Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, December 16, 2009
Winners were announced December 5th for the Festival of Trees Christmas Tree Decorating Contest in the Andrew Johnston House. 
Judges Pete Ballard, Kay Baldwin, and Bonnie Butler chose three top prizes in the adult category. First prize went to the New River Red Hat Belles for their tree with purple and red decorations. The judges said that the tree represented having fun and clearly showed the enthusiasm of the group. The Pearisburg Garden Club won second place. The judges said the tree showed the heart of gardening in mountain areas and particularly liked the antique seed packets and the assorted gifts under the tree. Third place went to Pearisburg Junior Woman’s Club with the judges citing the importance of remembering our service men and women at Christmas time and all year around. The judges were unanimous in awarding special recognition to Girl Scout Troops 2286, 767, and 110 with their tree representing the Girl Scouts of the United States. The tree features a gold star, lights, and ribbon representing the Girl Scout Gold Award; daisies representing Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts and namesake for the first level of Girl Scouts, the Daisies; white pearls representing the set of pearls Ms. Low sold in 1912 to start and finance the Girl Scouts; and ornaments of famous women in history. The thought and creativity in the Girl Scout’s tree make it eye catching and informative to all.
An exhibit of antique toys complements the tree exhibit. Toys have historically helped children to mimic the activities of adults. Trains, dolls, tea sets, trucks, and hobby horses all help children to pretend they are adults and learn how the larger world operates. While today’s toys are childproof and often imagination-free, the antique trucks and trains on display were made of cast iron, metal, and wood and dolls had porcelain heads and handmade clothing. Children learned to cherish the few toys they had and their vivid imaginations invented worlds of play. Bring the family to see the exhibit and share your childhood with them!
Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, November 25, 2009
Though it seems that Christmas is thrust upon us earlier and earlier each year, Thanksgiving is the traditional start of the holiday season. Family, friends, festivities, and food are all front and foremost this time of year. What would Thanksgiving be without turkey, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and any number of other family favorites? And Thanksgiving leads into Christmas cookie season: gingerbread men (and women), sugar cookies, linzer, shortbread, molasses – oh my!
By all accounts, the last family member to live in the Andrew Johnston House, Dr. Harvey Green Johnston II’s wife, Marjorie Johnston, was a wonderful cook. The kitchen that you see in the house today is the kitchen she expanded in the 1940s to provide more space for cooking, baking, and visiting with friends and family. Many of the cabinets and drawers are still filled with Mrs. Johnston’s dishes, cookware, and utensils. There is even a junk drawer! Fortunately for us, her cookbooks and recipe boxes are in one of the cabinets as well so we can try some of her favorite recipes.
Just in time for Christmas, the cookbook, A Taste of History: Favorite Recipes from the Giles County Historical Society, will tempt your taste buds with recipes from Mrs. Johnston and current and past members of the Historical Society. Historical Society board member, Ellen Woodyard, the driving force behind the cookbook project, included a number of Mrs. Johnston’s recipes in the book. With over 280 recipes, there is sure to be a recipe that can become a new holiday tradition in your house this year!
Stop by our Museum Shop to purchase your copy or use the order form at our website.
Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, November 18, 2009
Earlier this year, Giles County Historical Society was the recipient of a Museum Assessment Program (MAP) grant from the American Association of Museums (AAM) and the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences (IMLS). The focus of the MAP grant has been on a Collections Management Assessment. The Historical Society contains a variety of collections representing different facets of Giles County history. From books, letters, and tax records to furnishings, clothing, and a hearse, the collections of the Historical Society are widely varied in size, shape, and other characteristics. Each provides a different challenge for care, exhibits, and management. The Collections Management Assessment focuses on collections policies, planning, access, documentation, and care within the context of the Historical Society’s total operations.
The first step of the MAP process was a self study. The Historical Society completed this very thorough 60-page study in August which included questions about how the collections are used, how items are accepted into the collection, collections care, and institutional governance. The questions were thought-provoking and helped identify strengths and weaknesses in our current collections management policies.
The second step of the MAP process is a peer review. Ms. Lee Langston-Harrison, the Executive Director of the Museum of Culpeper History will visit the Giles County Historical Society on November 18th and 19th critically review the Historical Society’s operations from a fresh perspective. She has reviewed the Historical Society’s self assessment and other documents and will visit all four buildings – the Andrew Johnston House, Doctor’s Office, Research Office, and Museum – and interview staff and volunteers about collections issues. Once Langston-Harrison’s review is complete, she will write an Assessment Report which summarizes the visit and makes recommendations for change.
The third step of the MAP process will be for the Historical Society to incorporate the self assessment and peer assessment information into our planning process. The information will help the Historical Society to formulate goals and strategies to improve its collections management and focus grant writing and fundraising activities for several years to come.
Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, November 11, 2009
While visitors typically come to the Historical Society to discover the historical treasures hidden inside of the buildings, one of the things that lures them to the site are the grounds and landscaping. The Andrew Johnston House sits in the shade of old maple trees, its front walkway flanked by boxwoods like those that surround the Doctor’s Office. The dogwood trees between the house and museum show their flowers in spring and red leaves in fall. Flower gardens bloom with bulbs in spring and fall and annual and perennial flowers in summer. Love and Alex Witten’s Rose Garden provides an explosion of color in spring and fall. 
