On Sale:   
Daisy Turner's
Kin

On Sale:
The Circle
Unbroken
On Sale:
Fredericksburg Memories

Central Rappahannock Heritage Center 
Newsletter
A place that loses its history loses its soul
Message From The Chairman
 
The Heritage Center remains closed to visitors and most staff. At its July meeting the Board of Directors will discuss when and under what conditions to reopen. Charting a safe course is difficult in such times.
 
John Reifenberg, Collections Manager and a Director, accurately described The Center as operating in a very "tactile" environment. Staff handles collection materials, enters information in our database, responds to email and telephone requests, etc. Visitors peruse specific documents in our archives. Protecting everyone's health is paramount.
 
Like many other organizations, closure has curtailed our fundraising efforts. Revenues are down. Thanks to those of you who have renewed memberships and sponsorships. Your loyalty to our mission and continued operations means a great deal. If you have not already done so, become a member, renew your membership, or donate to The Heritage Center. Any amount is welcome!
 
I wish to acknowledge a Josiah Rowe III Family Legacy Fund grant recently awarded The Heritage Center for general operating support. We are so very grateful to receive this money from the Rowe family!
 
Do not hesitate to request research help and/or donate collections. Email or call The Center with your inquiries. A few volunteers go to The Center weekly to answer these requests. Collections are handled with safeguards to protect the donor and our staff.
 
Diane Ballman, Information Technology Manager and experienced researcher, has written an article appearing elsewhere in this newsletter. She provides helpful tips to guide your research on our website.
 
Happy 4th of July, however you celebrate it!

  
Barbara Barrett, Chairman
The Heritage Center 
bbarrett@crhcarchives.org

Welcome New Member 
 
 Barbra Anderson  



Heritage Center memberships support the important work done by The Center.
 
The Central Rappahannock Heritage Center is a non-profit, all-volunteer archive whose mission is to preserve historically valuable material of the region and make it available to the public for research. 
 
Please join us as part of the Heritage Center's preservation team.  As a  member, you will be helping to preserve our priceless local history.
 
Click here to become a member today!


Thank you for your support,
The Heritage Center
 
MANY THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS 
2020 HERITAGE CENTER SPONSORS


Jon and Meredith Beckett

Lucy and Wayne Harman

Donna and Nat McCague

Hallberg & O'Malley Financial Group
Joseph P. O'Malley

Kitty Farley and Vic Ramoneda

Jim & Betsy Greene

Barbara H. Cecil

Barbara Barrett

Ben Hicks



To become a Heritage Center Sponsor, please visit our website.  If you have any questions, please contact The Heritage Center at (540) 373-3704.
Reach Out to the Center for Research

These are certainly challenging times and we want to help you with your research as best as we can. While we are closed, we invite you to explore our online database: Search Archives ( https://crhc.pastperfectonline.com/ ) If you need research or have a question, please email: research@crhcarchives.org .

Many of you have searched our online database but did you know there are various ways to search? The collections are organized into four catalogs (described below) that allow you to search. Keep in mind that we do not scan each document or photograph into the database at this time. As things are archived, we diligently try to put in every name, search term and a brief description of the item.

The Keyword Search button allows you to perform a general search across multiple fields for any catalog records online. Keyword searches use OR as the default connector between words (e.g. a search for Hanley Ranch will return records associated with Hanley OR Ranch). If you want to find records where both keywords are found, type in AND between the two words. To search for a specific phrase, be sure to put the phrase within quotes (e.g. "Rocky Pine Ranch"). You can also use the asterisk (*) as a wildcard (e.g. a search for histor* would come up with records containing history, histories, historical, etc.). Searches are not case sensitive.

The Advanced Search button can help you be more specific with your search. You can search for a word or phrase within a particular search category or use multiple categories to further narrow down your search results. For example, searching Jones in the People field will bring up any records associated with a member of the Jones family, without having to sift through black & white photographs. You can also search People and Creator records through Advanced Search. Phrase searching with quotes and use of wildcards (*) are available in Advanced Search.

The Random Images button is a great way to just browse the collection. Each Random Images page displays a random assortment of images from the records online. If something piques your interest, click the thumbnail to view a larger version of the image.

