With Jane Conner.

Join us for an informative presentation on Civil War artist, Alfred Waud, by Jane Conner.  Alfred Waud was an American artist and illustrator, born and raised in London, England. He is most notable for the lively and detailed sketches of scenes from the Civil War, which he covered as a press correspondent.  His drawings captured the war’s dramatic intensity and furnished him with a reputation as one of the preeminent artist-journalists of his era.

Jane Conner was the citizen most responsible for saving Government Island and was one of the leaders in saving Ferry Farm, George Washington’s boyhood home. Author of Birthstone of the White House and Capitol, Lincoln in Stafford, and Sinners, Saints and Soldiers in Civil War Stafford, she has donated all proceeds to the historical society’s museum fund. A five-time past President of the historical society, she also lectures extensively, serves on the historical commission and heads an educator committee which integrates Stafford history into Virginia’s Standards of Learning. A recipient of the National Conservation Award of the Daughters of the American Revolution, her congressional testimony was vital to national recognition of Government Island and her scholarship and activism to its establishment as a park.

This presentation will be recorded and posted to Facebook and the Discover Stafford “Past Presentations” portion of the events page.

Join Greg Machi, Principal of Anne E. Moncure Elementary School for a presentation on its recently completed mural.

Greg Machi spent the first 26 years of his career with Stafford County Public Schools.  After relocating from Pittsburgh to Stafford County with his wife in 1997, he quickly became part of the community.  His wife is currently a first-grade teacher with Stafford County Public Schools and their three children all attended Stafford County Schools.

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.

Get ready to celebrate Juneteenth with Stafford NAACP in 2024 – a day of joy, reflection, and unity for our community!

Register for free tickets.

With Chris Hornung

Join Chris for an informative presentation on the Langley Aerodrome Experience featuring the Aerodrome No. 5 reproduction, interactive historical and educational programming, and a discussion on the process in bringing the attraction to fruition.

The Langley Aerodrome Experience is the cornerstone of the Langley Foundation’s mission to educate the public on Virginia’s rich aviation history, to encourage students to pursue STEM education and aviation-based careers, and to help attract new aviation-based employers and technology to Virginia and the Stafford County region.

The purpose of the project is to rescue a forgotten achievement in Virginia and U.S. history from obscurity and to use the retelling of its story to reconnect with our past, appreciate mankind’s ability to change the world for good, and to inspire us all to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to tackle seemingly impossible challenges.

Important Notes about this program:

• This program will be held at the Stafford Airport and not at the usual Stafford County Administration Center.
• 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.

Discover Stafford is pleased to be a sponsor of Central Rappahannock Regional Library’s Summer Reading program for 2024. Children, teens, and adults can log their reading, complete activity badges, and write reviews to earn points that can be redeemed for prizes. For children and teens especially, Summer Reading is a vital way to beat the “Summer Slide,” which is learning loss that occurs each summer when kids don’t read regularly or participate in enrichment activities. Public libraries encourage young readers with rewards for reading, including milestone tags for minutes read and brand-new books when they achieve 1,000 and 2,000 minutes. Caregivers and other adults can model reading and participate in Summer Reading, too. Adults who reach 2,000 points earn a colorful mini notebook and pen set adorned with the perfect quote that pairs history and reading! Start your summer reading journey today at librarypoint.org/summer.

Be sure to attend the hundreds of no-cost library events for all ages, all summer long. Ranging from summer concerts to history lectures and animal visits, there’s something for everyone.

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.