Lincoln Homstead in Virginia

But I thought Lincoln was born in a log cabin house in Kentucky? That was my thought process when I first heard about the Lincoln Homestead and its location in the Rockingham County. So does our 16th President have any true ties to Virginia?

According to the March 24, 1887 newspaper Rockingham Register, he does. The paper ran a front page article entitled: “Lincoln’s Ancestors in Virginia.” The article is John T. Harris Jr.’s argument that the Lincolns, according to deeds in the courthouse that “survived the Federal army during the civil war”, did not leave Virginia until 1781. The article was written in response to the newspaper Century’s article by “Nicolay and Hay” that stated the Lincolns left in 1780.[1] Quite a convincing article.

Kate Green Paul: Local Participation in the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (continued)

Kate Green Paul is #4

               
Following our pervious overview of local participation in the Chicago’s World Fair at the national level, we continue with the organizations and contributions on the state and local levels. Because of her position on the National Women’s Board, Kate Paul was called upon to take part in local undertakings. Reading the newspapers reports at that time (and today we would find the writing very sexist), the prominence of many women in the preparations for the event was ground breaking. 

An act of the General Assembly, passed on March 4, 1892, created the Board of World’s Fair Managers of Virginia. An appropriation of $25,000 was approved, but no one considered the amount enough to accomplish all the plans. The governor appointed a ten member board to secure exhibits on the resources, products, and general development of the Commonwealth of Virginia to show at the World’s Columbian Exposition. The Board had authority to take all the “necessary steps to secure a complete and creditable display of interest to the state including the solicitation, collection, transportation, arrangement, exhibition of all objects sent to the Exposition.”  

Kate Green Paul: Local Participation in the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair

Kate Green Paul is #4

(This article is a postscript to the Massanutten Regional Library’s first summer adult program on June 10 that features author Katie Letcher Lyle, who is the great-granddaughter of Kate Paul.)

  Recent books, for example, Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City (2004) and Justin Martin’s Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted (2012), focused popular attention on the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. While excellent, these books do not provide the reader with an understanding of the scope and widespread participation of Americans in this event. Few people know about Rockingham County/Harrisonburg resident population’s participation in the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. In the local histories of this period, Mrs. Kate Seymour Green Paul’s membership on the Board of Women Managers of the World’s Fair was often noted. Kate Paul’s position gave area residents a “place at the table” with regard to national, state, and local exposition planning. The existence of the Board also called attention to the role of women in this event and in society in general 120 years ago.

 When the planning for the Fair began in 1890, Kate Paul was 43 years old, a mother of five living children that ranged in age from 2 to 12. In 1874, she married John Paul, who was then the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Rockingham County, later U.S. Congressmen and now, in 1890, the US judge for the Western District of Virginia. Kate Paul’s familiarity with the political arena provided her with connections that along with her own talents and interests made her well-suited for membership on the Board of Lady Managers of the Chicago World’s Fair.

May is National Foster Care Month

Did you know May is National Foster Care Month? Recently Virginia Governor McDonnell issued a proclamation recognizing May, 2013 as Foster Care Month in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This was followed by a new initiative to encourage adoptions called “Virginia Adopts: Campaign for 1,000”. [1] To help share information about Foster Care a local organization that serves Harrisonburg foster and adoptive families shared a story from one of their Foster Parents with MRL.

Foster Parenting: A Parent’s Insight
“It makes it worth it to know you’ve been able to be a part of their healing.” 

When asked, “Why did you become foster parents?” this is the response given by a family who has opened their home to over 10 children in the last three years. Has it always been easy? No. In fact, they shared stories of hardships, hard choices, and tears. But as the stories unraveled, they were also well seasoned with hugs, “I love yous,” healing, and happiness. 

Remembering Downtown Harrisonburg

 

 

Facebook has finally been able to connect us to 200 million of our closest friends, but it has also served to bring together the community of downtown Harrisonburg. The downtown Harrisonburg of my experience is trivia night at Clementine’s , nights at  The Blue Nile when college kids play DJ, and Kline’s ice cream. The downtown Harrisonburg Lew Taylor has recreated is one of the “greatest small cities in America” when school supplies were bought at Stationers and the Virginia Theatre was in full swing.

Preservation Week

 

 

Did you know that Preservation Week was created in 2010 by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) to bring attention to the millions of times in various institutions that required immediate attention and care.    ALCTS is a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

Master Gardeners Help the Library

            

The snows are gone; the soil is turned; now what to plant in the garden?- Gladiolus, Lilies, Dahlias!  The Master Gardeners of the Central Shenandoah Valley are ready to help you and the Library.  From Tuesday April 2 through Monday April 15 in the Lobby of the Main Library in Harrisonburg, the  Master Gardeners will answer your landscaping and planting questions and take your order for bulbs.  Proceeds from the sales will be contributed to the Massanutten Regional Library.  Call the Library at 540.434.4475, ext. 129  or check the Massanutten Regional Library website (www.mrlib.org) for the specific hours of this program. 

               

CVSMG is a local volunteer group sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension.  They provide gardening education and information to local home and property owners. Ask the gardeners to help you plan and plant a cutting garden, a long season of colors, or a species or color-planned beds while you make your selections.  They may be able to help you with your critter and pest problems. They have two telephone  help lines:  Augusta County-- 540-245-5184 and Rockingham County-540-564-3080.  They provide hands-on “Greenery, Herb, and Flower Arranging” workshops.  They sponsor the Thomas Harrison Middle School After School Gardening Club and help with community gardens.  Come to the Main Library and meet these wonderful Master Gardeners.

               

  If you are interested in becoming a candidate for the Program, talk to these gardeners or go to the  organization’s  website   www.csvmga.org.  They describe the program as a, “training program for volunteer educators who are interested in spreading the good word about best agricultural practices.”

                We encourage you to stop by the Library to order plants and see what this community organization can do for you.  Happy Gardeneing!!!