Harrisonburg`s Town Clock

THE HERITAGE MUSEUM NEWSLETTER
Home of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society
Published Quarterly by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society
Volume 37, No. 4
Fall 2015
Harrisonburg’s Town Clock
And Some Issues with the Fifth Courthouse
By Dale MacAllister
A Town Clock on the County Courthouse
As early as 1868 the editor of the Rockingham Register called for a town clock to be installed in the
Courthouse. He mentioned that the only sound indicating time in the town was a factory steam whistle that
blew three times a day. The presence of a central public clock was a tradition that followed Europeans to
the New World. By the mid-19th century mass production made clocks accessible to towns across the country. The Seth Thomas and E. Howard Clock companies were the primary manufacturers.
The fourth Rockingham County Courthouse, built
in 1874, had a cupola that was suitable for housing a
clock. Harrisonburg Town Council ordered a tower
Rockingham County Fourth Courthouse, 1874-1896, with
telegraph office in the foreground.
clock from Howard Watch & Clock Co. of Boston
(later, the E. Howard & Co.). The clock arrived in
Harrisonburg in mid-February 1875 and was installed
without delay. The Register touted it as the finest
clock in the Shenandoah Valley.
Excluding its bell, the tower clock weighed 3,700
lbs. The bell was an additional 814 lbs. It had a 12foot pendulum weighing 75 lbs., a striking weight of
1,800 lbs., and a running weight of 400 lbs. The
weight cord was 130 feet long. The clock’s four dials
were 5 feet 9 inches in diameter with faces painted
black and numerals and hands gilded with gold. The
hour hand was 2 feet long, and the minute hand was 2
feet 9 inches. The works installation was supervised
by William H. Ritenour, Harrisonburg watch repairman and clock maker, who had ordered the clock
mechanism from the Boston company. The clock was
wound using a windlass, a hand-cranked mechanism
that raised the running weight.
The massive weights for the clock broke free from
their cords at least twice. The more dangerous incident
occurred in February 1888 when two of the heavy
weights separated from their ropes and plunged
through all the floors of the Courthouse, one of them
lodging in the earth. Remarkably, no one was injured
in the accident.
Preparation for a New Courthouse
By the 1890s the Rockingham Board of Supervisors understood they needed to replace the Courthouse. By the middle of May 1896, about a dozen bids
had been received from companies desiring to tear
down and clear away the old Courthouse, as well as
the separate Clerk’s Office building on the northwest
corner of the courtyard. The bids ranged from $650 to
$1,175. William C. McAllister, a prominent Harrisonburg builder, was awarded the contract for the low bid.
The iron fence and plank walk surrounding the courtyard and the brick pavement at the Courthouse were
also cleared away. Emanuel Royer chopped down a
dozen or so large trees from around the Courthouse to
allow for construction.
The two clerks were relocated to Town Council
Chambers until the new Courthouse was in place and
open. The county clerk would use the ground floor,
See Town Clock, continued on page 4.
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Trustees
L. J. Purcell, Chairman
Irvin Hess, Vice-Chairman
George Homan, Treasurer
Dana Fenner, Secretary
Charlie Collette
Wes Graves
Nathan Miller
Mike Way
David Ehrenpreis
Lisa Hawkins
Lew Taylor
David Wood
Resident Historian
Dale MacAllister
HRHS Staff
Executive Director: Penny Imeson
Administrator: Margaret Hotchner
Staff: Amy Kiracofe, Juanita Wysong
Museum Assistant: Tom Knight
The Heritage Museum Hours
Monday—Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Closed on Sundays from November until April
Office closed on Saturday and Sunday
Telephone: (540) 879-2616
Email: [email protected]
ValleyHeritageMuseum.org
HeritageMuseumStore.com
2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Tuesday, December 1st, Volunteer Luncheon
Saturday, December 5th, Open House, 11a - 3p
Open House. Free admission, light refreshments,
and bookstore discounts.
Thursday, January 21st, 7 pm: Remembering
Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge Heritage Project
with Bill Henry and Craig Lam, free.
Thursday, February 18th, 7 pm: "
The Archaeology of Shenandoah Valley Native Americans: Deep
Time and History with Carole Nash, free.
