The Creation
of Mount Sinai Church:
As reported by
the Loudoun Telephone

EXHIBITS

May 3–31 – Exhibit: Loudoun Preservation Society Retrospective. A new Retrospective exhibit of the Loudoun Preservation Society will be on display at Thomas Balch Library through the month of May, 2021. It may be seen by appointment only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 to 3 p.m. Please call 703-737-7195, email balchlib@leesburgva.gov, or fill out an Appointment Request Form online.

LECTURES, SEMINARS, TOURS & OTHER EVENTS:

Saturdays, May 1, 8, 15 and 22, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. --  GUIDED BATTLEFIELD TOURS OF MT. DEFIANCE. Join us for a guided tour of the Mt. Defiance battlefield, part of the June 19, 1863 Battle of Middleburg. The tour will look at site features and the battle events in context, and will include strategic military aspects of the battle, landscape features, and engaging human-interest stories. Free admission; no reservations necessary. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing. Meet in the parking lot at 35945 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg. For more information click here.

Sat., May 1 at 11:00 a.m. – “Faces of the Wounded” – Downtown Frederick Walking Tour. The vastness of the Civil War’s death toll can make modern day audiences forget how personal and human the conflict was. “The Faces of the Wounded” walking tour puts a human face on Civil War casualties. The tour tells the incredible story of several wounded soldiers treated in Frederick. Hearing their tales of suffering and triumph in their own words at the place where it happened provides a truly unique experience. National Museum of Civil War Medicine Education Coordinator John Lustrea will lead a special historic walking tour through Downtown Frederick on May 1, 2021 at 11:00 AM. John will be highlighting individual stories from several of Frederick’s Civil War hospitals. The walking tour is limited to 15 participants. Masks are required throughout the tour and we request that you practice strict social distancing. Tickets are $15 and include admission to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in addition to the walking tour. Tickets are free for Museum members, but you must still reserve your spot. Reservations will be accepted on a first come first served basis. National Museum of Civil War Medicine, 48 East Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701. 301-695-1864. Register here.

Mon., May 3 at 7:00 p.m. – “The Old Mills of Conococheague Creek,” by Dan Guzy. The video will premiere on the YouTube WCFL channel at 7:00 p.m. and be available on the WCFL channel after that time. Conococheague Creek's drainage area in Washington County, MD and Franklin County, PA had over one hundred water-powered mill sites. Such mills operated from colonial times through the second half of the twentieth century. Dan Guzy's PowerPoint presentation will present general information about the over eighty grist mills in this region, show what mills and ruins can still be seen, and discuss in detail a few sample mills. Dan Guzy is a retired engineer interested in local history. He has published articles ranging from fish weirs, to river surveys, to runaway slaves. Sponsored by Washington County Free Library, Hagerstown.

Mon., May 3 at 7:00 p.m. – “After Saratoga: The War that Britain Nearly Won,” by author John Ferling. Book Release & Free Virtual Event. Award-winning Author John Ferling presents “After Saratoga: The War that Britain Nearly Won.” This talk is based on Ferling's new book, Winning Independence. It was 1778, and the recent American victory at Saratoga had netted the U.S a powerful ally in France. Many, including General George Washington, presumed France's entrance into the war meant independence was just around the corner. Meanwhile, having lost an entire army at Saratoga, Great Britain pivoted to a “southern strategy.” The army would henceforth seek to regain its southern colonies, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, a highly profitable segment of its pre-war American empire. Deep into 1780 Britain's new approach seemed headed for success as the U.S. economy collapsed and morale on the home front waned. By early 1781, Washington, and others, feared that France would drop out of the war if the Allies failed to score a decisive victory that year. Sir Henry Clinton, commander of Britain's army, thought “the rebellion is near its end.” Washington, who had been so optimistic in 1778, despaired: “I have almost ceased to hope.” Ferling provides the dramatic story of how and why Great Britain-so close to regaining several southern colonies and rendering the postwar United States a fatally weak nation ultimately failed to win the war. Ferling explores the choices and decisions made by Clinton and Washington, and others, that ultimately led the French and American allies to clinch the pivotal victory at Yorktown that at long last secured American independence. Fort Plain Museum and Historical Park. Please Click Here to Register.

