Annual Meeting – Page 3 – Preservation of Historic Winchester

PHW Celebrates the 2019 Preservation Awards

Preservation of Historic Winchester’s 55^th Annual Meeting was held on Sunday, June 23 at Carter Hall, the home of Linda Ross Gibbs and Tommy Gibbs. At the conclusion of the business meeting, eight people and projects were recognized with awards by Preservation of Historic Winchester.

Six of the awards were for Awards of Merit to recognize rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of buildings that contribute to improving the character of their neighborhoods and maintaining the overall historic fabric of the city. The recognized projects were:

221-223 South Loudoun Street, The Guitar Studio Building, 106, LLC

This circa 1945 building recently completed a façade update to better bring the building in line with its modern construction by Daniel Brereton, the manager of the 106, LLC group. It is also a notable project for being able to keep the Guitar Studio in their longtime place of business.

119 West Leicester Street, Nancy Murphy and Miguel Reyes

Nancy Murphy is carrying on the tradition of PHW’s revolving fund by honoring our vernacular houses and giving them a second chance at life. Miguel Reyes, who completed most of the work on the house, will be purchasing the property as his home.

414 North Braddock Street, Thomas Ritter, II

This circa 1890s folk Victorian had long been a property in decline. The recent rehab kept the exterior in line with is historic appearance, and many of the historic pieces in the house were reused and repurposed. The house is Mr. Ritter’s first project in Winchester but not his first rehabilitation project in the area. The project was featured in the Winchester Star.

411 North Loudoun Street, Fort Loudoun Condominiums, Stan and Janet Corneal

While this is not the first major overhaul of The Fort, this was the first major overhaul of the building since the mid-1950s when Irvan O’Connell bought the former school and converted it to apartments. The Fort began a new phase of life in 2016 with a renovation to convert the apartments into luxury condominiums. The apartments have original fireplaces, high ceilings, gourmet kitchens, marble bathrooms, wonderful upstairs views.

501 North Loudoun Street, Pizzoco, Karen Darby

This adaptive reuse of a former gas station to a pizza parlor was a project that had faced almost insurmountable odds finally came to fruition this spring. Much of the work on this project was going through the permitting process and working with neighbors to mitigate concerns in addition to the building rehabilitation. The award celebrates the completion of the building and the opening of Pizzoco, the neighborhood pizza parlor.

13 East Pall Mall Street, GinTon, LLC

This shotgun house from the early 1900s was a blighted and derelict property. By utilizing the local ten year real estate tax abatement program and discounted building permit fees, GinTon, LLC was able to completely rehabilitate the building. The house retains most of the original framing and floors while receiving new electricity, plumbing and HVAC. While not a traditional preservation project by many measures, it is hoped the efforts of GinTon, LLC will help turn over a new leaf for the historic properties in the neighborhood.

The Elsie Rosenberger Award was presented to Frances C. Lowe. This award is named in honor of Elsie Rosenberger, who volunteered behind the scenes in the 1970s and 1980s. The award recognizes the unsung volunteer or volunteers who selflessly contributed to the activities of PHW. Mrs. Lowe volunteered to read over the retyped Winchester: Limestone, Sycamores & Architecture manuscript for accuracy, grammar, and fact checking. The project took place behind the scenes at PHW from January to May.

The final award presented at the meeting was the Patron’s Award. This award recognizes a person or business which has been an outstanding supporter of the goals and programs of PHW. Elizabeth G. Helm was the mastermind behind the republication of Winchester: Limestone, Sycamores & Architecture. Discussion of the republication and how it would be tackled had been discussed for years. It was Mrs. Helm’s push that spurred the project to completion in 2019 to coincide the republication with Winchester’s 275^th anniversary.

Congratulations and thanks are due to all our award winners for helping to maintain the historic character of Winchester and promoting the goals and educational aims of Preservation of Historic Winchester. We are also deeply indebted to Linda Ross and Tommy Gibbs for opening their home and garden to us for the event on Sunday. It was a beautiful setting and perfect weather for a garden party.

