Tag: Friday Photos

We have a real treat for you in today’s set of Friday Photos. This promotional type of newspaper was tucked away in the PHW library. Upon opening the pages, we found a treasure trove of images from Winchester and surrounding areas dating to about 1904.

The Kernstown Distillery gets top billing on the front page, touting its whiskies are noted for “their purity, maturity, and excellent tonic qualities.” The manufacturing center was located in Kernstown, and branch offices and retail locations were located in Winchester, Berryville, and Harrisonburg.

Other businesses had photographs accompanying their articles, such as Funk and Ray’s funeral and furniture store at 7 S. Loudoun St., Valley Marble and Granite Works, Winchester Memorial Hospital, the James Clark Distilling Co., the Lyons Clothing Company, and the Shenandoah Valley National Bank.

Other businesses ran text articles, including the Miller Drug Store, Old Colonial Cafe at 126-128 N. Loudoun St., The Singer Manufacturing Co. at 5 W. Piccadilly St., Winchester Creamery, Dr. Whitlock and Nephew, J.J. Chrismore Harness and repairs at 139 S. Loudoun St., T.M. Bantz (noted as the oldest shoe establishment in Winchester) at 14 N. Loudoun St., The Union Bank, W.M. Hardy Harness at 135 N. Loudoun St., The Virginia Lightning Conductor Company, Robinson Bros. Dry Goods at 134 N. Loudoun St., Winchester Ice Factory, Simon Hausenfluck’s restaurant at 29 E. Boscawen St., E. W. Grant’s Livery and Sales Stable on Fairfax Lane, Archibald Oden Shoes, J.H. Bowman Groceries at 705 S. Loudoun St., Thos. L. House Groceries at 124 S. Loudoun St., Capt. George W. Kurtz funeral director and embalmer, Briggs Piano Co., The Winchester Hand Laundry, the Henry S. Baker & Co., The Moon Clothing Store at 200 N. Loudoun St., Robert L. Mitchell’s livery and drayage at 19-21 S. Braddock St., John W. Davis harness and leather repairs at 42 E. Piccadilly St., Jones’ Creamery at 31 E. Piccadilly St., J.W. Henshall real estate and loans at 26 Rouss Ave., jeweler and optician E. Bruce Capper at 11 W. Boscawen St., J.M. Fry plant nursery at 809-821 S. Loudoun St., C.W. Ramsburg poultry and produce, plumbing and electrician Chas. F. Seal at 28 E. Piccadilly St., and Bushnell & Co. cigars and drugs.

Front Royal and Stephens City shared a page for their enterprises, namely the Bank of Warren; J.F. Forsyth groceries and other goods; jeweler, watchmaker, and optician C. W. Johnston; Naylor, Shyrock, and Co. harness and farm supplies; Front Royal Milling Co.; E.H. Hoffman groceries and shoes; Front Royal National Bank; William E. Lake and Sons General Merchandise; E.D. Poulton book and stationery; Front Royal Ice Plant; photographer T.M. Hemming; and C.L. Brumback farming implements.

Also included are articles on public figures and institutions, including Judge William Atkinson, The Handley Library Fund, Auctioneer A. G. Swanson, Winchester Fire Department Chief J.W. Sibert, cobbler Julius C. Davis, and Winchester Steam Dying and Cleaning Works proprietor Harry Parsons. All were of course noted as being exceptionally good businessmen and honest, upright citizens.

But the best surprise of the paper was an image of the Aulick House at 414 S. Braddock St. with the family standing in the yard, promoting their florist business. Most likely pictured are Charles Eugene Aulick, Sr., his wife Rebecca, and Charles Eugene, Jr. and Mary Katherine as young children. This is the oldest known image of the Aulick house, just a little over twenty years after it was constructed.

View the full set of photos on Flickr.

In 1987, PHW coordinated the production of “The Architecture of Historic Winchester Coloring Book” to bring architecture to children in a way they can understand. The books were both a fundraising item for PHW and used in the elementary schools as an educational tool. Twenty illustrations of local landmark buildings were drawn by Daniel Morgan Middle School and Handley High School students, under the direction of art teacher Ronald Fabin.

