Speaker Series, 2018: Images From the Right Bank: The Lives and Times of the Botelers of Fountain Rock

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Dr. Jerry Bruce Thomas will present “Images From the Right Bank: The Lives and Times of the Botelers of Fountain Rock” at Shepherd University’s Byrd Auditorium on November 14, 2018 at 7 p.m.

The Auditorium is located in the Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on the Shepherd campus. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will follow the talk.

Shepherdstonian Alexander Boteler was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives before the Civil War, a member of the First Confederate Congress, a Confederate officer, the owner of Boteler’s Cement Mill, an avid artist and cartoonist, an early supporter of building a Rumsey monument in Shepherdstown, and one of the founders of Shepherd College. In other words, he was a man engaged in the major events of his time with many interests and enthusiasms and a surprising talent.

Dr. Thomas’ interest in Alexander Boteler has led him to conduct considerable research on Boteler’s life and times, and a book is in process.

Dr. Thomas is a native of Wyoming County, WV. He received his BA from West Virginia University and his MA and PhD in American History from the University of North Carolina. After more than 30 years on the faculty at Shepherd University, specializing in courses in World Civilization and Recent American History, he retired in 2009. The University Press of Kentucky published his An Appalachian New Deal, West Virginia in the Great Depression in 1998. West Virginia University Press published a new edition (2010) as well as An Appalachian Reawakening: West Virginia and the Perils of the New Machine Age, 1945-1972 (2010). Thomas formerly served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Historic Shepherdstown Commission.

Dr. Thomas’ talk is the last in Historic Shepherdstown’s 2018 Speakers Series. The 2019 schedule will be announced early next year.

Speaker Series, 2018: “Antietam Shadows: Mystery, Myth & Machination”, Dennis Frye

On Wednesday, October 10, Historic Shepherdstown will present Dennis Frye, recently retired Chief Historian at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, speaking on “Antietam Shadows: Mystery, Myth & Machination.” The free event will take place in the auditorium at the Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on the Shepherd campus. It will begin at 6:45 p.m. with Historic Shepherdstown’s annual meeting, followed by the talk at 7:00 p.m. Light refreshments will follow.

Mr. Frye has been studying Antietam and the first invasion of the North for nearly 50 years. From his earliest days as a National Park Service volunteer at the Dunker Church (he is a Dunker), and as a native of the area, Dennis has immersed himself in the Civil War, publishing many books on the subject. He is also a prominent Civil War battlefield preservationist. He was one of the founders of what is today the Civil War Trust. The Trust, which has spearheaded the saving of much battlefield land, awarded Mr. Frye with their highest honor, the Shelby Foote Award.

Mr. Frye’s talk, based on his recent book, also called “Antietam Shadows,” challenges many of the commonly held beliefs about the Battle of Antietam. Of this book, he has said: “I’m challenging my peers. I’m challenging myself. I’m challenging what we have accepted as fact, what we have accepted as reality.” He has also said that he hopes the talk will stimulate debate as he explores uncertainties and unknowns.

On November 14, Historic Shepherdstown will sponsor the last talk of the 2018 Speakers Series. Jerry Thomas, Shepherd University Professor Emeritus of History will speak on “From the Old South to the New in the Lower Shenandoah Valley:  The Life and Times of Alexander Robinson Boteler, 1815-1892.” His talk will take place at 7:00 p.m., also at Shepherd’s Byrd Center.

For more information, contact the Historic Shepherdstown Commission office at [email protected] or 304-876-0910.

 

 

Speakers Series, 2018: Shenandoah Valley’s Germanic Heritage, Karen Good Cooper

Historic Shepherdstown will feature a talk by Karen Good Cooper entitled “Shenandoah Valley’s Germanic Heritage” on June 13 at 7 p.m.

The talk will take place in the auditorium at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on the Shepherd University campus. It is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served after the presentation.

With a main street called German Street and a town museum full of German crafts, it’s hard to miss Shepherdstown’s German heritage. Ms. Cooper will provide a broader context in her talk. The Germans brought their own ideas, methods, and customs.  Who were they?  Why did they come?  What happened as they formed their communities and as their children began to move away? Ms. Cooper says the talk is designed to make people think about how the “Shenandoah Deutsch” affected so much of how we behave and how we work together.

Karen Cooper is a 10th generation Shenandoah Valley resident and the head of the Board of Directors for the Shenandoah Germanic Heritage Museum and its parent organization. She graduated from Western Maryland College and has an MA in history from James Madison University. She has been studying local history and genealogy for fifty years and served as the founding president of the Shenandoah County Historical Society.

