Wednesday, October 12, 2011
High Praise From A Yankee Officer
In May 1862, the doctor's office was used as a headquarters by the 23rd Ohio Regiment, which included future presidents Lt. Col. Rutherford B. Hayes and Sgt. William McKinley. During his stay in Pearisburg, Hayes remarked that "This is a lovely spot, a fine clean village, most beautiful country, polite and well educated people"-- This is a high praise From a yankee officer.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
"The Battle Of Giles Court House"
We are planning on "The Battle Of Giles Court House" for June 9th & 10th, 2012. This commemorates the 150th anniversary of the battle. Our theme is "The Yankees Are Coming!" Planning is well underway by the Giles County Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee for a fun filled weekend. The events will be listed at a later date.
While waiting for that momentous day, the historical society has other events planned to mark the sesquecentennial. On December 3, 2011, we will be hosting a "Civil War Christmas By Candlemark" at the Andrew Johnston House. You are invited to join Dr. Harvey Green Johnston, his young wife Annie, their children and their friends as they celebrate Christmas in 1864.
In April 2012, "Gone With The Wind" comes to town with an exhibit of six Scarlett O'Hara and Mammy costume dolls that is created by costume historian and conservator Pete Ballard. You'll see Scarlett O'Hara's famouse gown that was made from the draperies at Tara, and catch a glimpse of Mammy's saucy red satin petticoat.
Please feel free to stop by to see the wonderful artifacts, documents, and genealogical researchers. If you have any questions please call (540)921-1050. The hours Wed-Fri from 12-5 p.m. and Sat-Sun from 2-5 p.m. Our Web site is www.gilescountyhistorical.org We are also on facebook and twitter.
While waiting for that momentous day, the historical society has other events planned to mark the sesquecentennial. On December 3, 2011, we will be hosting a "Civil War Christmas By Candlemark" at the Andrew Johnston House. You are invited to join Dr. Harvey Green Johnston, his young wife Annie, their children and their friends as they celebrate Christmas in 1864.
In April 2012, "Gone With The Wind" comes to town with an exhibit of six Scarlett O'Hara and Mammy costume dolls that is created by costume historian and conservator Pete Ballard. You'll see Scarlett O'Hara's famouse gown that was made from the draperies at Tara, and catch a glimpse of Mammy's saucy red satin petticoat.
Please feel free to stop by to see the wonderful artifacts, documents, and genealogical researchers. If you have any questions please call (540)921-1050. The hours Wed-Fri from 12-5 p.m. and Sat-Sun from 2-5 p.m. Our Web site is www.gilescountyhistorical.org We are also on facebook and twitter.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Join Us at ShopForMuseums.com
There is a great website out there called ShopForMuseums.com who has made connections with hundreds of on-line retailers who make a donation on a museum's behalf each time you make a purchase through the ShopForMuseums website.
Here's how it works:
Here's how it works:
- Go to www.shopformuseums.com
- Register for a free account
- Under "Search Stores" enter the name of the museum you'd like to support (which is, of course, "Giles County Historical Society")
- You can then either "Search Stores" with the name of your favorite on-line store, or "View All Stores" to see what stores are available. There's everything there from 1-800-PetMeds to Advanced Auto Parts to Amazon.com to iTunes to JoAnn's Fabrics to OfficeMax.
- The store listing shows how much each store will donate to the museum of your choice (which is, of course, Giles County Historical Society). Donations vary from 1% of the cost of your purchase to 25% depending on the store! A donation is made to the Virginia Association of Museums as well.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Come to Glen Alton for the Quarterly Meeting, October 10th at 3pm
All are invited to the Giles County Historical Society quarterly meeting on Sunday, October 10th at 3pm at Glen Alton. Glen Alton is a U.S. Forest Service property in Jefferson National Forest and is located up Big Stony Creek, off of Route 635. Signs from U.S. 460 lead directly to the site. The quarterly meeting will feature a tour and presentation about the newly renovated and restored Glen Alton property given by Forest Ranger, Sheryl Lyles. After the presentation, guests may explore the grounds and enjoy refreshments.