Friday Photos: Dutch Mess Grave Marking Program

First, just a friendly reminder PHW’s 55th Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, June 23 at 529 Jefferson Street, beginning at 3 PM. While we are busy preparing for that event, we have a light Friday post for you from Larry Webb of the Clowser Foundation.

We have uploaded 11 photos shared of the grave marking program held by the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution for John Schultz, Dutch Mess Monument at Mt Hebron Cemetery.

Pvt. John Schultz, Captain Daniel Morgan’s Riflemen, was born in Philadelphia, PA. He was part of the 96 riflemen recruited by Captain Morgan in Winchester. He was with them on the Beeline March, eventually ending at the Siege of Quebec where he was captured. He was exchanged after two years and served the remainder of the war. He was a member of the Dutch Mess and remained close to this group throughout his life.

You can find all the photos shared by Larry Webb at Flickr. Happy viewing!

PHW’s 55th Annual Meeting

Printed invitations were mailed on Thursday, but we also wanted to send out our invitation digitally. All PHW members are cordially invited to the Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 23, beginning at 3 PM.

PHW’s 55th Annual Meeting will be held at Carter Hill Manor, 529 Jefferson Street, the home of Linda Ross Gibbs and Tommy Gibbs. This Georgian Revival house of rose brick was built in 1949 for Louise A. Patten, the seventh direct descendant of King Carter. The home, built by the Shockey Company and designed by Fredericksburg architect Philip N. Stern, harkens back to the ancestral home of Mrs. Patten, Mannsfield. The stone wall surrounding the property, the brick walkway, and the interior woodwork are direct callbacks to Mannsfield. Carter Hill is situated on one of Winchester’s highest points. The Jefferson Street address is actually the rear of the home; the front was built to face “The Old Lane,” with a view of the three acres of gardens and yards.

Parking is available on-street, and additional parking may be found in the former John Kerr School lots across the street from Carter Hill. The meeting will be held outside, so dress for the weather and in comfortable, low-heeled shoes suitable for walking in the gardens at Carter Hill Manor. In the event of inclement weather, we have several options for shelter both outdoors and inside. The meeting will not be rescheduled for inclement weather.

We hope that you will join us in this yearly reflection on our past year, celebration of completed preservation projects, and election of new members to the PHW Board to continue our work for the next year.

Carter Hill Manor, as seen from Jefferson Street.

The 2019-2020 PHW Board of Directors

Nominees for election or re-election to the Board for a 2-year term

Patrick Rodgers, Assistant Treasurer

Ed Acker, VP for Education

Jim Stewart, VP for Issues and Advocacy

Rose Eberhardt

Callie Fitzwater

Heather Merchant

Anne Scully

Dan Whitacre *

* Elected by the board to fill the unexpired term of John Flood

Directors whose current terms expire in 2020

Bruce Downing, President

John Barker, Past President

Mary Scully Riley, Treasurer

Friday Roundup: End of the Year Wrap Ups

PHW will be starting our 55th year in June. Thank you to all who have supported us. Your membership, interest, and engagement in our local community is a huge part of why Winchester has a thriving and active historic downtown. While it is well worth congratulating ourselves on the success we have had in the historic district protecting and valuing our local buildings, we always need to be aware and engaged in activities that will shape the development of our downtown in the future for the next fifty years. We look forward to supporting preservation and adaptive reuse projects, and we are always available to anyone who is looking for resources on collaborative and innovative solutions to development and design issues.

Today may be the last day of Preservation Month, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop celebrating our local history and architecture. The annual Clowser Memorial Service is this Saturday, June 1 at 10 AM. Come out to the Clowser House at 152 Tomahawk Trail in Shawneeland for a service open to all individuals who support the preservation of the historic Clowser House. The event will be held rain or shine. Learn more on their Facebook page!

