New Schedule for Cavaliers, Courage and Coffee: Mosby Owned the Night

Family programs presented by the Gray Ghost Interpretive Group tell stories about life in the Mosby Heritage Area during the Civil War. 

Beginning in March, presentations will again move outdoors.  Stories about the citizens and soldiers who lived in the Mosby Heritage Area during the Civil War will be told by lantern light at various venues throughout the Mosby Heritage Area.  The program will go on the road for the months of April, June, and August.  Note the locations below!

There are two scheduling changes in the spring and summer schedule: programs will be on the 3rd Saturday of the month and will begin at 7:30 p.m. 

Special Place and Time
August 18: the Gardens at Morven Park, Leesburg, VA
Directions: Take W. Market St. off Rt. 7 Bypass at Leesburg, go 1 block to stoplight, make left unto Fairview St. and left on Old Waterford Rd., enter at second gate at Morven on Southern Planter Ln. which leads to the parking lot
Beginning at 7:45pm

See the events and education pages for more info.

10th Annual Conference on the Art of Command

The 10th Annual Conference on the Art of Command in the Civil War will be held on the weekend of October 12-14, 2007 at the Community Center in historic Middleburg, Virginia.  This year’s topic will be The Second Battle of Manassas.  Noted authors and historians John Hennessy, Kim Holien, Clark Hall, Gary Ecelbarger, Peter Carmichael, William Styple, Jeff Wert, and Scott Patchin will present nine lectures during the weekend.   A highlight of the conference is a guided bus tour of the Manassas Battlefield on Sunday. 

Information about the speakers, a schedule for the conference and registration form can be downloaded from our website.  The cost of this year’s conference will be $390, which includes all lectures, bus trip, a reception on Friday, continental breakfast Saturday morning, Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner, snacks throughout the day on Saturday, and lunch on Sunday.  There is a $180 registration fee for those attending the two lectures on Friday, Friday’s reception, Saturday morning continental breakfast, Saturday lectures and lunch.  This does not include Saturday dinner and dinner lecture by John Hennessey.  Registration fees can be paid by credit card.

Credit Cards Now Accepted!

The Mosby Heritage Area Association is now able to accept credit cards.  Visitors to this website can become members or renew membership, make donations to MHAA, pay for products, and register for events by using their Master Card or Visa cards. The MHAA hopes that this new service will be helpful to those visiting our website. LINK

Need a Speaker?

Rich Gillespie, our Director of Education, is happy to speak to civic groups, youth groups, church groups, scout groups, homeowners associations, and schools. Feel free to give him a call at (540) 687-5578 or e-mail him at  rgillespie@mosbyheritagearea.org

Friends and Relatives Will Visit You in 2007—Are You Ready?

Virginia’s 400th birthday is steaming towards us, and with the massive publicity it will engender, conscientious families will be hitting the road to give their families a dose of history. That college roommate, that buddy from the Air Force, and even your favorite cousin from New Jersey will be coming to Virginia to visit youwhile they are in the state. Are you ready?

The Mosby Heritage Area is as classic a piece of Virginia as anyone will ever see, and it is a lot easier and cheaper to visit than the well-advertised sites downstate. We suggest you show your 2007 visitors your own back yard. You can find  “printable driving tours” to help you, your friends, and visiting relatives sample great back roads, scenery, historic villages, classic Virginia architecture, and even Mosby sites on this website. They also are available in hard copy with a map at our offices at Atoka.

One version of our new Mosby Heritage Area Samplers for the Modern Motorist starts in Warrenton at the Visitor Center on Calhoun Street. The other begins at the Loudoun Visitor Center on Catoctin Circle in Leesburg, but you can get on at a variety of places. These make for good family activities, so pile your friends and relatives in your car and go exploring with us.  

We have four Civil War audio tours of Mosby country which you can order from this website, as well as a British-style walking tour book, Loudoun By Foot, for sale at our office. Four free pamphlets of the Mosby Heritage Area’s historic corridors, Route 50 (the John Singleton Mosby Highway), the Carolina Road (Route 15), Quaker Sites, and the Crooked Run Valley (Route 17 south of Paris) are available at our office or by ordering them from this website. 

