"Our Declaration" Reading on July 4 in Lovettsville
 

The Lovettsville Historical Society was a co-sponsor of a public reading of the the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2019, at St. James Church in Lovettsville. The Declaration  was read antiphonally, with gusto, by all those pictured here, who were placed strategically at different locations in the church sanctuary.. Some sections were read in German, since that is how many of those in The German Settlement (now Lovettsville) would have read or heard it.  Following the reading,  the St. James church bells were rung.

The reading was organized by Eirik Harteis and the Histfar Foundation; other sponsors  were St. James United Church of Christ, and the NOVA Parks Authority. 

Readers shown from left to right: Edward Spannaus, Tracy Gillespie, Tanja Woldt, Katherine Corrado, Nancy Spannaus, Effie Hall, Rich Gillespie, and Eirik Harteis.

Saturday, August 3, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. – History Lab: American Revolution vs Civil War. The program will focus on the American Revolution vs the Civil War era. How did technology change between these eras? What were the similarities? How did these conflicts affect the people northern Piedmont? Learn all this and more at History Lab. We'll have activities for children AND adults of all ages, including:

• Learning drill alongside 18th and 19th century soldiers.
• Exploring historical foodways as the soldiers prepare rations for lunch.
• Practicing your spy skills with historical code breaking.
• Meet and greet with local authors.
• Test your skill with early American lawn games.
• Stories and crafts for our young historians.

Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the ca. 1800 Caleb Rector house, home to the Mosby Heritage Area Association. This program is free to all, but donations are welcome! MHAA Headquarters, 1461 Atoka Road, Marshall, VA.
 
Saturday, August 3, at 2:00 p.m. – John Brown: Monuments and Mythology. This special program will reflect on the history of John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry in 1859 and the impact of race relations. Free and open to the public, the presentation is led by David Fox, a recently retired park ranger from the National Park Service. Fox will tell the stories of monuments and plaques dedicated to a key figure, Winchester’s own Heyward Shepherd, who was recognized as a free black man who lived in Winchester and was the first person killed in the raid, and the controversies surrounding the actions and history of the event. The Heyward Shepherd monument was erected in 1931 with plaques installed in 1932, 1955, and 1994. Many groups challenged plaque text using the wording “faithful slave” and the intent of the original monument – further showing larger social concerns with history and race.
The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Handley Regional Library System. Handley Library, 100 West Piccadilly Street, Winchester, Virginia.
 
Saturday, August 3 – Tolson’s Chapel Open House.  This historic African American church is located in Sharpsburg, Maryland. It was built in 1866 and served as a church and a Freedmen's Bureau school for black residents of Sharpsburg in the years following the American Civil War. Take this special opportunity to see inside the chapel as it will be open today for tours. 111 East High Street, Sharpsburg, MD 21782. www.tolsonschapel.org/
 
Saturday, August 3, at 6:30-9:30 p.m. – “The Ground Beneath Us” arts event. This summer, Ground Beneath Us is teaming up with the Waterford Foundation to highlight our artists and support the Lantern Light Fund. The Waterford Foundation's Lantern Light Fund honors the men and women of Waterford's African American community, who worked by lantern light to build the John Wesley Community Church. The Fund will preserve and share the sites, stories, and artifacts of Waterford's African American community.  The program will kick-off with a conversation with author Meredith Battle. Her first novel, Go Down the Mountain, is a compelling piece of historical fiction that tells a story of the life of a Blue Ridge Mountain family during the Great Depression and the height of the eugenics movement. A musical lecture follows with 2018 fellows Folsom50 whose work weaves together stories of working with incarcerated adults in Oregon with the history and legacy of Johnny Cash's life and music. That will be followed by a conversation between 2017 Fellow and Daniel Duford with 2019 Fellow painter Arvie Smith. Duford and Smith will discuss making art in the context of history painting, politics and African American history. The presentation will be followed by a reception where guests and artists can meet and speak further. Refreshments will be served.
Suggested donation of $20 to support the Lantern Light Fund of the Waterford Foundation.
John Wesley Church,  40125 Bond St, Waterford, VA
 
Sat. & Sun., August 3 & 4 – The American Soldier through the Ages.  The military history of Fort Frederick spans the 18th and 19th centuries. Historical interpreters from the fort will be describing how soldiering changed over time while maintaining certain common elements. You will be given a rare opportunity to come in close contact with our military past. Hands-on displays of weapons, uniforms and military gear from the 1600’s colonial militia, Revolutionary War, Civil War and World War II.  Sat., 10am-5pm; Sun., 10am-3pm. Fort Frederick State Park, 11100 Fort Frederick Rd., Big Pool, MD 21711. 301-842-2155. http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/western/fortfrederick.aspx
 