Glen Alton was owned by Mr. C. A. Lucas, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Giles County from 1933 to 1965. Mr. Lucas and his wife, Evangeline, lived in Pembroke and considered Glen Alton to be their summer place. The lodge, or main house that has recently been restored and furnished for the time period, is the original log structure that was on the site at the time Lucas purchased the property. A caretaker’s cottage, barns, sheds, a mill, a fish pond, and other structures were built on the site to accommodate Mr. Lucas’ interests in farming and growing grapes and apples.
This summer’s ribbon cutting at Glen Alton by Cong. Rick Boucher celebrated the completion of the restoration of the lodge and grounds. Come to the Giles County Historical Society’s quarterly meeting at Glen Alton on Sunday, October 10th at 3pm and see the restoration, explore the grounds, walk the trails, and enjoy the wildlife of this treasure in our own backyard.
Glen Alton was owned by Mr. C. A. Lucas, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Giles County from 1933 to 1965. Mr. Lucas and his wife, Evangeline, lived in Pembroke and considered Glen Alton to be their summer place. The lodge, or main house that has recently been restored and furnished for the time period, is the original log structure that was on the site at the time Lucas purchased the property. A caretaker’s cottage, barns, sheds, a mill, a fish pond, and other structures were built on the site to accommodate Mr. Lucas’ interests in farming and growing grapes and apples.
This summer’s ribbon cutting at Glen Alton by Cong. Rick Boucher celebrated the completion of the restoration of the lodge and grounds. Come to the Giles County Historical Society’s quarterly meeting at Glen Alton on Sunday, October 10th at 3pm and see the restoration, explore the grounds, walk the trails, and enjoy the wildlife of this treasure in our own backyard.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Miracles on the Nars'
Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, September 15, 2010
The Giles County Historical Society is fortunate to have Drs. Harvey Green Johnston I and II’s Doctor’s Office on the property to interpret the history of medicine in the county. 
Throughout the years, patients’ relationship with their doctors has changed nearly as much as medicine has. In earlier times, before telephones and ambulances if someone was ill, they would send a family member or friend to fetch the doctor who would come to the patient’s house, often on horseback or by horse and wagon, his medical bag in tow to treat the illness. The medical bag would be filled with different types of medicines (many of which are known to be highly toxic today), needles, a stethoscope, and other equipment that could be used for diagnosis and treatment. Doctors had different bags for different house calls – birthing a baby was different from treating pneumonia.
Dr. Richard M. Newton has written a book, Miracles on the Nars, about his father, Dr. Maury Newton, Sr.’s, experiences making house calls as a doctor in Narrows. Dr. Newton, Jr. reminisced about his father’s practice as the featured speaker at the Historical Society’s Annual Meeting in January with stories about driving the backroads in sometimes unreliable vehicles, payments in forms other than cash, and the many interesting cases he had over the years.
There are many in the county who remember Dr. Newton, Sr. fondly or were brought into the world by his caring hands. Dr. Newton's book is available at the Giles County Historical Society and the Narrows Gift Shop and Art Gallery at 302 Main Street in Narrows.
Caption: Dr. Maury Newton’s medical cabinet is on display in the Doctor’s Office at the Giles County Historical Society. Inside are doctor’s bags used by several of the early doctors in Giles County to treat patients at their homes when health care was much simpler than today.