Thursday, March 17th, 7 pm: The Kentucky Rifle
in the Shenandoah Valley, with Frank Kobilis, free.
Thursday, April 21st, 7 pm: TBD
Thursday, May 19th, 7 pm: Researching Genealogy (topic to be confirmed) with Dorothy BoydBragg, free.
Thursday, June 16th, 7 pm: Notes on Some Shenandoah Valley Folks in the Civil War with Irvin
Hess, free.
PROGRAMS AWAITING FINAL SCHEDULING:
Highlights of Courthouse Restoration,
with Chaz Haywood.
The Textile Art of Coverlets, with
Kathleen Curtis Wilson.
Programs are a wonderful way to introduce
potential new members to The Heritage Museum.
Share the dates! Bring a friend along!
Newsletter Submission Deadlines
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
January 22
April 22
July 22
October 21
Our Wish List
All articles are subject to editing. We reserve the right
not to use unsolicited feature articles. Genealogical
queries welcome.
Submissions may be emailed to
[email protected]
or mailed to HRHS, P.O. Box 716, Dayton VA 22821
Page 2
Volume 37, No. 4
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
THE HOLIDAYS ARE FAST APPROACHING!
Please remember that The Heritage Museum
needs your year-end support!
Return membership renewals without delay.
Contribute to the Annual Fund to support
preservation and educational programming.
Purchase gift memberships or bookstore gift
certificates for friends and family members.
Offer a financial contribution when donating your
personal treasures to Collections of archives and
artifacts at The Heritage Museum.
Every gift is essential and appreciated!
Thank you.
As I read letters and diaries,
people come alive to me. I love to
know how they lived, what life was
like for them. This is what I love
about my volunteer work at the
Museum.—Karen Craun, HRHS
Volunteer of the Year 2015
Would you like to read the newsletter in color?
Digital subscribers receive a color copy
and help lower HRHS operating costs.
Please send Margaret an email
if you would like to switch:
[email protected]
A Warm Welcome
To Our New Members
Fletcher & Kay Bingham, Bridgewater, VA
Lois C. Bonwell, Toms River, NJ
Karen Connor, Annandale, VA
Donel & Linda Davis, Yuma, AZ
Stan Farthing, Weyers Cave, VA
Patricia A. Ferguson, Williamsburg, VA
Barbara Forster, Oregon City, OR
Harriet B. Grubb, Herndon, VA
Tami Johnson, Woodbridge, VA
Holly Johnson, Nevis, MN
Jennifer Jones, Midlothian, VA
Steve Layman, Bridgewater, VA
Jeff & Nancy Lemich, Columbia, MD
Dorothy M. Moore, Valdez, AK
James P. Morisey, Oriskany, NY
Lesli Shaver, Plattsburg, MO
Robert & Connie Thompson, Kilmarnock, VA
Jane Van de Vaarst, Woodbridge, VA
Sandra K. Wallace, Huntington, WV
The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum,
Allentown, PA
Do you have history in your will? In addition to being one of the simplest ways to distribute your estate, your
will can be a creative vehicle through which you can make a deductible gift to the Historical Society. Many
donors may be concerned about having sufficient assets to last the remainder of their lifetimes. For this reason,
bequests in wills allow for a gift of all or some of the assets left after life. We recommend that you discuss
your plans with your professional advisor. Including a gift to HRHS will be of lasting significance.
Do you belong to a local club or organization? Executive Director Penny Imeson continues to share the
mission and activities of The Heritage Museum. She will be delighted to speak to your group too! Your
program coordinator will appreciate the suggestion and The Heritage Museum will benefit from this important outreach program. Call the office to request more information or to schedule a date. Thank you!
Volume 37, No. 4
Page 3
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
SafesHarrisonburg’s
of the Valley
Town Clock and . . .