While the school year is coming to an end for most students, you may want to peer back in time to see the growth and value of public education in Winchester and Frederick County. The article What Winchester Is Doing for Its Public Schools ran in the Richmond Times Dispatch on December 3, 1911. It is a copiously illustrated article, so be sure to check out the images of some of the old county schoolhouses!

Peonies cascade over a marble statue on the grounds of Carter Hill Manor.

PHW is also pleased to announce the details of our 55th Annual Meeting. We will be convening at Carter Hill Manor, the home of Linda Ross Gibbs and Tommy Gibbs, 529 Jefferson Street on June 23, beginning at 3 PM. Carter Hill Manor, a Georgian Revival style home of rose brick, is situated on one of Winchester’s highest points. The Jefferson Street address is actually the rear of the home; the front was built to face “The Old Lane,” with a view of the three acres of gardens. We plan to meet outside and enjoy the tranquil setting. In addition to the annual business portion and election of officers, we will also recognize the PHW preservation award winners for 2019. This is a great chance to celebrate local preservation projects and to meet our incoming PHW board members.

Last, mark your calendars for the Godfrey Miller Lecture Series of 2019! All lectures will be held at 7 PM in the Woltz Pavilion, 28 S. Loudoun St., Winchester. Cost is $10 (cash or check) for each evening, collected at the door. Proceeds benefit programs at the Godfrey Miller Historic Home and Fellowship Center. Door prizes will be given away each evening. For more information, visit https://www.winchesterva.gov/275th-anniversary

July 16 — 1700s in Winchester – Tom Maccubbin on early business life in Winchester through ledgers; Gene Fisher on history of the Godfrey Miller Home

July 18 — 1800s in Winchester – Rebecca Ebert on life before the War Between the States; Keven Walker on life during and after the war

July 23 — 1900s in Winchester – Trish Ridgeway on benefactors to the area; Judy Humbert on integration in the second half of the century

July 25 — 2000s in Winchester – Kris Tierney, Frederick County administrator, and Eden Freeman, Winchester city manager, on the present state of the area and future goals

Friday Roundup: Memorial Day Weekend

Hexagon House Sign — Found! This sign was on the Hexagon House in the mid to late 1980s. We’ve spoken with more than one person who remembers having their portraits taken on the Hexagon House staircase with Cookie and Larry Sullivan, so we were delighted to find this little bit of history tucked behind some boards.

First, the PHW office will be closed on Monday, May 27. We hope you all have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!

Second, we are closing in on the end of PHW’s fiscal year on May 31. If you haven’t renewed your membership from the 2018-2019 fiscal year or want to make a donation, you can still send in a check to 530 Amherst St., Winchester, VA 22601. We also have two online credit card options. If you want to make a one-time payment or donation, we recommend the donation option. If you’d prefer to have yearly renewals set up automatically, you can select your membership level from the drop down menu on the Subscription option.

Third, if you have noticed a preservation project that deserves recognition in Winchester or Frederick County at PHW’s Annual Meeting, fill out a nomination form and let us know! For best consideration for a 2019 award, please return nominations by May 31. You don’t need to have all the information, but as much as you can provide will be helpful. Winners will be recognized at the 55th Annual Meeting on June 23.

If you know or have children in the 10-14 year age range and you need some ideas for summer activities in July, check out “Expedition Winchester.” This summer camp is themed around Winchester’s 275th anniversary and has a fantastic slate of programs, sites, and activities. Week 1 (beginning of Winchester through late 19th century) runs from July 8-12, and week 2 (late 19th century Winchester to today) runs July 15-19. Both camps are held between 9 AM and 3 PM. Each week is $55, or you can register for both weeks for just $100. Spots are still available as of May 23, but make sure you register by June 12! Go to https://webtrac.winchesterva.gov, click on “Special Events and Trips,” and you should see the options for Expedition Winchester.