Throughout the years, patients’ relationship with their doctors has changed nearly as much as medicine has. In earlier times, before telephones and ambulances if someone was ill, they would send a family member or friend to fetch the doctor who would come to the patient’s house, often on horseback or by horse and wagon, his medical bag in tow to treat the illness. The medical bag would be filled with different types of medicines (many of which are known to be highly toxic today), needles, a stethoscope, and other equipment that could be used for diagnosis and treatment. Doctors had different bags for different house calls – birthing a baby was different from treating pneumonia.Dr. Richard M. Newton has written a book, Miracles on the Nars, about his father, Dr. Maury Newton, Sr.’s, experiences making house calls as a doctor in Narrows. Dr. Newton, Jr. reminisced about his father’s practice as the featured speaker at the Historical Society’s Annual Meeting in January with stories about driving the backroads in sometimes unreliable vehicles, payments in forms other than cash, and the many interesting cases he had over the years.
There are many in the county who remember Dr. Newton, Sr. fondly or were brought into the world by his caring hands. Dr. Newton's book is available at the Giles County Historical Society and the Narrows Gift Shop and Art Gallery at 302 Main Street in Narrows.
Caption: Dr. Maury Newton’s medical cabinet is on display in the Doctor’s Office at the Giles County Historical Society. Inside are doctor’s bags used by several of the early doctors in Giles County to treat patients at their homes when health care was much simpler than today.
School Days!
Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, August 18, 2010
The lessons learned in classrooms of the past were far different than those of today. Children are prepared for a world filled with technology and transportation and often visit the foreign countries whose languages they learn. In 1883, Giles County had about 2,217 children enrolled in 54 schools with 54 teachers making a little over $20 per month. The multitude of schools reflected a smaller world. The widespread population of the county and the difficulty of travel from one area to another made it necessary to locate schools near the students.
Classrooms looked different, with rows of wooden desks holding each students books and supplies and a place for the ink well. The seat of one desk was attached to the desk of the student in front, so classrooms seldom deviated from the row format. A blackboard and pot-bellied stove often rounded out the room’s décor.
Old school books seem quaint today, but reflect the agricultural roots of the community and a different way of life. The following word problems were in an 1848 arithmetic book:
“In a pile of wood, 96 feet long, 5 feet high, and 4 feet wide, how many cords?”
“How many yards of cloth are there in 19 pieces; each piece containing 27 yd. 3qr. 2na.?”
An 1858 English grammar book conjugates the regular verb “to love” in the singular, second person, present tense as “thou lovest” and third person, present tense as “he loveth.” A 1920 geography book has 48 states and very different countries and borders in Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa than those students learn about today. Old encyclopedia sets are much smaller than the world we can Google today.
Though a lot of the information in old books seems quaint today, we all could learn from the qualities on which a 1930s student was graded: trustworthiness, respect, careful use of materials, politeness, consideration, preparedness, and refraining from unnecessary talking.
The lessons learned in classrooms of the past were far different than those of today. Children are prepared for a world filled with technology and transportation and often visit the foreign countries whose languages they learn. In 1883, Giles County had about 2,217 children enrolled in 54 schools with 54 teachers making a little over $20 per month. The multitude of schools reflected a smaller world. The widespread population of the county and the difficulty of travel from one area to another made it necessary to locate schools near the students.
Classrooms looked different, with rows of wooden desks holding each students books and supplies and a place for the ink well. The seat of one desk was attached to the desk of the student in front, so classrooms seldom deviated from the row format. A blackboard and pot-bellied stove often rounded out the room’s décor.Old school books seem quaint today, but reflect the agricultural roots of the community and a different way of life. The following word problems were in an 1848 arithmetic book:
“In a pile of wood, 96 feet long, 5 feet high, and 4 feet wide, how many cords?”
“How many yards of cloth are there in 19 pieces; each piece containing 27 yd. 3qr. 2na.?”
An 1858 English grammar book conjugates the regular verb “to love” in the singular, second person, present tense as “thou lovest” and third person, present tense as “he loveth.” A 1920 geography book has 48 states and very different countries and borders in Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa than those students learn about today. Old encyclopedia sets are much smaller than the world we can Google today.
Though a lot of the information in old books seems quaint today, we all could learn from the qualities on which a 1930s student was graded: trustworthiness, respect, careful use of materials, politeness, consideration, preparedness, and refraining from unnecessary talking.