Town Clock, continued from page 1.
county judge ordered that larger vaults were needed to
secure county records. It was estimated that installing
and the Circuit Court clerk would occupy the second larger vaults would be very costly. The Board of Sufloor. It was suggested that other county offices could pervisors decided it made financial sense to build a
use the old jail building, but objections due to sanitary new building to take care of all the needs.
concerns made this plan inappropriate. W. L. Dechert
offered to let the County Treasurer use his office in
Fifth Courthouse Issues
the Kent or Offutt Building rent free for one year, an
Since the cost of upgrading the unsafe 1874 Courtalternative that Council accepted. The old Courthouse house was so expensive, the Board hoped to build a
was to be vacant and ready for demolition by June 2, replacement for about $30,000, an estimated amount
1896. Board of Supervisors members Dechert, Shipp, that was then increased to $40,000. When bids were
and Moore were given the responsibility to supervise solicited, six construction companies submitted bids.
the demolition. It was estimated the old Courthouse
They ranged from $45,000 to $68,765.
contained about 575,000
bricks. Plans included reusing
some in the new construction.
A report from a Town Council meeting in May 1896 mentioned that the Town Clock
would be removed from the
tower of the 1874 Courthouse
in order to be stored during
construction and then reinstalled in the new Courthouse.
Construction of Fifth Courthouse, 1896.
Thomas A. Grim agreed to
move and store the clock for
the labor cost to get it down and hauled away, requirOriginal plans called for the new Courthouse to be
ing no further payment from the town. Grim removed brick with terra cotta trimmings, as reflected in the
it from the tower on June 18, 1896, and charged $3 for initial architectural drawings submitted by architect T.
his work.
J. Collins for consideration. Collins had been a Union
Workers found books stored in the attic of the
soldier during the Civil War and began his architecturCourthouse, some of which were more than 50 years al career in Washington, DC. In 1890 he moved to
old. They were account ledgers used by local busiStaunton, VA. The Board of Supervisors asked Colnesses before mid-century. There was also a book that lins to produce full architectural plans for a building
listed 1842 subscribers to the Rockingham Register,
that would not exceed a cost of $40,000. The Board of
Harrisonburg’s most prominent newspaper.
Supervisors declared that such a building should be
One reason a new Courthouse was much needed
designed to last for at least a century and required that
was the poor condition of the brick walls. In fact, dur- it be the only building in the courtyard and face south.
ing demolition the north wall inadvertently fell into
The firm of T. J. Collins & Sons also designed many
the interior after roof timbers had been removed, reother significant buildings, including the Augusta
vealing that only the roof structure had held that wall County Courthouse.
in place. Fortunately, no workers were near the wall
As construction on the new Courthouse proceeded,
when it collapsed. In reality, there were other reasons contractor W. E. Spier proposed to substitute Indiana
for new construction: (1) the old Courthouse was too limestone for the brick for an additional $15,700. It
small from the beginning and (2) in the 1890s the
seems that Spier had wanted to use limestone from the
Continued on next page.
Page 4
Volume 37, No. 4
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
. . . Some Issues with the Fifth Courthouse
Continued from previous page.
were installed to allow the striking mechanism to be
beginning. The County Board knew limestone would activated by a 600-lb. weight instead of the troublebe more durable and of finer appearance but were con- some 1,800 lb. one.
cerned about the extra cost at a time of “general business depression.” With one lone dissent, the Board
The Clock Is Rebuilt
voted in early August to accept Spier’s contract, inOn December 12, 1931, the Town Clock was put
cluding the upgrade to Indiana limestone. In anticipa- back into operation following a complete rebuild of
tion of the switch to limestone, Spier had already
the working mechanism after Harrisonburg City
placed an order for the Indiana stone. October 15,
Council had appropriated $1,300 for the upgrade. All
1896, was set as the date of the formal cornerstone
moving parts were replaced with new ones, and the
laying as part of an impressive Masonic ceremony
massive weights were eliminated by automatic electric
with major speeches by Harrisonburg Judge John Paul controls. No longer were heavy weights on long ropes
and Judge R. T. W. Duke of Charlottesville.
necessary to make the clock run. Only the striker and
The formal dedication of the Courthouse was Sep- bell remained unchanged. The faces were cleaned and
tember 28, 1897. With furnishings included, the new painted, and additional lights were installed to illumibuilding cost much more than the Board expected. Its nate them better.
total cost was $96,826.24.
Town Clock Returns to Service
The Town clock in the fourth Courthouse had black
faces and gold hands and numerals. When it was installed in the new Courthouse the faces were replaced
with semi-transparent white faces with black numerals. New hands were also added. Thomas E. Grim,
who had been storing the clock, installed it in the new
Courthouse tower in mid-June and was responsible for
its care. He had been the official “keeper of the
clock,” a position that was continued in the new
Courthouse. The Rockingham Register praised Grim’s
work in tuning up the clock during its year in storage
and adjusting the striker to make the hourly bell produce a more mellow sound.
