DOWN MEMORY LANE
March 15, 1976
Most of the apple crop in Rappahannock County was wiped out this past weekend when a killing frost froze the apple blossoms that were almost in full bloom. According to some estimates, more than 90 percent of the crop was destroyed when temperatures in the area dropped into the low 20s.
H.B. Wood of Woodville, who owns 50 acres of apple orchards, said that “it looks like they are about all gone.” He said that the thermometer on his house dropped to 20 degrees. “That was cold enough to get ’em,” he said.
Wood remarked that the weekend frost was one of the worst that the apple crop has ever suffered.
The restoration of Mt. Salem Baptist Church to its original condition was the subject of a meeting late in March in Washington attended by persons interested in the historic building. Mt. Salem, located on Route 626 near Washington, is considered the Mother Church of all Baptists in Rappahannock, established in 1828 and boasting a membership of 225 at that time. It was last active about 1959.
Since then the building has deteriorated physically and vandalism has also contributed to the ailments of the church. It however, was considered initially sound, after extensive examination, and worth restoring, according to a spokesman.
Karl Burke volunteered to restore the old church organ which is presently stored in the county jail. The organ and the church pews were stolen from the building a few years ago. The organ was recovered when it was discovered in an antique shop in a neighboring county. The benches were never found.
Kim Gilkey of the Chester Gap 4-H Community Club represented Rappahannock at the Northern District 4-H Contest held Saturday in Warrenton. In the dress revue she received a blue ribbon for her dress of pink checked polyester fabric designed on semi-fitted lines, puffed sleeves, and shawl collar extending into ties at the back. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Gilkey III.
April 11, 1985
Bows and arrows may not be the typical interests of most little girls, but that has never bothered Cheryl Taylor. She has even turned her life-long interest into a business venture.
Taylor makes and sells arrows or she sells the arrow related materials to others who want to make their own. The business is located in the basement, although it sometimes spreads into the kitchen when the basement becomes too crowded to work in.
Through advertisements and word of mouth, Taylor has been building up her clientele. She shoots with the Prince William Archers and has been able to spread the news about Arrow Master besides placing first and second in competition in the past two years.
The business has not returned large profits for Taylor so far. “I won’t become a millionaire at this, and I think that it will take at least five years before I start seeing a profit,” Taylor said. “I’ve enjoyed doing it, though, and it’s amazing to me to see it develop.”
On March 30, 1985 winners were announced in the United Press International Georgia Broadcast Competition for Radio Divisions I and II. Doug Walker, with Station WRGA, Rome, Ga. entered the competition in four categories in Division II and won first place in three of them. Doug is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Moe Walker of Flint Hill. He has accepted the position of director of the news department with Station WHHY in Montgomery, Alabama, where he assumed duties this week.
Sept. 21, 1994
At the September Town Council meeting, the minutes of the August meeting were not approved after being questioned by member Reinhardt Lynch.
Mr. Lynch questioned a portion of the minutes which gave the right to hire and fire employees of the town to Mayor Stew Willis and council member Tom Zumwalt. Mr. Lynch remembered the prior meeting’s motion as only giving them the right to hire an administrative assistant for the town. He decided to listen to the tape recording of the August meeting for a clarification of the issue, but when he attempted to do so, three of the six sides of the tape recordings of that meeting were blank.
Mr. Lynch also discovered that much of the September meeting also was not recorded. Mr. Zumwalt, who arranged for the microphones and recording system for the council, is in charge of recording the meetings. August was the first meeting which was recorded.
On Saturday, Sept. 17, a caravan of 17 Rappahannock County residents joined other members of the county and region on the streets of Washington D.C. for a protest march and demonstration against the proposed Disney’s America Theme park and development project. Peggy Shadler, known locally for her beautiful and imaginative “Friends of Gaia” figures, used the theme of “Disney Will Bury Us Alive” as a focus for her creative inspiration for the event. A casket being borne by Disney CEO Michael Eisner, Virginia Gov. George Allen and members of the General Assembly and Regional Transportation Board, was surrounded by signs stating “Disney is Death,” No More Fresh, Clean Water,” “Our Green Fields Will Be Gone Forever,” “Buried Alive By Disney-Our Piedmont Countryside,” and “Here Lies Our Beloved Piedmont Countryside. It will not rest in peace,” while seven large skeletal wraiths accompanied the casket in an ominous” danse macabre.”
The total number of participants at the march and demonstration seemed to be between 1,500 and 2,500 and numerous speakers and musicians contributed their words and music to the cause, including Rappahannock’s own Trapezoid.
Charles Foster finally reached his goal. After placing second for the past two years, he finished first in the Class C division of the State Horseshoe Tournament on September 3. The tournament was held in Charlottesville. Mr. Foster, a Rappahannock County native and resident of Flint Hill, has been playing horseshoes for over 15 years. He has been entering sanctioned tournaments for the past three years.
He said he is one of about 150 players in Virginia who play in sanctioned tournaments, but that he was the only Rappahannock resident who participate in the state tournament. The world tournament will be held in Georgia next July, and he plans on being there.