical Society invites you to join us for tea and goodies (at your own expense) at The Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston on Sunday, May 16th at 3:00pm for our Quarterly Meeting. Guests will learn about the history of Eggleston while enjoying good company and good food in one of Eggleston’s historic buildings. Where Mary Draper Ingles was found on her return from Indian captivity and once home to a mineral springs resort and depots for the Virginian and Norfolk & Western Railways, Eggleston’s history is wide and varied.

The Palisades Restaurant is located in the C. C. Whittaker store, built in 1926. The general store sold all types of merchandise from fabric to dishes to animal feed to gasoline to shoes to meat and produce. Daley Stafford’s Chevrolet dealership was built next door in 1929 with an automobile showroom and garage. A doctor and the post office were located in the store, as well, providing a one-stop shopping experience. Known as the Q. M. Pyne Store since the 1930s, the store remained open until Gladys Dowdy’s death in 2000.

At one time, the building was one of 6 stores in Eggleston. Today, the building’s history is recognized by its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Come to the Historical Society’s Quarterly Meeting on May 16th and enjoy a long-time Eggleston meeting place.

May Day!

Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, April 28, 2010

May 1st is a traditional day of celebration throughout the world. Celebrations differ by country, but are related to the end of winter and the coming of summer. Many remember making May baskets as a traditional May Day activity. Someone would leave a brightly decorated May basket on a neighbor’s porch, ring the bell, and run away. If the basket receiver caught the basket giver, the giver owed the receiver a kiss.

Maypole dances were another way to celebrate the day. A tall pole was decorated with flowers, garlands, and brightly colored ribbons attached to the top of the pole. Dancers held the ribbons while they danced in a circle around the pole. The ribbons intertwined, creating a web around the pole.

May Day is also known as International Worker’s Day and is celebrated by labor organizations who used the day to fight for an 8-hour work day. The day is associated with the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago when over a dozen people were killed during a strike and ensuing riot. For these reasons, May Day has become a day for political and government protest for some.

Many also recognize mayday as an international distress signal like S.O.S. This meaning has nothing to do with May 1st, but instead comes from the French phrase, “venez m’aider”, meaning “come and help me.”

In the museum world, Heritage Preservation - the National Institute for Conservation (www.heritagepreservation.org), has combined May 1st May Day with venez m’aider mayday to highlight the need to save our collective heritage. Archives, libraries, museums, and arts and historic preservation organizations set aside May 1st as MayDay, an initiative to protect cultural heritage from disasters. Disasters can range from natural disasters to crimes and encompass anything that could potentially damage our collective history including buildings, archaeological sites, documents, books, artifacts, battlefields, and landscapes. Every day as we work at the Giles County Historical Society, we are mindful of the stewardship of our collections and mitigating risk to our collective heritage. The earthquake in Haiti, the hurricanes in New Orleans, and Giles County’s recent flooding are all examples of how fragile our heritage is and how important the observance of MayDay is to protect our cultural heritage.