The Town Council’s Committee on Lights and
Safety recommended that the new clock faces be illuminated for nighttime. A 25-candle power lamp was
installed behind the dials at a cost of $15. If that intensity of light proved inadequate, they intended to replace it with a 50-candle-power lamp costing $30.
The first problem with the tower clock in the new
Courthouse occurred in January 1900 when the cable
holding the striking weight broke and the weight
crashed through the tower and lodged against a steel
beam above the lobby of Assembly Hall on the second
floor. Wooden joists were splintered and plaster was
knocked off the ceiling. The repair required some
modifications to the clock, and additional pulleys
Volume 37, No. 4
Fifth Courthouse, c. 1940.
W. R. Cadmus, a manager from the E. Howard &
Company, was in Harrisonburg to supervise the work.
The company guaranteed the refurbished clock would
not vary by more than a minute in a month, and Cadmus said the upgraded clock should function properly
for a century. The original had lasted for over 55
years. Company advertisements boasted that they
made the finest tower clocks in the world—a claim
Harrisonburg and Rockingham County would surely
endorse.
Page 5
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
ANNUAL BANQUET 2015
On Thursday, October 15th, 2015, over 100 members and guests gathered at the Holiday Inn Harrisonburg to celebrate another year of successful programming and valuable volunteering. The evening began
with a social time for everyone to enjoy greeting old
friends and discovering new. Display tables gave attendees an opportunity to view some very special portrait acquisitions, as well as examples of the organization and preservation materials used in the Archives. A
lovely coverlet from the Hinkle family provided a preview of an upcoming exhibit, while a fabulous 1940s
photograph of Friddle’s Restaurant in Harrisonburg
A display of two small portraits.
Penny Imeson recognizes the Collections Committee: Seymour Paul, (Penny), David Van Pelt, Delaney Hopkins,
Brenda Hopkins, Karen Craun, Jean Litten, Linda Carr, and Michele Van Pelt. Not pictured: Shelvie Carr, Allen
Litten, Myra Yancey, Peyton Yancey, Bob Eggleston, John Jackson, and Lynn Jackson.
drew attention to The Heritage Museum’s partnership
with the Institute of Visual Studies at James Madison
University.
Trustee Chairman L. J. Purcell welcomed the festive group and offered an invocation prior to the seated
meal. As usual, Executive Director Penny Imeson had
to interrupt lively dinner conversations in order to
keep the program on schedule. She was delighted to
sing the praises of the evening’s honored guests—the
members of the Collections Committee. This volunteer
team meets weekly to assess and inventory, accession
and preserve the large number of artifacts and archives
which are donated to The Heritage Museum. The work
of the team members has diminished backlogs, updated documentation, and organized storage, as well as
provided exhibit and presentation support for many,
many projects over the years. While every volunteer is
valuable, the exceptional dedication of one Collections
Committee member was recognized when Karen
Craun was named the Volunteer of the Year.
After celebrating the vital behind-the-scenes work
of the Collections Committee, Penny emphasized the
importance of the Historical Society’s mission to preserve the treasures within the Collections. As an institution of public trust, it is the duty of the Historical
Society to care for the Collections so that the precious
papers, photographs, and objects will be available for
future generations to study and enjoy.
Unfortunately, preservation is costly and Penny
used the moment to discuss financial needs to maintain preservation standards. Controlling temperature
and humidity requires maintaining, and sometimes replacing the extensive HVAC system. Storing papers
and objects requires acid-free tissue and boxes. Storage shelving should be free of paint and wood to avoid
off-gassing and acid leach. All aspects of preservation
require financial resources.
Penny then shared slides of recent moisture damage
Continued on next page.
Page 6
Volume 37, No. 4
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Volunteer of the Year
Historian, author, and professor Jonathan Noyalas.