These are all guides to exploring real Virginia.  Think of how impressed those friends and relatives will be.

NEW! Exploring Olde Loudoun

The Mosby Heritage Area Association has announced a spring 2007 educational offering in commemoration of Loudoun’s 250th anniversary, a 4-trip series of bus tours exploring Loudoun’s past.  Entitled Exploring Olde Loudoun, the trips will explore Loudoun chronologically, from its colonial past in the first trip to its more recent past in the final trip.  Other trips will explore antebellum Loudoun, and another the Civil War experience of the county. 

These bus trips will be offered on Sunday afternoons in March and April—March 18th and 25th, April 15th and 22nd.  Those wishing to participate can sign up for individual trips or the whole series. Part history lesson and part field trip, the series is particularly aimed at those who don’t know much about Loudoun, including both newcomers and longer residents who’ve never had the time or chance to find out about the county’s past.  The series will be led by Richard Gillespie, retired Loudoun history teacher and current Director of Education for the Mosby Heritage Area Association. 

All trips start in Leesburg leaving from Loudoun County High School on Catoctin Circle and Dry Mill Road.  Trips begin at 2pm and will end at 6pm.  Individual trips will cost $15 and $50 for all four trips in the series.  There is limited seating, so call to sign up early.  To sign up for one or more of the Exploring Olde Loudoun trips, call the Mosby Heritage Area Association at 540-687-6681 or info@mosbyheritagearea.org. 

Trip Schedule
Sunday, March 18, 2007, 2pm-6pm
Trip One: Finding Colonial Loudoun, 1730-75

1. The German Settlement – Old German Cemetery, New Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Lovettsville
2. Taylorstown, German suburb – an example of a log patent house (short tour), nestled farms (the Stoutsenberger Farm-a short hike), Tankerville Road (a still-in-use colonial road), Oldest House in Loudoun, and The Mill
3. Goose Creek, Quaker Settlement – Meeting House, Oakdale School, and Cemetery
4. Leesburg, County Seat – Old Stone Church Site, diversity in 18th century Loudoun and The Loudoun Resolves.

Sunday, March 25, 2007, 2pm-6pm
Trip Two: Antebellum Loudoun: The Rural Garden, 1775-1860

1. Leesburg: The Revolution in Loudoun – McCabe’s Ordinary and Donaldson silversmith
2. Wealth & the Revolutionary Generation in Loudoun: Oatlands or Oak Hill
3. The Grain Economy: Aldie Mill
4. Turnpikes & Transportation – Little River and the Goose Creek & Little River Navigation Company and Snickersville Pike
5. The Commercial Economy: Purcell’s Store, Purchellville
6. The Slavery Issue: Ketoctin Church and Cemetery
7. The Underground Railroad: Lincoln (time permitting)

Sunday, April 15, 2007, 2pm-6pm
Trip Three: Engulfed by the Civil War, 1861-65

1. The coming of the Civil War and the Battle of Ball’s Bluff, Balls Bluff Battlefield
2. Loudoun and the Antietam Campaign, Harrison Hall, Leesburg
3. Unison: The Campaign of 1862
4. Goose Creek Bridge: the Cavalry Battles of Aldie, Middleburg, & Upperville
5. The Mosby Story: The Rector House, Atoka
6. Katie’s Hollow, Mosby, the Quakers, and the Burning (time permitting)

Sunday, April 22, 2007, 2pm-6pm
Trip Four: Reconstruction and After: 1865-1945

1. Waterford as an example of a Reconstruction Community – Flemon D. Anderson Grave, Union Cemetery (a Loudoun Ranger meeting a bloody end), Jame Lewis Grave, Union Cemetery (African-American soldier of the Civil War), Freedman’s Bureau School: The Second Street School, and Aftican-American Monument: The John Wesley Church
2. Purcellville Railroad Station and Business District: the postwar railroad economy in Loudoun
3. Hamilton and its tourist hotels: the postwar railroad economy, part 2
4. Enter the Hunt Country: Morven Park
5. Loudoun as weekend home for the military: Dodona Manor, General George C. Marshall’s home

Back to Leesburg: the explosion of Loudoun’s population since 1945

Successful Winter Lecture Series, Almost

The 12th Annual Winter Lecture Series was considered a success.  More than 50 people came out on February 4th to hear Donald Tharpe speak on Native Americans.  The MHAA worked with the John Singleton Mosby Museum and Educational Center and the Warrenton-Fauquier County Visitor Center to host this lecture.

