tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60516638444999366292024-03-12T22:19:01.227-04:00Stratford Hall ProjectsNew projects and innovative ideas at Stratford Hall.Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-63279356787751760272012-08-06T12:43:00.004-04:002012-08-06T12:43:46.746-04:00The blog has moved!<div style="text-align: center;">
The blog has moved! Please check-out our new <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/information/blog/">website </a>to stay updated on all our interpretation, education, preservation, and agriculture projects.</div>
<br />Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-451344092959087392012-06-28T11:14:00.000-04:002012-06-28T11:14:25.354-04:00Madeira Wine at Stratford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NNpdqUBkgEA/T-xu3dUIPdI/AAAAAAAAAQI/FTnnUoz85gc/s1600/Madeira+bottle+green+background.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NNpdqUBkgEA/T-xu3dUIPdI/AAAAAAAAAQI/FTnnUoz85gc/s320/Madeira+bottle+green+background.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Stratford Hall is constantly
seeking new ways to engage our visitors in the past. Last year, we were
approached by Mannie Berk, founder of the Rare Wine Company, with a proposal to
create a Stratford Hall branded Madeira. Knowing of the Lees passionate devotion
to Madeira, we immediately accepted his kind offer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">On July 20, 2012, will we
host a special event to formally introduce our <i>Stratford Hall Special
Reserve</i> Madeira. This exciting evening will include a four-course dinner
prepared by Stratford Hall’s Executive Chef, Benedicte Merian, and an
opportunity to learn about Madeira from Mannie Berk, who is considered the
country’s leading authority on this historic wine. Both Berk and his company
are recipients of numerous wine industry awards, including being named
America’s Best Wine Importer by Food & Wine magazine in 2002. The dinner
will also include lively discussion provided by Richard Henry Lee, portrayed by
Frank Megargee.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the 18<sup>th</sup> and 19<sup>th</sup>
centuries, Madeira was the most revered wine in America, shipped on sailing
vessels from the Island of Madeira, off the coast of North Africa. Then, as
now, Madeira was produced in a variety of styles ranging from dry wines which
can be consumed on their own as an aperitif to sweet wines more usually
consumed with dessert. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLSIOT9ggBo/T-xlLJ3G7oI/AAAAAAAAAPw/3Tsfh-tE9UY/s1600/wine+cellar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLSIOT9ggBo/T-xlLJ3G7oI/AAAAAAAAAPw/3Tsfh-tE9UY/s200/wine+cellar.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">The Island of Madeira has a
long winemaking history dating back to the Age of Exploration when it was a
standard port of call for ships heading to the New World or West Indies. The 18<sup>th</sup>
century was the “golden age” for Madeira. The American colonies, in particular,
were enthusiastic customers, consuming as much as a quarter of all wine
produced on the island each year. Based upon estate inventories and other
documents, the Lees of Stratford were especially large consumers of Madeira.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ljhRzD9Zmao/T-xlvWNAPuI/AAAAAAAAAP8/Wh8YHMAkZvo/s1600/wine+and+newspaper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ljhRzD9Zmao/T-xlvWNAPuI/AAAAAAAAAP8/Wh8YHMAkZvo/s320/wine+and+newspaper.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Stratford Hall Special
Reserve</i> is a type of
Madeira that was desired by the colonial Virginia elite in the mid-to-late
1700s. To achieve the flavor pleasing to the palates of the Stratford
Lees, Madeira wine journeyed through the tropical climate of the Indies before
arriving at Stratford where it aged in casks and bottles in wine cellars.
Like the Lees’ Madeira more than two centuries ago, <i>Stratford Hall Special
Reserve</i> is a medium-dry wine of remarkable quality, aged ten or more years,
with enormous depth of color in addition to its rich, tangy, and complex
flavors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Seating for the dinner is
limited and reservations are required by July 13, 2012. The menu will include:
cream of lobster and chestnut paired with Savannah Verdelho Madeira; beef
tournedos Rossini with Madeira sauce, vegetable fricassee paired with 2007
Chateau Clos Canon, St. Emilion Premeier Cru; salad and cheese platter paired
with Stratford Hall Special Reserve; chocolate mousse cake with crème Anglaise
and berries paired with New York Malmsey Madeira, and coffee.</span></div>
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<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The cost is $140 per person, which includes
taxes and gratuity, as well as a ticket to the Stratford Hall Wine Festival on
September 22 and 23, 2012. Overnight accommodations at Stratford are also
available at the Cheek Guest House or the Astor Guest House for a rate of $160
double occupancy that includes a Saturday brunch in the Dining room as well as
tour tickets to the Great House. To make reservations for this special event,
please call 804-493-1966 or email <a href="mailto:LBrooks@stratfordhall.org">LBrooks@stratfordhall.org</a>.
If you want to sample the Madeira, but cannot attend the dinner, it is
available for purchase in our gift shop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> - Paul Reber, Executive Director </span></div>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-30457128638651758582012-06-21T16:34:00.001-04:002012-06-21T16:34:52.476-04:00It's all in the ceiling...Who knew a ceiling could cause so much trouble? Earlier this week we began to install the new plaster cornice (also known as crown moulding) in the Parlor as part of the restoration. As the plaster contractors proceeded with the installation, it became evident that the ceiling was going to pose a problem for us. The first issue encountered was a 2 1/2 inch dip in the ceiling at the west wall. After discussing this issue with all involved parties, we decided to proceed and make it work the best that we could. As the installation continued, more problem areas became apparent, including a 1 1/2 inch cup at the north wall. At this point it was decided that we would have to fix the ceiling in order for the cornice to be installed properly and look as it should.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JsYQN-qEl90/T-OCKas3pbI/AAAAAAAAAJU/3jCzEYVxM4E/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JsYQN-qEl90/T-OCKas3pbI/AAAAAAAAAJU/3jCzEYVxM4E/s320/038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In order to solve the problem of the "wavy" ceiling, a new ceiling will have to be installed in some manner. During this installation the ceiling will be leveled to the lowest point of the current ceiling. The current ceiling in the Parlor is a modern ceiling dating to the 1930's restoration. We are currently looking at every option available so that we will have as little impact as possible on the overall height of the ceiling. As we work towards a solution, every effort is being made to preserve the historical integrity of "Light Horse Harry" Lee's Parlor. Stay tuned to see how we solve this problem and the how the restoration progresses.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMIpbc3yhHw/T-OCXpuhwrI/AAAAAAAAAJc/mDKj2bIinOM/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMIpbc3yhHw/T-OCXpuhwrI/AAAAAAAAAJc/mDKj2bIinOM/s320/032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Phil Mark, Director of Preservationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13567644210979531497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-10846940703991273632012-06-14T10:46:00.001-04:002012-06-14T10:46:53.185-04:00A Learning Experience<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When I first
started working in the Visitor Center I was amazed at how many visitors were descendants
of the Lees. We get several folks each month who are somehow related to this
great family. Once in a while guests with other ties to Stratford will come
to visit.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RlJBeEuRsWs/T8Z5udD_UgI/AAAAAAAAAPM/Zy3e5iT6J64/s1600/Mynatt+indenture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RlJBeEuRsWs/T8Z5udD_UgI/AAAAAAAAAPM/Zy3e5iT6J64/s320/Mynatt+indenture.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard Mynatt's indentured contract</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The story of
Richard Mynatt is a great example. Some members of the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mynatt </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">family came in
and told me that their 5<sup>th</sup> great grandfather was an indentured
servant under Thomas Lee, the builder of Stratford, and his son Philip Ludwell Lee. Although I
am not intrinsically a history buff, I do enjoy investigations. I began researching the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On February
12, 1749, Richard Mynatt, a 20 year old cook, signed an agreement
of servitude with Thomas Lee for a period of 4 years at 8 pounds sterling
salary per year. He became the head cook at Stratford.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thomas Lee
died soon after he hired Mynatt and his contract was passed on to Philip
Ludwell Lee through inheritance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At the end of
the agreed upon term, Richard Mynatt asked for his freedom and salary. Philip
Ludwell Lee refused. On July 31,
1754, Richard Mynatt petitioned the court in Westmoreland County, Virginia. The
court adjudged him free with allotted wages. He was the first indentured
servant in America to take his employer to court and win his case.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RU-qs7gGx7E/T8Z5tF3WOcI/AAAAAAAAAPE/-7_m6yxmnhk/s1600/Mynatt+court+order.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RU-qs7gGx7E/T8Z5tF3WOcI/AAAAAAAAAPE/-7_m6yxmnhk/s320/Mynatt+court+order.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In
1754, Richard Mynatt moved to Prince William County (Virginia), married, and started a family. He later became a courier for General George
Washington during the Revolutionary War. The Mynatt
descendants are the rest of the story!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Come find
and learn history with me at Stratford Hall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks to
Judy Hynson, Director of Research Library Collections and our Master Archivist, for her
help and patience while this old dog learns anew!!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> - John, Visitor Services </span></span></div>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-50077791650028870722012-06-11T11:31:00.000-04:002012-06-11T11:31:35.633-04:00Our SebrightsAs an interpreter at Stratford Hall I get asked many question,
as you can imagine. There is one question that I am asked every time I work.
