Past Program Presentations PDF  | Print |  E-mail

"Welcome to the Fort Valley" - Meg Trott described the work and stories behind the compilation of this new publication.  Her Co-authors Jeanette Ritenour and Jim Trott were present and were introduced and answered some questions.  The book is available on the SCHS Book List.     March 2011

"Shenandoah County on the eve of the Civil War" - Local historian and author, Richard Kleese, spoke about the preparations and mood in the county during the days leading up to the beginning of the Civil War.           November 2010

"Tales of Shenandoah" - Author Joseph Floyd Wine, at age 92, had lots of interesting stories to tell about life in the county, and the changes that have taken place during his lifetime.  Mr. Wine also wrote "Life Along Holman's Creek"         September 2010

"Furniture of the Shenandoah Valley" - Dr. David Powers discussed furniture schools and tradesmen from Shenandoah & Frederick Counties.  A wide variety of furniture forms were presented.  An introductory essay about Valley furniture as it relates to Belle Grove plantation can be read by clicking here .     May 2010

 "The Changing Farmstead" -  Tyre Yancy told of his interest in the technology of silos of the late 1800's and early 1900's and spoke about them and other many rapidly disappearing farm buildings in the Valley.  He showed slides to demonstrate the evolution of barns and how many have changed through the years.      March  2010

"Abolitionist George Rye revealed" - by SCHS Board Member and historian, Nancy Branner Stewart.  Judge Rye's amazing background from his leadership in organizing the national Republican Party, his post Civil War role in Virginia government and his many contributions to Shenandoah County were explained, yet his name is not familiar to most people.  To read about this interesting man, click here .    November 2009

 "Manor Mill" rediscovered - by New Market historian, Philip Crown.  Mr. Crown discovered ruins of this old Mill and mill race, at New Market VA, and became interested in uncovering it's history.  He found quite a bit of documentation and presented his findings with an interesting slide presentation.          September 2009

"Fifty Years of Local Fraktur (1784-1834)" -  Jean Martin, Archivist & Genealogist for the Shenandoah County Library displayed and spoke about the art of Fraktur, the recording of births and baptisims on highly decorated certificates.           May 2009

"Shenandoah County Genealogy On-Line Resources" -  Don Silvius, of the Shenandoah County GenWeb Project web site spoke about the resources that are now available on-line to assist those doing genealogy research.  Visit the GenWeb site by clicking here .        March  2009

"The Andrew Zirkle Mill ": A Case Study in Preservation -  Robert Andrew, owner of the Zirkle Mill, spoke on the history of the Mill and the surrounding area.  He also discussed the Mill technology and the conversion to electricity in the 1920's.  He covered a variety of other topics related to the Mill, including future preservation plans.   November 2008  To learn more about the Andrew Zirkle Mill, click here .                                                     

"Shenandoah Valley Furniture" - Furniture conservation work for The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, as performed and discussed by well-known valley furniture conservator, Ron Sheetz.  September 2008  [To view the slides presented by Mr. Sheetz during his presentation, click here.]  (Adobe Acrobat reader is required to view this presentation.  To download the free Acrobat Reader, you may click here ).  September 2008                 

Images from Shenandoah County” -  A presentation by John Adamson on the recently published book, "A Pictorial History of Shenandoah County, 50 Years through the Lens of Hugh Morrison, Jr.",   May 2008                                                                                               

“Shenandoah County during the Revolutionary War” –  by Karen Cooper, Feb. 2008

"Peter Muhlenberg" -  Karen Cooper gave two informative talks about Peter Muhlenberg. One talk, given to the Narrow Passage Chapter of the DAR can be read by clicking here.   The other talk, given at Emmanuel Episcopal Church is available here.   (Adobe Acrobat reader is required to read these documents.)

“Native Americans in Shenandoah County and the Valley” –  by Carole Nash, James Madison U, Nov. 2007
“Union Forces Effect on the Valley in 1864” –by Mary Giunta, Edinburg, VA, author, September, 2007
“An Illustrated Program about Harmony Hall” – by architectural historian, Maral Kalbian, May 2007

Illustrated Program about historian, John W. Wayland” – by Cathy Dagenhart Baugh, EMU, Harrisonburg, November, 2006
“Shenandoah County Farm and Alms House” –  by Karen Cooper, Sept. 2006  [Read the text of Ms. Cooper's presentation by clicking here .  Adobe Acrobat reader is required to receive this document].                                                                                                      “The Auction Business and Historical Valley Artifacts” – by Joe L. Headley, Headley’s Auctions, May 2006
“Conservation of Paper, Photos and Textile Artifacts” – by Jean Martin, Shenandoah County Library Archivist, Feb. 2006


“Quilts Through The Years”
– by Joan Knight, Virginia Quilt Museum, Nov. 2005
“The Sublimity of Battle and the Quietude of Remembrance: Picturing the Civil War and the Valley Landscape” – by Dr. Geraldine Wojno Kiefer, Shenandoah University, May 2005
“West from Shenandoah: a Scotch-Irish Family Fights for America, 1729-1781” – a presentation about the book by Thomas A. Lewis, Fort Valley,  Feb. 2005


“Fort Valley’s Cemeteries” – by Charles Lichliter, Fort Valley,  Nov. 2004
“The past and present historic Bowman House, a Valley pioneer’s fiuerkichen haus” – by Ray Wright, curator of buildings, Frontier Culture Museum, Staunton, VA   May 2004
“Avenue of Armies: Civil War Sites and Stories of Luray & Page County, Va.” – a presentation about the book by Robert Moore, Page County,  March 2004


“The Life of Belle Boyd” – by Thomas Blumer, Nov. 2003
“The Year that was the turning point of the Civil War” – by Civil War historian, Richard Kleese, May 2003
“Isaac Zane: An American Patriot of Shenandoah County” –  by Karen Cooper, Feb. 2003


“Christmas at the White House through the years” –  by Babs Melton,  American Presidents  Museum, November, 2002
“Old Tools” – Byron Wenger and Steven Fravel displayed and discussed their collections of old tools.  Sept. 2002
“The First 250 Years: Celebrating Woodstock’s 250th Anniversary” – by Betty Benchoff Page, May 2002
“The Movie: Gods & Genereals” – a talk about participation as extras in the making of the movie, presented by Donna Shaffer-Riha, SC resident, Feb. 2002


“History of Thunderbird archeological and current archeological work in the area” – by Dr. Joan Walker, Nov. 2001
“After the BackCountry: Rural Life in the Great Valley of VA, 1800-1900” – about his book, by Warren Hofstra, SU History Professor & Director of their Community History Project, May 2001
“Goals and Activities of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation” – by new executive director, Howard Kittell, Jan. 2001