The interactive story map, visible at www.aahafauquier.org/storymap, includes a map of Fauquier County with points locating African American schools, churches and communities. Visitors can click on each point to see a photo and read a short description. A “read more” cue takes visitors to an interactive webpage with additional history and photographs.
Historic preservation
Historic Rappahannock County Property Records Related to Shenandoah National Park Creation are now Available to the Public
In partnership with James Madison University, and with funding from supporters including William Dietel and Jennifer Manly, The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) has completed the digitization of thousands of legal documents related to the Commonwealth’s 1930s-era condemnation of private lands in Rappahannock County for the creation of Shenandoah National Park (SNP).
Creating a Digital Record – The Formation of Shenandoah National Park
Read about an effort to digitize the thousands of legal documents related to the condemnation of private land within eight counties for the creation of the Shenandoah National Park. The goal is to make all of the deed book records, court proceedings and individual condemnation case files publicly accessible and searchable via an online database. The effort will forever memorialize the sacrifice made by so many, for the creation of a national resource we all enjoy today.
Historic Truss Bridges named among Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Places
Virginia’s few remaining historic metal truss bridges, with their unique architectural qualities and irreplaceable role in the state’s heritage, is on Preservation Virginia’s list of Most Endangered Historic Places for 2020. Every year since 2005, the organization has released a list of historic features within the Commonwealth that face imminent or sustained threats, in hopes of encouraging citizens, organizations and local and state governments to advocate for their protection and preservation. The organizational released its 2020 list yesterday, as part of National Historic Preservation Month.
The Rapidan River-Clark Mountain Rural Historic District
The Rapidan River – Clark Mountain Rural Historic District is a nearly 40,000-acre historic landscape in Orange County and parts of Madison and Culpeper Counties that has been determined eligible for listing on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places for its high concentration of historic resources dating from the prehistoric period through the 1930s.
Highlighting African American Historic Conservation Projects
This Black History Month, we’re highlighting local conservation projects that have protected significant African American sites and cultural resources.
These Hills Were Home
A walking history guide to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northern Greene and Western Madison County, Virginia.
Comments Requesting Re-evaluation of Statewide Historic Bridge Inventory
The Commonwealth’s historic bridges create a sense of place and a link to the past. These bridges – versus featureless concrete slabs – are community amenities. They provide not just the physical crossing of a stream or river, but an experience that connects people to both the road and the surrounding landscape.
Preserving History at Jack’s Shop and James City
PEC received a grant of $35,300 from the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program to research the history of two previously undocumented Civil War battles that occurred at Jack’s Shop and James City in Madison County, Va.
Coming Together to Save the Historic Waterloo Bridge
Last fall, VDOT announced plans to possibly close the Waterloo Bridge to vehicular traffic due to safety concerns. PEC shared the news with local community groups and historic preservation advocates, which sparked overwhelming support for the bridge’s rehabilitation—support that transcended the usual demographics and organization affiliations.