D2 Headstone Cleaning Kit
In response to recent inquiries, the Historical Society has put together a headstone cleaning kit. The kit has been assembled by our resident expert on cemeteries and headstones, Charlie Barnette, who has extensive experience in the repair and restoration of cemetery monuments. The kit contains a one quart spray bottle of D/2 Biological Solution, a brush, a pair of gloves, two toothbrushes, two picking sticks, and an instruction sheet. The price is $55 per kit plus tax. Since this is a limited offering to test member interest, it is currently available as an in-house sale at the library. You can stop by the library to pick it up. At this point we aren't offering the kit as an online purchase but if you would like to place an order by phone, please call the office at 276-623-8337 or send an email to office@hswcv.org. If you need the kit shipped then you will need to contact us before buying the kit to work out the details and shipping costs. Also, if you would like to discuss how to use the kit with Charlie you can contact him by email at brisbotls@hotmail.com We are excited about this new offering and hope there will be enough interest to keep the kit in stock.
Saturday, October 15, 2022 - Fall 2022 Evening With The Spirits At The Sinking Spring Cemetery
On Saturday, October 15th, from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, the Historical Society will be hosting the Fall 2022 Evening with the Spirits of Sinking Spring Cemetery in Abingdon, Virginia. In the 1770's, the cemetery was established by the Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church on 11 acres of land in Abingdon. The land was purchased by the Church from Dr. Thomas Walker, an explorer and wealthy land speculator who was promoting the development of the Town of Abingdon. A stroll in the cemetery can take you back through to the earliest history of the Town and County. Our Fall presentation is a one hour seated event hosted by some of the more popular Spirits from past Summer Cemetery Tours.
Seating will be on the grass lawn in front of the cemetery cabin. Please bring your own seats and blankets.
The content of the show is appropriate for families; however, very small children may become tired or bored. There is nothing scary about the presentations or the location. To reach the cemetery from Interstate 81 in Virginia, take Exit 17, Abingdon, Virginia. Turn North off the exit onto Cummings St. After 0.8 miles, turn left onto W. Main Street for 0.2 miles. Turn right onto Russell Rd. NW for a few hundred feet. The cemetery is located directly behind the new Historical Society building and there will be free parking either along the street or in the Society parking lot. Ticket sales will start at 6:30 PM. Prices are $5 per person and they will be available at the cemetery gate. For more information please call 276-623-8337 during our regular business hours.
Know any local history?
Let us know.
The Society is looking for historical accounts, tales, reminiscences about local history to put in the Bulletin. Contributions can be in any format whether it be a researched article, a short story, family history, even factoids. Give it some thought, you might be able to share some "forgotten history" with Society members. If you want to contribute please email the Society at
office@hswcv.org.
Do you have any information on the Treasure Mountain Golf Course?
We are currently seeking information on the Treasure Mountain Golf Course which was behind Patrick Henry High School. Anecdotal evidence suggests the course was completed right before Treasure Mountain was opened and went bankrupt. The course was built sometime in the 1970's. If you know anything about it please email Dr. Andy Cox at
pac4v@uvawise.edu.
The New Website for the Virginia Lewis and Clark Legacy Trail has Opened
The Virginia Lewis and Clark Legacy Trail is a driving and "stop-to-experience" trail along or near the Great Valley Road (Rt. 11 and I 81), from Bristol to Charlottesville "and beyond" that follows and honors the travels of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the Commonwealth, and the people and places they visited...Come take the journey, visit the sites, learn about their families and friends, and how their histories in Virginia are significantly intertwined with the Expedition.
Can you help solve a local Lewis and Clark mystery?
Follow this
LINK
to view page 20 of the William Clark and Meriwether Lewis Memorandum Book of 1809 which is part of The State Historical Society of Missouri Digital Collection. We are seeking help in identifying and locating the building referred to as the Brick(?) or Bush(?) or ??? house. If you have any information about the inn (residence?) in the journal, please contact Charlie Barnette at brisbotls@hotmail.com .
Abingdon Main Street Mini-Tour of the HSWCV Library and Sinking Springs Cemetery
Recently, Martha Keys was interviewed by Abingdon Main Street during which she gave a mini-tour of the Historical Society's Research Library and the adjacent Sinking Springs Cemetery. You can Watch the video on YouTube by clicking on the following link.
Sorghum Syrup at Fairview Farm
Historical Society members recently visited The Old Glade Antique Tractor Association, located at Fairview Farm in Abingdon Virginia, where they make and sell sorghum syrup each year as a fundraiser. Sorghum has been widely used in our region since the 1850's as a sweetener in the form of syrup. One of the region's traditional breakfast foods is sorghum syrup on biscuits. Watch this video to see how it is made at the Fairview Farm.
