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DHR Register Program Updates
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*Proposed Nominations for DHR's March Board Meeting *Grant Opportunities *Registers-Listed Places in the News *History News from Around Virginia & Elsewhere
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To keep everyone abreast of DHR’s Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register programs, as well as related news and history, here is our latest update from Lena McDonald, Historian, DHR Register Program.
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*Consultants, CLG staff, university faculty, students, and anyone interested in Virginia's landmark register programs and history. (Please share this newsletter with others!)
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Nominations for the Forthcoming March
Joint Quarterly Board Meeting
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The Virginia Board of Historic Resources and State Review Board next convene on March 19, 2020, to consider new nominations to the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places. The meeting will take place in Richmond at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Here is the draft agenda thus far:
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- Armistead House, City of Williamsburg, DHR No. 137-0142
- Walker-Wilkins-Bloxom Warehouse, City of Newport News, DHR No. 121-0076
- Diggs, J. Eugene, Residence, City of Norfolk, DHR No. 122-5971
- Hickory Hill Slave and African American Cemetery, Hanover County, DHR No. 042-5792
- Rose Hill, Culpeper County, DHR No. 023-0018.
(This nomination was approved by the BHR in December; however, the SRB lacked quorum to vote on this and will consider the nomination at the March meeting.)
- Almond, Page County, DHR No. 069-0050
- Deering Hall, Town of Broadway, Rockingham County, DHR No. 177-0016
- C. Walker School, Bath County, DHR No. 008-5076
- Brown-Swisher Barn, Rockbridge County, DHR No. 081-7171
- Carnegie Hall, University of Lynchburg, City of Lynchburg, DHR No. 118-5470-0002
- Salvation Army Citadel, City of Roanoke, DHR No. 128-5343
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Virginia Humanities Awards Grants
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Virginia Humanities recently announced $185,650 in recent grants to 27 nonprofit organizations in support of public humanities programs serving communities across the Commonwealth. Since 1974, the Virginia Humanities Grants Program has funded community storytelling projects, historical research, preservation efforts, and more from museums, historical societies, and other cultural non-profits working throughout the state. Virginia Humanities grants reach an estimated annual audience of 1.5 million, with an average 4:1 dollar match.
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The Department of Historic Resources received a grant for “In Search of Virginia’s Maritime Heritage,” a public seminar to promote awareness of Virginia's maritime heritage and the need to discover and preserve that heritage through underwater and coastal archaeology.
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Other grant recipients include:
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- the University of Richmond’s “Growing Up in Civil Rights Richmond: A Community Remembers” traveling exhibit;
- Stratford Hall’s series of public programs, “Stratford Hall at the Crossroads: Atlantic Cultures and the Creation of America,” to be presented in conjunction with a new exhibit;
- Preservation Piedmont’s “The Drewary Brown Bridge Builders Project,” which will include a panel discussion and website exploring the continuing legacy of Drewary Brown, a prominent Civil Rights leader and advocate for social justice in Charlottesville and Albemarle County;
- Lynchburg Museum Foundation’s new exhibit, “Commemorating 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage,” which focuses on the history of the women’s suffrage movement in Lynchburg;
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- Eastern Shore Virginia Historical Society’s “Notes On The Green Book,” an interpretive performance that explores both the music of the Jim Crow era and the restrictions placed on African-American travelers in Virginia, the Eastern Shore in particular, during that time;
- Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia’s series “Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: the Paradox of Liberty,” which will include lectures, community conversations, and other programs presented as a complement to the traveling exhibition of the same name.
- Preservation Virginia’s Needs Assessment for Virginia Indian Cultural Resources, a collaborative needs-assessment process with tribal leaders that will focus on cultural resources and resource management for the seven federally-recognized Virginia Indian tribes.
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Register-Listed Places in the News
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Shockoe Bottom and the Devil’s Half-Acre in Richmond
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Slave auction in Richmond, published in Illustrated London news, 1856. (Library of Congress)
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The February 3, 2020, issue of The New Yorker features the important work of the National Trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and explores the program’s role in telling the full American story.
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The article begins with an in-depth discussion of the challenges confronted by preservationists and community advocates concerning Richmond’s association with the international slave trade.