The catalog buttons can also help narrow down your search, by only searching with a selected catalog. If you only want to search for Photos, click the Photos button and type in your keyword(s) or phrase. You can also browse records within that catalog without performing a search. Phrase searching, wildcards (*) as well as AND/OR statements are available when performing catalog searches.

We are happy to help you! Please be patient when sending research requests due to limited staff at this time.


Diane Ballman
Information Technology
Keeping Cool


As we begin the month of July, we are in the midst of summer, we can expect it will be warmer, if not downright hot. The Heritage Center is one of the coolest places in town. We have to keep it cool and dry to protect the collections. Today, most homes and business have air conditioning, but, how did people cope with heat in the past? Houses were built with windows and doors facing prevailing breezes; some only one room wide. West walls were often solid, or with few windows. Older homes had shades and shutters which could be closed to fend off the afternoon heat. Shutters were louvered to allow for air flow, but it was still hot.

Cooling structures was not the only issue. What about keeping food from spoiling? Food, prior to refrigeration was preserved by drying, smoking, salting, pickling and other means. And there were ice houses. Some were pits below grade and covered with straw and other materials to keep the ice from melting. There were also large buildings insulated with sawdust, straw or seaweed. Ice was cut in large blocks from frozen ponds, rivers and lakes during the cold months and hauled to the ice house, stored and used sparingly until the next winter. In the mid-1800s, "iceboxes" were developed. They were heavy wooden cabinets, lined with tin or zinc. Ice was put in a compartment at the top, the cold air circulated downward keeping food cool. At the bottom, there was a drain and pan to catch the water from the melting ice. In towns and cities, icemen delivered blocks of ice and the boxes stayed cool, enough to keep milk from spoiling and other items fresh, like large picnic coolers. The first home refrigerator was made in 1913 and freezers came into being in the 1940s.

The ability to cool changed everything. It changed the way we eat and the way we live. We can now have food from anywhere, at any time of year. Air conditioning is no longer considered a luxury. Locally, businesses like the 2400 Diner on Princess Anne Street, still have signs that say, "Air Cond," from when it was a selling point. Movie theaters offered cool escapes on hot summer days. Houses had front porches where people sat in the evening, hoping to catch a cool breeze. Families gathered on porches and got to know their neighbors. With the advent of air conditioning, people retreated to family rooms, usually additions to the backs of the houses to watch TV in cooled rooms. Sleeping porches lost favor and were turned into spare rooms.   Ice cream parlors became gathering places. Long before Carl's (1947) there was Feuerherd's a confectionary on the 900 block of Caroline Street. Locals went there for cool summer drinks and ice cream. Later, frozen yogurt became a popular and considered by some, a more healthful alternative to ice cream and custard.

One thing is sure, people will find ways to be more comfortable. The Heritage Center is a cool place!

Beth Daly
Volunteer, The Heritage Center

Collections Update

The unusual state we are encountering has given many people the idea that The Center has completely closed down. But the opportunity to enrich our local historical perspective was recently realized by a former city official. He added to The Center many years of records that reflect the successes and struggles of the city during his time servicing the community. We welcome his contribution.

The Center may be closed for certain functions, but research requests are being filled and new donor collections are encouraged. If you wish to preserve your piece of local history, be it photographs, correspondence, ledgers, scrapbooks, or any other number of paper items that record or reflect our past, please consider a donation today. Do not think that your papers are unimportant.  Remember, history is made every day, and at The Center, we preserve it.

Contact me at Jreifenberg@crhcarchives.org for more information.

John Reifenberg
Collections Manager

The Heritage Center gladly provides research services.  Please contact The Center for rates.
 
Hours  
 
Temporarily closed.
There will be no volunteers available to answer the phone.

Location
   
900 Barton Street #111
Fredericksburg, VA
22401 
(540) 373-3704 
 

Click here to join the CRHC mailing list and stay up to date with what is happening at The Center!
 


The Circle Unbroken: Civil War Letters of the Knox Family of Fredericksburg  
 
On sale now at The Heritage Center 
$29.70 for members 
$33.00 for non-members  

Daisy Turner's Kin
An African American Family Saga
Jane C. Beck 
 
On sale now at The Heritage Center 
$25.00  

Fredericksburg Memories
A Pictorial History of the 1800s through the 1930s

On sale now at The Heritage Center
$35.00

Central Rappahannock Heritage Center | contact@crhcarchives.org  540.373.3704 | crhcarchives.org
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