What is Happening with Belmead on the James?

Powhatan County may seem out of the way, but it won’t for long once you visit Belmead on the James.  Almost two centuries of history unfolds at Belmead and mirrors the struggles and triumphs of African Americans in Virginia.  Designed by Alexander Jackson Davis and built by the plantation’s enslaved workers, Belmead might have been counted as simply another plantation-- a page in the history books.  Instead in 1893 the property was purchased by Colonel and Mrs. Edward de Vaux Morrell of Philadelphia and donated to Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.  For her work here and nationwide, Katherine Drexel was canonized as saint in 2000.  In her life, she provided a vision to educate Native American and African American students in schools across the country.  At Belmead, St. Francis and St. Emma were built and for seven decades tens of thousands of young African American boarding students studied academic lessons, learned skills, and lived a sustainable existence.  Accredited by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1925, the school anchored the activities that made this property perk until its closing in the 1970s.  More than simply existing, Belmead instilled in its students and teachers a belief in the possibilities of confronting social injustice and providing a future for its African American students through education and training.

Time moved on.  Integration of local schools allowed children to live in their local communities rather than board at Belmead.  The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament searched for ways to maintain their ministry while honoring their dedication to this land.  Preservation Virginia named the Granary at Belmead to Virginia Most Endangered Historic Sites in 2006.  With that recognition, Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament were able to find support to stabilize the structure.  In 2007 and again in May 2010, the entire campus of St. Francis De Sales School was named to the List after a major portion of the four story bell tower collapsed the previous March.  In 2011, with the support of alumni, friends and Preservation Virginia, Belmead was listed on National Trust’s Most Endangered Historic Places to raise awareness and to promote solutions related to the preservation of this significant property.

Belmead survived in part because of its nimbleness and its ability to plug into the economic and cultural needs of the times.  Once again reinvention is a foot at Belmead-on the-James.  

Taking what others would see as major setbacks, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacraments are staging a comeback for Belmead and the associated buildings.  The Granary has been stabilized.  Damage to Belmead itself sustained in the earthquake in 2011 has been repaired stopping leaks that plagued the manor house and kept uses rare. 

 

What is emerging is a coordinated and organized effort to build a program at Belmead that will invite people in, build resources and have defined uses for the future of this amazing site. Want to learn more—read Bill Lohmann’s article in the Richmond times Dispatch (this article inspired our revisits to Endangered Site listings) http://www.timesdispatch.com/entertainment-life/preserving-the-history-of-a-life-changing-place-before-it/article_a20156ec-3bb8-51c0-b50e-a5fc26e76774.html .

And set a date to attend one of Belmead’s spring events http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1105585715543-76/1Spring_Lecture_Series+(1).pdf

Previous Endangered Sites- the Entire City of Danville

In 2007, Preservation Virginia’s Most Endangered List included a rare designation— the entire City of Danville —as a result of multiple pleas for assistance regarding saving historic structures within the City.  

Since its nomination to the list, Danville has made progress in its historic preservation efforts including the creation of the River District Plan, a plan to protect and enhance the historic character and facilitate business in downtown, as well as plans to enhance historic areas along Grove Street and in the Five Forks area.  

View of Danville and Dan River

Many see the successful renovation and reuse of the Ferrell Building on Main Street as the catalyst to renewed preservation efforts by the city.  The Ferrell Building, one of the oldest buildings on Main Street, was saved from demolition in 2010 when Rehab Builders acquired it, renovated it and converted it into apartments and commercial space. 

However; Danville is not without its shortcomings. One example is the Fearn Plantation site− an important, early archaeological site with intact foundations that is planned for demolition to make room for industrial development.



Chimney and foundations at the Fearn site

Another example is what locals are calling the “red dot” district− an area of the Tobacco Warehouse District where many small, vernacular “worker’s” houses have been marked for demolition with large red dots.  While it is evident that some of these houses are beyond repair, local preservationists have asked to be involved in the process so that pockets of houses can be saved to help protect the historic mill town character. 

Historic preservation efforts have definitely improved in Danville, but Danville still has a ways to go when it comes to being a notable steward and protector of its historic resources.  

What Happened to Previous Most Endangered Sites? - Rich Neck

On Saturday, August 18, 2012, Rich Neck Plantation manor house burned.  No cause has been determined for the fire which completely gutted the interior and allowed the roof to collapse into the structure.  Rich Neck had appeared on our Endangered Sites list for 2011.  The nomination cited concern for the integrity of the house as it had set empty and abandoned for many years and was facing demolition by neglect.  Rich Neck is located in Surry County in the area between Bacon’s Castle and Smith’s Fort. 

The manor house was built around 1800 by the Ruffin family who owned the property until the end of the Civil War. An early example of Dutch Colonial architectural style, Rich Neck was one of only a few antebellum houses remaining in Surry County.  The National Register nomination also noted its early collection of agricultural outbuildings, many of which still remain after the fire, but their condition continues to deteriorate. 