Landmarks included in the coloring book encompass the Red Lion Tavern, The Old Frederick County Court House, Christ Episcopal Church, the old John Kerr School, Mt. Hebron Cemetery Gatehouse, and Handley High School.

Recently a collection of negatives used in producing the line drawings was found in PHW’s files. The photos include some of the properties listed above, and also a few that didn’t make the cut, like the Aulick House at 414 S. Braddock St., the Wisteria House, and 617 S. Washington St. Most fascinating was the surprise image of the Aulick House, making this only the third known photo of the building prior to the arson. View the photo set on Flickr.

PHW does not have a copy of the completed coloring book in our files. If you have “The Architecture of Historic Winchester Coloring Book,” please consider donating it to PHW.

Today’s edition of Friday Photos brings you images from 1992-1996 of kids activities downtown. Although not quite Independence Day events, most of the photos were taken at the 1994 Children’s Heritage Festival, which celebrated the 250th anniversary of Winchester’s founding. Sharp eyed viewers will spot familiar faces like Roy Nester, Micheal Foreman, and Pat Zontine among the adults.

The event, which was held May 14, 1994, was geared to living history and colonial-era hands on activities. The Patuxent Living History Group reenacted the life of trappers and skinners at George Washington’s Headquarters, while the Cedar Creek Indian Horse Club was on hand the show their ponies and paint faces. Judge Robert K. Woltz led a mock trial from the colonial era in the Old Frederick County Court House. For those looking for more hands-on activities, the Winchester Girl Scouts helped guests make five colonial toys and the Belle Grove Quilters demonstrated how to stencil and quilt. No birthday celebration would have been complete without cake, and Michael Foreman, as the Chairman of the Commemorative Commission, led the birthday party complete with cake and beverages. Through it all, Roy Nester as Town Crier announced the upcoming events.

Other activities which were not recorded in these photos included the Kurtz Building exhibit on “James Wood and the Founding of Winchester,” a heritage poster contest, colonial storytelling at Handley Library, costumed guided walking tours of Old Town, an 18th century puppet show, Daniel Morgan folk dancers directed by Beth Huddleston, and a fashion show of period costumes.

View the photo set at Flickr.

This week for Friday Photos, PHW brings you a look back at business in the mid-1970s. This series of photographs was taken at a Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce event. The images are all unmarked, however, so particulars about this event are unclear. If you can help PHW identify anyone in the photos or provide more details about what might be happening, please contact us at phwi@verizon.net or (540) 667-3577.

Chamber of Commerce 1975

View the album on Picasa.

This week for Friday Photos, we look back at some images of one of the first large scale membership and fundraiser events in PHW’s history. The gathering – the forerunner of today’s Memberfest – was held at Glen Burnie on September 14, 1973.

As with most stories, a bit of background is necessary to set the stage. In August of 1971, PHW had started working in earnest on fundraising for what would eventually become known as the Jennings Revolving Fund. The first substantial loan went to the Roberts family, whose front wall of their limestone home on South Braddock Street collapsed prior to their stabilization efforts could begin.

By 1973, PHW was gearing up to increase this corpus of funds to begin purchasing endangered buildings for resale through the Revolving Fund. The “Grand Event” was conceived with a twofold mission to begin the Revolving Fund and increase membership to 300.

The committee, made up of Joe Headley, LouAnne and Ray Jennings, Barbara Laidlaw, Buddy Orndoff, George Robertson, Lee Taylor, and Elanor White, organized the event. There was a puppet show, various musical acts, and a square dancing demonstration. Much like the Open House at the Noakes House this spring, architectural artifacts and other interesting donations were auctioned off to raise funds. The ticket cost to the event – a modest $5 for a single or $7.50 for a couple – served as the membership dues for that year.

While no written report was filed at the end of the event, we can surmise from the happy faces in these photographs and that the Revolving Fund was in negotiations to purchase its first building in 1974 that the “Grand Event” was a grand success.

PHW's "Grand Event," Sept. 14. 1973