“Those little chickens are beautiful! What are they?" <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy5_U7GZNW3ldTpZS3DJUlDedzfa8Ej_XMyrcMGWTsgYFIF13-Ji5koGmt52diFxqCVkgB_r5CiYAL3zz7wPg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Here at Stratford Hall we
have two little bantum breed hens (sadly we lost one this spring to old age). They are Golden Sebright Bantams. Their
plumage is quite lovely. The feathers are a deep copper color. Each feather is
outlined in dark black, called “lacing”. Their legs are grey-blue. </div>
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This breed generally has gentle nature and are curious of their
surroundings. They are very popular among poultry enthusiasts because of
these traits.They are easy to keep but can be quite a difficult to breed
because they were not designed for meat or egg production. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZU-yWTIlyNc/T8oqKG_OPKI/AAAAAAAAAPY/y0nkBiYrAxs/s1600/chickens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZU-yWTIlyNc/T8oqKG_OPKI/AAAAAAAAAPY/y0nkBiYrAxs/s200/chickens.jpg" width="200" /></a>They are one of the
oldest true bantum breeds The person responsible for designing this ornamental
breed is Sir John Sebright of Great Britain. He started developing this breed
in the 1800s and it took over thirty years for him to develop them.</div>
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When you come to visit Stratford Hall keep an
eye out for these tiny little chickens. They are very friendly. They may even
greet you with your guide at the Southwest Outbuilding at the beginning of your
tour!<br />
<br />
- Mary, Historic Interpreter </div>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-21829365783614975392012-06-07T11:38:00.002-04:002012-06-07T11:42:22.579-04:00We’re Fortunate to have so many Friends<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mvuy36KYgCg/T8-qpqZXsGI/AAAAAAAAAAM/dMLd3MjXnm8/s1600/clipart.worldfriends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; height: 161px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; width: 211px;"><img border="0" fba="true" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mvuy36KYgCg/T8-qpqZXsGI/AAAAAAAAAAM/dMLd3MjXnm8/s200/clipart.worldfriends.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It’s always interesting and gratifying to see the vast geographic area that our donors or </span><b style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Friends of Stratford</i></b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> come from. You may be surprised to find out we have </span><i style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Friends</i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> all around the world. Currently we have donors from most of the 50 states as well as the Virgin Islands and Guam. We even have donors from as far away as Germany and Great Britain. </span> </span></div>
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You might wonder how people from places near and far know about and support Stratford? As you can imagine, some are originally from Virginia and love and value our history. Others may be a descendant of the Lees and still others came for a visit and loved the experience they had at Stratford. History connects people. The stories of our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Friends</i> show how interwoven our connections are and the importance of preserving the amazing history found here at Stratford. Do you have a story you would like to share of how you became our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Friend</i>? We would love to hear from you.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iEjUO8xCn88/T9DK0i_qFWI/AAAAAAAAAPk/-wU4S1INKZY/s1600/FOS+Members+Program+-+Field+School+June+07+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iEjUO8xCn88/T9DK0i_qFWI/AAAAAAAAAPk/-wU4S1INKZY/s320/FOS+Members+Program+-+Field+School+June+07+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">FOS Tour of the archaeology site</span></td></tr>
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And if you’re not a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Friend</i> already, <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/support-stratford/">I hope you’ll consider joining us</a>. Make your own special connection to Stratford Hall and help us widen our ever growing circle of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Friends</i>.</div>
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So whether you’re our neighbor right here in the Northern Neck or from the far away reaches of the world, all of our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Friends</i> are valued and important to us. You’re helping us preserve Stratford Hall for the next generation of history lovers and we are truly grateful. </div>
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<br /></div>Regina Pittshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08855817925526543217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-32016068242374639022012-05-31T10:52:00.002-04:002012-05-31T10:52:45.659-04:00Summer camps at Stratford<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yi7qG7iq-P0/T8YyER4iXsI/AAAAAAAAAOw/KLftb3WT38w/s1600/a+hoe+cake+on+the+open+hearth.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yi7qG7iq-P0/T8YyER4iXsI/AAAAAAAAAOw/KLftb3WT38w/s200/a+hoe+cake+on+the+open+hearth.JPG" width="150" /></a>Are you one of 70
million grandparents in the U.S.
today? The average age of first-time
grandparents is only 47, old enough to appreciate the rich heritage of our
country and young enough to take an active part in the education and cultural
enrichment of their grandchildren. This emerging role for grandparents is
increasingly significant as parents seem to be working more and have busy
schedules. To that end, grandparents throughout the country have found a
wonderful way to bond with the younger generation: the history-based summer
residential camp programs at Stratford Hall, an 18<sup>th</sup> century
plantation, home of the Lees of Virginia. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b3El1jSog3o/T8Yx8H8C-TI/AAAAAAAAAOo/U8Hgitkkp10/s1600/blacksmith%27s+forge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b3El1jSog3o/T8Yx8H8C-TI/AAAAAAAAAOo/U8Hgitkkp10/s200/blacksmith%27s+forge.JPG" width="150" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Campers get hands-on experiences with an archaeological dig,
fossil hunting on the beach and many traditional colonial activities,
including, for example, hammering hot iron with the blacksmith, an 18<sup>th</sup>
school lesson, and hoeing Stratford’s
tobacco crop. Trays of 18<sup>th</sup> Century delicacies are carried
down the brick walk from the outside kitchen to the Great House dining room to seehich
camper can get to the Great House fastest without spilling—all while the cook
is harassing them with “You better get movin’, Col. Lee is gettin’ impatient
for his dinner.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mB03yIeBLEc/T8YyJdMp8II/AAAAAAAAAO4/PY-pAIqVOAA/s1600/practicing+recorder+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mB03yIeBLEc/T8YyJdMp8II/AAAAAAAAAO4/PY-pAIqVOAA/s200/practicing+recorder+3.JPG" width="200" /></a>The arts have not been forgotten. Practice on the recorder is enjoyed by all
ages. One 18<sup>th</sup> century
Virginian commented that “there seemed to be tooting coming from every
house.” The harpsichord is the classic
instrument of the period, fascinating to play on and to see how it differs from
today’s piano. Children may study actual descriptions of early runaway servants
and draw posters picturing their interpretation of such descriptions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Participants in Stratford’s
three-day grandparent/grandchild camp relive history. After being inducted into
the Virginia Militia and learning to march (are you sure you know your right
foot from your left?), campers reenact the
Revolutionary War attack upon Stratford. In April, 1781, a British landing party rowed
ashore, apparently intent on burning buildings there. A small group of local
Militiamen, under the leadership of Richard Henry Lee, one of the signers of
the Declaration of Independence, defended the Stratford landing. The single British casualty was given a
solemn burial on the beach. How can
children better come to appreciate a small piece of America’s fight for independence!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">At first, campers are startled and puzzled at the shout,
“Fire in the henhouse!” It seems that
Henny Penny has been playing with candles again and ignited a (simulated) fire.
It’s time to man the bucket brigade, a cooling activity on a warm summer day as
water seems to splash everywhere. Two
lines of campers compete to see which can douse the “burning hen house” with
the most water. There are, of course, usually some camper comments about fried
chicken for dinner.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LI_aFDthLGI/T8YxhRWZflI/AAAAAAAAAOU/K0aopkEh40M/s1600/353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LI_aFDthLGI/T8YxhRWZflI/AAAAAAAAAOU/K0aopkEh40M/s320/353.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This 3-day camp experience is not complete without
traditional fishing in the millpond, and enjoying the soft, warm sands of Stratford’s pristine beach
while searching for Miocene fossils, such as shark’s teeth. There is free time to hike the nature trails
which meander throughout the nearly 2000 acres, or to just relax in the
solitude of a “lazy, hazy day of summer.”
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Our campers come from all over the country and leave with last impressions:</span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Better organized than any intergenerational that I have attended”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">“I’ll be recommending this to many friends”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">“Staff overlooked nothing…a delight to be part of this program.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">“Great program! Unique.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">“My granddaughter and I had a wonderful time,lots of bonding, fun and learning together.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">“Captivating, content-full, well paced, a gem of a setting.”
