with Jerrilynn Eby MacGregor.

Around 1758, Scottish merchant James Hunter commenced an iron manufactory a short distance up the Rappahannock River from Falmouth.  His business grew into what is arguably the largest manufacturing facility in colonial America.  During the American Revolution, Hunter was one of the primary producers of arms and supplies for Continental troops.  Despite his contributions to America’s independence, Hunter’s Iron Works, and its associated Rappahannock Forge, has been nearly forgotten.

Jerrilynn grew up in Stafford on the back of a horse and, as a teenager, became fascinated with the county’s history. Having spent her youth at Aquia Church (1757) and amongst several of the county’s old families, she heard the local oral history and eventually learned that little beyond oral tradition existed in Stafford due to vandalism by Union troops during the Civil War. In 1862 and 1863, the invading soldiers stole or destroyed many of the county’s court records and, as a result, traditional historians largely ignored Stafford and rarely even mentioned it in their books. In time, she began compiling information from the deeds, wills, court records, tax records, and newspapers that did exist, added to that the oral history, and tracked down other sources of information. Nearly forty years later, she is still researching her beloved Stafford County and publishing her studies so others might better appreciate the activities and families that made the county so special. Most of her research focuses on land tracts, mills, and industries, but she’s grateful for any tidbit that will help to develop Stafford’s unique story. She has published ten books about Stafford’s history.

Jerrilynn retired from the Prince William County Public Schools after working for 31 years as a middle school librarian.

with John Reifenberg and Diane Ballman

Join John and Diane for a lively virtual tour through the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center’s archives.

John Reifenberg retired from 31 years with the National Park Service. He has been a volunteer and the Collection Manager at the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center since 2011 to present. Lived in Spotsylvania County for 36 years.

Diane Ballman former Probation Officer and Disease Intervention Specialist (CDC) in Florida. Lived in Stafford County for over 25 years. Been a volunteer and Database Information Technology Specialist for the Center Rappahannock Heritage Center since 2008 to current.

This is an in-person presentation only!  We will not be live-streaming or recording this presentation.  Please be sure to mark your calendar and plan to attend in person so you don’t miss out.

A celebration of student achievement and Stafford history! Sponsored by Stafford County Public Schools.

Join Executive Director Sue Henderson in a lively update and conversation about everything happening with the Museum as we move into 2024.

This presentation will also be live streamed via Facebook. To view the presentation from Facebook, go to https://www.facebook.com/StaffordHistory. You should see the live feed listed at the top of the posts. If not, you may need to refresh your page.

We regret that due to the extreme cold weather that we will be cancelling our January program. This program has been rescheduled for October 17, 2024.

-Stafford Historical Society 

with Terri Blanchette

The new year is coming and with it we want Clean, Clear, Organized lives. But we are facing boxes, bags, piles and “stashes” of family history items in our attics, spare rooms, basements and storage units that we don’t have time – or know how – to “deal” with. Making it worse is the guilt and pressure we feel as these memories are being lost to decay with each passing year. Come to this informative talk and discover some basic steps you can take right now to easily organize and preserve all kinds of materials that we have in our homes and help ensure it will be clutter-free and safe for generations to come!

Terri Blanchette is an historian, writer, and heritage preservation specialist in the Virginia and greater Washington DC areas. She has a Masters in U.S. History with certification in Museum Studies and Archiving. She has written extensively for national history organizations, delivered numerous talks, workshops and seminars on preservation, and has researched and written corporate histories for some of Washington’s most prestigious firms. Her one-of-a-kind company, TimeSorters, LLC helps individuals and businesses to capture, organize, preserve and protect those things that make up their unique histories.

This presentation will also be live streamed via Facebook. To view the presentation from Facebook, go to https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverStafford. You should see the live feed listed at the top of the posts. If not, you may need to refresh your page.

The musical is presented in three acts highlighting the journey of the civil rights movement under Dr. King’s leadership.

This event is sponsored by the Stafford County NAACP, Discover Stafford, and Stafford County Public Schools. Attendance is free to the public, however, registration is required due to limited seating.