The 2018 Speakers Series will feature three additional programs:

  • September 12, Matthew Webster, Kate Hughes, Katie McKinney, all of Colonial Williamsburg, and Nicholas Powers, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley,” Artisans in the Lower Shenandoah Valley.”
  • October 10, Dennis Frye, Chief Historian, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, “Antietam Shadows:  Mystery, Myth & Machination.”
  • November 14, Jerry Thomas, Professor of History Emeritus, Shepherd University, “From the Old South to the New in the Lower Shenandoah Valley:  The Life and Times of Alexander Robinson Boteler, 1815-1892.”

All of the talks will take place at 7 p.m. at the Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education.

For more information, contact the Historic Shepherdstown Commission office at [email protected] or 304-876-0910.

 

Speakers Series, 2018: Walter Washington and John Allen, “History and Architecture of the Washington Family Homes”

Local historian and Washington family descendant Walter Washington and architectural historian John Allen will kick off the Historic Shepherdstown Commission’s 2018 Speakers Series on April 18 at 7 p.m. Their talk is entitled “History and Architecture of the Washington Family Homes of Jefferson County.”

Walter Washington restored and maintains Harewood, the historic home of his ancestor Samuel Washington, brother of George Washington. He is currently President of Friends of Happy Retreat, the home of Charles Town, WV founder Charles Washington. He is also a former chair of the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission and former board member of the Jefferson County Historical Society.

John C. Allen, Jr. authored Uncommon Vernacular: The Early Houses of Jefferson County, West Virginia, 1735-1835, a comprehensive and meticulous exploration of the county’s historic houses. He is also former chair of the Jefferson County Historical Landmarks Commission.

The talk will take place in the auditorium at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on the Shepherd University campus.  The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served after the presentation.

The 2018 Speakers Series will feature four additional programs:

  • June 13, Karen G. Cooper, Shenandoah County Historical Society and Shenandoah Germanic Heritage Museum, “Germanic Heritage in the Shenandoah Valley.”
  • September 12, Matthew Webster, Kate Hughes, Katie McKinney, all of Colonial Williamsburg, and Nicholas Powers, Museum of the Shenandoah Valley,”Artisans in the Lower Shenandoah Valley.”
  • October 10, Dennis Frye, Chief Historian, Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, “Antietam Shadows: Mystery, Myth & Machination.”
  • November 14, Jerry Thomas, Professor of History Emeritus, Shepherd University, “From the Old South to the New in the Lower Shenandoah Valley: The Life and Times of Alexander Robinson Boteler, 1815-1892.”

All of the talks with take place at 7 p.m. at the Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education.

Speaker Series, 2017 – Doug Perks, Changing Faces—Mr. Jefferson’s County

On November 8 at 7 p.m., Doug Perks, Jefferson County Museum Historian and WV History Hero, will present “Changing Faces—Mr. Jefferson’s County” as the finale of the Historic Shepherdstown Commission’s 2017 Speakers Series. The talk will take place in the auditorium of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on the Shepherd University campus. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will follow the talk.

Perks will feature historic and recent photos from his collection and the archives of both the Historic Shepherdstown Commission and the Jefferson County Museum. The focus will be on on Shepherdstown and the surrounding area. The purpose of the presentation is to illustrate how the viewscapes in and around Jefferson County have changed over time.

For relative newcomers, this talk will provide a chance to see into the past of their historic adopted county. For long-time residents, it may spark some memories or recall some storied events.

Historic Shepherdstown’s 2018 Speakers Series schedule will be announced early next year.

Historic Shepherdstown’s 2017 holiday ornaments featuring the James Rumsey Monument will be on sale at the event, as will Entler Hotel magnets. For further information, contact Historic Shepherdstown at [email protected] or 304-876-0910.

Speakers Series, 2017: “Crossroads: Civil War Comes to Shepherdstown,” Dr. James J. Broomall

On August 30, Dr. James J. Broomall will speak on “Crossroads: Civil War Comes to Shepherdstown.” Dr. Broomall is an Assistant Professor of History at Shepherd University, and Director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War.  His talk, part of the Historic Shepherdstown Commission 2017 Speakers Series, will take place at the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on North King Street on the campus of Shepherd University.  It is free and open to the public.

The event will begin at 6:45 with a short HSC Annual Meeting, followed by Dr. Broomall’s talk at 7:00 p.m. At the Annual Meeting, members will vote on new Board Members and a new Five-Year Plan.

Dr. Broomall earned his doctorate at the University of Florida.  His forthcoming book, “Personal Confederacies: Southern Men as Citizens and Soldiers,” is under contract with the University of North Carolina Press. In it he describes the emotional lives and gender identities of white southern men and their families, before, during and after the Civil War. This presentation will feature voices of civilians and soldiers to capture how the American Civil War threaded itself through the small community of Shepherdstown, Virginia, and the adjoining region.