</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;">For more information about our Grandparent/Grandchild Summer Camps, please check out our <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/camps/grandcamp.php">website</a> or call Bill Doerken at
(804) 493-8038 (ext. 1026). You can also ask questions below!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> - Bill Doerken, Coordinator of Special Programs </span></div>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-83734323778138686882012-05-24T13:31:00.000-04:002012-05-24T13:35:10.835-04:00Summer Plans<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WhNMyjOPEvc/T75LYgn1-AI/AAAAAAAAANw/opjt9_80o14/s1600/IMG_7430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WhNMyjOPEvc/T75LYgn1-AI/AAAAAAAAANw/opjt9_80o14/s200/IMG_7430.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">What are your plans for the summer? A lot will be going on at Stratford over the next few months because this is the start to our busy season. In additional to all the vacationers and staycationers we see every summer, this year's calendar of events is very full. Here are a few highlights!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">We kick off the summer with </span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/visit/lees&indep.php">Lees and Independence</a></span><span style="font-size: small;"> on June 2nd. The Lees and Independence Family Fun Festival celebrates the date June 7, 1776, when Richard Henry Lee introduced the resolution for independence to the Continental Congress:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i> “Resolved, that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to
be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all
allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection
between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally
dissolved.”</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DhCG90RB1Yo/T75OjzD4n5I/AAAAAAAAAN8/Pi8ZpGd2000/s1600/signing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DhCG90RB1Yo/T75OjzD4n5I/AAAAAAAAAN8/Pi8ZpGd2000/s200/signing.JPG" width="200" /></a>This resolution led to the writing, and subsequent adoption, of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> The family event is free and includes pony rides, games, historical dramatizations, food, and more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We will be holding two teacher workshops.<span style="line-height: 115%;"> <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/education/economicsem.php" style="color: black;">Economic Life in Colonial Virginia: Institute for Teachers of
U.S. and VA History/Studies</a>, a residential workshop on
economic history of Colonial Tidewater Virginia being held July 26-28, is
already at capacity. On August 10<sup>th</sup>, Stratford will be hosting <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/visit/aitc.php" style="color: black;">Sprouting for Success: Ag in the Classroom</a> for the second year. This one-day
workshop is free, but pre-registration is required. Click on the link for more information.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-72LyOY_v2dY/T75VTz_8LzI/AAAAAAAAAOI/uA6Fj7FoRBg/s1600/grandson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-72LyOY_v2dY/T75VTz_8LzI/AAAAAAAAAOI/uA6Fj7FoRBg/s200/grandson.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Stratford’s popular <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/camps/grandcamp.php">Grandparent/Grandchild Camp</a> will be held three times this summer: June 26-28, July 10-12, and August 7-9. Campers, both old and young, will look for shark teeth fossils, fish, march as the colonial
Virginia militia, learn about archaeology, try bricklaying, and bake a pie in the open hearth kitchen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The University of Mary Washington will be conducting their </span><a href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2010/06/archaeology-field-school-at-stratford.html" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Archaeology Field School</a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">, the gristmill will be open the second Saturday of each month, and </span><a href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2011/12/update-from-preservation-department.html" style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">restoration work will continue in the Parlor</a><span style="color: black; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">. Keep checking this blog, our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StratfordHall">Facebook Page</a>, or <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/">website </a>to find out more about all our programs and updates on our projects. We hope you make Stratford part of your summer plans!</span></span></div>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-64942422383605908722012-05-17T14:01:00.000-04:002012-05-17T14:01:38.129-04:00A Different View of Stratford<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">What is your
favorite photo of Stratford Hall? </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jnCEPJRfBDk/T7UvJKTPUaI/AAAAAAAAAAM/sKn7jBRDWmI/s1600/Water+view+from+chimney+tower.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jnCEPJRfBDk/T7UvJKTPUaI/AAAAAAAAAAM/sKn7jBRDWmI/s400/Water+view+from+chimney+tower.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">This question came up yesterday when a great
photo of the Octagon showed up on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaIsForLovers%20">Virginia.org Facebook page</a>. Certainly when
you think of Stratford Hall, an image of the Great House comes to mind. No
matter the season, the Great House always makes for a beautiful photo, as
evidenced on our current <a href="http://www.facebook.com/StratfordHall?ref=search&sid=9305363.2925204586..1">Facebook page banner</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Most of the
photos you see of the Great House, however, are looking at it
straight on from the south side of the house. These photos, while certainly
iconic, give us a one dimensional view of the house. Photos taken from a
different view, not usually seen, give us a much wider perspective. Like an
aerial photo, or perhaps one of my favorites, taken from the top of the chimney
towers. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-thDBla0eG-k/T7UvZTL9uCI/AAAAAAAAAAU/4RQwqsTNfHg/s1600/Cowart+holding+baby+1921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-thDBla0eG-k/T7UvZTL9uCI/AAAAAAAAAAU/4RQwqsTNfHg/s320/Cowart+holding+baby+1921.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo is in our exhibit "On the Way to Stratford."</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Historical
photos of the Great House can also be very interesting. In a temporary exhibit currently in our
Visitor Center, titled “On the Way to Stratford,” you can see photos of people
visiting the Great House dating back to 1897. These photos also give us an
additional perspective of how the Great House has changed over time. There is
even a place left empty in the exhibit for your photo, so on your next visit to
Stratford, be sure to take a photo of you at Stratford Hall and send us a copy.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AqtgHcxhs0g/T7Uv4XgYDiI/AAAAAAAAAAc/y8L_sgLlgbk/s1600/Mill+pond.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AqtgHcxhs0g/T7Uv4XgYDiI/AAAAAAAAAAc/y8L_sgLlgbk/s320/Mill+pond.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from a nature trail looking out on the mill pond. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">But with 1,900
acres, your favorite Stratford photo may not even be of the Great House. Photos
of the Miocene era cliffs, farm animals, the beach, gristmill and mill pond, or
the many outbuildings like the Octagon may have been the focus of your favorite
photo here at Stratford.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So let us know
what your favorite image is, Great House or another scene? And be sure to post your photos of Stratford
on our and Virginia.org Facebook pages.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Jim Schepmoeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08240043178206284313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-62213726183140973082012-05-07T15:21:00.002-04:002012-05-10T13:32:03.132-04:00Dining with Fresh Farm Produce<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8oyYf5Jo8Bg/T6vcSsdjTpI/AAAAAAAAAAM/j0pHsCVBYKw/s1600/table+set+ups+067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" height="240px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8oyYf5Jo8Bg/T6vcSsdjTpI/AAAAAAAAAAM/j0pHsCVBYKw/s320/table+set+ups+067.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">In the early 1930’s Stratford Hall began serving meals to the public on the ground floor of the Great House. In May 1937 a new Plantation Dining Room was opened adjacent to the Astor Guest House. Tragically, that structure survived less than a decade and was destroyed by fire in 1944. The present dining room was completed in 1951, and the porch overlooking the wooded ravine was added in 1957. It was enlarged 8 years later to its current size. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Stratford Hall Dining Room has recently added fresh organic produce to the <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/visit/menu.php">Dining Room menu</a> and it's produced locally on an organic farm. Along with fresh produce, many of the old favorites are back by popular demand (crab cakes, ham biscuits and the ham and crabcake platter). We look forward to a very productive year!</span></div>Lesley Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478961293051056026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-12910023723458494692012-05-03T10:14:00.000-04:002012-05-03T12:11:45.580-04:00Dispatch from the Gate House<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0NgwU9QYX00/T6KPoAgMGJI/AAAAAAAAANc/0mksG8Q3OQg/s1600/Ticket+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0NgwU9QYX00/T6KPoAgMGJI/AAAAAAAAANc/0mksG8Q3OQg/s200/Ticket+House.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #3a4a55; font-size: 10pt;">In my capacity as Gatekeeper of
Stratford Hall, my duties are to help control/monitor access to the
property and to direct our guest, visitors, and contractors to their
destinations. The Gatekeeper is also the first
person to meet and welcome all visitors. We create the all-important first
impression.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3a4a55; font-size: 10pt;">For the most part, this is an enjoyable
position. I am afforded the opportunity of meeting many very interesting people
from locations far and wide. Not only do I have the gratification
of assisting our guest in accomplishing the intended purpose of their visit, I
also learn many fascinating things from them.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3a4a55; font-size: 10pt;">Often times people ask me if the
job gets monotonous, out there away from the other buildings and with no one to
talk to. My answer is NO! Every day is different. The
visitors to Stratford are from all walks of life, ages, and nationalities...each with a different motivation for their visit. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3a4a55; font-size: 10pt;">Perhaps the role I
enjoy the most is answering the numerous questions our valued guests ask. I will never
forget one of my earlier experiences in this regard. In the early spring, beautiful
fresh blossoms and flowers welcome visitors to Stratford as they approach
the front gate. On one occasion, a rather energetic senior citizen inquired of
me the name of one of these blossoms. I told her: “ I do not know, but you are
about the fourth person to ask.” She then
said: “Well did it ever occur to you to find out?”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3a4a55; font-size: 10pt;">This was a good lesson for me. I
did find out that they were Mountain Laurels. From that day on, whenever I am asked
a question, I do find the answer.</span></div>
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<u><span style="color: #3a4a55; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br /></span></span></u></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e91hxBYC06M/T6KRewhgMMI/AAAAAAAAANk/dIwNnYZQWYU/s1600/IzzyorNanny.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e91hxBYC06M/T6KRewhgMMI/AAAAAAAAANk/dIwNnYZQWYU/s320/IzzyorNanny.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<u><span style="color: #3a4a55; font-size: 10pt;">What is the most frequent question
I hear</span></u><span style="color: #3a4a55; font-size: 10pt;">? Well, besides being home to about
40 head of Red Devon Cattle and three horses, Stratford also has several goats. The majority are very content in the confines of their pen... except one. We affectionately call her Izzie. She is a smaller goat who has a way of crawling beneath the fence in
order to graze anywhere she pleases. Izzie always goes home when she is ready, but not before several people stop by and say: “Sir, do you know your goat is
loose?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #3a4a55;">I am tempted to have a t-shirt made up that