Thurs, May 6, 10:00 a.m. – “How to Research Your House,” with Maral S. Kalbian, Architectural Historian. A Virtual Workshop. Architectural Historian Maral Kalbian, walks you through methods and sources for researching the history and architecture of your house, with special focus on Loudoun County and Virginia. Maral S. Kalbian is an historic preservation specialist who has practiced in the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont areas of Virginia for 34 years. She researches, evaluates, and documents historic architecture. She serves as a contractual architectural historian to several Virginia local governments including Clarke, and Frederick counties, and the City of Charlottesville. This is a virtual class that will be offered online by Thomas Balch Library. Registration is required.

Thurs., May 6 at 7:00 p.m. – The Columnist: Leaks, Lies, and Libel in Drew Pearson's Washington with Don Ritchie. Virtual Event (Free, RSVP Required). Long before Wikileaks and social media, the journalist Drew Pearson exposed to public view information that public officials tried to keep hidden. A self-professed "keyhole peeper", Pearson devoted himself to revealing what politicians were doing behind closed doors. From 1932 to 1969, his daily "Washington Merry-Go-Round" column and weekly radio and TV commentary broke secrets, revealed classified information, and passed along rumors based on sources high and low in the federal government, while intelligence agents searched fruitlessly for his sources. For forty years, this syndicated columnist and radio and television commentator called public officials to account and forced them to confront the facts. Pearson's daily column, published in more than 600 newspapers, and his weekly radio and television commentaries led to the censure of two US senators, sent four members of the House to prison, and undermined numerous political careers. Every president from Franklin Roosevelt to Richard Nixon--and a quorum of Congress--called him a liar. Pearson was sued for libel more than any other journalist, in the end winning all but one of the cases. ​Breaking secrets was the heartbeat of Pearson's column. His ability to reveal classified information, even during wartime, motivated foreign and domestic intelligence agents to pursue him. He played cat and mouse with the investigators who shadowed him, tapped his phone, read his mail, and planted agents among his friends. Yet they rarely learned his sources. The FBI found it so fruitless to track down leaks to the columnist that it advised agencies to simply do a better job of keeping their files secret. Drawing on Pearson's extensive correspondence, diaries, and oral histories, The Columnist reveals the mystery behind Pearson's leaks and the accuracy of his most controversial revelations.
​Join the Byrd Center at Shepherd University on Zoom for a virtual book talk with author Don Ritchie. This program is free and open to the public, but you need to click on the button below to RSVP and receive the Zoom link. Click here to register.

Sat., May 8 at 1:00 p.m. – The Civil War on the C&O. Join the VPHA (Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area) historians for a guided bike tour along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The canal served as a vital transportation artery for moving supplies to Washington during the Civil War, but its importance also made it a vulnerable target for Confederate attack. The bike ride will begin at 1:00 pm at the Brunswick Boat Ramp and Parking Lot, located under the Potomac River bridge. Riders will travel from Brunswick upriver to the vicinity of Harpers Ferry and back, a ride of approximately 14 miles. The ride will be on the flat towpath but there is often uneven terrain. Mountain bikes are highly suggested. VPHA will not be supplying bikes; bringing your own will be required. Please bring helmets, water, and other safety equipment. $30 Single Ticket / $50 Couple's Ticket. Click Here for Tickets

Thurs., May 13 at 6:30 p.m. – History on Tap: What's Up-perville? Historians take a trip to the historic village of Upperville to retell stories from the area's fascinating past. This program will also include a short walk around town. Special guest appearance by historian Alison Herring. Trinity Episcopal Church, 9108 John S Mosby Hwy, Upperville, VA. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area. 