The cold blistery weather did not keep the more than 50 people from attending the second lectures at Powhatan School in Millwood on February 11th.  Dr. Warren Hofstra gave an interesting talk on how the different social groups at the time of the Revolutionary War shaped the direction the colonists took in the fight for independence.  This was followed by an equally interesting talk by Dr. John Sawyer that focused on the Revolutionary War career of Daniel Morgan.

The third lecture on February 18th actually became two lectures.  When registration for this lecture reached 80 and beyond, David Goetz volunteered to give his talk on the post-war relationship of John Mosby and Ulysses Grant two times.  A second lecture was scheduled for 12 noon with about 75 registered.  This was the most attended lecture in the 12-year history of the series.

The snow storm that hit on Sunday, February 25th caused the cancellation of the fourth lecture at Morven Park.  Due to Tracy Gillespie’s busy schedule, we were unable to reschedule this fourth lecture.  February is a very tricky month to schedule the lecture series, but it is a good time for people to get out and enjoy a good lecture.

Mosby Marker Dedicated

On a cold January 10th Mosby historians and interested parties assembled at Loudoun Heights for the dedication of a Virginia State Highway Marker noting the actions of John S. Mosby and his Rangers at Loudoun Heights on January 10, 1864.  A member of the Historic Mosby Rangers from Washington state, representing the group that spearheaded the fundraising efforts to have the marker erected.

Don Hakenson, Mosby historian, gave a moving talk on the action that took place on that January 10th day in 1864.  Mosby and scout Frank Stringfellow had planned a joint attack on Major Henry Cole’s Union forces camped at Loudoun Heights.  A gun shot alerted Cole’s cavalry resulting in Mosby loosing the element of surprise and suffering the loss of six men—his greatest defeat. 

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Edling, who initiated the effort to get the marker placed, were given the honor of unveiling the marker.  Jeff Smith, a Mosby re-enactor, then read the text to the marker for those in attendance.  The ceremony ended with Connie Boudreau giving the benediction.  Members of the Clinton Hatcher Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans were on hand as an honor guard.  Following the ceremony, everyone was invited by the Edling’s to their house, which served as Cole’s headquarters, for a reception. 

Winter Lecture Series
“400 Years of Virginia in the Mosby Heritage Area”

The Mosby Heritage Area Association will be celebrating the 400th birthday of Virginia with its Winter Lecture Series this February.  The four lectures focus on four periods of Virginia history: Native American, Revolutionary War, Civil War, and 20th Century. The lectures will highlight history in the Mosby Heritage Area as an integral part of Virginia’s story.

The lecturers, title of lectures and special additions, and the place for each lecture is listed below:
           
February 4 – The Native American’s Virginia
Mr. Donald Tharpe: “Wingandekao, a.k.a. Virginia”
Special exhibit by Mr. Tharpe: “America 1200 a.d. to 1699 a.d.:
King Wingina’s Wingandekoa”
Warrenton-Fauquier County Visitor Center, Warrenton, VA

February 11 – Our American Revolution
Dr. Warren Hofstra: “How Revolutionary Was Revolutionary Virginia?”
Dr.John Sawyer: “The Virginia Soldier’s Revolution”
Auditorium at Powhatan School, Millwood, VA

February 18 – The Civil War Came This Way (by reservation only, call 540-687-6681)
Dave Goetz: “The Post-War Relationship Between John Singleton Mosby and Ulysses S. Grant”
And: “Facing the Civil War: The Family of Lt. Col. John Fairfax of Oak Hill, 1861-1865
At Oak Hill, Home of President James Monroe, Leesburg, VA

February 25 – Old Virginia and the New South
Tracy Gillespie: “’Give Us a Farmer Governor!’: Westmoreland Davis,
Agriculture, and Virginia Politics in the Early 20th Century”
Paul Shiltz and Doug Smith: An interview with Virginia Governor
Westmoreland Davis, 1922
At the Visitor Center, Morven Park, Leesburg, VA.