reads: "Yes, I know the goat is loose.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3a4a55;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Larry, Gatekeeper </span></span></span></div>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-48031679608936709282012-04-26T10:22:00.002-04:002012-04-26T10:22:52.043-04:00We're squirrely at Stratford!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RftqhQXJpRg/T5hDzdbNfNI/AAAAAAAAANQ/dRQE8fHpfYQ/s1600/leecoatofarms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RftqhQXJpRg/T5hDzdbNfNI/AAAAAAAAANQ/dRQE8fHpfYQ/s320/leecoatofarms.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ot3i29YLNk/T4cqnA-x8bI/AAAAAAAAAAM/zikXGHsJmQk/s1600/Glassware+Squirrel+Goblets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ot3i29YLNk/T4cqnA-x8bI/AAAAAAAAAAM/zikXGHsJmQk/s200/Glassware+Squirrel+Goblets.jpg" width="147" /></a>Many visitors that come into the gift shop often wonder why we have squirrel items for sale. The squirrel sitting on a horizontal branch, cracking a nut, is the main element of the Lee family crest, as described in Burke's General Armory, registry of all English armorial bearings, from earliest times, listed at the College of Heralds. Underneath the Lee family crest is the Latin motto: <i>Non Incautus Futuri.</i> This translates to "not unmindful of the future." Squirrels are in a constant state of preparation, often seen running around Stratford collecting food for the winter.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TK5sDJCMo1A/T4cuXHFHpXI/AAAAAAAAAAg/pagi_Wqbsu8/s1600/Rust%2520Squirrel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" qda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TK5sDJCMo1A/T4cuXHFHpXI/AAAAAAAAAAg/pagi_Wqbsu8/s200/Rust%2520Squirrel.jpg" width="200" /></a>The squirrel motif has been used on many items as a reminder of a time when a family's crest was applied to objects to denote ownership. As you can see from these images, we have the squirrel on a variety of different items for your gift giving (or a fun piece for your home!). Please e-mail <a href="mailto:jbranson@stratfordhall.org">Janet Branson</a> if you have any questions about any of our products.</div>
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Stop by Stratford Hall to check out all our store products or visit us on our<a href="https://stratfordhall.velopers.com/shop/"> online store</a>.</div>
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</div>Janet Bransonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05122160435058191410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-40605353015909622142012-04-19T13:01:00.017-04:002012-04-19T13:44:10.946-04:00The Stratford Cliffs: Layer cakes of time<m:smallfrac val="off"><m:dispdef><m:lmargin val="0"><m:rmargin val="0"><m:defjc val="centerGroup"><m:wrapindent val="1440"><m:intlim val="subSup"><m:narylim val="undOvr"></m:narylim></m:intlim></m:wrapindent></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wrO1M620kD4/T47dzrZBn1I/AAAAAAAAAAM/P1sIf6J88Xk/s1600/Ciliffs+and+beach.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img style="width: 266px; height: 177px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wrO1M620kD4/T47dzrZBn1I/AAAAAAAAAAM/P1sIf6J88Xk/s320/Ciliffs+and+beach.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:";font-size:85%;" >Towering over 100 feet about the Potomac River are the famous cliffs of Stratford Hall. Within the deposit that make up the cliffs are the evidence of animals and plants that lived here long before the first hunter walked the shores.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > For thousands of years most of these remains went unnoticed.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><div style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">It would not be until the mid 19<sup>th</sup> century that geologists began to piece together information that would lead to geological principles. Of these principles, the most significant is called <i>superpositioning</i>. This is a geological term applied to the observation that the oldest deposits are at the bottom the youngest are found at the top in a layer cake of time. </span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">The Stratford cliffs make up a unique layer cake and are part of the geographic region known as the Virginia Coastal Plain. The Virginia Coastal Plain is part of the much larger Atlantic Coastal Plain. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"><br />The specific layers at Stratford Hall are known to paleontologists and geologists as the Miocene Chesapeake Group Formations or Calvert Group. At Stratford Hall, these sediments span a time period from about 16 million years to the present day. </span></div><div style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The sediment and silts, which formed the cliffs, are the result of millions of years of erosion and ocean sediment accumulation. </span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">These sediments were deposited in a prehistoric bay known as the Salisbury Embayment. The Salisbury Embayment was an arm of the Atlantic Ocean which covered what is now Delaware, southern and eastern Maryland, the Virginia Peninsula, and parts of southern New Jersey during Tertiary times (about 65 million to 5 million years ago). Sea level throughout most of this period stood several hundred feet higher than at present and deposition of sediments draining off the continent possibly caused the underlying rocks to sink down, creating the embayment. The shore of the embayment lay inland at the present-day fall line in the region. </span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><div style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">This bay was a shallow-shelf open marine setting and lagoon environment. Vertebrate assemblages such as rays, sharks,and ocean going crocodiles frequented the bay for food sources. Diverse invertebrate groups colonized the shallow and near shore environments. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><table class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xVrg-aihvgM/T47fJqe19XI/AAAAAAAAAAc/32ex-ko_Wqo/s1600/fossils_102dpi.tif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img style="width: 254px; height: 170px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xVrg-aihvgM/T47fJqe19XI/AAAAAAAAAAc/32ex-ko_Wqo/s320/fossils_102dpi.tif" border="0" /></a></span></td></tr><tr style="font-family:georgia;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Examples of teeth from an extinct sharks</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">When sea levels fell as the Pleistocene ice ages took hold, the thousands of feet of sediment layers in the Salisbury Embayment were exposed as the Coastal Plain terrains of Delaware, Maryland and eastern Virginia.</span></div><div style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">The various layers of the Calvert group are seen as bands of various colors rising from the river shoreline. Each color of sediment seen indicates a unique variety of sediments resulting from recurring pulses of marine advances and retreats over the millennia. These pulses were the accumulating deposits of silts, clays, and sands that sealed the remains of the animals and plants. Each of the layers holds a unique groups of fossils. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nTn8ZC1BCkQ/T47eG1qxgmI/AAAAAAAAAAU/XqQC0zHMIjI/s1600/Stratford+Cliffs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img style="width: 240px; height: 294px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nTn8ZC1BCkQ/T47eG1qxgmI/AAAAAAAAAAU/XqQC0zHMIjI/s320/Stratford+Cliffs.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">At Stratford Hall, the oldest sediments are visible at the water line. This is the Calvert formation (16 million years old). The next deposits up about 40 feet are the Choptank formation. The St. Mary’s formation rises above the Choptank. Rising above the St. Mary’s for about another 20 feet, is the Eastover formation of late Miocene age (5 million years old). Above the Eastover is the Yorktown formation of early Pliocene time. (1-3 million years old) The last layers, closest to the top of the cliffs, is the Pleistocene or ice age deposits (1.5 to 12,000 years old). At the very top is what geologists refer to as Holocene deposits. This is the geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene (around 12,000 years ago and continues to the present). </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: georgia;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">It is not permitted to dig into the cliffs. The dangers are real. The unstable nature of the sediments results in frequent falling sections of cliff, and smaller avalanches are constantly occurring. Beach collecting is permitted in designated areas only. </span></div>Jon Bachmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08225173335767643751noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-71815826878378684162012-04-11T11:04:00.001-04:002012-04-11T18:59:02.723-04:00Still Exciting<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Museums often share parts of their collection with other institutions upon request.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Of course there are rules and regulations, standards to follow, and logistics to coordinate (shipping, insurance, text panels, etc).This loan agreement process makes exhibitions more exciting for recurring visitors. Plus the institutions involved have the best intention for the selected object to be featured in a special way for a limited time period.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Recently, George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, Museum and Gardens in Alexandria, Virginia borrowed a copper still from our collection at Stratford Hall to display in a new exhibit within the Donald W. Reynolds Museum Center.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;font-size:85%;" > </span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-family:georgia;"> <span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mFSg55Iwvy8/T4SLFPSvV-I/AAAAAAAAAAM/Na2vdS77Pd0/s1600/1946.049+%28from+SE+with+fire+image%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img nda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mFSg55Iwvy8/T4SLFPSvV-I/AAAAAAAAAAM/Na2vdS77Pd0/s200/1946.049+%28from+SE+with+fire+image%29.jpg" border="0" height="200" width="168" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Typically the gourd shaped still, complete with spout and coil, sits on an iron stand in the “outside kitchen” at Stratford Hall. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Technically a still is defined as “an apparatus for distilling liquids, such as alcohols, consisting of a vessel in which the substance is vaporized by heat and a cooling device in which vapor is condensed.” </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />Liquor was, in fact, distilled on the plantation. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">It was simply part of life during the 18<sup>th</sup> century. Crops were grown for the table, livestock raised, and goods produced… be it clothing, furniture, or shoes. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Just imagine the possibilities of having a carpenter or blacksmith on site with the skills to custom design interior and exterior features for the property. This was, obviously, long before shopping malls or the Internet!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;font-size:85%;" > </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Additionally, the Lees had access to the Potomac River and the world beyond where ships were capable of making deliveries from Europe. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">William Bailey, a Pennsylvanian copper smith, likely created this still during the late 18<sup>th</sup> or early 19<sup>th</sup> century. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">We are truly grateful that upon its arrival to Mount Vernon a highly trained Conservator of the 21st century, Katherine Ridgway, performed numerous treatments to better the condition of the still and to preserve it for many years to come.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;font-size:85%;" > </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">As you can see below, the still looks fabulous in its prominent display case. I hope you will visit both Stratford Hall and the Distillery exhibit at George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate to make exciting historic comparisons.<br /></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7krCrThVbxU/T4SU4bH2wfI/AAAAAAAAAAU/PEwTqWH9EsA/s1600/Still_R16_09.04.01_20120319_7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img nda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7krCrThVbxU/T4SU4bH2wfI/AAAAAAAAAAU/PEwTqWH9EsA/s320/Still_R16_09.04.01_20120319_7.JPG" border="0" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-family:georgia;"><span style=" ;font-size:85%;" > For further information on the distillery click this link: </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.mountvernon.org/visit-his-estate/plan-your-visit/distillery-amp-gristmill"><span style=" ;">http://www.mountvernon.org/visit-his-estate/plan-your-visit/distillery-amp-gristmill</span></a></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center; font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">and to learn more </span><span style="font-size:85%;">about the plantation click here <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/plantation.php">http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/plantation.php</a>.</span></div><span style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span>Karen Louvar, Collections Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06168242929486544362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-13986217870497240732012-04-03T12:00:00.012-04:002012-04-05T11:56:05.395-04:00Somewhere out there...are letters<span style="font-size:100%;">One evening in late December, I received a call from my brother….a very excited brother who had just returned from an auction in Urbanna, Virginia.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Among his purchases were a pencil drawing of Robert E. Lee and a letter from Ann Hill Carter Lee to her son Sidney Smith Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He didn’t pay an exorbitant sum for them and had little competition from other bidders.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The reason why?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The “letter” was a collection of small rectangular pieces of paper stuffed into a small envelope.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He explained that my task, since I worked with old documents, was to piece it back together for him.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What are sisters for, anyway?</span> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-vwi3jL0mQ/T3sfxxyW1cI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/O-S2GCZxJHg/s1600/ACL%2Bto%2BSSL%2Bp1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 276px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3-vwi3jL0mQ/T3sfxxyW1cI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/O-S2GCZxJHg/s320/ACL%2Bto%2BSSL%2Bp1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5727206291170317762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">I had previously</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> seen only two letters written by Ann Carter Lee, wife of Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee and mother of Robert E. