Blog Entries

Many locals will be familiar with the connection to prisoners of war camps the Winchester area has had throughout history: the Hessian prisoners brought here during the Revolutionary War and the German prisoners during World War II.  Many may be unfamiliar with the story of a small group of 20 men from Philadelphia, PA exiled out of the commonwealth and sent to Winchester for months during the Revolutionary War.  Norman Donoghue’s new book Prisoners of Congress: Philadelphia’s Quakers in Exile, 1777-1778 examines that topic. 

There's one more chance to attend our popular Archives After Hours event this year.  The final one will be held on Thursday, October 24 @ 5:30 pm.  If you haven't heard, each Archives After Hours event begins with a presentation concerning special items found within the collection and an explanation of how those items can help the researchers that visit the space. 

Have you ever thought about all the photos on your phone: photos of loved ones, silly moments that bring you joy, and milestones in your life?  Can you find the photo you want to show someone quickly?  Do you worry what could happen to those photos should the phone break?  Do you have a plan to preserve those photos for the future? 

Digital photography has made it so much easier to make memories, but also brings new challenges when it comes to organizing and preserving these digital images for future use.

Do you know the story of Rebecca Wright and Thomas Laws?  They aided Union General Philip Sheridan with information regarding Confederate General Jubal Early’s troop movements in and around the Winchester area.  Rebecca Wright, a Winchester school teacher with loyalty to the union, would collect intelligence about troop movements and pass that information along to Thomas Laws.  He was an enslaved man who would carry that intelligence to Union scouts.  The information provided by Rebecca Wright and transported by Thomas Laws was crucial to Sheridan’s decision to attack Wi

Are you researching your family’s history?  Have you hit a brick wall in your research?  Do you have tips/strategies that you can share with others?  If so, Family History Hunters is the group for you!

Did you miss out on Hungry for History last year?  If so, you don't want to miss it this year.  Across Winchester and Frederick/Clarke County museums and historic sites in our community will offer a variety of programs and special events such as presentations, cooking demonstrations, hands-on activities, children’s activities, food tastings, special handouts and giveaways, displays of historic recipes, agriculture related programs and more.  To kick off the Hungry for History week, Stewart Bell Jr.

The Stewart Bell Jr. Archives is happy to announce a new database to help family researchers: American Ancestors.  From the New England Genealogical Society, this search engine provides access to 1.4 billion+ searchable records from the US and around the world.  Our membership also allows patrons to have access to the American Ancestors magazine and the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, two of genealogy’s leading print publications. 

There are so many historic homes in our community.  These homes can be a delight for their owners as well as their neighbors, offering interesting architectural elements and properties with long stories.  Would you like to learn how to find those stories?

Come to our presentation: How to Research your Historic House.  Our speaker, Maral Kalbian, will discuss the various methods and sources you may explore to learn more about the history of these properties. 

The Archives is opening their doors after closing time!  Throughout the year, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives will be holding “Archives After Hours.”  At each event, archival staff will explain aspects of the archives that can be used to help you in your research.  This first Archives After Hours will focus on Sanborn maps. 

Winchester is a historic town, filled with old buildings and lots of stories.  It is important to preserve these sites for future generations, and historic preservation efforts play a vital role in continuing to tell the stories of the past.  

Heraldry is the art of using hereditary symbols to distinguish individuals and groups.  We may know them more often as a family’s coat of arms.  Does your family have one?  Interested in the steps you take to find out?

Have you seen the name “Orrick” around town and the county?  Who was this man for which multiple local sites were named?   

Guten Tag!  Stewart Bell Jr.

October is American Archives Month, and it seems like the perfect opportunity to bring together archives from across the Shenandoah Valley to celebrate and educate the public about what we do.  What does it mean to be an archivist?  How do we preserve a variety of different types of artifacts for future generations?  What do the archives in the Valley have in their collections?  And how can we help you with your research and questions? 

Family History Hunters is an informal group for genealogists of all levels of experience that meets every month at Handley Library.  The organization is a discussion group examining research strategies and current genealogy topics.  It is a place to come and share your successes and find help with your challenges.  Each month features a different focus.  Here's what's coming up...
 

The Handley Regional Library’s Stewart Bell Jr. Archives are proud to invite Jonathan Noyalas, director of Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute, back to the stage!  He has spoken numerous times about the Civil War and its impact on the Valley and its people. 

Do you know the story of Rebecca Wright and Thomas Laws?  They aided Union General Philip Sheridan with information regarding Confederate General Jubal Early’s troop movements in and around the Winchester area.  Rebecca Wright, a Winchester school teacher with loyalty to the union, would collect intelligence about troop movements and pass that information along to Thomas Laws.  He was an enslaved man who would carry that intelligence to Union scouts.  The information provided by Rebecca Wright and transported by Thomas Laws was crucial to Sheridan’s decision to attack Wi

Handley Regional Library Stewart Bell Jr. Archives is proud to be a participant in the first Winchester - Frederick County - Clarke County Hungry for History event.  Hungry for History is a community event that brings together our history with a love of food.  Museums and historic sites in our community will offer a variety of programs and special events such as presentations, cooking demonstrations, hands-on activities, children’s activities, food tastings, special handouts and giveaways, displays of historic recipes, agriculture related programs and more.

Have you ever thought about all the photos on your phone: photos of loved ones, silly moments that bring you joy, and milestones in your life?  Can you find the photo you want to show someone quickly?  Do you worry what could happen to those photos should the phone break?  Do you have a plan to preserve those photos for the future? 

Digital photography has made it so much easier to make memories, but also brings new challenges when it comes to organizing and preserving these digital images for future use.