Banquet, continued from previous page.
incurred in the Collections Storage area which provided a disturbing picture of mildewed archival boxes for textiles. Fortunately, the textiles were saved
through the experienced efforts of members of the
Collections Committee, but the cost to replace the
boxes was over $700 and dehumidification equipment cost nearly $3,000. Subsequent slides also revealed old painted wood cabinets for objects which
urgently need to be replaced. To help provide funds
for preservation, each HRHS member was urged to
recruit a new member or purchase a gift membership
as part of holiday shopping. Penny also offered to
place on the door to Collections Storage the name of
the donor who would write a check for the renovation!
The highlight of the evening was a presentation
by historian, professor, and author Jonathan Noyalas
on the subject of his latest book, Civil War Legacy in
the Shenandoah: Remembrance, Reunion,& Reconciliation. The rapt audience discovered insights into
the healing between the North and South that took
place in the Valley and discovered previously unknown stories from Rockingham and Harrisonburg.
Although the entire Collections Committee was
honored for its incredible work organizing the artifacts and archives, one member of the Committee
stood out this year for the extra effort she commits to
the Archives. Karen Craun received the Volunteer of
the Year award for the countless hours she has given
to organize, research, and create ‘finding aids’ for
the archives collections.
Karen married into an old Rockingham family
and worked in banking as a branch manager and loan
officer for many years. With a unique family history
of her own, genealogy is important to Karen and she
is also active in the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her 5th great-grandfather, George Read,
signed both the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution—one of only six men to sign both documents. “Since I love detail work and I love history,
working at the Museum is the perfect fit for me.”
Karen enjoys the satisfaction of organizing the donated materials for future research. The finding aids
she has completed can be found on the HRHS research website and in the Genealogy Library.
Members of the Collections Committee congratulate Karen
Craun as her Volunteer of the Year award is announced.
Trustee Class of 2017
During the Annual Banquet, Trustee Wes Graves presented the nominees for the Board of Trustees Class of
2017. Nominated for second terms were L. J. Purcell and Lew Taylor. L. J. is our 2015 Chairman and helps
manage Buildings and Grounds needs. Lew provides advice and support for The Heritage Museum bookstore
and social media. Beau Dickenson, Rockingham County Public School Social Studies Coordinator, was nominated for his first term on the Board. He is excited about developing programs for young history students. All
three nominees were elected by acclamation by the approximately 75 members present.
Volume 37, No. 4
Page 7
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Acquisitions, Acquisitions, and more Acquisitions!
Archives
 William Acker donated a number of books that originally belonged to some Acker, Garrison, and Paul
family members: Two copies of The Reviewer Reviewed (1857) by Joseph Funk; Women of Worth, A
Book for Girls (1860) by various authors; Lalla Rookh (1874) by Thomas Moore; The Poems of James
Montgomery, Esq. With a Memoir (1856); Eine Sammlung auserlesener Gebeter u. Lieder, zum Gebrauch
der Jugend, sowohl zu Hause als auch in der Schule by Ambrosius Henkel and printed by S. Henkel Press
(1824); Infernal Conference or Dialogues of Devil - Vol. 1 (1853) published by Andrew Hess & Henry A.
Showalter; The Preachers’ Text Book (1872) edited by Thomas O. Summers, D.D.; and Miss Muff and
Little Hungry (1866) by Anna Warner.
 Charles Blackley donated some Confederate currency and bonds and 1865 receipts for flour and corn.
 John Brown, Jr. donated Practical Music Reader No. 1 (no date); Revival Echoes (no date); The Star of
Bethlehem (1889); The New Harmonia Sacra (1876); Stonewall Jackson by James Robertson, Jr.; and
Grand-Pappy’s Mountain Songs (On the Air Saturdays 3 to 4 p.m. - WSVA) (no date).
 James Funkhouser donated a copy of, The History of the Broadway Baptist Church (1967) by Mrs. Roy J.
Black, prepared for the 75th Anniversary Celebration along with the 75th anniversary program.
 Wayne Garber donated his research and source documents for his book, The Ties That Bind, The Peter
Sipe Family of Rockingham County Virginia, 1680-2009.
 Davis Heatwole donated The Self-Interpreting Bible, Vol. IV (1895); Recollections and Letters of General
Robert E. Lee (1924) by Captain Robert E. Lee (son); and One Hundred and One Famous Poems (1920)
edited by Roy J. Cook.