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Coincidentally, those letters were also from Ann to her son Smith and were placed on loan to Stratford by Smith Lee’s descendants.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Knowing what those letters lo</span><span style="font-size:100%;">oked like was very helpful in slowly reassembl</span><span style="font-size:100%;">ing the pieces of my brother’s newly purchased fragments.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">The letter had split at every fold, but, surprisingly, all of its pieces were in the envelope.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We may never know who had saved the letter, but are thankful that its contents are now available to researchers since my brother allowed me to copy and transcribe it along with other letters in our collection.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Ann’s letter was <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/leedocs/ACLtoSSL.pp">tr</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/leedocs/ACLtoSSL.php">anscribed</a> by library volunteer Maurice Capone and it is very similar in content to her few known letters to Smith, who had embarked upon a career in the U. S. Navy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Evidently, </span><span style="font-size:100%;">17-year-old Smith hated writing letters and Ann often used her precarious health (she had tuberculosis) to urge him to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whether or not her imposed “guilt trip” was successful is unknown, but, since few or no letters from Smith survive, Ann’s insistence was probably in vain.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Family news took up a s</span><span style="font-size:100%;">mall portion of the letter.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ann’s desire to give her children a good education can be plainly seen—24-year-old Carter was in law school, and 11-year-old Mildred and 15-year-old Robert </span><span style="font-size:100%;">were both attending classes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Her older daughter Ann Kinloch had been to Philadelphia, getting medical treatment for her arm; although the letter gave a good report on her hand, she eventually had to have part of her arm amputated due to tuberculosis of the bone.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Perhaps Ann’s greatest hope for Smith and her other children was for them not to suffer the fate of her former husband, “Light Hor</span><span style="font-size:100%;">se Harry,” who had fallen from the rank of esteemed Revolutionary hero and respected politician to that of an impoverished, broken man.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She wished to “hear that all respect & love my Son” and that he “should deserve the esteem of the whole world.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">So…..we never know what letters are still “out there” just waiting to be discovered.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sometimes scraps of paper in an envelope can reveal certain aspects of a family’s dynamics that ultimately influence the course of history.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Have you checked your attic lately?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">By Judy Hynson, Director of Research & Library Collections<br /></span></p>Judy Hynson, Director of Researchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05455468534206695533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-37475611284985051062012-03-28T14:30:00.001-04:002012-03-29T16:36:14.295-04:00The Decline of Reason?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mqujVZ7VVZg/T3Rd0QfJmAI/AAAAAAAAAJc/mHWZg-E3uH4/s1600/SE+outbuilding+9+Jan+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mqujVZ7VVZg/T3Rd0QfJmAI/AAAAAAAAAJc/mHWZg-E3uH4/s400/SE+outbuilding+9+Jan+2011.jpg" border="0" height="400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:small;">Working in a history museum the presence of the past is with you every day. There is not much that happens where you are not prompted to think about how it may have been different a century or two ago. So it is with the recent debates over public policy. What seems to be missing is the presence of reason. A principal premise of American society is the capacity of rational minds in a free society to reason. Today this principal has been replaced by the mindless chatter of television hosts, politicians and other assorted talking heads whose only proficiency is to state things as fact that have no connection to reality.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3m4yaTuMIxM/T3RiY3HhKyI/AAAAAAAAAJk/xLQy-kr6cU8/s1600/Writing+screen+%28blog%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3m4yaTuMIxM/T3RiY3HhKyI/AAAAAAAAAJk/xLQy-kr6cU8/s400/Writing+screen+%28blog%29.jpg" border="0" height="281" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" face="georgia"><span style="font-size:small;">The Lees and their colleagues in the founding generation would be horrified by this turn of events. Reading their extensive correspondence and countless newspaper articles and pamphlets, their use of ancient texts and reason is evident everywhere. In the years before the American Revolution, proponents of American rights conducted a long debate with their opponents about British imperial policy. These debates are worthwhile reading, not just for their content but for the use of reason in making their arguments. Today the legitimacy of reason as a neutral objective faculty has collapsed, replaced by post-modern notion that all ideas are relative and objective reason indefensible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:small;">There are those who argue that <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6051663844499936629&postID=3747561128498505106" name="_GoBack"></a>places like Stratford Hall and history museums generally are increasingly irrelevant in our modern world. These are the same people who helped create this world of intellectual chaos. Places like Stratford Hall have an obligation to provide a place where our citizens can reflect not just on the past, but the principles which have guided our nation for more than two centuries. One of these surely must be that it took reason to create a nation. It will also take reason to sustain it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:small;">- Paul Reber, Executive Director </span></div>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-1847778672173635152012-03-21T14:50:00.017-04:002012-03-22T14:06:21.934-04:00Preservation and Restoration Excitement... No Really...<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">I</span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;">t's exciting times in the Preservation Department here at Stratford Hall. But lets be serious, when isn't it exciting? <span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yMfmoCb_cZE/T2tWyo_QK0I/AAAAAAAAAJM/yI1hqX_uEpc/s1600/217.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722763179500514114" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yMfmoCb_cZE/T2tWyo_QK0I/AAAAAAAAAJM/yI1hqX_uEpc/s320/217.JPG" border="0" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The big project I continue to work on is the Parlor restoration. The Parlor is being restored to its ca. 1795 Federal Period, also known as the "Light Horse Harry" Lee period. I described the overall project in a previous blog post which you can find </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2011/12/update-from-preservation-department.html">here</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> if you missed it or would like to freshen up your memory. One of the contractors just finished removing the window seats and installing the new paneling in the window embrasures. They also extended the window architraves to the floor. The next step in the restoration is to install the plaster cornice, which we are hoping to begin within the next month or so. I hope to wrap up the restoration of the Parlor sometime in June, then we will turn the space over to the Collections Department so they can refurnish the space.</span><br style="font-family: georgia;"></span><div style="font-family:georgia;"><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />As sprin<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r_FsxPXnjuM/T2toeTZ465I/AAAAAAAAAMw/nDWbKa1r5D4/s1600/Barn%2BSwallow%2BFledglings.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r_FsxPXnjuM/T2toeTZ465I/AAAAAAAAAMw/nDWbKa1r5D4/s320/Barn%2BSwallow%2BFledglings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722782621318572946" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">g arrives a little early here at Stratford Hall, I am preparing for the warmer weather. The first thing I did </span><span style="font-size:85%;">to prepare for spri</span><span style="font-size:85%;">ng</span><span style="font-size:85%;">, with the help of the Collections Department, was to install the bird nets on the doors of the outbuildings. We install these nets to keep the pesky barn swallows out of the historic buildings but still allow our visitors access. You can read more about our issues with these birds <a href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2009/06/barn-swallows.html">here</a>.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Also as spring arrives the department is currently lookin</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W4XotBNym08/T2tpJScYNrI/AAAAAAAAAM8/ek-bZRrVmhc/s1600/Erin.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W4XotBNym08/T2tpJScYNrI/AAAAAAAAAM8/ek-bZRrVmhc/s320/Erin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722783359794951858" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">g f</span><span style="font-size:85%;">or </span><span style="font-size:85%;">its annual </span><span style="font-size:85%;">summer intern. So far we have a great applicant pool and</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">it will soon be time to make the hard decision of who gets to spend 10 fun-filled weeks at Stratford Hall. If you are interested in knowing more about our internships the posting </span><span style="font-size:85%;">can </span><span style="font-size:85%;">be found <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/internships.php">on our website</a>.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I am also gearing up to begin working on the exterior of some of the historic structures again. This work will consist of wrapping up the Slave Quarter </span><span style="font-size:85%;">restoration and continuing to work on the Great House windows. I am sure I will be getting into some more projects as the season progresses, so check back.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Phil Mark, Director of Preservationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13567644210979531497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-61960461134947018492012-03-15T09:14:00.003-04:002012-03-15T09:25:27.292-04:00Flip-flops and flower gardens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W7kKnyCtaJM/T2HocCrdQYI/AAAAAAAAAJU/IBExcKVPq0I/s1600/DR+Closet+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W7kKnyCtaJM/T2HocCrdQYI/AAAAAAAAAJU/IBExcKVPq0I/s400/DR+Closet+Blog.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ezBlpjm-OYs/T2HoYiiDgPI/AAAAAAAAAJM/MG81gxIp1Cc/s1600/Schoolmaster+Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ezBlpjm-OYs/T2HoYiiDgPI/AAAAAAAAAJM/MG81gxIp1Cc/s400/Schoolmaster+Blog.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>March has arrived and we spent time earlier this month removing the wintertime scenarios from the Great House. If you came to see us for our <i>Christmastide </i>program or any time over the holiday season, you saw the main house set up for a holiday party and displaying scenes of everyday wintertime life. Silhouette-cutting in the Dining Room Closet and fresh laundry arriving from the Wash House for the hired Schoolmaster [above].<br />
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We've blogged about setting up the Great House for its <a href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2010/12/preparing-great-house-for-winter.html">wintertime scenarios</a> before (and its <a href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2009/08/summertime-for-lees.html">summertime scenarios</a> and even <a href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2009/11/fall-finds-its-way-into-historic-area.html">fall</a> ones too). But what about springtime? It is difficult (and incredibly time-consuming) to continually think of new ideas for room displays in the Historic Area. So much planning goes into the new room projects (like the Parlor project that is now in its restoration and furnishing research phase) and changing them seasonally can be a challenge.<br />
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But just like our own houses, the residents of Stratford used their domestic spaces differently and changed things around as the weather changed. I'm currently writing this blog post in my own home office, with the window thrown open and birds chirping outside. I have flip-flops on my feet yet am bundled into a hoodie sweatshirt. The heat has been turned off and the air has a springtime morning chill that is quite delicious. My personal plans this time of year revolve around organizing and deep cleaning the house, as well as making plans for the vegetable and flower gardens. English peas are one of my favorites.<br />