No, We Aren't Selling the Collections
Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, August 11, 2010
The Giles County Historical Society periodically receives questions about whether we are going to sell items that people have donated to us. These questions usually come when the news features a story about a prominent museum selling portions of their collections or the economy is bad. Because the Historical Society will be having a Rummage Sale on Saturday, August 14th from 8am to noon, now seemed an appropriate time to publically address this topic. Items sold will be those donated by Historical Society members specifically for the Rummage Sale. No items from the Historical Society’s collections will be sold.
The proposed sale of art from Randolph College’s Maier Museum of Art brought the issue of selling museum collections to the forefront. In this instance, it was proposed that the art be sold to help the financial situation of the college. Controversy ensued because the art was purchased with money donated for the purpose of furthering student’s art education. Sale of the pieces violated public trust and museum ethics, as well as the intent of the donation. Museum employees quit over the decision to sell the art, lawsuits were brought against the college, and alumni stopped donating. The proposed art sale became international news.
The flare up came because a museum holds its collections in trust for the public it serves and has the duty to preserve and protect these collections and use them for the good of the public. For a museum to remain an effective steward of its collections, it must maintain the confidence of the public. While it is legal to remove items from a museum’s collection for which the museum has clear title, such deaccessioning must be done ethically and professionally. Reasons for deacessioning include weeding duplicates from collections, eliminating items that do not match the museum’s collections plan, or removing items that are irrevocably damaged or too costly to preserve. An example of the latter is the recent auction held by the Town of Pulaski to sell items from the Raymond F. Ratcliffe Memorial Museum that were damaged by fire. No removal of items from collections should be done without extensive review and consideration. Efforts should be made to transfer items removed from the collections to another museum so that they are still available to the public. If that is not feasible, items should be auctioned in a transparent and public manner with proceeds going to acquisition or care of collections.
Though you may find some treasures at Saturday’s Rummage Sale, rest assured that the Giles County Historical Society is an ethical institution and will not be selling any items from its collections!
The Giles County Historical Society periodically receives questions about whether we are going to sell items that people have donated to us. These questions usually come when the news features a story about a prominent museum selling portions of their collections or the economy is bad. Because the Historical Society will be having a Rummage Sale on Saturday, August 14th from 8am to noon, now seemed an appropriate time to publically address this topic. Items sold will be those donated by Historical Society members specifically for the Rummage Sale. No items from the Historical Society’s collections will be sold.
The proposed sale of art from Randolph College’s Maier Museum of Art brought the issue of selling museum collections to the forefront. In this instance, it was proposed that the art be sold to help the financial situation of the college. Controversy ensued because the art was purchased with money donated for the purpose of furthering student’s art education. Sale of the pieces violated public trust and museum ethics, as well as the intent of the donation. Museum employees quit over the decision to sell the art, lawsuits were brought against the college, and alumni stopped donating. The proposed art sale became international news.
The flare up came because a museum holds its collections in trust for the public it serves and has the duty to preserve and protect these collections and use them for the good of the public. For a museum to remain an effective steward of its collections, it must maintain the confidence of the public. While it is legal to remove items from a museum’s collection for which the museum has clear title, such deaccessioning must be done ethically and professionally. Reasons for deacessioning include weeding duplicates from collections, eliminating items that do not match the museum’s collections plan, or removing items that are irrevocably damaged or too costly to preserve. An example of the latter is the recent auction held by the Town of Pulaski to sell items from the Raymond F. Ratcliffe Memorial Museum that were damaged by fire. No removal of items from collections should be done without extensive review and consideration. Efforts should be made to transfer items removed from the collections to another museum so that they are still available to the public. If that is not feasible, items should be auctioned in a transparent and public manner with proceeds going to acquisition or care of collections.
Though you may find some treasures at Saturday’s Rummage Sale, rest assured that the Giles County Historical Society is an ethical institution and will not be selling any items from its collections!
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