Click here to get the reading list.
Click here to get directions to lecture locations.
Click here to read bios of our speakers.

Antiques, Antiques and More Antiques!

The Mosby Heritage Area Association, in partnership with Sloans and Kenyon Auctioneers and Appraisers, held its second annual Appraisal Day at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church Parish House in Middleburg on Saturday, October 28, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

A team of expert appraisers were on hand to help solve the mystery of those interesting items that had been inherited or weren’t left at the flea market. Specialists in paintings, decorative arts, silver, books, porcelain, jewelry, Civil War Relics, and Americana were on hand. 
One family brought in a wall decoration shaped like a huge plate which was at least 36 inches in diameter.  The piece was given to their father, who couldn’t throw anything away. One daughter packed it when she moved and took it to California.  It returned to Middleburg and the family wanted to know more about it.  The appraiser noted that it was a 1920s decorative arts piece that was valued at $1,500.

This year’s silent auction included a week in Vail, Colorado, a dinner for eight at Oak Hill, tickets to the Russian Symphony, Civil War and Audubon Prints, a variety of glassware and vases, a brass bed and books. 

The MHAA is looking forward to next year’s auction, so get those things out of the attic or garage.  You may have a valuable treasure and don’t know it!

Mosby Rides Again!

Across the fields just south of Route 50 at Atoka, Virginia a group of thirty-five riders were seen on Friday, October 13th.  Among the riders could be seen five gentlemen dressed in Confederate Civil War uniforms.  These were members of the Historic Mosby’s Rangers from Washington State serving as guides for the day’s ride in pursuit of the Gray Ghost. 

Members of the Historic Mosby’s Rangers visit ‘Mosby’s Confederacy’ each year to tour and study the area where Col. John S. Mosby and the 43rd Battalion operated during the Civil War.  The primary purpose of there organization is to preserve and perpetuate the memory of the men who served with the 43rd Battalion Virginia Cavalry, 1863-1865.

On this bright sunny day Mrs. Caleb Rector greeted the riders and told them about her home of Rectors Crossroads (Atoka) and what she observed from her home during the time of the Civil War. Riders then proceeded to Lakeland to hear how Col. Mosby was shot by a Union patrol in December 1864 while visiting the Ludwell Lake home.  Riding on to where Col. Mosby was moved following this incident, the modern-day riders were entertained at Rockburn by the lady of the house.  

Those who were not inclined to ride a horse went by modern conveyances to Lakeland and Rockburn to hear about these sites and their connection to Col. Mosby and his Rangers.  Unfortunately, these modern riders got lost once or twice.

The two-hour ride ended with the riders returning to Atoka where they were treated to lunch on the lawn of the Rector House, headquarters of the Mosby Heritage Area Association.  Richard Gillespie spoke to the riders about the Association and how through their educational programs it hopes to encourage the preservation of the scenic open spaces that the riders saw on their ride.

9th Annual Civil War Conference

Through the rain and cool weather on October 6th and 7th, more than 90 men and women met in Middleburg to gain new insights into the Civil War in the Mosby Heritage Area.  Nationally recognized authors and historians, Melissa Delcour, Clark B. Hall, Robert K. Krick, Marshall Krolick, Horace Mewborn, Mike Musick, Robert F. O’Neill, and Robert J. Trout, made nine presentations highlighting the area’s Civil War history. 

On Sunday participants boarded buses to explore the battlefield for the Cavalry Battles of Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville and the track McClellan took across Loudoun County during the fall of 1863 with a lunch break in Upperville at Buchanan Hall.

Next year’s conference is being planned now, so keep a watch out for details to come.