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Seasonality is always in the back of my mind when I plan scenarios in the Great House and Kitchen. What foods are in season? Would they have been using the fireplaces for warmth? Would windows have been open for fresh breezes? What little changes are being made (bed coverings switching from heavy to light, for instance)? All adding up to bring a sense of real life to these historic spaces.Gretchen Goodell, Curatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14854140919466505887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-71765530492745278352012-03-08T12:42:00.015-05:002012-03-08T14:08:56.543-05:00Update from Interpretation and Education<span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dnlMpLDA4Bo/T1jxaIhRAJI/AAAAAAAAAMA/aZsth6vUIbM/s1600/snow.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 190px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dnlMpLDA4Bo/T1jxaIhRAJI/AAAAAAAAAMA/aZsth6vUIbM/s320/snow.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717585158212747410" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ReMiI1Bur40/T1jyaQsIW2I/AAAAAAAAAMY/fu1e_HM2KaY/s1600/spring2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 189px; height: 189px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ReMiI1Bur40/T1jyaQsIW2I/AAAAAAAAAMY/fu1e_HM2KaY/s320/spring2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717586259917429602" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">This past week we saw snow and temperatures in the 70s...spring is here at last! Stratford Hall is emerging from our winter season and gearing up for the spring. School trip season is not quite here, but our first school is scheduled be here at the end of the month. In the next couple weeks we will be reviewing program station content, checking on supplies, and cleaning the education spaces.</span><br style="font-family: georgia;"><br style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Public Events Manager Jon Bachman has been putting the finishing touches on our </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/visit/eventcalendar.php">2012 event calendar</a><span style="font-family: georgia;">. Stratford Hall has already held four programs: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">Birding at Stratford: Left Out In the Cold</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">Robert E. Lee's Birthday</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">Reading Lee with Elizabeth Brown Pryor</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">, and </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">Reflections on Black History: Telling One Story</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">. We have over twenty more programs on the schedule this year! The next program is </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/visit/female.php"><span style="font-style: italic;">Growing up Female in the 18th century</span></a><span style="font-family: georgia;">. Many of our programs are also now free for </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/give/friends.php">Friends of Stratford members</a><span style="font-family: georgia;">.</span><br style="font-family: georgia;"><br style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" >This winter also</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-34DASXfBR_Y/T1j24p4pQYI/AAAAAAAAAMk/Vdg_sJ78BbQ/s1600/Tryon2.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-34DASXfBR_Y/T1j24p4pQYI/AAAAAAAAAMk/Vdg_sJ78BbQ/s320/Tryon2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717591180123390338" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" > provided the opportunity to visit other museums for research. Previous blog posts highlighted our trip to <a href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2012/01/field-trips-are-not-just-for-school.html">Montpelier </a>and <a href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2012/02/staff-trip-to-dc.html">Washington, DC</a>. Four members of the staff also recently visited <a href="http://www.tryonpalace.org/">Tryon Palace</a> in New Bern, NC. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >This two day trip included a visit to their historic site, tour of the North Carolina History Center, and meetings with their staff. The hands-on exhibits provided the opportunity for some fun and competition. The ship was sailed somewhat successfully, ingredients located in the kitchen without angering the cook (see kitchen above), turpentine produced, and quilt created.These trips are extremely valuable as we start to think about what we would like to do as we move forward with our plans. </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />Check back every Thursday to learn more about what is going on at Stratford Hall. We will be having posts about preservation, the collections, programs, events in the Dining Room, the Gift Shop, and so much more. </span>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-55066753230468099452012-02-10T10:16:00.010-05:002012-02-10T16:41:34.321-05:00Staff trip to DC<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34JOyNprqn4/TzU6ycZHrjI/AAAAAAAAALQ/QU0gw9wsfUw/s1600/DC%2Btrip%2B2.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 199px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34JOyNprqn4/TzU6ycZHrjI/AAAAAAAAALQ/QU0gw9wsfUw/s320/DC%2Btrip%2B2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707532741051395634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">As we mentioned in our </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/2012/01/field-trips-are-not-just-for-school.html">blog post</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> a couple weeks ago, Stratford Hall staff will often take trips to other museums and historic sites in the winter (when visitation is low). This week, Executive Director Paul Reber, Curator Gretchen Goodell, and Director of Interpretation & Education Abigail Newkirk spent time exploring three </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >very </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">different museums in Washington, DC.</span><br style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />The first stop was the </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.spymuseum.org/">International Spy Museum</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">. While this museum covers a different subject, it is a extremely popular destination and incorporates a lot of interactives into the exhibits. Dan Treado (Exhibitions Producti</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">on Manager) walked us through the exhibits and explained some of the ideas for the future.</span><br face="georgia"><br face="georgia"></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hhCKQ5URF4E/TzVr4JQLS7I/AAAAAAAAAL0/kX6fHP-_uio/s1600/DC%2Btrip%2B5.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 118px; height: 118px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hhCKQ5URF4E/TzVr4JQLS7I/AAAAAAAAAL0/kX6fHP-_uio/s320/DC%2Btrip%2B5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707586715062586290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The second stop was the </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.mnh.si.edu/">Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">. We really wanted to check out the </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://humanorigins.si.edu/">David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins.</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> This exhibit had numerous movies, touchscreen</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">s, and objects that can be touched </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">by the visitor. One thing we really wanted to check out was </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >MEanderthal </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">- a computer station that morphs your image into a neanderthal. One of our photos is here and you can </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://humanorigins.si.edu/resources/multimedia/mobile-apps">try it for yourself</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> using a smartphone.</span><br face="georgia"></span><br face="georgia"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00vXFNclh3o/TzU7Zr68Y2I/AAAAAAAAALc/YuKJxT-FYN8/s1600/DC%2Btrip%2B3.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 174px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-00vXFNclh3o/TzU7Zr68Y2I/AAAAAAAAALc/YuKJxT-FYN8/s320/DC%2Btrip%2B3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5707533415234691938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">The final stop was the <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/index.cfm">Smithsonian National Museum of American History</a>. There</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"> were t</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">wo exhibits that we wanted to see here: </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibition.cfm?key=38&exkey=1674">The First Ladies</a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> and </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibition.cfm?key=38&exkey=1669">Slavery at Jefferson's Monticello: Parad</a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibition.cfm?key=38&exkey=1669">ox of Liberty.</a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"> You should see the puzzled looks from other visitors we get while crouching down</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"> to examine the </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">type of lighting in a museum case or evaluating how easily technicians would be able to access the collection for conservation. </span><br style="font-family: georgia;"></span><br /><a href="http://humanorigins.si.edu/"></a>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-11690295046289697542012-01-27T10:45:00.013-05:002012-01-27T15:38:58.484-05:00Field trips are not just for school children<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1auOkxhuFU4/TyLLuL7odlI/AAAAAAAAALE/JACDLC3cbGI/s1600/montpelier3.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 371px; height: 277px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1auOkxhuFU4/TyLLuL7odlI/AAAAAAAAALE/JACDLC3cbGI/s320/montpelier3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702344072541795922" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Visiting other historic house museums is a very important part of staff training. Learning about what has (or has not) worked at other museums helps us develop our own skills and inspires new ideas.</span></span><br style="font-family:georgia;"></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">This week the interpretive staff visited </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.montpelier.org/">James</a><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.montpelier.org/"> Madison's Montpelier</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">. Our visit stared with a guided tour of the </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.montpelier.org/explore/collections/madison_exhibits.php"><span style="font-style: italic;">Treasures of Montpelier</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> exhibit with Carole, our fantastic guide, and a screening of the introductory movie. Carole then took us through the first and second floors of Montpelier.</span><br style="font-family:georgia;"><br style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">After our tour we returned to the Visitor Center for lunch. We were joined by members of the interpretation and education departments for a question and answer session. For the guides, this was the highlight of the trip. The conversation ranged from the interpreter dress code to what to do when school buses arrive late.<br /><br />Everyone was let loose for the final hour to explore whatever interested them. Some chose to visit the cemetery, while other walked to the Archaeology Lab. A few decided to check out the outbuildings and explore the gardens. <br style="font-family:georgia;"></span><br face="georgia"><span style="font-family:georgia;">We all love Stratford, but sometimes it is nice to get out and be a visitor. We are very lucky because there are no shortage of amazing places to visit in Virginia!</span><br style="font-family: georgia;"><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0sPAFnAr-ls/TyLLlmanjyI/AAAAAAAAAK4/ehy4UVGadMM/s1600/montpelier1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0sPAFnAr-ls/TyLLlmanjyI/AAAAAAAAAK4/ehy4UVGadMM/s320/montpelier1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702343925032259362" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br style="font-family: georgia;"></span>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-57804644983874467022012-01-13T12:22:00.011-05:002012-01-13T13:35:14.964-05:00New faces on the farm<div style="text-align: center;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bI_NxMoUiKg/TxB4eN9HwaI/AAAAAAAAAKg/UYje3e5k6xU/s1600/new%2Bherd%2B2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 224px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bI_NxMoUiKg/TxB4eN9HwaI/AAAAAAAAAKg/UYje3e5k6xU/s320/new%2Bherd%2B2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697185989161107874" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2jzYmS4G1fw/TxB4s9lS0bI/AAAAAAAAAKs/aoRZ0yJeGfc/s1600/new%2Bherd.JPG"> </a><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Today Stratford Hall welcomed the first of the Red Devons. We first mentioned this project in a blog about a year ago. You can read it </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://stratfordhallprojects.blogspot.com/search/label/organic%20farming">here</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">This is a breed that would have been found at Stratford in the 18th century. Through a partnership with </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://www.lakotareddevons.com/">Lakota Farms</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">, we are now able to give our visitors a chance to see these beautiful animals and learn more about Stratford's agricultural heritage.</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">We will keep updating you and sharing images as the herd acclimates to their new home.</span></span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2jzYmS4G1fw/TxB4s9lS0bI/AAAAAAAAAKs/aoRZ0yJeGfc/s1600/new%2Bherd.JPG"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 345px; height: 229px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2jzYmS4G1fw/TxB4s9lS0bI/AAAAAAAAAKs/aoRZ0yJeGfc/s320/new%2Bherd.