Friday, May 29, 2009

Mystery Photos of the Month



During our research for the book, as we pored over hundreds of photographs in public and private collections, we'd run across some wonderful images that unfortunately, could not be used in our book since they were not identified. Here are two photos from different angles of the same beautiful Victorian house from approximately the same period in time, the last quarter of the 19th century through the first quarter of the 20th century. It is unknown even if this house is or was in Waynesboro.

From close inspection of the photos, no house numbers could be discerned. There are clues that the wintertime photo was taken before the other photo since the saplings enclosed within the wooden protective barriers show obvious growth from one photo to the other. Perhaps the location can be identified by the surrounding houses or the fact that the ground rises sharply up to a hill behind the house in the winter photo. Click on the images for larger versions.
If anyone has an idea where this house might be ...or might have been, please leave a comment, Thanks!

Photos courtesy of Waynesboro Public Library

Sunday, May 24, 2009

"Shenandoah Moon" Orginal Cast Recordings

On Saturday, May 23, the cast from “Shenandoah Moon” gathered at the Waynesboro Players warehouse to record songs from that popular musical production which premiered a month ago at the Louis Spilman Auditorium in Waynesboro. The music was just too wonderful to just let it go! Here’s a little behind-the-scenes peek at the recording session.

The incredibly talented Richard Adams, who composed, wrote, and directed the music for the play, adjusts his recording equipment during the recording session.

Dustin Roadcap (“Willie Miller”), Matthew Warner (“Louis Taylor”), Caleb Towns (“Tom Deluca”), and Scott Woofter (“Whitey O’Malley”) belt out “CCC,” the upbeat, often-funny song about life as members of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

A favorite song in “Shenandoah Moon” is the touching “Don’t the Moon Look Pretty,” recorded here by Barbara Spilman Lawson (“Grandma Sally”) and Tara Stoll (“Kathy Shifflett”).

Caleb Towns as Tom Deluca, Tara Stoll as Kathy Shifflett, Scott Woofter as Whitey O’Malley, and Cassy Maxton as Lizzie Marshall consider their differences as well as the love that connects them in “Two Worlds.”
Bill Martin’s character, mountain patriarch Howard Shifflett, struggles with the life-changing events that have turned his life upside-down in the poignant “Howard’s Song.”

Barbara Spilman Lawson, as Grandma Sally, brought down the house with the show-stopping “Shine,” a boisterous, exuberant celebration of one of the mountain folks’ ways of enjoying themselves.


“Lizzie Marshall,” played by Cassy Maxton, sings “Everybody’s Their Own People,” where she lets Kathy Shifflet know that it doesn’t matter where you come from or where you end up living, you are unique and special in your own way.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Images of America, Waynesboro: The Book Has Landed!

We received their first two copies of Images of America: Waynesboro last week and they look fantastic! Those we've shown the book to were equally impressed. Can't wait for the first official shipment from Arcadia! Right now, Stone Soup Books & Cafe has one display copy on hand. Feel free to drop by, check it out, and put in a pre-order if you want. Or you can just come by the book launch June 12 (3-6) or June 13 (1-3) to get a copy then. Cort and I will be there to talk about the book and sign copies. This is fun, Waynesboro! :)

Beth

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Getting Down to Business: Old Dominion Performance Arts Studios

Ever wonder what is going on at the location that was once Waynesboro's old Corner Hardware Store? Amazing things, that's what. Old Dominion Studio, located at 313 W. Main Street (website here) opened in downtown Waynesboro nine years ago. Still relatively small, they offer dance and martial arts training with, according to Dulcey Fuqua, studio founder and dance instructor, "a style of training where everyone can find a family, friends, and success."

Dulcey goes on to say, "I know I am biased, but I am really blessed to have such a wonderful, and gracious group of teens to teach and work with. Their talent, accomplishments, and love of what they do, really is something that our community should be proud of."