The Fireside Mosby

During the winter months of January and February, the Gray Ghost
Interpretive Group will be telling stories from the Civil War in the Mosby Heritage Area inside by the fireside at the Rector House in Atoka (4 miles west of Middleburg off Route 50).  These are stories from costumed interpreters portraying citizens and soldiers who lived in this area during the time of the Civil War.  These are great programs for the family! The programs begin at 7:30 p.m. and end at 9:30 p.m.  All programs are free to the public.

The Conference on the Art of Command in the Civil War

The Civil War in the Mosby Heritage Area is this year’s theme for our Civil War Conference. Brochures are now being printed and will be mailed to past participants in March.

If you would like to have a brochure mailed, contact us at 540-687-6681 or email us at info@mosbyheritagearea.org. You can download a copy of the schedule, bios of speakers, and the registration form from our website.

Election of New Board Members & Officers

The Board of Directors of the Mosby Heritage Area Association elected its officers and new board members for the 2007 fiscal year at its May meeting.  Gayle DeLashmutt was elected president, Marc Leepson, vice president, George Grayson, treasurer, and Franny Kansteiner, secretary.  Jay Zieler, Susan Wallace, Donald Woodruff, Edward Keenan, and Katherine Berger were elected to fill board positions.  Tracy Gillespie, Cheryl Sadowski, John Sherman, Linda Newton, William Howard Adams, and Howard Kittell were elected to the Advisory Board. 

"On This Ground" Filming

The Mosby Heritage Area Association works with Aldelphia Cable Channel 3 to plan and produce timely historical documentaries on Loudoun history and on historical preservation in Loudoun County. If you have ideas for programs, e-mail the director of education, Rich Gillespie at rgillespie@mosbyheritagearea.org.

New Driving Tours Available

The Mosby Heritage Area Association is pleased  to announce the release of its circuit driving tours of the heritage area as of May.  Different from our previous historic highway or historic district tours, A Mosby Heritage Area Sampler for the Modern Motorist is just that—a sampler of the best the heritage area has to offer.  Described as “a circuit drive through the scenic rolling countryside, historic villages, Hunt Country farms, and hallowed Civil War sites in the late ‘Mosby’s Confederacy’ of Loudoun and Fauquier counties, Virginia”, these driving tours come in two versions.  One leaves from Warrenton (an 83-mile circuit) and the other leaves from Leesburg (an 85-mile circuit).  Each brings you through achingly beautiful countryside as it weaves between vistas, villages, and historic venues.  These are set up much like road rally and make for high adventure!  

The new circuit driving tours can be obtained from the Mosby Heritage Area Association headquarters at Atoka, the Warrenton-Fauquier County Visitor Center on Calhoun Street in Warrenton, the Loudoun Convention and Visitors Association Visitor Center on Catoctin Circle in Leesburg, or at the Pink Box Visitor Center on North Madison Street in Middleburg.   They can also be downloaded from the web site—under “Visitor Resources”, click “Printable Driving Tours”, and print Part I, Part II, and the map.

Education Program a Success

CLICK HERE for news doc

Drive through History Brochure Released

After many months of research, the new Drive through History brochure is available to the public.  This brochure was the first of four driving tour brochures printed by the association.  The tour along U.S. Route 50 has been lengthened from Mount Zion Church east of Aldie to the Virginia State Arboretum in Clarke County.  The brochure highlights places to stay, dine, and shop along the 30 mile route.  Along with the historic sites and towns, the drive includes some of the most spectacular scenery in the state of Virginia.  Click here to order a free copy.

History Award

Each year the Mosby Heritage Area Association presents the John Divine Memorial Award in Local History for an outstanding project in local history at the Loudoun County Social Science Fair.  This year’s fair was held at Freedom High School in South Riding on May 31 and June 1. The panel of judges selected the project submitted by Katy Peterson, Ashburn, Then & Now as the recipient of this year’s award.  Judy Reynolds, executive director, presented Katy with a certificate and a check for $100 at the awards presentation at Freedom High School on June 1.  Reynolds noted that this project exemplified the research and efforts of John Divine to preserve local history.