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697186242464240050" border="0" /></a></div>Abigail Newkirk, Director of Interpretationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03176590401687310412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-80698893425558497352012-01-06T10:06:00.005-05:002012-01-06T10:25:12.134-05:00One Slave's Story<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> 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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]-->It all began with an article in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span> Detroit Free Press</i>… <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20111223/NEWS05/112230427/Does-uncovered-tombstone-tie-black-family-to-Gen-Robert-E-Lee-?odyssey=tab%7Cmostpopular%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE">http://</a><a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20111223/NEWS05/112230427/Does-uncovered-tombstone-tie-black-family-to-Gen-Robert-E-Lee-?odyssey=tab%7Cmostpopular%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE">www.freep.com/article/20111223/NEWS05/112230427/Does-uncovered-tombstone-tie-black-family-to-Gen-Robert-E-Lee-?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE</a> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Discovery of a tombstone bearing the name Elizabeth Lee in a Canadian cemetery and related family oral history have prompted her descendants to claim kinship with Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee, father of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Henry Lee, according to Elizabeth Lee’s descendant, Elise Harding-Davis, is believed to have fathered a slave, Kizzie, who was the mother of Elizabeth’s husband, Ludwell Lee. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Henry Lee, a former Revolutionary War hero, moved to Stratford in 1782 after marrying his cousin Matilda, eldest daughter of Philip Ludwell Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Matilda died in 1790 and Henry, who had been elected Governor of Virginia, married Ann Hill Carter in 1793.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Henry and Ann’s last child to be born at Stratford was Robert E. Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Henry’s financial difficulties, stints in debtor’s prisons, and his son Henry’s claim on the Stratford estate hastened the family’s departure from Stratford to Alexandria in the winter of 1810-11.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tracing the history of African Americans at Stratford has always been challenging.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Slave names gleaned from court records and Lee family documents comprise most of the information that we know about Stratford’s historic slave community.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Probate inventories of the first two Lee owners of Stratford, in 1758 and 1776, list the names of their slaves along with other property.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>An extensive slave list was made in 1782 when Philip Ludwell Lee’s estate was divided between his widow Elizabeth and two daughters, Matilda and Flora (who married her cousin Ludwell Lee, son of Richard Henry Lee). <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>[For further information, see Jeanne Calhoun’s research report, “The African-American Experience at Stratford: 1782” at <a href="http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/african_american.php">http://www.stratfordhall.org/learn/african_american.php</a> ] <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Philip’s estate slave list included names, ages, value, and sometimes occupations of the 137 slaves living on Stratford and two outlying farms. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Also, Henry Lee inherited some slaves from other Lees, and these estate divisions are recorded in the Westmoreland County courthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some of these slaves came to live at Stratford.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Unfortunately, only a few of these documents indicate family units that existed, and none of them record any surnames.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Only one African American family—the Payne family—has been identified as having once been a part of the plantation’s slave population.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Searching for Kizzie:</p> <p class="MsoNormal">None of the slaves in the various inventories and lists mentioned above had the name “Kizzie.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, court clerks and persons entrusted by estate administrators and county courts to make inventories often resort to creative spellings of names in official records.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The two Lee probate inventories do not list any slave with a name that could possibly be construed as being Kizzie.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In the April 1782 estate division of slaves, there were two girls allotted to Matilda and Flora with names beginning with a “K.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Those names, as far as I can tell, are “Keavy” (age 5) and “Kenny” (age 3).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>These slaves were born during the American Revolution while Henry Lee was leading his cavalry and before he courted Matilda and married her in 1782.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFmdsDIIg1g/TwcO3OtVK3I/AAAAAAAAAEE/1fTyuNKde6k/s1600/John%2BLee%2Bestate%2Bdivision%2B%2528Kesey%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 221px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFmdsDIIg1g/TwcO3OtVK3I/AAAAAAAAAEE/1fTyuNKde6k/s320/John%2BLee%2Bestate%2Bdivision%2B%2528Kesey%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694536595837102962" border="0" /></a>More promising is a list of slaves that Henry Lee inherited by will from the estate of John Lee of Cabin Point.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>John Lee’s widow, who had life interest in his estate and slaves, died childless in 1802.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Several Lee nephews, including Henry Lee and Richard Bland Lee, received equal portions of the estate, including slaves living there, in 1803.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Henry Lee’s 28 inherited slaves included “Kesey” (age 5).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Westmoreland County court records (Book #8, p. 213) show that the same girl slave was listed as “Keseah” in John Lee’s probate inventory.*<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Could this child, born circa 1798, be the Kizzie who had her own child Ludwell by age 20 in 1818?</p><p class="MsoNormal">If so, Kesey, as one of the Cabin Point slaves, would have led a very precarious childhood.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Henry Lee, in perpetual debt, mortaged his Cabin Point inheritance (to Bushrod Washington) in 1798…even before he officially inherited it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A long legal battle with Thomas Rowand over the ownership of Cabin Point resulted in Lee’s eventual loss of the property.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Court documents indicate that Lee’s inherited Cabin Point slaves were brought to Stratford after the 1803 John Lee estate division.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Henry Lee sold the slaves from Cabin Point to his brother Richard Bland Lee for $2,000 credit against his debt in 1807; Richard Bland Lee hired out the Cabin Point slaves beginning January 1808.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, records of the transaction do not list Kesey as one of those slaves.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Nor is she listed when Richard Bland Lee sold the Cabin Point slaves to Henry Lee, Jr. in January 1810. Where was Kesey after 1803? </p> <p class="MsoNormal">In 1810, the Federal Census shows that there were only 32 slaves over age 12 at Stratford, a number that had been steadily decreasing as Henry and Ann Lee began selling off acreage not included in the deed of trust to his children by his first wife Matilda. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Court records show that many of Henry’s slaves were taken as collateral by persons to whom he owed money, and much of Henry’s time during 1809-1810 was spent in debtor’s prisons in both Westmoreland and Spotsylvania Counties.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Henry Lee’s personal property tax return for 1810 showed that he owned no slaves by the end of the year. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If Kesey had remained at Stratford after 1803, where was the twelve-year-old girl in 1810?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If Henry had given his remaining slaves to his son Henry, Jr., who assumed management of Stratford in 1810, Kesey would probably not have remained at Stratford much longer.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Henry Lee, Jr.‘s slave population dwindled to only 4 slaves over age 12 by 1815.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Interpreting possible scenarios for Kesey’s fate is tempting, but the sad fact is that Kesey seems to virtually disappear from the historical record after 1803.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s possible that combing through Westmoreland County court records might produce some evidence for Kesey’s whereabouts after 1803, but that research project would require a lengthy time investment.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And what if Kesey is not Kizzie?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">What’s in a name?…..</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Ludwell was a surname associated with the Lee family since Thomas Lee’s marriage to Hannah Ludwell in the 1720s.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thomas Lee passed the Ludwell name to two of his sons, and four of Thomas’s sons (one married a Ludwell cousin) passed the name to their sons.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee named one of his sons Philip Ludwell.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thomas Ludwell , brother of the Philip Ludwell who was agent for the Northern Neck Proprietary, also patented land near the early Lees in Westmoreland County.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When the estate of Squire Richard Lee of Lee Hall (just downriver from Cabin Point) was inventoried in 1798, the inventory listed a slave named Ludwell, who was sold to Squire Richard’s nephew, Richard Bland Lee—the same Lee who purchased the Cabin Point slaves.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While slaves were often given a diminutive of the names frequently used by their owner’s family, i. e., Harry for Henry, a family name was sometimes used for slaves when it was not used for a member of the slaveowner’s household. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While Ludwell may be an unusual name in Canada, it certainly is not unusual in Virginia and elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Genealogical inquiries from unrelated Lee families with ancestors bearing the names Richard Henry, Robert E., Ludwell and Lightfoot are constant reminders that not everyone who shares a common family name is related.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But, combined with an oral history tradition, the Ludwell name link is tantalizing.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Oral histories are important, particularly to black families who are seeking to trace their history in a world where little documentation survives.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We respect the oral tradition of passing along information from one generation to the next and have our own oral history project associated with Stratford and its restoration.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Payne family’s history is entwined with that of the Lees and subsequent owners of Stratford, and new findings are shared between the Paynes and the research department here.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While oral history can be helpful in directing ancestor searches, it does not take the place of historic documentation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>By itself, oral history often leaves many questions unanswered, but it is invaluable as an impetus to document the oral history tradition. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We hope that the descendants of Kizzie will continue their quest to discover unknown family names and relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe their journey will indeed lead to the Lees of Stratford.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">*Other transcribers have read the name as “Kissey” and “Kesiah.” </p>Judy Hynson, Director of Researchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05455468534206695533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-84776397566812185032011-12-16T11:29:00.007-05:002011-12-16T14:40:28.650-05:00Rare Book Catalog Project Update<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> 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mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]-->Over the past summer I have become more acquainted with the library's rare book collection than I ever thought was possible.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was very familiar with a small number of titles that I normally pulled from the library shelves to show to visitors, but the bulk of the collection remained largely unknown to me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not cataloged and difficult to explore because of the many high shelves, the rare book collection was doing little except for collecting dust. <p class="MsoNormal">Last spring, when presented with the chance to participate in the Founding Fathers Library Consortium with Mount Vernon and Gunston Hall, I was delighted.