If you missed the Introduction to the series which provides some background information, you can read it here. Well, I have put this off long enough. The house standing on Lot 217 (403 Main Street) is arguably the oldest surviving structure in West Point, Virginia. I’ve known this for quite some time but as… Continue reading This Old House Series: Lot 217, West Point VA (403 Main Street) Part 1
If you missed the Introduction to the series which provides some background information, you can read it here. In the process of researching the local history of the previously enslaved, I have discovered more information than I truly thought possible. That is indeed a positive outcome, but given limited time and resources the best I… Continue reading Say Their Names: Honoring and Remembering the Enslaved Ancestors (Ralph Twopence Quarles)
As a researcher, I have spent many sleepless nights processing information I have read in documents or haunted by images I have discovered. As a white historian, I am painfully aware of how important it is I consider the lens through which I am viewing this information as I pursue my passion for inclusive storytelling.… Continue reading Say Their Names–Honoring and Remembering the Enslaved Ancestors (Series Introduction)
Based on a review of available evidence and documentation, lot 431 is the first property listed in the Report of Abandoned Property in the Freedmen's Bureau records for West Point, VA (1865). In the report, A.G. Baylor is listed as the former owner and the property type is a store. The comments indicate that it… Continue reading The Freedmen’s Bureau Records, West Point, VA 1865: Lot 431
If you are new to this series and would like to learn more, click here to read the introduction. The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands was created in 1865 "to assist in the reconstruction of the South and to aid formerly enslaved individuals transition to freedom and citizenship." The Freedmen's Bureau records provide local documentation and insights not readily… Continue reading This Old House Series: the Freedmen’s Bureau Records, West Point, VA
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