Fri., May 14 at 6:00 p..m. – Culture and Cocktails: “Hagerstown, A History.” Enjoy a drink and have a think! At Culture & Cocktails, a lecture program at the Miller House Museum, we tackle a historical topic with the help of a little liquid fortitude. On Friday, May 14th, over Zoom, join us as we welcome author and historian Mary Rubin for an exploration into Hagerstown’s storied history. The county seat of Washington County, Hagerstown has been at the crossroads of history and commerce since its founding in 1762. The featured cocktail will be: The colonial Strawberry Shrub! For more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! $10/person. For tickets, click here.

Sat., May 15, at 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Fort Loudoun Day Living History Event. Sponsored by the French & Indian War Foundation, and the James Wood II Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Meet Living History Interpreters such as: Col. James Wood, Founder of Winchester; Capt. George Mercer and his company of Col. George Washington's Virginia Regiment; and others, at the site of George Washington's historic Fort Loudoun. Learn about life on the Virginia frontier in the late 18th century and the French & Indian War era and how events during this period led to the founding of our country. Outdoor event, at the site of Historic Fort Loudoun, 419 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester, Virginia.

Wed., May 19 at 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. – “Disease in History” by Andrew C A Jampoler. An Illustrated Virtual Lecture, sponsored by Thomas Balch Library. The current pandemic has forced us to relive and rethink the impact of disease on history. Before the age of modern medicine, lethal epidemics and fatal disease shaped human history as much—arguably more—than did geography, the acts of great men and women, and the events of politics and wars. Learn how plague, influenza, yellow fever, and small pox (as well as the “great pox,” syphilis), and especially cholera, powerfully changed the direction of the march of time... as the Covid-19 virus is doing again. After many years in Lucketts, Andy Jampoler now lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Suzy, a geographer and cartographer. Andy has been a popular speaker at Thomas Balch Library and it is our pleasure to welcome him back to speak on the timely topic of Disease in History. Register here.

Thurs., May 20 at 12:00 noon – Lunch & Learn Webinar: “The New Deal, Labor & Race.” Inspired by Norman Rockwell's America and drawing from her book Labor Pains, Shenandoah University’s Christin Marie Taylor will discuss the political and cultural contexts of the Popular Front and their influence on representations of black labor during the New Deal era. She will also explore the ways fiction writers used the theme of black labor to imagine a fuller portrait of human experience. Pay what you can. Register by May 19; register online or call 540-662-1473, ext. 240. After registering, you will receive an email confirmation with the Zoom link for the program. Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, Virginia 22601.

Sun., May 23 – 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – “EYEWITNESS TO WAR:” FOURTH SUNDAYS AT MT. ZION. During fourth Sundays of the month, April through October, join us for guided tours of the 1851 church, site of an 1864 Civil War battle, and the adjacent cemetery. Tours include a living history presentation with a Union army doctor describing how the church was used as a hospital in 1863. Signatures of Civil War soldiers can be seen at this site, part of the Northern Virginia Civil War Graffiti Trail. This is a free program. No registration required.  Please wear a face mask and practice social distancing during the tour.  Mt. Zion Historic Park is located at 40309 John Mosby Highway, Aldie. For more information click here.

Fri., May 28 at 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm – “How Civil War Medicine Impacts Us Today,” with Mark Breazzano, M.D. Join us on Friday, May 28 at 1:00 PM on YouTube for a virtual program hosted by the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. You can tune in live by visiting youtube.com/user/nmcwm at the scheduled time. Education Coordinator John Lustrea will talk with Mark Breazzano, M.D., Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University, about the parallels between Civil War medicine and modern medicine. As someone currently working in the medical field and an avid student of history, Dr. Breazzano offers a unique perspective on Civil War medicine. From the importance of sufficient medical supplies, to vaccines, to new understandings of disease spread, the Civil War offers many important lessons for doctors today.