We do not know what the future of the remaining structure will be.  The chimneys continued to stand along with the lower half of the exterior walls when the accompanying photos were taken about eight months after the fire.  We could not gain access to the structure but from the extent of the damage apparent from the public road, it appears all the interior detailing has been lost. 

Unfortunately, not all Endangered Sites have happy endings or futures.  Fire was not a mentioned threat in the nomination but simply accomplished what continued neglect would have done over a much longer period of time. 

By bringing attention to the threatened landmark structures around Virginia, the Endangered Sites List aims to rally local and community support to encourage owners to protect their local communities by preserving the building and landscapes that help define that community.  The threats are real and once a building like Rich Neck is lost, it is lost forever.  Remember, these places matter!

What Happened to Previous Most Endangered Sites? New Market Corridor (Rt. 5)

When the New Market Corridor (Rt. 5) was proposed for the 2012 Virginia’s Most Endangered List, the future looked bleak.   Henrico County had just invested substantial funds in a report that proposed two alternatives to relieve future traffic challenges and make way for development of the region—both called for widening Route 5 to a four-lane divided highway, destroying the character that so defines this gateway to East Richmond.

Why does that matter?  For starters, data – and real-world examples – show that wider roads don’t improve traffic.  Just look at Short Pump.  Nor is residential and commercial development the best – much less only – economic development option for Eastern Henrico.

The New Market Corridor Coalition sees a better way.  The New Market Corridor is the opposite of Short Pump—a tranquil transition from rural Route 5 through the narrow entry point into Shockoe Bottom and the artsy and inventive rehabilitated industrial corridor of restaurants, shops, businesses and residences that make up Shockoe Bottom.  It is where more than 400 years of history played out from Virginia Indian settlements, Revolutionary skirmishes, Civil War battlefields and farms harvesting the rich soil.  The corridor links Jamestown, Williamsburg and Richmond and is distinguished by the plantations and African American neighborhoods that have existed for centuries. Tourism and agriculture are the two largest industries in Virginia.  The Coalition asked, “How can these assets become the guiding principles for the Rt. 5 planning?”

The coalition nominated the New Market Corridor to the 2012 list of Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Sites.  With dogged determination, the Coalition used the listing as a vehicle to gain attention for an alternative to the insensitive widening plan.  They met with property owners.  They educated decision makers in the County and in the City of Richmond as to the benefits of exploring alternatives that leveraged the existing agricultural, heritage tourism and recreational assets of the corridor.  They posited that in the long run, investing in resolving the traffic problem by exploring traffic calming solutions, alternative routes and bus transportation would effectively resolve any anticipated traffic increases, maintain the unique character and attract residents and businesses more effectively. 

The compelling and hard fought argument for why the alternatives should be voted down by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) became a reality in December.  The MPO voted to table both alternatives—providing a three year respite to explore alternative plans.  The Coalition could have declared victory.  Instead it organized for the long run—to be a partner with Henrico County and support pro-preservation, pro-agriculture, pro-heritage tourism planning. 

 The Coalition expanded and now includes interested parties from Greater Fulton Hill Neighborhood Center, Church Hill Neighborhood Association, ROOT Henrico, Varina Beautification Committee, Henrico Preservation Association, Historic Richmond Foundation, Scenic Virginia, Virginia Conservation Network, Civil War Trust, and Coalition for Smarter Growth and the Partnership for Smarter Growth.  They formed five standing committees to actively explore tools that support agriculture, tourism, easements, and special character protection design and community transportation alternatives.  The New Market Corridor Coalition is in it for the long haul. 

Preservation Virginia is proud to be a partner in the Coalition.  Looks for updates—we have a feeling this group is going to make history! 

What Happened to Previous Most Endangered Sites? Wilderness Battlefield

After the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved a controversial special use permit to allow construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter on the Wilderness Battlefield in 2009, many individuals and organizations including the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, Piedmont Environmental Council, Preservation Virginia, National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Parks Conservation Association, National Coalition for History and the Civil War Trust; began fighting to protect this site where one of the most significant battles of the CivilWar occurred and some 30,000 people died. 

Map by Civil War Trust

The battlefield was listed on Preservation Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Sites List in 2009 and on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2010.

In 2011, after over two years of strategy and legal challenges, Wal-Mart announced that it had abandoned plans to pursue construction of the supercenter at the battlefield. The store was later relocated farther west along Route 3 near Germanna Community College’s Locust Grove campus.

Members of Wilderness Battlefield Coalition

After Wal-Mart made the decision to relocate the store, preservationists and local leaders came together to forge a new vision for the region and began the Wilderness Battlefield Gateway Study which recommended low-impact, historically and environmentally sensitive development to create a pleasant place for tourists to stay and shop when they visited the Wilderness Battlefield and nearby Chancellorsville Battlefield, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park as well as Native American sites and the 18th-century Germanna Ford settlement.  The study reached a consensus last November.