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Within the boundaries of the Shockoe Valley and Tobacco Row Historic District, the Lumpkin’s Jail Site is perhaps the best-known property directly tied to Richmond’s commercial slave trade. Another important site in the same area is the Burial Ground for Negroes, in active use between 1750-1816, and later redeveloped for other uses, including Lumpkin’s Jail, where enslaved people were held until they were sold.
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Lincoln Homestead. (Photo: Bridget Manley)
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More News About the Lincoln Homestead, Rockingham County
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Benjamin and Sarah Bixler recently purchased the long-vacant Lincoln Homestead, where the 16th President's father was born. It remained in the Lincoln family until 1894. The Bixlers' are restoring the house and farm and plan to "revive the history and stories" of all of those who lived there, reports Bridget Manley in The Citizen (Harrisonburg). Scholar Phil Stone and the Virginia Lincoln Society, supporters of the Bixlers' plans, have secured rare records that show the registers-listed property's history with slavery. Read more at this link.
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Pear Valley, from a screenshot of the NHPS video.
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Pear Valley, Northampton Co.
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The Northampton Historic Preservation Society has a recent video about Pear Valley. The house represents a once common building in the rural landscape of the Chesapeake region. "The yeoman planter’s cottage has been dated to 1740," the society reports. In 2013, the National Park Service designated the 20-by-16-foot structure with a one-room, hall-plan and loft a National Historic Landmark, one of 121 NHLs in Virginia. The 23-minute video features Dr. Garrison Brown, Board Member and Pear Valley Overseer, as he tours the historic Pear Valley property.
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NAGPRA Grants Upcoming Deadlines
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The National NAGPRA Program is currently accepting applications for their Consultation/ Documentation and Repatriation grant programs. Museums with possible NAGPRA collections, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations are eligible to apply. Additional information and links to the Grants.gov opportunities are available at this link. Deadlines to apply are February 14, 2020, for Consultation/ Documentation grants and April 10, 2020, for Repatriation grants. Contact Sarah Glass or at 202-354-2201 with any questions.
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Mayberry Presbyterian Church, Patrick Co., erected 1925. (Photo: Michael Pulice)
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National Fund for Sacred Places
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Historic houses of worship, from prairie churches to urban synagogues, are the bedrocks that continue to sustain us as a people, uniting us in service and celebration. However, in the face of changing demographics and inadequate resources, these sacred places need our support to keep these places as an important part of our national cultural heritage. The National Fund for Sacred Places provides training, planning grants, technical assistance, capacity-building support, and capital grants up to $250,000 to congregations of all faiths. Apply for funding by April 22.
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Visit here for more details, including eligibility requirements, guidelines, and online application.
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2020 Virginia Forum in Richmond,
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This year’s Virginia Forum takes place at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond. The conference offers an opportunity for scholars, teachers, writers, museum curators, historic site interpreters, archivists, librarians, and all those interested in Virginia history and culture to share their knowledge, research, and experiences. This year’s theme of Crafting History was selected because history does not simply occur. It is made, shaped, and maintained by those seeking to preserve and to inform.
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History is a product of society and culture and reflects the values, perspectives, and biases of those who produce it. In words, both written and spoken, in our monuments, memorials, and art – we craft our history. Participants in the 2020 Virginia Forum are encouraged to consider the many ways that we make our history and the ways, in turn, that our history makes us who we are. Registration and the conference schedule are available here.
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Preservation Virginia’s Mini-Conferences
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This year, Preservation Virginia is hosting a series of single-day, single-topic mini-conferences across the Commonwealth. Registration is available for each conference individually or purchased in a discounted bundle to attend all three events. Tickets are non-refundable but are transferable.
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- Preserving African American Historic Places: March 6, 2020, from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., in Alexandria, Va. Building on programs focused on advocating for African American historic resources, including schools (Rosenwald-funded and otherwise), cemeteries, Civil Rights sites, churches, and freedpeople’s communities, this one-day conference will provide attendees with educational opportunities on current efforts and tools to advance greater recognition and preservation of African American historic sites of significance in Virginia— with a focus on Alexandria. The schedule includes time built in for collaboration and networking. Individual registration is $60 and includes coffee, refreshments and lunch.