New Scavenger Hunts Available
Scavenger Hunts for Fauquier and Clarke Counties were created and designed by our Director of Education, Richard Gillespie, and summer intern, Emily Frost.  They are circular tours that combine scenic byways with historic sites in the respective counties.  The scavenger hunts will be distributed to students participating in the MHAA’s educational outreach program, Mosby Heritage and You. To download these scavenger hunts, click here.

Board Votes for Resolutions
At its January 25th meeting, the Board of Directors for the Mosby Heritage Area Association endorsed resolutions for the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Project to seek National Scenic Byway designation and National Heritage Area designation.  The JTHG project is looking for support from organizations along the 175 mile Route 15/231 corridor from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to Charlottesville, Virginia for these two initiatives.

Virginia Civil War Trails Maps
The Mosby Heritage Area Association will be listed in the latest edition of the Virginia Civil War Trails’ Virginia Map.  This map serves as a guide to Civil War Trail sites throughout Virginia and Maryland.  The MHAA will be listed with Visitor Centers and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation as places to contact for further information on the Civil War.  The Virginia Civil War Trails organization also produces five regional maps for sites in Virginia.

Winter Lecture Series a Big Success

The 2006 Winter Lecture Series is a great success. Marc Leepson’s talk on the American Flag brought 50 people out on Super Bowl Sunday at Oatlands. His talk was very informative even if Betsy Ross did not sew the first flag. William Howard Adams spoke on February 19 at Upperville to a crowd of 86 people. His slides and talk on Jefferson County, West Virginia created interest in a possible bus tour.

On February 26, Laura Elliott spoke on the making of her book Annie Between the States to 50 people at Highland School in Warrenton. Despite her claim of being a writer, not an historian, it was obvious that Ms. Elliott had become quite knowledgeable about Civil War History in our area in order to write her book. A cold windy day did not deter 45 people from attending Joel Garreau’s lecture on Santa Fe-ing the Piedmont. Mr. Garreau had a very entertaining presentation in which he asked the audience to help develop his theory concerning the future of the Piedmont.

Joel Garreau Rescheduled

Due to the weather problems, the lecture by Joel Garreau scheduled for February 12 has been rescheduled for Sunday, March 5. He will speak on The Santa Fe-ing of the Piedmont at Wakefield School in The Plains at 3:00pm.

See the events page for more info.

Winter Lecture Series
The 2006 Winter Lectures Series takes place on Sunday afternoons in February.  This year’s program, An Afternoon with Piedmont Authors, features four authors, Marc Leepson, Joel Garreau, William Howard Adams, and Laura Elliott.  They will talk on their latest books, which will be available for sale.  To find out more information about the lectures, the speakers, and directions to the lecture sites, click here.

Volunteers Recruited
On January 26th the Mosby Heritage Area Association hosted a volunteer recruitment day at their headquarters at Atoka, Virginia.  With the lure of chocolate, the organization was able to enlist the help of new volunteers for its events and operation.  If you would like to learn more about volunteering for MHAA, click here.     

Board Member Resigns
Pamela Sackett submitted her resignation from the Mosby Heritage Area Association’s Board of Directors for personal reasons.  Chris Needels, MHAA president, commended the work that Ms. Sackett has done while serving on the board.  She has been especially supportive with issues involving Prince William County. 

Director of Education Hired Full Time
The Board of Directors for the Mosby Heritage Area Association voted at its January 25th meeting to make the position of Director of Education full-time. Richard Gillespie, who has been spearheading the MHAA’s educational programming for more than a year, will begin his new hours in May.  The growth of the educational programs for the MHAA and the additional hours needed to maintain these programs warranted the change.

10th Anniversary of the Mosby Heritage Area Association
The MHAA has been celebrating History and Heritage for ten years. Several events are being planned for 2005 to highlight this anniversary and to recognize the contribution that our members have made to our success. Stay tuned for further announcements!

MHAA hires a Director of Education and launches new Education Initiative
In November 2004, the MHAA hired Rich Gillespie as their new Director of Education.........read more

The MHAA elects a new President
Christopher Needels has been elected as the new President of the Mosby Heritage Area Association. .........read more