 Betty Hedrick donated a shadowbox of military medals, ribbons, bracelet, and dog tag, along with a helmet and some clothing. Six Conestoga wagon bows from the wagon that brought the Hedrick family to
Rockingham County were also donated. A short history of the Hedrick family and their arrival in Rockingham County can be read in Nancy B. Hess Carr’s book, The Heartland.
 Rita Hunter donated a deed found among some pages in a bible which she purchased at an antique shop.
The 1862 deed, between John Sibert, his wife Catherine, and William C. Jones, regards a plot of land
“lying and being” in the town of Bridgewater.
 Sandra Owen Livingston donated a pamphlet, Massanetta Springs Dedication of the Fannie Lupton Building, by the Virginia Synodical dated July 28, 1929, and a 1920 letter written by James R. Lupton that includes the genealogy of the Lupton family.
 Dale MacAllister donated a Grumbine & O’Donnell cigar box for “E.W.S. Special” cigars and a 1912
Zynodoa yearbook from Shenandoah Collegiate Institute (Dayton, VA).
 Helen Reese donated her manuscript Descendants of Johannes Ries/Reese with permission to reprint.
 James Reilly donated a one dollar bond (number 6258) dated July 1, 1861, from the Rockingham Bank.
 Gene Rorrer donated copies of 1914 and 1915 Harrisonburg newspapers and some picture postcards.
 Linda Wine donated three historic postcards: one of the White House Rockingham Industrial School and
two of the Dale Enterprise School.
Artifacts
 William Acker donated a .36 caliber 1862 Colt sidearm worn by Samuel Brown Paul, CSA, his great
grand uncle who was mentioned in the last newsletter.
Photo Collection
 Sandra Owen Livingston donated three pictures: two of the James R. Lupton home in 1893 and one of
Alberta Hooke, the daughter of Mary Lupton Hooke.
 Idelma Winegard donated slides to be scanned of the August 1960 fire at Bargain Place store (“Where
your money buys more!”) located at 34 S. Main St. in Harrisonburg.
Page 8
Volume 37, No. 4
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Library
 James Funkhouser donated a copy of, The Streets of Winchester, Virginia: The Origin and Significance of
Their Names (1963) by Garland R. Quarles
 Bernard D. Bowman donated a copy of his recently published book, A Tribute to Oma Wenger Bowman.
 Rosemary Eyler donated a CD with the genealogy of the Whitesel family of Rockingham County, which
also includes some Tutwiler family information.
 Joseph Garrera, on behalf of the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum (Pennsylvania), donated a copy of the
book, Lehigh County: A Bicentennial Look Back at an American Community by Frank Whelan.
 Philip Way donated various obituaries and funeral cards.
 Anthony Lawson donated various newspaper articles, wills, masonic info, obituaries, funeral pamphlets,
and a Hoffman Bible which he learned where heading to the landfill.
 Sandra Owen Livingston donated a copy of her Richard Ragan and Cecilia Creppy genealogy.
 Jim Rush donated various old news clippings regarding the towns of Dayton and Bridgewater.
 Kathryn Mason donated a number of genealogical family books and other books regarding various topics
for the library and for the Society’s ongoing used book sale.
 Davis Heatwole donated History of the Heatwole Family (1907) by Cornelius J. Heatwole, and a Pictorial
Family Bible (1886) which includes genealogical data regarding the Heatwole family.
 David Ingram donated a copy of Stonewall Jackson (1997), by James Robertson, Jr.
Administration
 Mary Nelson donated various office supplies for the office and library.
 Juanita Taylor donated file folders.
— Compiled by Margaret Hotchner
East Rockingham Photography Preservation Begins
Hobby Robinson was a shop owner, photographer, and well-remembered
character whose camera captured three generations of the greater Elkton
community. This year, his daughter Sara Robinson gave an extensive collection of Hobby’s photographs to the Historical Society. Past Trustee Chairman Greg Owen, also a photographer, spent over 40 hours organizing the
hundreds and hundreds of images. Scanning of the collection has begun with
a view to mounting an exhibit in 2016 about Hobby and his work, the 100th
anniversary of his birthday. Fortunately, many of the photographs have
Hobby’s notes and captions, but there are many, many more which do not.
The unidentified photos may form a “Who Do You Know?” exhibit so that
visitors may help identify people, places, and events to
enhance the preservation of Hobby’s work.