The final 2017 Speakers Series talk will take place on November 8, when local historian Doug Perks will present “Changing Faces—Mr. Jefferson’s County,” old and new images of local people and buildings, highlighting the changes over time.

For further information, please contact Teresa McLaughlin at [email protected] or 304-876-0910.

Speaker Series, 2017: Fawn Valentine, West Virginia Quilts and Quiltmakers: Echoes from the Hills

On May 24, Fawn Valentine, a West Virginia quilt expert, will be in Shepherdstown to”read” local quilts from 1 to 3 p.m. and to give a talk, “West Virginia Quilts and Quiltmakers: Echoes from the Hills,” at 7 p.m. In addition, throughout the month of May, the Historic Shepherdstown Museum will display three quilts loaned by the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. The quilts, created by highly skilled Shenandoah Valley quilters of the 20th and 21st centuries, exemplify several Valley quilting styles. Historic Shepherdstown’s quilts will be on display as well. If you suspect this exhibition is going to lead to you catching the quilt-making bug, it might be worth purchasing a fabric cutter machine in the near future.

The afternoon quilt reading will take place in the reception room of the Entler Building at 129 E. German Street. Community members are invited to bring no more than two quilts for Ms. Valentine to read. She will discuss the style, period, and materials used, but will not do appraisals. Preregistration is required for this event since time is limited. Call or e-mail Historic Shepherdstown at 304-876- 0910 or [email protected]. Registrations will be accepted in the order received. Spaces are already filling up.

Fawn Valentine’s 7 p.m. talk on WV quilting, which is part of Historic Shepherdstown’s 2017 Speakers Series, will take place at the auditorium of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education on King Street on the campus of Shepherd University.

Both events are free and open to the public.

The display of Museum of the Shenandoah Valley quilts will begin on May 6 and run through June 3. The three quilts will be on display in the Shepherdstown Museum during the Museum’s regular hours, on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. On exhibition will be a Pineapple White Work quilt, a Wind Rose or Mathiesen Mariner’s Compass Variation quilt, and a Broken Dishes Pattern quilt. All have been on display in U.S. Embassies around the world as part of the State Department’s Arts in Embassies program.

Speakers Series, 2017: “Forgotten 18th Century Roads: Shepherdstown and the Philadelphia Wagon Road”, David Bullock

David Bullock will speak on “Forgotten 18th Century Roads: Shepherdstown and the Philadelphia Wagon Road” at 7 p.m. on March 8. The talk will be in the auditorium of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education located on King Street on the Shepherd University campus next to Scarborough Library. Parking is available on the street or behind the library. The event is free and open to the public.

Dave Bullock attended Shepherdstown Middle School, Jefferson High School, and Shepherd College. His family has lived in the area since 1857. He had an abiding interest in history and has spent considerable time studying maps and other documents to learn about lost local roads that once shaped the history of the area. His talk will focus on the Philadelphia Wagon Road, which was central to Shepherdstown’s prosperity in the town’s early days. The Philadelphia Wagon Road started in Philadelphia and ended in Georgia. It has been given credit for much of the settlement of the backcountry of the South. Originally, the Wagon Road was a trail used by Native Americans called the Warrior Trail.

Mr. Bullock’s talk will kick off the Historic Shepherdstown Commission’s 2017 Speakers Series.

The Speakers Series schedule for the rest of the year will feature three additional programs. On May 24, textile historian and quilt expert Fawn Valentine will present a two-part event. First, from 1 to 3 p.m., she will provide “readings” of historic quilts. Local quilt owners will be invited to bring their quilts to learn more about designs, motifs, patterns, and cultural influences (not financial appraisals). Preregistration will be required. More information will be forthcoming. Second, on the evening of May 24, Fawn Valentine will give a talk on quilts and quilt makers. On August 30, at the Historic Shepherdstown Annual Meeting, Shepherd University History Professor and Director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War Dr. Jim Broomall will speak on “The Brother’s War: The Civil War Experiences of Virginia and West Virginia Soldiers.”  On November 8, local historian Doug Perks will present old and new images of local people and buildings, highlighting the changes over time.

All of the talks will take place at the Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education at 7 p.m. The Quilt Reading will be at the Entler Building. 129 E. German Street.

For further information, contact Historic Shepherdstown Administrator Teresa McLaughlin, 304-876-0910 on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday or e-mail [email protected].

March 2, 2016: "John Storer: A Renaissance Man for the Nineteenth-Century Shenandoah Valley" by Dr. Dawne Raines Burke

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May 4, 2016: "The French and Indian War: The Conflict’s Impact upon the Scots Irish in Appalachia and Ireland" by Dr. Benjamin Bankhurst

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