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History Calendar for week of Nov. 11, 2012

November 13, 2012 12:10 am

Please enter information at events.fredericksburg.com. Select "History" category. You may also email
Email: tandc@freelancestar.com (subject: History Calendar), or fax 540/373-8455. Deadline: noon Thursday preceding Tuesday publication. 540/374-5461.

"After the Guns: The Aftermath of Fredericksburg." 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 13. John Hennessy, chief historian, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, explores days after Battle of Fredericksburg--ordeal of wounded, community recovery--in Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center's "Evening With an Expert." Second lecture in "Battle Town: Fredericksburg and the Civil War" series. Mansard Gallery, 1001 Princess Anne St. Members-only reception follows. Free, public invited. Tramia Jackson,
Email: tjackson@famcc.org or 540/371-3037, ext. 140; famcc .org.

"Finding your Lost Female Ancestors." 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. Ray Maki will present "Searching for Maiden Names." Ray has been doing his own genealogy research for over 15 years and has helped many others begin their search. He will demonstrate, using his personal experience, over eight different sources for discovering maiden names. Finding maiden names is one of the most difficult aspects of genealogy, so come and learn some techniques for finding those elusive females in your tree. The Fredericksburg Regional Genealogical Society meets at the Salem Church Branch of Central Rappahannock Regional Library, 2607 Salem Church Road, Spotsylvania. Free. 540/371-3906.

Trees of Hope 2012. Through Nov. 14. Hope House, which shelters, trains, supports homeless mothers and their children, hosts annual display at the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center. Decorated by area artists, business owners, clubs, decorators and more, the trees are the signature fundraiser for Hope House, celebrating its 25th anniversary serving women from the city of Fredericksburg, and Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George, and Caroline counties. Exhibit, including museum admission, $7 per person. No museum discounts. New: Holiday decorating seminar, and children can learn to decorate miniature trees. Exhibit 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 12-5 p.m. Extended hours until 7 p.m. on Nov. 14, the final night. "Tree Tips, Tricks and Techniques" seminar 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 14; $15 fee includes tour. Ann Crowe Essig Memorial luncheon, fashion show, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 16, at UMW's Jepson Alumni Executive Center. Concludes with Nov. 17 gala at Jepson center. $200, couple. Each ticket-holder gets tabletop tree. Gala or luncheon tickets, hopehouseinva.org or stop by Hope House, 902 Lafayette Blvd. Email
Email: treesofhope@hopehouseva.org. Museum: 540/371-3037, famcc.org.

A Speakers' Forum: "Years of Anguish: Struggle at Fredericksburg." 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, at Fredericksburg Baptist Church. Inaugural event of Battle of Fredericksburg's 150th anniversary. National Park Service, Fredericksburg Area Museum, and University of Mary Washington announce fourth of highly popular "Years of Anguish" forums. The free program will take place in sanctuary of historic Fredericksburg Baptist Church--a field hospital during December 1862 battle. Book signing, reception to follow in Fredericksburg Area Museum's historic Town Hall (907 Princess Anne St.), in museum's Sesquicentennial exhibit, "We Can Never Go Back." Forum will feature three top historians of the battle. Susannah J. Ural of University of Southern Mississippi is author of "The Harp and the Eagle: Irish-American Volunteers and the Union Army, 1861-1865." She will present "A Shroud Over Us All: The Irish Brigade and Fredericksburg." Ural will explore Irish Brigade's experience here and how it helped shape Northern public's view of broader Union disaster. George C. Rable is Charles Summersell Professor of Southern History at the University of Alabama. His 2002 book "Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!" won 2003 Lincoln Prize for excellence in Civil War scholarship and looks at battle as viewed by civilians, participants, press, public, politicians. He will present "Fredericksburg: The Battle and Beyond," and look at how Battle of Fredericksburg reverberated North and South. Frank O'Reilly of National Park Service is considered the top authority on Battle of Fredericksburg. His book, "The Fredericksburg Campaign: Winter War on the Rappahannock," reshaped understanding of clash. He will present "Commanders at War: Success and Failure at Fredericksburg," examining decisions, decision-makers. Program moderated by Dr. Jeffrey McClurken, associate professor of history at UMW and author of "Take Care of the Living: Reconstructing the Confederate Veteran Family in Virginia." Fredericksburg Baptist Church is at 1019 Princess Anne St. Details: Tramia Jackson at tjackson@famcc .org, Jeff McClurken at
Email: jmcclurk@umw.edu or John Hennessy at
Email: John_Hennessy@nps.gov.