The community is invited to the "Shine," the 2009 Student Showcase this weekend at Kate Collins Middle school, Saturday the 16th at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday the 17th at 2 p.m.. The showcase will feature both dance and martial arts, and will give the public the opportunity to see the the quality of instruction and the grace, talent, and dedication of the students. Tickets to the performances are available at Chickpeas, Main Street Discount, and at the Studio. Prices are: Reserved (pre-sale only), $10 youth/adult; $7 children (5 and under).General Admission, $7 youth/adult , $8 at the door; $5 child - $6 at the door. For more information on "Shine," go to the studio homepage here.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Getting Down to Business: Short & Sweet Bakery


Short & Sweet Bakery had its Grand Opening on May 11, 2009, and by closing time they were just about sold out. Located at 133 North Wayne Avenue in Waynesboro, this new shop stands in the same location where the first Waynesboro Fire Department station stood at the turn of the 20th century.


The interior still retains some of the classic features of the former business, such as the large white radiator, yet Short & Sweet Bakery is bright, colorful, and cheerful, with places to sit, relax, enjoy some pastries, and watch the world on Wayne Avenue go by. "SWEET-net" Wifi is available free to customers.

Owners and bakers Heather and Terry Short create custom cakes, cookies and more. They've nicknamed the bakery the place "Where it's not all about us." They specialize in pastries for weddings, birthdays, and special occasions. For instance, a pot of cookie flowers and this white rabbit popping out of a magic hat are examples of Short & Sweet pastry art.

Short & Sweet Bakery made this special cake for Waynesboro's 2009 "Taste of the Town" located at Fairfax Hall (formerly the Brandon Hotel) on the Basic City side of town. The cake is a spot-on, confection-based interpretation of Fairfax Hall. It garnered rave reviews from those who attended. And to top it off, Short & Sweet Bakery, which offered delicious samplings to the attendees, won the "Best Professional Pastry Chef" award. The above photos show both the cake and an early view of the Brandon Hotel (circa late 1800s).

You can check out the Short & Sweet Bakery website here!

Friday, May 8, 2009

The Mountain-Valley Connection: Hannibal Crosses the Blue Ridge

On April 1st, Waynesboro native and long-time creator of unique 3-D art Mark Cline erected five life-sized elephant statues atop Waynesboro's slowly-greening landfill hill on the east side of town at the base of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. The display, titled "Hannibal Crosses the Blue Ridge," was intended to be in place for one month. Waynesborians were fascinated with this new point of interest, which was clearly visible from many places along Main Street and particularly clear from the Main-Delphine intersection.


With official permission from City Manager Mike Hamp, we visited the display three days before the scheduled removal (April 30) and were able to get up close and personal with the fiberglass pachyderms. Buffetted by strong winds, we marveled at the sense of fun these creatures elicit, from the snarling yet somehow endearing, fur-caped Hannibal shaking his fist atop Elephant #1 to little tag-behind Elephant #5. Clearly the winds had attempted at one point to throw them all off the hill into the valley, but some ankle-weights and two-by-fours have solved that problem.



A number of Waynesborians have rallied to keep the elephants on Landfill Hill, and for good reason. Word is spreading across the region, state, and even the country about the unique creatures, and this word may well generate new tourists to town. For a very long time now, Waynesboro has depended upon tourism for a large part of its livelihood. This artistic curiosity shows our sense of fun and imagination. And if people drive into Waynesboro to get a glimpse of the elephants, they may well hang around and find other interesting things to explore while here.

At the moment, the elephants remain until further notice. It could be they will remain in place until after the Fall Foliage Festival in October. Maybe longer. Time will tell. There are issues concerning those who live near the elephants as to how to keep folks from trespassing on their land to reach the statues. Our advice is simple and clear - bring your binoculars and view them from town, which was the initial intent. Or, if you simply must see them up close, make sure you obtain official permission from the City Council.

And to Mark Cline we say, "Thanks! We're loving your critters!"

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Images of America: Waynesboro Book Launch Scheduled

Images of America: Waynesboro, the new photo-history of Waynesboro scheduled to be released by Arcadia Publishing on June 8th, will have a book launch/authors' reception at Stone Soup Books & Cafe in Waynesboro. The launch will be held from 3-5 p.m. on Friday June 12th and from 1-3 on Saturday June 13th. All area residents and folks from outside the city are welcomed to come either time to get a signed copy of the book and to chat with authors Elizabeth Spilman Massie and Cortney Skinner.

More information to follow soon!