- Recording and Preserving African American Cemeteries: May 2, 2020, between 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., in Waterford, Va. In partnership with the Loudoun Freedom Center, Waterford Foundation, Loudoun County Government, and DHR, advocates, historians and preservationists will provide an in-depth look at researching and protecting African American cemeteries in Loudoun County and Virginia. Registration includes an afternoon bus tour of the Sycolin African American Cemetery and the African American Burial Ground for the Enslaved at Belmont. Individual registration is $60 and includes coffee, refreshments and lunch.
- Historic Resources, Sea Level Rise/Flooding, Adaptation and Planning Strategies: June 12, 2020, from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., in Virginia Beach. Water is one of the most serious threats to historic places. This mini-conference takes place at the Brock Center in Virginia Beach to explore how communities are responding to the challenges of extreme rains, tides, and nuisance flooding. Panelists will discuss community and government planning, protection of historic and cultural resources, conservation, environmental issues, and disaster planning. The keynote speaker will be Rear Admiral Ann C. Phillips, United States Navy (Retired), Special Assistant to the Governor for Coastal Adaptation and Protection. Individual registration is $60 and includes coffee, refreshments and lunch.
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Traditional Building Conference at The Lyceum in Alexandria
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Preservationists, architects, designers, building artisans, specialty trades people, building owners and restoration/renovation contractors are invited to the only national conference dedicated to traditional building materials and methods. The venue, The Lyceum, headquarters for the Alexandria Historical Society and located in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, will serve as a living laboratory. In addition to AIA continuing education courses and tours, there will be architectural walking tours and an exclusive look inside George Washington’s recently restored Mt Vernon. Special access has been arranged to see aspects of the property not normally open to the public. Registration and conference information available here.
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National Preservation Institute’s 2020 Seminar Schedule
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The National Preservation Institute (NPI) has published its 2020 seminar schedule. NPI educates those involved in the management, preservation, and stewardship of cultural heritage. Continuing education training seminars focus on enhancing the skills of professionals responsible for the identification, evaluation, planning, management, preservation, and protection of cultural resources. Case studies and small group exercises focus on the information, technology and skills that effective managers require in today’s changing preservation environment. NPI also can provide customized on-site training to meet specific organizational needs.
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Proposed Changes to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
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The Trump Administration has proposed changes to NEPA regulations that will affect how cultural resources are treated during the environmental review process including public participation and input, and timelines for conducting reviews. Additionally, the changes will exempt an array of projects from any review. The Coalition for American Heritage is hosting a free one-hour webinar on Monday, February 10, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EST) that will—
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- Provide an overview of the proposed changes and their impacts on cultural resources
- Explain how people and organizations can participate in the public comment process and how to advocate for cultural resources with Congress and the Administration;
- Provide access to resources to help participants talk about their concerns with colleagues and community
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Registration for the webinar is available online.
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250th Anniversary of United States
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The year 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding and preparations to mark the milestone are already getting under way. The American Association of State and Local History (AASLH) has received a $150,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to develop planning and educational resources to help small historical organizations prepare for the upcoming commemoration. The fifteen-month grant will enable AASLH to develop and share new resources for history museums, historical societies, historic sites, and other institutions as they prepare for the Semiquincentennial.
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AASLH will work with partners throughout the nation’s history community to develop guiding historical themes for the commemoration, gather and share new data on the state of the field, and create new educational resources to support local historical organizations. In addition, AASLH will continue to convene partners at fellow associations, federal agencies, and other prominent scholarly and public history organizations to strengthen national planning efforts, as well as emphasizing relevant, inclusive history and the essential role of state and local history organizations. Go here for more information about AASLH's role in 250th anniversary planning, visit , or contact John Marks (marks@aaslh.org), Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives.
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1,000 Places Where Women Made History
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This year, as the United States celebrates the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is crowdsourcing places where women made history through their vision, passion, and determination. The project’s goal is to discover 1,000 places connected to women’s history, and elevate their stories for everyone to learn and celebrate. The places and people can be famous or unknown, protected or threatened, existing or lost. All that’s needed to participate is a photo of the place (or the woman), plus a short description.
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Women’s Suffrage Centennial in Virginia
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The Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) has launched a webpage for the Virginia Women’s Suffrage Centennial in association with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s 2020 Commemoration Task Force. Museums and history organizations are invited to submit special events or exhibitions related to women’s suffrage and the 2020 Commemoration. Visit here for more information; go here to submit events.
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