Blog Entries

Do you have stacks of old family photographs collecting dust?  Do you wish you could share these photographs with all your extended family?  Do you worry about your photographs being destroyed or ruined?  If so, come to our Preservation and Scanning of Photographs workshop on Saturday, April 20 @ 10:30 am in the Benham Gallery of Handley Library.

Stewart Bell Jr. Archives Manager Lorna Loring will lead a workshop demonstration explaining the three steps to begin your photography preservation efforts.

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. 

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?

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.  

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

Welcome to the Handley Regional Library System, home to the magnificent 110-year-old Handley Library – a true architectural gem nestled in the heart of Winchester, Virginia. Join us on our next exclusive tour, taking place on January 13th at 11 AM, as we unlock the secrets of this historic library, delving into its fascinating architecture and rich history.

Unveiling Hidden Treasures

Guten Tag!  Stewart Bell Jr.

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...
 

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? 

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.

African American genealogy research can be a challenge, especially before 1870 and emancipation. Have you hit a brick wall? This month's Family History Hunters program on June 8th at 12:30pm in the Benham Gallery at Handley Library will feature a presentation from Brenda Burton Nelson, who has broken through barriers and uncovered her and her husband's genealogy. She will present a case study about how she was able to break down brick walls and find her husband’s ancestors.