Wed., August 7 at 7 p.m. – “In the Wake of Antietam: The Loudoun Valley Campaign of 1862,” with Kevin Pawlak. Following the bloodiest single day in American history, September 17, 1862, and the conclusion of the Battle of Antietam, the Federal Army of the Potomac and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia rested and refitted on either side of the Potomac River. By late October 1862, urged on by President Abraham Lincoln and his recently announced Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, the Federal army crossed into Virginia once more, armed with a plan to capture Richmond and defeat the Confederacy. The ensuing battles that erupted in the Loudoun Valley and beyond raged for two weeks and added several hundred casualties to the nation's growing list of names. Confederate forces attempted to slow the advancing Federal army against the backdrop of the 1862 midterm elections. Several fights erupted in Loudoun and Fauquier counties from October 26-November 10, 1862. The campaign proved to be not as decisive as Lincoln hoped. It proved to be George McClellan's last campaign as a field commander in the Civil War. Kevin Pawlak is the Director of Education for the Mosby Heritage Area Association and serves as a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Antietam National Battlefield.  Part of the Summer Lecture Series, these outdoors programs are held at the Jacob Rohrbach Inn, 138 W. Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD.  To ensure adequate seating, please bring a chair. In case of inclement weather, lectures will be held at the Sharpsburg Christ Reformed Church of Christ. Parking is available on Main and Hall Streets. For updates and a full schedule of presenters & topics check the Jacob Rohrbach Inn facebook page. 301-432-5079.
https://jacob-rohrbach-inn.com/blog/2019/01/2019-civil-war-lecture-series/https://jacob-rohrbach-inn.com/blog/2019/01/2019-civil-war-lecture-series/
 
Wed., August 14 at 7 p.m. – “A Last Roll of the Dice: The Third Confederate Invasion of the North – 1864” with Matt Borders. The third Confederate Invasion of the North occurred in the summer of 1864. Often lost within the larger campaigns for Petersburg, Atlanta and later the Shenandoah Valley, the third Confederate invasion was a last ditch effort to redirect Federal forces away from Richmond, relieve pressure against the Army of Northern Virginia, and just maybe disrupt the reelection of Abraham Lincoln, thereby changing the course of the war. Matt Borders is a Park Ranger at Monocacy National Battlefield in Frederick, Maryland, and is also a volunteer and Certified Battlefield Guide at Antietam ,National Battlefield as well as a Certified Guide for Harpers Ferry National Historical Site. Jacob Rohrbach Inn,  Sharpsburg, MD (see Aug. 7 item).

Wed., August 14, at 7 p.m. - Whiskey History: Applejack -- A Colonial Drink for Modern Times. Held the second Wednesday of each month and hosted by Heritage Frederick (formerly the Historical Society of Frederick County), this series with Frederick County Public Libraries explores the origins of American spirits. After each free lecture, tickets can be purchased to taste locally distilled spirits supplied by Frederick's very own Tenth Ward Distilling Company. All tasting ticket proceeds benefit Heritage Frederick.  All events will be held at Heritage Frederick, 24 East Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701.  Must be 21 or over to attend.
 
Fri., August 23, at 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. -- Waterford Foundation Back to School Community Happy Hour.  Enjoy a relaxing evening catching up with old neighbors and making new friends! Learn about the 75th Anniversary, Waterford Fair volunteer opportunities, Foundation projects and listen to the tunes of bluegrass music! Bring your family, your favorite lawn chair and an appetizer to share. Adult beverages and kids drinks will be provided by the Waterford Foundation. Please RSVP to admin@waterfordfoundation.org.  The Old School, 40222 Fairfax Street, Waterford.
 
Fri., August 23, 4:00 p.m. -- Join the Waterford Foundation for a FREE walking tour before Happy Hour! We'll stroll together through the historic village, see a remarkable variety of early dwellings, ice houses, barns, former shops, 19th century churches and hear lots of great stories about our history. The tour will start at the Old School at 4:00pm and will last approximately 1 hour.  Children are welcome with adult supervision. Please RSVP to admin@waterfordfoundation.org with the number of guests by 8/21.