Last, we found another history account of Winchester in the August 1, 1900 edition of Musical Million this week. While we spotted a few factual errors, there were also some tidbits we had not seen before. You may read the article “The City of Winchester and its Historic Associations” on Virginia Chronicle.

Nominations Open for the 2019 Preservation Awards

Do you know of a person or place that deserves recognition for their preservation contributions in Winchester or Frederick County, Virginia? PHW is now accepting nominations in several categories. Click for a PDF of the nomination form. You may nominate yourself or any project for consideration, and you may make more than one nomination. Work should be complete or near complete at the time of nomination. Winners will be announced and given a few moments to talk about their project at PHW’s Annual Meeting, likely to be held June 23 or 30, 2019.

There are a variety of categories to choose from, so see if you can give a boost of recognition to a project that may have gone under the radar this past year. Remember to get your forms in by May 31 to the PHW office, 530 Amherst St., Winchester, VA 22601!

54th Annual Meeting Wrap Up

Did you miss the Annual Meeting on Sunday? You can get a glimpse of it online at LocalDVM.com. The initiative that was alluded to in the news report is our goal to become more involved in the North End of Winchester to preserve buildings and places that may not be seen as traditional “historic preservation” projects, but ones that focus on the broadening goals of historic preservation and cultural significance. (A CityLab article from last summer, How Do You Measure the Value of a Historic Site?, discusses these kinds of goals and topics for a 1930s neighborhood in Singapore.)

We are also pleased to announce our slate of PHW preservation award winners for 2018:

Awards of Merit
These awards recognize renovations of houses or buildings that contribute to improving the character of their neighborhoods and maintaining the overall historic fabric of the city.
Scallan Properties
Coca-Cola Bottling Works, 1720 Valley Avenue

The Clowser Foundation
The Clowser House, 152 Tomahawk Trail

Christ Episcopal Church
The Old Rectory porch reconstruction, 134 West Boscawen Street

The Shendow Family
The Bell’s Building, 122 North Loudoun Street

Lucille Lozier Award
This award is named in honor of Lucille Lozier, a founding member of PHW and president of the organization in 1969. It is one of our highest honors, awarded for the renovation of a significant structure retaining 75% of the historic architectural fabric.
Richard and Melanie Lewis
21 South Washington Street

Ben Belchic Award
This award is named in honor of Ben Belchic, a founding member of PHW. Ben Belchic was also an active member of the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society, so the Belchic award recognizes a significant contribution to understanding Winchester’s history. These awards are generally presented for written texts, such as books, maps, National Register nominations, and guided tours.
Timothy Youmans
Winchester Street and Alley Name Origin Database

Past award winners and the nomination form for future award nominees, can be found on the PHW website. Find more images from the 54th Annual Meeting at Flickr.

PHW’s 54th Annual Meeting This Sunday

Another year has flown by at PHW! Please join us at the Hexagon House on Sunday, June 24, 3 PM to recap the last year, elect the board of directors, and see the presentation of the 2018 preservation awards. Stay afterwards for light refreshments and building tours. This event is free and open to PHW members.

As you may know from past years, we generally set up the seating for the business portion outside. As is the running theme this year for events, we are anticipating an alternate plan for holding the event indoors to beat the afternoon thunderstorms. Rain or shine, we will have the meeting, but dressing for the weather is recommended in case we need to make a quick run for the indoors.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Friday Roundup: Awards, Walking Tours, and Rain Recovery

We are a little over halfway through National Preservation Month, but there’s still plenty of time to nominate some worthy projects for PHW’s annual preservation awards. See past winners and download a nomination form here. Nominations should be returned to PHW by June 11, no later than 5 PM, for consideration for a 2018 award.

Speaking of Preservation Month, we will regretfully postpone our planned walking tour of Potato Hill for Saturday, May 19. There are reports of afternoon thunderstorms in the forecast. Stay safe and as dry as you can, and we will let you know our make up day and time ASAP.