Hobby Robinson during WWII.
Elkton Restaurant, 1939.
Volume 37, No. 4
School picnic.
Page 9
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Annual Banquet, October 15, 2015
Guests took advantage of the social time to review a
display of archives and artifacts from the HRHS
Collection and to enjoy fun and friendly conversation—about local history, of course!
Town of Harrisonburg, 1867 by Emma Lyon Bryan,
HRHS Collection.
Picturing Harrisonburg:
Tracing the history and transformation of a
community over 150 years . . .
A lovely display showed guests the preservation work of the
Collections Committee.
There was great demand for copies of guest speaker Jonathan
Noyalas’ books after his presentation. (Titles are available in
The Heritage Museum Bookstore in Dayton and online.)
The Heritage Museum is partnering in a comprehensive project with the Institute for Visual Studies
at James Madison University that will examine, honor, and celebrate our local community and its growth
over 150 years, beginning with the painting of Harrisonburg in 1867 (above). The project includes a large
-scale exhibition at JMU, a commemorative book,
and a series of local events. The exhibition will display a wide range of images from maps and paintings
to postcards and photographs—many never before
seen in public and many from the HRHS Archives!
The companion book will contain essays by a variety
of local scholars, including HRHS Trustee David Ehrenpreis, Resident Historian Dale MacAllister,
HRHS Member Kevin Borg, and past HRHS Curator
Scott Suter. A selection of compelling images will
accompany the texts, providing a lasting tribute to
the historical changes that have shaped our city.
For more information or to donate to the project,
please contact Trustee David Ehrenpreis by phone,
540.568.5656, or by email, [email protected].
Friddles Restaurant, 1939,
by Lewis Lupton Kaylor,
HRHS Photo Archives.
Catching up with friends and colleagues before dinner.
Page 10
Volume 37, No. 4
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Bookstore & Gift Shop
New biography!
Billy Rhodes: The Untold Stories
by Gene C. Rhodes.
Softcover, $14.95.
Starting with letters and a photograph album, Gene C. Rhodes
honors the life of his father, Rockingham County native Billy
Rhodes (1926-1985), through
stories of Civilian Public Service,
aviation, family, and faith. Includes extensive appendixes and
images
Exciting new gift idea—a puzzle!
The beautiful painting of the Town of Harrisonburg, 1867 by Emma Lyon Bryan captivates
visitors in the Folk Art Gallery. Now everyone
can take home a piece (actually, 100 pieces) of
this treasure. Made of acrylic and Masonite, the
puzzle is created at historic Silver Lake Mill in
Dayton. Packaged in a mesh bag, $20.
New genealogy!
A Tribute to Oma Wenger Bowman
by Bernard D. Bowman.
Hardcover, $25.
Joseph and Barbara Huber Wenger left
the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania in
1785, settled in the Shenandoah Valley, and established a Wenger presence which is still strong today. The
author pays tribute to his mother while
tracing her family lineage through five
generations. All descendants of Joseph
Wenger and his wives Barbara Huber
and Anna Hockman will find a connection to their own ancestry.
Volume 37, No. 4
New exhibit companion!
Textile Art from Southern
Appalachia: The Quiet
Work of Women
by Kathleen Curtis Wilson.
Softcover, $27.50.
The author brings together
the textiles and the stories of
the women who wove them,
stimulating a new respect
and appreciation for the artistic excellence and long
tradition of mountain coverlet hand weaving.
New resource title!
Two Continents, One
Culture by Brown,
Hirschman, &
Maclaren.
Hardcover, $19.95.
In the 17th century
Protestant Scots forged
a new life in Northern
Ireland and later did
the same in Southern
Appalachia. The authors show that to this
day the communities
remain very similar.
Page 11
Fall 2015, Vol. 37, No. 4
Non-Profit
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Harrisonburg - Rockingham Historical Society
P.O. Box 716
Dayton, Virginia 22821
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Harrisonburg/
Rockingham
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OR CURRENT ADDRESS
THE HERITAGE MUSEUM
HARRISONBURG-ROCKINGHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Colorful and Cozy:
The Woven Art of Coverlets
A New Exhibit in the Featured Gallery
Opening in November 2015