One particular corner of the Historical Society’s grounds between the parking lot and the Doctor’s Office could not be described with such superlatives. Members of Pearisburg Boy Scout Troop 34 earned community service hours and learned a valuable life lesson by volunteering their time and energy on November 5 to plant trees, shrubs and perennial flowers at the Giles County Historical Society. “Part of being a Boy Scout is giving back to the community,” explains troop committee chair Brian Squibb. The new greenery was donated to the Historical Society by the Pearisburg Garden Club to help landscape an unsightly hillside at the edge of the Society’s property. Next Spring will bear witness to the scouts’ hard work, with a profusion of rhododendron, daffodil and iris blossoms.
Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, November 4, 2009
Apple and pumpkin are ingredients in many of the comfort foods of fall. Apple pie, pumpkin bread, apple streusel, pumpkin pie, apple sauce, pumpkin butter, and apple butter are all fall flavors that most of us look forward to. 
Apple cider is another distinctly fall flavor - not the apple cider found in today’s grocery stores that has been pasteurized to within an inch of its life, but the good, old fashioned apple cider that retains the flavors of the apples, the outdoors, and the cider mill itself.
At the Historical Society, there is an old-fashioned cider mill on display that once belonged to C. A. Lucas’ father, James C. Lucas, and was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Winston. To make cider with the mill, apples were placed whole or cored into the wooden hopper at the top of the mill. The mill’s crank was turned by hand to grind the apples. Apple pulp including the skin and seeds, dropped from the bottom of the mill into a slatted, bottomless tub. When the tub was full, it was moved to the other side of the mill where a disk fitted with a large screw mechanism was placed on the tub. As the screw was turned by a crank, the disk pressed the juice out of the apple pulp. The resulting cider escaped through a hole in the bottom of the mill into jugs or other containers. Two people could work the mill at once with one making the apple pulp and the other squeezing the juice from the pulp.
The flavor of the cider varied depending on the type of apples used and the length of time that the cider aged after milling. Unfortunately, today there are concerns about bacteria in apple cider so it is pasteurized to make it safe for general consumption and inhibit fermentation caused by bacteria growth which removes some of the intensity of the apple flavoring. Apple cider is filtered to make apple juice, removing any of the remaining pulp and creating a sweeter, and further reducing the intensity of the apple flavoring.
Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, October 28, 2009
The leaves are turning, the air is getting chillier, and its time to start thinking about Christmas! This year’s Christmas at the Johnston House will be a true community event. The Giles County Historical Society, Olde Towne Pearisburg, and the Giles Arts Council would like to invite your organization or civic, community, or church group to decorate a tree in our 
Christmas Tree Decorating Contest. Trees will be judged on creativity and imagination and first, second, and third place will be awarded. There will be a junior award for schools and youth organizations.
All trees will be on display in the Andrew Johnston House from December 6th through 31st during regular operating hours. Because space is limited to 16 trees in the House, we ask that you return an entry form indicating your intentions to decorate a tree. Entry forms are available on our website, by e-mail, or by stopping by the Historical Society. Contest rules and set up procedures are on the entry form.
The Historical Society is planning an exhibit of antique toys in the Johnston House to complement the Christmas trees. Please contact us if you have a toy that is at least 50 years old that you would like to loan for the month of December.
We look forward to the community helping us make this a memorable holiday event!
Discover Giles County Historical Society article from the Virginian Leader, October 21, 2009
Did your grandmother tat, but you never learned? Have you seen tatting kits in stores and been intrigued? Is tatting something you’ve heard of, but aren’t quite sure what it is? Now is your chance to learn the art of tatting! 
The next offering in the Giles Arts Council and Giles County Historical Society Needle Arts Class series is Shuttle Tatting, taught by Bernie Cossell on November 6th and 13th from 1:30 to 3:00 pm at the Historical Society.
Like other crafts based around knotting, tatting began with fishermen’s knots: large shuttles were used to weave heavy rope into fishing nets 2,000 years ago. Other knots were used in the rigging of sails and to secure anchors. Later, the same ideas were translated to yarns then finer threads to create fine lace used to embellish the clothing of royalty. During the Victorian period and into the mid-20th century, tatting was used to edge linens and to make table covers and chair linens.
A tatting shuttle is used to make tiny knots around a central thread. Loops are connected to loops and picots in various ways to make a heavy lace that is often used as an edging or an overlay on fabric. Tatting shuttles today are often plastic, but in the past were made from wood, hand-carved ivory, or precious metals. The shuttle and thread are small enough that tatting can be done anywhere, making it a very portable craft.
Call or e-mail the Historical Society to register for the Shuttle Tatting Class and learn this decorative craft!
Judges Pete Ballard, Kay Baldwin, and Bonnie Butler chose three top prizes in the adult category. First prize went to the New River Red Hat Belles for their tree with purple and red decorations. The judges said that the tree represented having fun and clearly showed the enthusiasm of the group. The Pearisburg Garden Club won second place. The judges said the tree showed the heart of gardening in mountain areas and particularly liked the antique seed packets and the assorted gifts under the tree. Third place went to Pearisburg Junior Woman’s Club with the judges citing the importance of remembering our service men and women at Christmas time and all year around. 
An exhibit of antique toys complements the tree exhibit. Toys have historically helped children to mimic the activities of adults. Trains, dolls, tea sets, trucks, and hobby horses all help children to pretend they are adults and learn how the larger world operates. While today’s toys are childproof and often imagination-free, the antique trucks and trains on display were made of cast iron, metal, and wood and dolls had porcelain heads and handmade clothing. Children learned to cherish the few toys they had and their vivid imaginations invented worlds of play. Bring the family to see the exhibit and share your childhood with them! 