In the eyes of many in the preservation community, this victory was one of the most important to ever occur in Virginia. The final outcome not only protected the site, it also brought opposing sides together to create the Wilderness Gateway Study to further protect this historically important area. Preservation Virginia’s endangered sites listing hopefully played an important part in this positive conclusion.


Painting of the Battle of the Wilderness

What Happened? Updates on Past Endangered Sites Listings

The Ladies Pool at Warm Springs, Virginia

Posting Bill Lohmann’s great Sunday article on Belmead inspired us at Preservation Virginia.  Why not use the upcoming weeks to revisit some of the sites listed on previous Virginia’s Most Endangered Lists?  It is an opportunity for a progress report or sometimes the lack of progress.  It might also be a way to reengage and renew awareness of the sites and issues that threaten historic places.  Spotlighting some of the strategies and efforts that are making a difference across Virginia may inspire others.  

The blogs will lead up to our May  13th announcement of 2013 Virginia’s Most Endangered Historic Sites.  With each post, we will provide contact info so you are able to get in touch with the people leading the efforts to save these places.   We plan on posting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Be on the lookout and let’s get started—

Recently several members of the staff attended the Virginia Association of Museums Conference in Hot Spring—yes someone had to make the sacrifice!  All of us were frustrated to see the condition of the Warm Springs Pools. (Frustrated is a nice word for being really disappointed and distressed.)

Listed in 2010, the group organized to save the Pools has come a long way.  Taking the long view that there are other historic resources in Bath County, Preservation Bath formed with the priority of gaining ownership of the Pools and the associated structures from the Homestead and to be positioned to support the preservation of other Bath County sites.  The group successfully advocated for the Homestead to undertake an engineering study of the structures.  Preservation Bath now is positioned to begin fundraising to undertake a Historic Structures Report to guide the restoration and maintenance of the two structures. 

Sounds good, right?  There are still two major hurdles—1)  obtaining the 501 c 3 status so that Preservation Bath can undertake the major fundraising effort needed and 2)  working out a deal to transfer the ownership of the Warm Spring Pools from the Homestead and its parent company KSL.  Want to learn more and keep up with the latest?  Visit http://friendsofthepools.org

By the way, Preservation Bath has nominated the Warm Springs Pools to the National Trust’s Endangered List due out in June.  Keep listening for updates.

 

Tobacco Farm Remembered

 

Preservation Virginia began the Tobacco Barns Protection Project in 2012. From the beginning, the project has received a lot of great support. Currently Preservation Virginia staff, with the assistance of volunteers, have been surveying tobacco barns in Pittsylvania County. One of the volunteers, Hal Cauthen, wrote the below article about his memories of his uncle's tobacco farm. For more information on the project, contact Sonja Ingram at

434-770-1209 or singram@preservationvirginia.org 

*****

       My uncle had a tobacco allotment, as was done in those days. If you didn't have an allotment, you weren't allowed to grow tobacco to sell. Tobacco was the cash crop, though he grew corn, and vegetables, and raised hogs and cattle. But tobacco was how they made their money.

When it came time to pick and string and hang up the sticks, I used to love to go out there and stay for a few days. I was probably 10 years old or so, and there are several things I remember vividly. One was driving the sled!

A mule was hitched to what was literally a sled; it slid on runners -- 2 X 4's, as I recall. And had a frame which was lined with burlap, and came up a little more than waist high on a man. It looked more or less like this:

The job was to drive the sled up and down the rows, so the cropers (more on them later) could put the leaves they'd picked into the sled. That way, they'd empty their arms, and could keep on cropping. Away I'd go -- actually sort of just holding on to the reins, because - truth be known - the mules knew better than I did where to go and what to do.

When I'd collected a load, I'd tug the rein, turn the mules, and go back to the barn, where the stringers and hanger were working.

The stringers were women, mostly African-Americans. They almost all wore what I thought of as an odd costume. Overall's usually, sometimes jeans or other work pants, but over them they wore a dress or a skirt. Their hair was usually braided into tight cornrows, but hidden under a bandana, over which they often wore a big brimmed straw hat.

"Why the skirt?", I asked.

"So you can tells we are women" was the answer. Which when you thought about it made sense.

 When the sticks were full they'd be handed into the barn, then up into the rafters where the men aloft took them and placed them, just so, such that they were not too close and not too far apart --

... just enough distance so that night, when the fires were lit, the hot dry air from the smoking fires could waft up and thru them, and dry them to a rich golden patina.

Early on the curing process was done by hand stoken fires, one on each corner of the barn. And another fond memory was being allowed to stay up with the men, who sat around telling stories all through the night, occasionally go into the barn to check the temperture, and feel the leaves to judge the degree of dryness.

So my visit to the barns in southern Virginia was, in a sense, a visit to my childhood.

by Hal Cauthen