"Mysteries and Conundrums: Building a Battlefield Park." 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 19. Eric Mink explores evolution of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, touching on Civilian Conservation Corps, segregation and more curious episodes in park's history.

Evening With an Expert Lecture Series. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11. Frank O'Reilly, historian with Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, presents "War Comes to Fredericksburg" about 150th anniversary of battle. Explores perspectives of soldiers, witnesses. Concludes Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center series, "Battle Town: Fredericksburg and the Civil War." Mansard Gallery, 1001 Princess Anne St. Members-only reception to follow. Free, public invited. Tramia Jackson,
Email: tjackson@famcc.org or 540/371-3037, ext. 140; famcc.org.

Dine with Krick, Gallagher and Bearss for Battle of Fredericksburg's 150th. December 13. The Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, based in Fredericksburg, offers a memorable event on 150th anniversary of Battle of Fredericksburg. Author-historians Robert K. Krick and Gary W. Gallagher will discuss two specific aspects of the battle. Historian-battlefield preservationist Ed Bearss will sign his book "Receding Tide: Vicksburg and Gettysburg--The Campaigns That Changed the Civil War." Krick will focus on Fredericksburg under "War's Savage Heel: the Plight of the City's Civilians." Gallagher's lecture is "Confederates Respond to the Battle of Fredericksburg." Several of their books will be available for sale in banquet hall. CVBT's latest edition of its journal, Fredericksburg History and Biography, will be available, with Volume 11's authors signing. The event, at Fredericksburg Hospitality House, 2801 Plank Road in Central Park, will include buffet dinner and premium-brand cash bar. Cocktail hour, 6 p.m.; Buffet dinner, 6:45 p.m.; program, 8 p.m. Seating limited, reserve now. $50 per person. Mail check to CVBT, Box 3417, Fredericksburg, VA 22402. Pay by credit card, cvbt.org. Questions? 540/374-0900;
Email: execdirector@cvbt.org. CVBT holding block of rooms at Hospitality House ($85 night, single and double rooms). Ground floor is "pet friendly." Rooms, call 540/786-8321.

"Picturing the Civil War." Sesquicentennial exhibition at Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center explores depictions of Civil War and aftermath in Fredericksburg, through period photography, paintings from private holdings, museum collections. Documents Gallery of Catherine W. Jones McKann Center, 1001 Princess Anne St. Through Dec. 31. Funded by grant from Institute of Museum and Library Services. fam cc.org; 540/371-3037; admission fee. Discount to military, seniors, students. Free to museum members.

"Glimpses of Holland From the Portfolios of Gari Melchers." Exhibition of artist's sketches, studies from his career-founding, late-19th-century days in North Sea's coastal villages. Pavilion Gallery of Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont, 224 Washington St., Falmouth. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Wednesday. $10 general admission. Free to students, youths, Friends of Belmont. garimelchers.org; 540/654-1015.

"We Can Never Go Back." Signature show of Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center for statewide celebration of Civil War sesquicentennial. At Fredericksburg's Old Town Hall/Market House, the museum partnered with National Park Service to create vignettes that help tell stories of Fredericksburg's residents during four years of war; famcc.org.

"Bricks and Boards in the 'Burg." Join Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center and Hallowed Ground Tours on Saturdays for architectural walking tours. Hourlong tours depart Market Square at 10 a.m. $4/adult, $1/child. Discounted museum admission for participants. Hallowed Ground Tours: 540/809-3918.

Community Artist Series: Fiber Art. Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center's Mansard Gallery displaying local fiber artists' work. Quilt National, on loan from Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, Ohio, open in museum's Council Chamber. Features selections from competition promoting contemporary art quilt. famcc.org

ELSEWHERE

"Waging War." The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley presents second half of landmark Virginia Historical Society exhibit "An American Turning Point: The Civil War in Virginia," through Dec. 2. 901 Amherst St., Winchester. 888/662-1473; shenan doahmuseum.org.

Holiday decor, festivities as Colonial Williamsburg's holiday season begins Nov. 23. colonialwil liamsburg.com or 800/HISTORY.