If you are facing flooding issues and water penetration, Nicholas Redding at Preservation Maryland compiled the following list of resources to help you dry out:
• “After the Floodwaters Recede: A Checklist of Things to Do,” Maryland Historical Trust
• “Treatment of Flood-Damaged Older and Historic Buildings,” National Trust for Historic Preservation
• “Repairing Your Flooded Home,” American Red Cross
• “Selecting a Contractor After a Natural Disaster Strikes,” Maryland Historical Trust
• “Tips for Handling Insurance Claims for Historic Properties Following a Disaster,” Maryland Historical Trust
• “Drying Wet Books and Records,” Northeast Document Conservation Center

When the weather breaks and you can enjoy the downtown again, PHW has updated the PDF of the “Explore the Old Town Mall” brochure to version 1.2. There are a few more text edits yet to come before a physical reprint, but if you spot any more pesky typos now, please let us know!

Friday Roundup: Indices, Trees, Photos and Fun!

One of the research resources we have at PHW that has been long neglected is a thick stack of photocopies of Mutual Assurance Society records. PHW volunteers obtained these copies in the 1970s as we were preparing for the 1976 Architectural Inventory. These insurance policies are very useful in seeing how early buildings grew and expanded, even giving details about the uses of certain wings, additions, or outbuildings. These are helpful for dating buildings that predate the Sanborn maps.

Thinking these records had already been sorted and it would be easy to find a policy for a quick fact check, it was quite a surprise to find that was not the case at all. After an afternoon of painstakingly deciphering names, it seemed more efficient to see if anyone had indexed these records already. Indeed, such a resource exists! The University of Mary Washington Department of Historic Preservation has a publicly searchable index of policies with a variety of search field options. In the case of these photocopies, the policy number is often the most legible identifying information. The document images are not available from this search, so this resource may not be of use to all researchers. However, you may want to experiment with the owner name search to see if a previous owner may have had a policy. For example, we know that George Norton had a Mutual Assurance Society policy on his home. By searching for his name, it brings up his Amherst St. home, as well as two other policies he took out at the same time. However, be careful! As with all old records, spelling can be haphazard and transcribers may not be able to make modernizations to help researchers. In Norton’s policies, we have creative street names like Piccadilla, Boscowan, and Loudon. If you find a record, don’t forget to consult the list of abbreviations to find out what was insured on the property and its construction materials.

Many of us have never seen, but heard the tales of the American chestnut tree. With the ongoing efforts to revive the species through blight-resistant hybridization, the question arose as to how large the trees really were. You can read and listen to a recent NPR interview of Roanoke College Biologist Rachel Collins, who warns us to temper our expectations of the mature chestnut hybrids reaching the massive proportions reported in historic documents due to some simple math confusion between diameter and circumference. If you are interested in learning more about the history and efforts to restore the American chestnut, visit the American Chestnut Foundation at www.acf.org.

Of course, it would not be Friday without some photos. This week’s upload has pushed us over 10,000 photos milestone in our Flickr collection! (“Only” 9,500 are publicly viewable, with the remaining 500 mostly historic photos or artwork we do not have rights to share.) About 50 older photos were identified, added to albums, and made public for searchers. We also added 36 photos of 518 and 401-403 South Kent Street, both Revolving Fund properties, again at the beginning of the rehabilitation. Catch them at the top of the Flickr photostream.

Lastly, mark these dates on your calendars for upcoming PHW events! (Times may be subject to change.)

May 19, 2 PM: National Preservation Month walking tour, highlighting Winchester historic plaque and Jennings Revolving Fund properties in the Potato Hill neighborhood. Volunteers are still needed as tour guides! Contact PHW at phwinc.org@gmail.com or 540-667-3577 to add your name to the guide list.

June 24, 3 PM: PHW’s Annual Meeting and Preservation Awards, planned for the Hexagon House rear yard.