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Library Consortium website already offers on-line and on-site researchers a digital catalog of library holdings at those two historic sites, and, hopefully, Stratford Hall’s rare books will be cataloged along with the others by next summer.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not only will researchers be able to discover which rare books are located here, but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">we</b> will also be able to know what’s in the collection and where each title is located.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhqsSGlTjkw/Tutys3A0uwI/AAAAAAAAADI/7FjaFQKDntU/s1600/100_0855.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 257px; height: 364px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZhqsSGlTjkw/Tutys3A0uwI/AAAAAAAAADI/7FjaFQKDntU/s320/100_0855.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686765069492599554" border="0" /></a>Work on the digital catalog project officially began last summer with the arrivals of intern Julia Hurwitz and a large stack of self-stick barcodes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Julia’s internship involved finding the books that matched the titles in the lists we already had, inserting acid-free identification strips in each book, putting identical barcodes on the i.d. strip and listing for each volume, and compiling a list of titles that were not represented on any list we had.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Every day must have seemed like an Easter Egg hunt for Julia as she looked for titles on the duPont Room shelves, in the library basement, in my office, and in various historic buildings where they were used for props.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She made many trips up and down the rolling library ladder and successfully located and barcoded over 2,500 books.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thanks to Julia’s unflagging energy, superb organizational skills, and multi-lingual skills, all of the rare books in the duPont Room were readied for the digital catalog.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now I have the job of finishing the project!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With the help of volunteer Maurice Capone, I have begun identifying and barcoding the rare books housed in the library basement.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some books are easy to find on the lists and others present challenges, particularly the books missing their title pages.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have a much higher regard for on-line research after discovering most of the elusive titles using Google search.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I also have many more questions about our rare book collection that have tempted me to delve into the history of the collections themselves. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">One of our major rare book collections, the Shippen family library, was given by the great, great-<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs5s6saR0VI/Tut1pmKK2XI/AAAAAAAAADU/3tnrjs4sS0Y/s1600/December%2B13%2Bdownload%2B039.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs5s6saR0VI/Tut1pmKK2XI/AAAAAAAAADU/3tnrjs4sS0Y/s200/December%2B13%2Bdownload%2B039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686768311963670898" border="0" /></a>grandsons of Thomas Lee Shippen, William R. and Edward Shippen, partly in 1947 and partly in 1969.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thomas Lee Shippen was the grandson and namesake of Thomas Lee of Stratford, whose daughter, Alice Lee, married Dr. William Shippen of Philadelphia.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>One volume in the collection of around 500 books is Thomas Lee Shippen’s handwritten library catalog dating to 1790. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In this book Shippen carefully recorded loans of his books to friends.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span><span style=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Thomas Lee Shippen’s catalog identified the volumes in his personal library, a number of which were inherited from his father, Dr. William Shippen, and have Dr. Shippen’s name inscribed inside.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Dr. William Shippen was noted for his service during the Revolution and for his role in medical education.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, there are many more books in the Shippen collection that came to Stratford with bookplates other than the one used by Thomas Lee Shippen, including a beautiful armorial bookplate of William Byrd of Westover, armorial bookplates of John Banister, and others of James M. Nicholson.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Where did they come from?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A perusal of my trusty Lee family genealogical reference, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Lee of Virginia 1642-1892</i>, solved the mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Thomas Lee Shippen (1765-1798) married Elizabeth Farley, widow of Col. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">John Banister</b>, Jr., who was the daughter of James Parke and Elizabeth Byrd Farley [daughter of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">William Byrd</b> and Elizabeth Carter]. Thomas and Elizabeth Shippen had two sons, one of whom [Dr. William Shippen] had a son Dr. Edward Shippen who married Rebecca Lloyd, daughter of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">James Macon Nicholson</b> of Baltimore.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Dr. Edward Shippen was a distinguished Civil War surgeon.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Two of their grandsons [sons of Dr. Lloyd P. Shippen] who donated the family collection to Stratford, actually gave us several libraries accumulated by noteworthy families:<br /></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">The Nicholsons of Maryland</p> <p class="MsoNormal">[Nicholson bookplate]<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLMe46oDOmA/Tut2m352PjI/AAAAAAAAADg/rzOkR_tfCRI/s1600/Nicholson%2Bbookplate.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLMe46oDOmA/Tut2m352PjI/AAAAAAAAADg/rzOkR_tfCRI/s200/Nicholson%2Bbookplate.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686769364699070002" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">James Macon Nicholson <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(1808-1875), inherited the library of his father, the Hon. Joseph H. Nicholson of Maryland, who was elected as Maryland delegate to the Continental Congress in 1777 (but did not serve) and as a Republican to the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Congresses. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>James’ daughter, Rebecca, had “Maryland, My Maryland” set to music and published, just as her grandfather, Judge Joseph Nicholson, had done for the “Star Spangled Banner.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Francis Scott Key had given his brother-in-law, Judge Nicholson, the handwritten manuscript of the “Star Spangled Banner” in 1814, and the document passed down for two generations in that family before it was sold in 1907 to the Walters Art Gallery.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">The Banister Family of Virginia</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-riD2qILlaio/Tut3Z6URTCI/AAAAAAAAADs/NzB7njL1LFU/s1600/Byrd%2Bbookplate.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 195px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-riD2qILlaio/Tut3Z6URTCI/AAAAAAAAADs/NzB7njL1LFU/s320/Byrd%2Bbookplate.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686770241520094242" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The first Virginia naturalist was Rev. John Banister (c.1650-1692), a close friend of William Byrd I of Westover.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Banister was accidently killed while exploring the lower Roanoke River with some men in Byrd’s entourage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After Rev. Banister’s death, his notes and collections were acquired by some of the most notable collections and libraries in England; however, William Byrd became the guardian of Banister’s namesake son and obtained his library of eighty or more volumes of natural history and travel books.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Byrd’s library eventually passed to his grandson William Byrd III, whose widow sold the entire collection to a Philadelphia bookseller in 1777.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The library was sold piecemeal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, we know that some books (at least one or more!) were retained by Byrd’s daughter, Elizabeth.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Banister’s ownership is signified by his name stamped in ink; thankfully, it was not obscured by William Byrd I’s ornate bookplate.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Another large part of the Shippen collection was owned by Col. John Banister, the grandson of the Rev. Banister mentioned above.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Col. Banister (1734-1788) built Battersea in Petersburg, Virginia, and was a member of the first <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7aKXvUGhrsw/Tut39LEMG7I/AAAAAAAAAD4/5rguMiLW_lI/s1600/Banister%2Bbookplate.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7aKXvUGhrsw/Tut39LEMG7I/AAAAAAAAAD4/5rguMiLW_lI/s200/Banister%2Bbookplate.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686770847311469490" border="0" /></a>five Virginia Revolutionary Conventions, fought under General von Steuben, and was elected to (and served in) the Continental Congress in 1778.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Banister’s widow married Thomas Lee Shippen and, evidently, moved the Battersea library with her to Philadelphia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We will keep our readers updated on this fascinating rare book project, which will be completed this coming year.</p>Judy Hynson, Director of Researchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05455468534206695533noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6051663844499936629.post-22719481018407657732011-12-05T16:31:00.027-05:002011-12-09T15:09:18.078-05:00Update from the Preservation Department<div style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">The big ongoing project in the Preservation Department is the restoration of the Parlor. This restoration project will return the Parlor to the 1790's Federal Period of "Light Horse Harry" Lee. "Light Horse Harry" made this room larger while making it his most fancy space in the Great House. The Preservation Department has been working with the architects and architectural historians of <a href="http://www.mcwb-arch.com/firm/index.html">Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects, LLP</a>, </span><span style="font-size:85%;">in order to determine what needs to be done to complete this restoration project.<br /></span></div><div style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zXYcm35j7Ts/Tt_kU7u0VeI/AAAAAAAAAI0/4Q5D9zfa6Gc/s1600/w202-1%2Ba.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 206px; float: left; height: 266px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683512303047431650" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zXYcm35j7Ts/Tt_kU7u0VeI/AAAAAAAAAI0/4Q5D9zfa6Gc/s200/w202-1%2Ba.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">After extensive investigation and research, the evidence to direct us in the restoration of the Parlor has been found. One item that will be done is the removal of the window seats (see image left) from the window embrasures. The window embrasures will then extend to the floor and contain paneling that will match the existing Federal Period wainscoting (see image below). The next major change will be the installation of a plaster cornice. The exact design of the 1790's cornice is not known, but the original dimensions have been determined. The architects are currently researching <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYH4b7Nj_TE/Tt_hzhVqe5I/AAAAAAAAAIs/fImATioIn1U/s1600/w202-2%2Ba.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 171px; float: right; height: 259px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683509530003667858" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYH4b7Nj_TE/Tt_hzhVqe5I/AAAAAAAAAIs/fImATioIn1U/s200/w202-2%2Ba.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> other cornices from the same time period in Virginia to help guide them in their design. The paint scheme will also change </span><span style="font-size:85%;">during </span><span style="font-size:85%;">the restoration. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Through paint analysis it has been determined that the walls will be a yellow-green verdigris while the wainscoting and wood work will be a cream color. These are the biggest changes you will see during the Parlor's restoration.</span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />Another recent project for the Preservation Department is the completion of a Historic Structure Report, also known as a HSR, on the Great House. This report presents an overview of the Great House's physical history from the time it was built by Thomas Lee up until the early restorations of the 1930's. This report was prepared for Stratford Hall by</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects, LLP</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">. The report </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">pulls together years of research along with new research and investigations, and </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">has been an essential guide in the ongoing restoration of Stratford Hall. As we proceed with the room projects, more research and investigation will be added to the HSR. Information from this document will also be incorporated into our tours of the Great House.</span></span>Phil Mark, Director of Preservationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13567644210979531497noreply@blogger.com0