September 2, 2015

Matthew Webster, who grew up in Shepherdstown and is now Director of Colonial Williamsburg’s Grainger Department of Architectural Preservation, will speak on September 2 at the Byrd Center for Legislative Studies Auditorium. The talk is part of the Historic Shepherdstown Commission’s Speakers Series.

The event is free and open to the public. It will begin at 6:45 p.m. with Historic Shepherdstown’s brief Annual Meeting, including election of board members. The talk is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.

Mr. Webster’s talk is entitled “Worth a Voyage Across the Atlantic: Early Settlement and Trades in Jefferson County.” He will focus on the crafts of the area, the settlers who produced them and their role in the local economy. He is passionately interested in and knowledgeable about Jefferson County history and an accomplished speaker.

As Director of Architectural Preservation, Matthew Webster is responsible for preservation and maintenance oversight for more than 580 original and reconstructed buildings in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area and for oversight of architectural collections. Prior to joining Colonial Williamsburg, he served as director of preservation at Drayton Hall in Charleston, S.C., responsible for architectural, archaeological and landscape resources, collections and maintenance. His professional career in architectural restoration began at George Washington’s Fredericksburg Foundation, where he managed the restoration of Kenmore, the 1770s home of Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis.

The Robert C. Byrd Center Auditorium is located on King Street on the Shepherd University campus. It is connected to the Scarborough Library. Parking is available in the lot behind the building.